68 Victoria Street, Middleton
Children's Karate 5 - 8 Middleton
To discover who you are and to be the most authentic version of yourself, and share that with others.
Children's Karate 9 - 12 Middleton
If you are facing in the right direction, all you have to do is start walking.
Youth Karate 13 - 17 Middleton
Self-Confidence through Mastery.
You only have to learn how to be great at one thing to become great at anything you chose.
Adult Karate 18+ Middleton
A person who is peaceful on the inside will not cause harm to others, because what he feels is peace.
Classical Martial Arts
Master the Art, Master Yourself
The Classical Martial Arts are a personal journey where the student will face the challenges of the mind and body, and must discover for themself how to overcome them.
It is a way of life that cultivates character, peace and kindness, strength and courage, compassion, gratitude and respect.
The Classical Martial Arts are systems of deep philosophies and traditions, methods, tools, techniques and principles. It is up to the student to do the work in training to understand the teachings so they can begin to put together their own practice in a way that serves them best.
The core of our practice is Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate which originates from the teachings, traditions and philosophy of the Shaolin Temple and White Crane Kung Fu. Goju consists of two kanji characters - Go means Strong and Ju means Gentle. It is based on a philosophy of strong mind, strong body - gentle heart, gentle spirit.
Goju means “Having Strength, Choosing to be Gentle.”
Mastery-Based Education
The philosophy of The MASS Conservatory is Mastery-Based Education
What is Mastery-Based Education?
In mastery based education each students works through their studies at their own pace, in their own time and in ways that suit and enrich their lives. Students strive for their personal best to master the required material before moving on to what is next, continuing to set new standards for themselves with each grade they achieve.
The role of the teacher is to share the knowledge and teachings of the Classical Martial Arts in an environment that inspires, encourages and supports students in a self-paced mastery approach to learning.
They are never pushed ahead before they are ready and are never held back by the pace of other students. Mastery-based learning is designed to insure every student has the opportunity and support needed to learn.
In this way the person who has gone through the challenges of achieving mastery will not need someone else to tell them what they can do and what they cannot do, because they will know for themselves exactly what they are capable of.
Every student can be educated, every student can achieve. In their own way, in their own time.
What dose this mean for children, youth and their families?
Mastery based education in The Classical Martial Arts helps families better understand and engage with their child’s learning. The mastery of skill and methods are individualized and are developed in a variety of settings so mastery-based learning provides more opportunities for families to foster learning at home. When families have a better understanding of each child’s goals they can connect home activities to school-based learning. Mastery-based learning offers greater opportunities for families and teachers to work together.
A Mastery Education in the Traditional Martial Arts will help children develop such quality ties as a strong character, kindness, confidence and strength, focus, self-discipline and determination, compassion and gratitude.
Principles of Mastery-Based Education:
Focus on Mastery:
Students are expected to achieve a high level of understanding and proficiency in each learning objective before progressing.Individualized Pace:
Students learn at their own pace, with opportunities for extra support or enrichment as needed.
Emphasis on Student Agency:
Students are empowered to take ownership of their learning, making choices about how and when they learn.
Jamie Edwards
I have been a full-time, professional teacher for more than 35 years. My career includes teaching high school music, non-profit youth organizations for the performing arts and of course the classical martial arts. I am internationally trained in violence prevention and self defence and I am a certified teacher with Safe International. My work as a teacher has taken me throughout Canada, U.S.A and Europe and my students have travelled from all over the world to be a part of my programs. I am grateful for the privilege to have been a part of each one of their lives and to share my experience with them.
I started my training in the martial arts in 1989 under the teachings of Sensei Wayne Arsenault, received my black belt in 1993 and continue my training to this day with 7 teachers in 4 countries. I have been blessed my entire life with extraordinary teachers and I am grateful for their contributions to my life and my training.
My training and practice includes Karate, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Ba Gua, Nei Gong and Meditation. The foundation of my of my practice are the teachings of the Shaolin Temple and the philosophy of the Taoist and Buddhist Traditions.
Stephanie Schaffner
Stephanie in the senior student at the Mass Conservatory and into her mandatory 1 year of training to qualify for her black belt testing. She has been assisting in classes for the past 3 years including Children, Youth and Adult Karate.
Stephanie is a focused student of the Classical Martial Arts, her training includes Traditional Okinawa Karate, Yang Style Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Nei Gong, Dao Yin, Meditation and Yoga.
Stephanie is passionate about helping others in their martial arts practice with a special interest in self defense and assisting woman and girls achieve their wellness goals, especially within the martial arts.
On top of the 7 hours spent each week between classes Stephanie trains privately with Jamie 5 hours each week and has a regular at home practice. Stephanie is dedicated to her training and consistently sets new standards for each grade she has achieved.
stephanie@massconservatory.ca
