Between the tall trees of a beautiful forest, children can get lost in a make-belief world where they are the true heroes. They become warriors using fake as well as real, traditional, weapons from the world of martial arts. These young warriors are trainees in the first Hebrew school for Light Warriors.
The school, a first of its kind in Israel, offers individual and group martial arts training for children and youth who deal with learning and performance difficulties.
Through the unique training, children learn to be both independent and cooperative; to listen and be attentive, and to become leaders. The ideology behind the method leans on a world view from antiquity in Europe and Asia regarding the teacher-student relationship and the obligations they have to one another. An integral aspect of the school's training is the influence of imagination and the belief in one’s ability for personal change and the development of a greater self image. For the students, the training is like a game, a fun after school activity, or an outlet for built up energy. They take on the role of a warrior in this game, and become empowered in the process, acquiring skills that feed into many aspects of their daily life, improving their performance and their ability to deal with life’s challenges.
These photos focus on the imaginary aspect of the exercise - the fairy-tale setting which makes the activity more real for the students, allowing them to feel the significance of the activity, and their own important role, feeling like real heroes.
More of this story here:
http://www.flash90.com/reportage/reportage.aspx?id=146
