Yuck and karate go in the same sentence??? WTH?

I'm not feeling the Karate class we have Big1 in...
I can't even place my finger on it, but I just don't feel right... I feel like they want people who are rich and just want their kids to win... Like the focus is on progressing more quickly, as opposed to retaining for the long run and really mastering concepts. I almost think that it's a matter of "if we stuff all this info in at once and get it so the kids can *do* it, then if we test them on it right away, it will look as though they really understand what's going on"... plus I've heard the term "progress" more than I feel comfortable, yet not once do I recall the term "master(y)".
Finally, I know that they are in a business and the goal of a business is to make money, but they seem irritated when you show that money is, in fact, a concern, and that you are worried about being able to afford continuing training and want to know how the money works. I'm sorry, but money matters. They want us to try and get the state to pay for it if we can't... so she can "progress and get the most possible training and learn strength and self-esteem and make progress as quickly as possible"... (Plus, the jump from white belt to yellow belt is much less work than the jump from yellow to orange or any other those which follow)
I wanted to say, I'm not worried about the SPEED at which she progresses, I don't care if she remains a white belt for years, if she is mastering the concepts and growing as a person and learning the self control and discipline to grow into a well rounded individual. They want her to win sparring competitions.
Did I mention I don't care about the type of progression they measure and instead am concerned about her growth as a person and as a student?

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(Most of a coversation between me and friend J, who is a good sounding board for me...)
Big1 is in karate, and we just seem to be having a hard time getting her there... and now it's time to buy more classes and it's so damned expensive and I've just had a funny feeling when I go in there; not like she's not safe, just not a place where I feel at peace. It's like I don't know what I"m looking for, I just feel...
J: that is how it goes, you just have to feel
...intrusive there and in the way and... pressured? and they were "playing" with nunchucks(sp???) at the end of class today "to teach the arm motions" and "becuase sometimes, we just have to have fun"
J: well that is true you just have to have fun but if you feel odd there then it is not the place for you or Big1
it concerned M first, I was caught up in the cute of our little-big girl playing with n/cs... but she's totally right, weapons are NOT toys.
J: that is true she needs to learn to respect them, maybe not fear them but respect them
I wouldn't let her play with knives, guns, or swords, why would I let her "play" with those? and she's also only been to FOUR private lessons and maybe five group lessons. It seems to be a little fast for her to be training at all with weapons.
J:That is true. you have to get to level three of tai chi before they let you touch weapons
and also, IF we choose to continue at this school, it will be 591 for the next three months, 1 private lesson a week plus unlimited (up to three/week) group classes, and "he'll include the (protection) gear" which is normally I don't know how much, but please explain to me WHY after less than four months of training she would be getting near enough to anyone to need protective gear??? and when M asked her what she learned tonight, she said "I don't know." Like in the actual, she didn't learn anything kind of way, not in the I'm six and I don't want to recall kind of way...
(Talking about another area martial arts school and why I don't like them) They don't teach Chi
Is that not an integral part of martial arts? or is that only something that is important later down the road? I'm thinking of seeing if we can go on a tai chi date saturday, just Big1 and I...
J: Chi is integral to everything but expressed strongly in martial arts
yes, I understand that... which is why I am confused as to why a "martial arts academy" would be so strongly against the teaching of Chi???
J: http://www.taichidenver.com/classes.html
Denver is not a guarantee i can make every week...
J: yeah I know but it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a class with Joe to get the feeling of what you are after. Joe is the man and I love him to pieces, Joe rocks
yeah, and we have considered it... there have just been so many car issues, that I don't want to have something that we couldn't get to if (when) the car decides to crap out (again)
J: yeah but what I mean is go take a class with joe get the feel of the energy and then find something close to you that matches
as in singular, not course. Then, that's Tai Chi, not Karate or (Kung Fu, which M wants)
J: Actually......Kung fu is a combination really of Tai Chi with Karate
a more peaceful version as opposed to "self defense training" aka, how to kick someone's ass. or, how violent will your parents tolerate?
J: I mean you can very much use Kung Fu to beat the shit out of someone but the way they teach it is it is not the best option
which I am a strong advocate of.
(I find a place really near our house, which teaches Tai Chi AND Kung Fu for ALL AGES - even mommies)
plus, guy doing Tai Chi forms in the feild with a sword... caught my attention months ago and I am always looking for him out there... didn't occure to me "school" we shall go investigate further! I want to do tai chi, and so does M, I think... it would be good for us... "Authentic Chinese Martial Arts" this implies to me we are not afraid of energy, no?
J: If they do Tai Chi they can't be
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Hopefully this place will be affordable and DHS will get their financials in order (we've been getting about half of their stipend each time, FDS is working on it NOW... Hopefully this place will be good and I won't get the squishies there...

-T