From the very beginning the SchoolJudo project has been centred around values, those we all know and live by known as the judo moral code and of course our own personal values, but the project required some special thinking, giving the values a twist. To teach requires pedagogy and here is the difference; teaching children to live their lives according to positive values and to do so explicitly is not easy, but it is valuable, as suggested in the labelling of our ‘values.’

For the SchoolJudo project there is the constant watermark of the moral code but now, with teaching and learning as the main focus, the agenda shifts and 7 teachable, absorbable values become clear and the longevity and success of the original Dutch project is the evidence on which to base future European, and later world, schools projects.

Trust

This is an all-encompassing value at every level of the sport. Judoka must trust each other. Judoka and coaches must traits each other. School staff, venue staff, admin staff and all mat-based participants must trust each other. This trust gives rise to a freedom of discussion, enabling the deep dive into honest discovery. This is essential!

Collaboration

Teaching children, from an early age, that working together gives us all extra strength and a pool of resources, is important way beyond the tatami. Collaboration and trust are closely linked as one is rarely successful without the other.

Teaching Resources

Respect

We all feel we understand the behaviours that are and are not respectful but could you explain that to a child? Teaching skills of reflection and analysis and discussing openly how respectful our actions are, makes defining respect very clear for children, giving them confidence in their own assessments and choices. Learning to respect not just partners but also property, rules, opposite opinions and much more, is a big positive step towards tolerance in a world needing that so much.

Self-Control

All areas of life throw up frustrations and challenges and it’s never easy to navigate those moments. Giving children a space to explore their reactions to adversity, at even the most basic level, and subsequent actions is so powerful and the SchoolJudo project makes this a priority.

Resilience

Self-Control is the brother and sister of resilience, the foundation for a child’s ability to cope, no matter the situation. Explicit teaching of strategies for building resilience is a fundamental part of the project and is a thread that joins all judoka from the first-time beginner to the Olympic champion.

Discipline

Do you follow your goals or your feelings? Do you let your mood dictate your actions? Do our children follow examples from those around them or create their own decision-making matrix? Maybe it is always a mix of all these things and more that creates each child’s personal discipline. In the SchoolJudo project this is taught, reflected upon and highlighted, giving rise to successful decision-makers who keep their goals, their community and their wellbeing front and centre at all times. Discipline is not a simple topic but one which becomes impactful in children’s daily lives even off the judo mats, when tackled head-on.

Fun

This is the key to everything! We all recognise that we can travel an extra mile when we feel happy. There’s greater focus, better collaboration and improved learning when the environment is fuelled by fun and the SchoolJudo.EU team is committed to making this a cornerstone of the project philosophy.

These values are even exciting to read, so thinking about the potential power of this project, with all these values so prominent and visible, is energising!

The pilot projects are close launching and so there is much more news to come. Keep your eyes open for all Erasmus SchoolJudo.EU updates!

See also