Expect Eye Contact from Students in Martial Arts, Soccer, any Sport or Academic Setting.
Eye-Contact and social touches are fading away from use in society-things that distinguish us from beasts, things that make us human.
A creature was spotted in France 200 years ago. It was captured, and they determined that it was an 11-year old boy who had run wild in the forests for most of his life. He was indistinguishable as human. This leads me to ask, “At what point do we begin to lose our humanity?”
Anyone who works with kids has to be giving high fives, pats on the back, and requiring eye contact. When you ask a child a question, wait for an answer using the same level of eye contact. It’s our job to turn this around, and remember that if we don’t look at each other, parents, our kids will follow our lead.
According to Education Week, Eye contact is essential for communication and relationship-building, conveying respect, engagement, and confidence. However, a survey of K-12 educators reveals that students' eye contact skills have declined over the past decade, with 62% of teachers and school leaders noting a deterioration, and 25% describing it as significantly worse.
Within our Taekwondo schools, instructors use eye contact to better engage the student and receive acknowledgement of the instructions. When introducing themselves or in conversation, we require eye contact from the student, because just as with martial arts training, we are good at what is practiced.
I believe that it is critical for parents and schoolteachers to be aware of their interactions with students. Take the time to make eye contact.
For instance, when you’re on the laptop, and your kids ask you a question, give them the eye contact that you so desperately want from them. And for goodness sake, don't let your kids walk around with their eyes glued to a screen.
