What Can I Expect When I Enroll  In Your Classes?

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‍I have a passion for teaching.  Whether you’re a beginner who is exploring Chinese martial arts and culture for the first time, or an advanced student who has studied with me or some other teacher for many years, I attempt to make all my classes educational, engaging, and most of all, fun.  

Here are some features of my classes that you can count on:

• I make enrollment a simple process.  You can enroll in the classes that I teach for the Greeley Parks and Recreation Department (GPRD) either in person at the Greeley FunPlex or Active Adult Center, or online on the GPRD website. If you wish to enroll in one of my workshops, you can do so on this website.
• I offer classes in both the morning or evening.  If you are free during the day, I teach several of my GPRD classes starting mid-morning.  And if you have a day job, I start a number of my GPRD classes in the early evening so that you have time to return home, have dinner, then head off to class.  
• I am always conscious of my students’ knowledge absorption.  Learning any new skill requires adequate time for a student to make it their own.  My class sessions generally last just an hour, and are spread over several months.  Concentrated workshops that last more than a day are spread over a weekend with ample breaks for rest and meals so that a student can recover and consolidate what they are learning.
• I always attempt to demystify and clarify the concepts that I teach.  Chinese culture, especially in the martial arts, can be a bit strange and overwhelming to someone who has never encountered it before.  As a scholar and licensed practitioner in the field of Oriental acupuncture and herbal medicine, I take the time to explain the foundation of whatever concept I am teaching, and welcome students’ questions about any aspect of my instruction.
• I create a safe, comfortable learning environment for all my students.  Although I teach the fighting arts, the primary focus of my classes is on making everyone feel safe and at home while they learn.  So when explaining how a move could be used in a self-defense situation, no one is ever punished or struck in my classes, and I tend to place more emphasis on the health aspects of the martial arts I teach, not their lethal capabilities.  Above all, absolute courtesy to everyone, for everyone, is expected at all times in my classes and workshops.
• I foster a sense of community and fellowship in my classes.  Most students find and make new friends in my classes and workshops.  Many of my students have been with me for more than a decade, and they come to class not just to learn new skills, but to be with others who have become their friends on their path to mastery.  
  

In short, my classes are an ideal place to learn and grow, no matter your age, interests, or personality.

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Sifu Fred