Dragon Gym's classes and summer camps are designed to be the perfect place for beginners. As you'll notice once your child begins classes here, he or she will often work with fellow beginners, as well as students who have been with us for a while. This blending of abilities allows children to feel comfortable in classes, as they're the only beginners, and it also allows them to learn by modeling the behavior of higher-ranking students. As white belts, children learn discipline, respect, and precision from watching the higher belts. It’s a sort of observational osmosis—beginners observe discipline, respect, and precision demonstrated by their peers.
Surrounding white belts with fellow students who are beginners as well as more experienced students allows for:
- Intrapersonal learning (solitary—intrinsic motivation and self-study)
- Visual learning (spatial learning—observation of instructors and peers)
- Aural learning (learning via linguistic input—instruction and command)
- Interpersonal (collaborative social learning—group dynamic and team cohesion through partner work, team goal setting, and social interaction)
- Kinesthetic learning (learning via physical interaction and stimulation)
Our more experienced students learn by setting examples for our beginners, and have opportunities to teach and demonstrate techniques for their peers. There’s a power in combinations here. Because each child learns differently, our beginner-friendly classes allow for an idealized learning environment—no matter your child’s most effective learning style.