Cho Dan Bo vs. 1st Dan/poom pro's & con's

[ralphmcpherson]

Absolutely! Recommended Dan, wait six months, write a paper; all unneeded actions. When my students take the black belt test, about two hours long at the most, they get their belt when they pass.

I call all first gups, cho dan bo, because they are.

I agree with this. This is why I would prefer my club just swap the "plain" black belt for a brown belt and then they go straight to 1st dan. To me, you are either a black belt or you're not, the concept of probationary black belts etc just dont make any sense to me.

 

[puunui]

When my students take the black belt test, about two hours long at the most, they get their belt when they pass.

That's another issue isn't it, the 1st dan test that lasts days.... Personally, I don't believe in that.

 

[andyjeffries]

What do you think? Test them once, or test them twice? One test says "a BB is a BB." Two tests is a retention tool to keep them motivated to learn more & grow past BB.

I feel a cho-dan-bo is an unnecessary step. In the our club we have a 6 month gap between 1st Kup and 1st Dan. Grade really isn't important to most of our students, but we do ensure that everyone knows there is more stuff to learn past 1st Dan.

I'd say just grade to 1st Dan, make sure they know there's more advanced stuff to learn past 1st Dan (and that it's not a completion of the syllabus) and then if they want to leave, that's their prerogative.

At the end of the day, if all you're doing with the cho-dan-bo is keeping them hooked until 1st Dan, if they want to they'll still leave after it. If you're using it as a marketing period to show them that there's more to come, then just do that at 2nd/1st Kup.

I don't personally feel that cho-dan-bo is necessary except for a way of "guaranteeing" income for an extra few months, something that Taekwondo isn't about to me.

 

[chodanbo]

I hope I've got the term correct. Cho Dan Bo= pre-BB type of rank. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

In the past, my GM has had folks test for BB & get a plain BB. Then for 6 months, they learn 2 more poomsae, then test again to "confirm" their BB rank. The fee for the test is only once. So, there is no monetary soaking of the student. At the confirmation they are given certs & an embroidered belt. The idea behind this is to retain the student past BB. Whether it works as intended is debateable.

My GM is open to either continuing this; or if instructors want to do one test, that id okay as well. So, it's up to individual instructors what they do. I'm trying to weigh out the pro's & con's of each way. I've got at least a year to 18 months before it's a pressing issue.

What do you think? Test them once, or test them twice? One test says "a BB is a BB." Two tests is a retention tool to keep them motivated to learn more & grow past BB.

Thanks for your thoughts.

The school I go to charge for cho dan bo testing and charge again for 1st dan but I can't even go work toward my 1st dan because there are a lot of fees, I feel it's ridiculous. Not sure if I will continue after I test for cho dan bo. They consider cho dan bo a black belt but not 1st degree...

 

[chodanbo]

I feel a cho-dan-bo is an unnecessary step. In the our club we have a 6 month gap between 1st Kup and 1st Dan. Grade really isn't important to most of our students, but we do ensure that everyone knows there is more stuff to learn past 1st Dan.

I'd say just grade to 1st Dan, make sure they know there's more advanced stuff to learn past 1st Dan (and that it's not a completion of the syllabus) and then if they want to leave, that's their prerogative.

At the end of the day, if all you're doing with the cho-dan-bo is keeping them hooked until 1st Dan, if they want to they'll still leave after it. If you're using it as a marketing period to show them that there's more to come, then just do that at 2nd/1st Kup.

I don't personally feel that cho-dan-bo is necessary except for a way of "guaranteeing" income for an extra few months, something that Taekwondo isn't about to me.

THe school I go to test for cho dan bo and test for 1st degree separate and there are fees for each time you test. Is this a ripoff?

 

[andyjeffries]

THe school I go to test for cho dan bo and test for 1st degree separate and there are fees for each time you test. Is this a ripoff?

I don't know about ripoff, but I just wouldn't implement it at my dojang. The Kukkiwon doesn't ever talk about Chodan-bo, so I wouldn't do it.

 

[MadMartigan]

THe school I go to test for cho dan bo and test for 1st degree separate and there are fees for each time you test. Is this a ripoff

My question would be this.

What is being tested on each of these exams?

If the Cho Dan Bo (a term I'd never heard of before today) tests 'x' set of skills; and the 1st Dan tests 'y' skill set... then I don't see a problem.

If it's the same curriculum and test twice... then yes, I'd say she likes you for your wallet not your personality.

 

[Dirty Dog]

If the Cho Dan Bo (a term I'd never heard of before today) tests 'x' set of skills; and the 1st Dan tests 'y' skill set... then I don't see a problem.

Some things in Korean do not translate well to English. Cho Dan Bo translates as 'half a black belt' but the concept is more 'black belt candidate'.

If it's the same curriculum and test twice... then yes, I'd say she likes you for your wallet not your personality.

We always used Cho Dan Bo, and in a non-commercial school. So no, it wasn't about your wallet.
Our tests for Cho Dan Bo test the same material as 1st Dan. But the 1st Dan test is held to a higher standard. Additionally, because 1st Dan is considered a teaching rank in our MDK system, the Cho Dan Bo to 1st Dan period is used to help the student learn more about how to take on the role of instructor.

 

[chodanbo]

I don't know about ripoff, but I just wouldn't implement it at my dojang. The Kukkiwon doesn't ever talk about Chodan-bo, so I wouldn't do it.

Thinking about it now, the school markets a black belt program which they call cho dan bo. Essentially its really not a black belt until you reach 1st dan but they give you a regular black belt. After my cho dan bo, they want me to sign up for their black belt program...