Sorry, I missed the question at the end of your repost.
IMO, it is a good idea to have an open mind. I stated that, I will always state that, over and over. No, in a test, it is not wise to be doing things differently than taught by your current instructor, I agree with you on this, with certain conditions. Condition being: Where I train, if all is exactly correct in that the uke is using stepping in with the right foot and throwing a right punch to my head, I am expected to regurgitate the technique as taught. If my uke errs and throws a hook punch, I am not expected to step into the punch and get my bell rung cause the technique I was supposed to be doing called for a certain movement against a front punch. That's all I am saying here. As a second example, my instructor may tell the uke to throw a right, then left punch, without me being aware ... I will be expected to adjust, anywhere at anytime, whether it be during private or group lesson, or a test situation, I am to be ready. Yes, mistakes are made. No, I probably won't fail a test because of it. But I'm expected to grow from it.
In some styles, in particular one that I came from, they corrected the person punching in rather than the person defending. This is where I say the 'one way, my way' mentality is wrong. I don't know your teachers way, nor do I know your way, so I'm not commenting on how you do things. I'm commenting on how my ex-teacher did things and how I did things as compared to how my current teacher does things and how I do thing now.
So again, I apologize if I mis-worded things to make you think I was talking you down. It wasn't intentional. My comments are related to me and where I've been and nothing to do with you and where you are or have been ... I've not been where you have.
