Martial Arts in Highschool
Problem: Students who engage in martial art training in high school feel like they are superior to others, and that they can dominate over them, and bully them as they please. Besides, these students are also vulnerable to injuries that may jeopardize their operations in the school.
Product: As much as Greco et al. consider karate to be an anti-bullying strategy as it improves self-efficacy and resilience in the students, the fact is that bullying will ever stop in schools. As Greco et al. explain, “Bullying is characterized by power imbalances in relationships, which can lead to negative social consequences” (Greco et al. 2016). This article brings out the fact that students who practice martial arts in high schools often consider themselves as powerful, and they use this fact to bully other children, thus making them have adverse social repercussions. The children who are bullied develop low self-esteem, and they do not have the confidence that they should in social places. Morin looks into the negative consequences of martial arts in high school, and the health impact that it could have on the students. According to Morin, “the most common injuries of martial arts include sprains, strains, contusions, fractures, nose bleeds, hyperextension of the joints, among many others” (Morin, 2020). The purpose of this article is to bring out the adverse effects of martial arts and compare them with the positive ones. The intended audience of these texts is the students themselves and the teachers in learning institutions. They can advocate for the ban of martial arts in high schools because of the adverse effects that it imposes on the students. I noticed that as much as the author gives the negative side of the martial arts training, it is ideal to also look into the positive side, as this aspect will make the teachers weigh options.
The positive sides relate to health benefits, and Morin has mentioned that they include “improved muscle strength, better balance, enhanced flexibility, improved cognitive function, higher self-esteem, more self-respect, and better self-awareness” (Morin, 2020). In Greco et al., I realized that the best way of coming up with a solution to the problem is using a methodology that would include a significant number of participants, who would represent many students that take up this art. The author used “100 students from 3 high schools, aged 14-16 years” (Greco et al. 2016). The literary device used in Greco et al. is repetition, where the author mentions the name bullying many times to emphasize a point. The author suggests, “bullying is a controversial issue…” “…increases bullying in a behavior” (Greco et al. 2016). Repetition is used to emphasize a point.
Mentor Text: Infographic:
From the injuries that students get when they engage in martial arts, parents need to know the things they should do, and the ones they should avoid. Parents should talk to the instructors of their children, and ensure that the children are in safe hands. They should engage the instructors and ask them questions concerning their philosophy and experience before they sign up their teens for the classes. It is also ideal to start with the lower contact forms of these arts. For a start, the techniques should not involve too much contact. Morin explains that for parents, they should “only allow their teens to compete in a safe environment” (Morin 2020). Besides, the students should be advised accordingly and made aware that the arts they practice are not for violence, but for keeping fit. It is also essential for the parents to talk to their doctors and find out if their children are physically fit to train. Parents should always be concerned with what their children do in school, and therefore, they should ensure that the safety of their children comes first. This entails engaging in every step of their children’s participation and ensuring that they are always there with them when their children need them.
The diagram below is an example of children participating in martial arts and shows how vigorous the exercise could become.
References
Greco, G., Cataldi, S., & Fischetti, F. (2019). Karate as an anti-bullying strategy by improvement resilience and self-efficacy in school-age youth. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 19, 1863-1870.
Morin, A. (2020). The Risks and Benefits of Martial Arts Classes for Teens. Retrieved from https://www.verywellfamily.com/risks-and-benefits-of-martial-arts-for-teens-4118105