FAQs

1) Why do I really need a character development system at my martial arts school – people are bringing their kids here to learn self defense!

** While self defense is definitely one of the reasons that parents enroll their children in Martial Arts classes, it’s certainly not the most important aspect of this activity! Over the years, I have interviewed thousands of parents. My goal was to determine the most important asset that their children could develop at our academy. The feedback was deafening! All of the parents felt that the LIFE SKILLS and CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT being taught at our school would carry their children onto success in life. They were certainly thrilled that their children were also getting a fantastic workout and a healthy outlet to use their energy while also learning to defend themselves and avoid any potentially dangerous situations. This feedback really helped me to clarify the need for a FULLY SYSTEMIZED, EASY TO USE, and EASY TO LEARN Character Development System in any Martial Arts Academy that truly wants to develop their students!

2) Don’t martial arts teach character development all by itself?

** I have heard this for years! All you have to do is simply open the yellow pages to KARATE and look at the ads. You’ll see a whole list of words like Discipline, Modesty, Perseverance, Indomitable Spirit, Respect, etc. As a life-long academic, I have learned that in order to consistently teach something to your students, it’s absolutely mandatory that you have a curriculum! I’m sure that you have a fully detailed martial arts curriculum that includes what your students have to learn as well as a way for them to learn it. Character development is ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENT! POWerful Words is a complete system of projects, letters, bulletin board displays, and mat chats that are all cohesive in nature. This makes your character curriculum as awesome as your martial arts curriculum!

3) Why should I buy a Character Development System from you?

** I love this question! You wouldn’t go to a psychologist and ask them to build you a martial arts curriculum, would you? Of course not! As a PhD in Child Development from the prestigious Elliot Pearson School at Tufts University (Regarded as one of the finest learning institutions for Child Development in the WORLD) I have spent many years learning about children…how they learn, how to help them learn more effectively, how to help them bring out the best in themselves. The “Book Smarts” I’ve gained are invaluable and I have been called upon as an expert resource for many different topics – I’ve even had 3 of my reports published in an ENCYCLOPEDIA! Now on a more practical side, my husband and I own a very successful martial arts academy. We learned immediately upon opening the school that parents were looking for a “Personal Development Center” and we knew that in order to deliver on our promise to help their children “Build The Foundation of Success”, we would need a World Class Character Development System. We purchased every single system out there – there are some pretty good ones, however, each one had some strengths and some weaknesses. I decided to put my education to work and develop the most COMPREHENSIVE, EASY TO IMPLEMENT, and COMPLETE Character Development System for Martial Arts Schools. If you’d like to spend 5 years and thousands of dollars to “re-invent the wheel” and develop your own system, be my guest….but I’ve already done that for you!

4) What are the Qualifications of Dr. Robyn?

** Dr. Robyn J.A. Silverman is a PhD in Child Development from the Elliot Pearson School at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Her formal education includes a degree in Pyschology as well as a degree in English Literature from Washington University in St. Louis. She spent a year studying at Oxford University…Yes that Oxford! She is the Co-Founder and President of Extreme Dreams for Teens, a company that specializes in helping teenage girls develop their self esteem through coaching, conferences, books, and seminars. She has been the Child Development Specialist at EEMA Fitness & Martial Arts for 5 years and has trained the entire staff to successfully implement the POWerful Words Character Development System. Over the years, she has been featured in countless newspaper articles regarding the positive development of children as well as being featured on FOX25 News for her special Bully Busters program. Dr. Robyn has been invited into many different public and private schools to help the staff and students with topics such as Bullying, Peer Relations, etc.

5) Will I really be able to use this system? I don’t have a lot of spare time to learn a ton of new things!

** The POWerful Words Character Development System has been designed for the super busy school owner! You will easily be able to download the different aspects of the system, read them, distribute them to your staff, and add them to your newsletter or even turn them into your newsletter within 1 day! You’ll even have the opportunity to have your staff call in for a monthly teleconference so that Dr. Robyn can train them for you! Talk about a time saver! If you are busy – YOU NEED THIS SYSTEM!

7) Is it possible for me to take a look at the program before I buy it…kind of like a test drive?

** Absolutely, no different than the way most martial arts academies offer some form of introductory lesson, we offer a FREE TRIAL MONTH of the POWerful Words Ultimate Character Development Toolkit.

Here are the steps:

A) Go to www.powerfulwordsonline.com

B) In the lower right hand corner of the homepage you will see a green banner that says, “FREE MONTH OF POWERFUL WORDS – Click Here”

C) Click on this banner

D) You will be directed to a subscription page where you should click on the FREE TRIAL of POWerful Words Ultimate Character Development Toolkit (free) choice.

E) After you fill out the subscription page you will need to login using your login and password that you just created.

F) You will be directed to the FREE TRIAL MONTH Area and on the left side of the page you’ll see:

Your subscriptions
- - - - - - - -
FREE TRIAL of POWerful Words Ultimate Character Development Toolkit

G) Click on the FREE TRIAL of POWerful Words

H) You will then be directed to a special directory where you will see:

POWerful Words Character Education Toolkit:
Sample Monthly ToolKit

To View Your FREE MONTH MATERIALS - Please click on the following file names and they will open up as PDFs.

Bulletin Board
Dear Dr. Robyn
Mat Chat - Kid's age 4-6.5
Mat Chat - Kid's age 7-13
Responsibility Projects - age 4-6.5
Responsibility Projects - age 7 and up
Parents Perch

I) Click on any of the file names and a PDF will open up on your computer so that you may view each of the files.

10) Do I have to renew my subscription every month to make sure that I am able to get my POWerful Words materials?

** Absolutely not! POWerful Words is designed for the busy school owner that doesn’t want to have to remember to sign up every month for something…your subscription automatically renews every month until your subscription has been cancelled.

12) When do I receive my monthly package?

** The beautiful thing about POWerful Words is that we don’t send you a big box of stuff every month. Your POWerful Words package is ALWAYS AVAILABLE to you online at www.powerfulwordsonline.com – simply click on the MEMBER LOGIN link on the upper right hand corner of our homepage and login. This will allow you to download each of the different products every month.

13) What format are the products in?

** All POWerful Words Products are either in PDF form or in Microsoft Word. Files in Microsoft Word are the only files that may be edited.

14) How can I legally edit the PDF files?

** Unfortunately, the PDF files may not be edited in any way, shape, or form. If for some reason you notice a typo or inconsistency, please e-mail us at JSilverman@powerfulwordsonline.com and we will have the error fixed immediately. Absolutely no copyrights, headers, footers, copy, or logo may be edited or removed.

15) Since all of the files are electronic, can I post them on my website for my clients to download?

** Absolutely! We highly encourage it! Please make sure that the files are removed after the month is over. Current POWerful Words academies may leave each file on their website for no more than 30 days.

16) Is it alright if I share my password with some other school owners so that they may download POWerful Words as well?

** Absolutely NOT! This is piracy and therefore both illegal and immoral. POWerful Words Character Development reserves the right to prosecute parties guilty of piracy to the highest extent of the law.

17) I am looking for different Ideas for rewarding the kids for the monthly character projects

I use stars for one of the other programs that I use at my school. When the children hand in the project they get a star. Is there anyway I can keep both programs going? I don't want to lose the other program. Also, I use the Left Side Collar for the stars -- where do you put all your stars? Can I use smaller stars and use the other side, You said your program was three years so that is 36 stars right? Where are the all going?

** Great question! I think that the POWerful Words program offers flexibility in the type of information that your school already presents.  However, I would caution you not to overwhelm the students or confuse the students buy offering too many programs at the same time.  If you are finding that they are all working nicely together...go for it!  You can always try using the other program along with POWerful Words, and if it is too much, you can make adjustments.  You may entertain offering the children an opportunity to do both projects, or simply pick one, and reward the overachievers with an additional star. You can also give a different type of patch for the POWerful Words program , but this might get a bit confusing.   Most people just go full fledge with the POWerful Words program, but I certainly can understand your desire to do both.  I am happy to discuss this further with you as you contemplate it.

In regard to your other questions, the kids at our academy love to put the stars on their right pant leg. Some like to go right down the length of the pant in a line while others choose to make funky patterns and circles down the leg.  The pants give the kids a lot of places to put the stars.  Funny-- the kids grow out of their pants every so often, so I don't believe I have ever seen more than 15 stars or so, on a child's pants.  Many of our kids have been with us far past 5 years so I am sure that they have received over 4-5 years worth of stars.  They always find room!  They are so proud!

19) When you go in the school system how much time do you spend and what is your general outline that you use to speak to the kids?

** I go in with all kinds of things based on what the school desires.  Sometimes, I teach about respect and kindness, sometimes for success building, other times I go in for bullying (I have been on the news for these programs as well as in the newspaper and a magazine).  Besides doing something amazing for the kids—it really helps to gets your name out.  The press loves when people bring this kind of thing to the schools.  It also gives the school something to glow about...I spend about 40 minutes at the school. Don’t go any longer!  It is best for students to have these small increments.

20) Would you ever come to our academy and do some form of Parenting Workshop for our clients?