05-13-2008, 06:53 PM
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#1 | | Member
Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 41
| Fencing certificate of achievement?
I'm curious if anyone has come up with a certificate of achievement for beginning students in your classes?
If so, where did you find good wording for them? Does anyone have a good reference, or would you mind if I used something of yours that worked?  | 
|  | | And now for this message... |
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05-13-2008, 07:36 PM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Cougar Country
Posts: 8,212
| I like to be specific about what they did well, so rather than giving an "achievement award", this is what I do for my little kids (8-11). It also gives me a chance to acknowledge positive behaviour, because the bad kids are negative attention seekers. To counter this, I issue the following awards:
Most Helpful - This is for the kids that help every week with getting the gear in and out of the gym. I give free day passes to the community centre I work for.
Best Footwork - We all have kids who dog footwork... shuffle, joke around etc... this is for the kids who make an effort to do things correctly. I try and find "foot related" gifts at the $1 store.
Best Listener - A chance to award the quiet kids that pay attention. Okay I admit... I usually give whoopie cushions, but they're a big hit with kids that age.
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If Joan of Arc could turn the tide of an entire war before her 18th. birthday, you can get out of bed.
~E. Jean Carroll
It's psychosomatic. You need a lobotomy. I'll get a saw. ~Calvin & Hobbes
Last edited by Fencergrl; 05-13-2008 at 07:39 PM.
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05-15-2008, 02:44 AM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Japan
Posts: 899
| Rub a dub dub, best in the club.
Simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than ballestra fleche.
Best thruster.
Most likely to esquive.
"I crown thee - Prince of the Nerds."
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FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WON'T YOU BUY MY TACTICAL WHEEL!!!???? | |
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05-16-2008, 09:18 AM
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#5 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 151
| A the junior club I coach at we use the BAF proficency awards ( http://www.baf-fencing.org/html/proficiency_awards.html) whilst I don't rate them technically* they are very good at motivating younger kids.
* Personally I think the British Fencing awards are more appropriate and a better progression. | |
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05-16-2008, 12:09 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: near Boston
Posts: 2,749
| The most commonly used certificates of achievement are called medals.
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When Clinton entered office, oil was $20 a barrel. When George W. entered office, oil was $20 a barrel. Thanks George.
On Jan 22, 2001 it cost 94 cents to buy a Euro, now it costs about $1.50. Thanks again, George.
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05-16-2008, 01:40 PM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 3,995
| Quote:
Originally Posted by fencerbill  The most commonly used certificates of achievement are called medals. | Hm? I'd say "ratings" are more common. | |
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05-16-2008, 01:50 PM
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#8 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: right here, on your screen
Posts: 1,511
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Grasshopper Rub a dub dub, best in the club.
Simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than ballestra fleche.
Best thruster.
Most likely to esquive.
"I crown thee - Prince of the Nerds." | "The hand that never tires"
"Best fleche for miles around"
"First to strip"
"The stiffest blade" 
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Cross me and you'll find that under this playful boyish exterior beats the heart of a ruthless sadistic maniac. ~Blackadder http://fencingblog.wordpress.com | |
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05-16-2008, 01:55 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Cougar Country
Posts: 8,212
| Wrong kind of club honey. 
__________________
If Joan of Arc could turn the tide of an entire war before her 18th. birthday, you can get out of bed.
~E. Jean Carroll
It's psychosomatic. You need a lobotomy. I'll get a saw. ~Calvin & Hobbes | |
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05-16-2008, 01:56 PM
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#10 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002 Location: South Texas
Posts: 2,766
| Quote:
Originally Posted by telkanuru Hm? I'd say "ratings" are more common. | In some RYC competitions (Y10), every participant got a medal.
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Epee is the Sword.
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05-16-2008, 02:46 PM
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#11 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 270
| Quote:
Originally Posted by JEC In some RYC competitions (Y10), every participant got a medal. | Ooo, don't get me started with my opinion as to this practice... | |
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05-16-2008, 02:56 PM
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#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,164
| Quote:
Originally Posted by fencerwallet Ooo, don't get me started with my opinion as to this practice... | which one? competitive fencing events for the under tens or the medals all round.
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the will of all things is to continue to be as they are | |
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05-17-2008, 01:41 AM
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#13 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007 Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 604
| I don't like the idea of giving everyone medals... Maybe not even the little kiddies. I haven't gotten a medal yet, despite the fact that I'm pretty much the second highest rated epee fencer in my club.
But when I get one, it will be that much more satisfying, as I know how hard I have worked and practiced up until this point.
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"Yes. I almost superglued my hand to the floor, at work today." - Me.
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05-17-2008, 11:25 AM
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#14 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NC
Posts: 286
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Nolano I don't like the idea of giving everyone medals... Maybe not even the little kiddies. | Ditto, but that's why "certificates of achievement" can keep kids motivated that might not otherwise come back next season. How frustrating can it be for a kid who gets little feedback on his progress and then gets his butt handed to him in every tournament? We are moving towards some type certificate in our club next year but there are different types:
1. Progress certificates, like the British system. Kids get a certificate when they reach a defined level of proficiency.
2. Completion certificates. These are given out upon completion of a prescribed syllabus, staying for the whole season, or for attendance.
We're still ironing out the details. Anybody have a preference for these two systems? | |
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05-17-2008, 01:41 PM
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#15 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Cougar Country
Posts: 8,212
| I like the progress ones. Some kids think they are the best or the worse fencer because a light goes off (or doesn't). The truth is, every fencer has some good and bad qualities. I think it's encouraging for a beginner fencer (who may not be getting as many lights as the others) to get some positive feedback for doing an element of fencing well.
Verbalizing it is important, but an award sends a message to the whole class that certain elements in fencing are important. For instance, kids often "dog" footwork, they don't make the connection between their sloppy practice and their fencing.
__________________
If Joan of Arc could turn the tide of an entire war before her 18th. birthday, you can get out of bed.
~E. Jean Carroll
It's psychosomatic. You need a lobotomy. I'll get a saw. ~Calvin & Hobbes
Last edited by Fencergrl; 05-17-2008 at 01:47 PM.
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06-18-2008, 02:45 PM
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#16 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: near Boston
Posts: 2,749
| You know there is nothing wrong with traditional fencing trophies. Helps to keep track of your keys.
__________________
When Clinton entered office, oil was $20 a barrel. When George W. entered office, oil was $20 a barrel. Thanks George.
On Jan 22, 2001 it cost 94 cents to buy a Euro, now it costs about $1.50. Thanks again, George.
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06-19-2008, 08:16 PM
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#17 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Carstairs, AB, Canada
Posts: 3,289
| We threw a system together based off the Armband program on the CFF
When the students pass their "exams", we give out a standard little certificate (Johnny has completed the X level of fencing).
The CFF has a set of armband badges in the various colours that the kids could theoretically sew on something, but since we provide gear to our beginners, we couldn't figure out what they'd sew their "rank" badge on!
Here's a link to the overview of our program: http://carstairs-fencing.ab.ca/index...d=22&Itemid=44
And here's the link to the CFF Armband program: http://www.fencing.ca/downloads/armband_program_eng.pdf
James.
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If it's stupid, but it works, it's not stupid.
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