How much is new on each belt test?

[skribs]

Every school I've been involved with has had a curriculum that includes rote material beyond the forms. Whether it's "Exercises" (mini-forms), or technique combinations and one-step defenses, there's always been something. I know in some other schools, testing is more of a formality to get your belt, and there's not much in the test besides forms, sparring, and breaking.

I'm curious how much is new at each belt or stripe (or whatever interval you test). Is it just a new form? Are there other things memorized for the test? Or other techniques and challenges that are expected at each new level?

As I've mentioned in other threads, I'm trying to move away from a comprehensive curriculum into more of a framework. One consequence of having a less defined curriculum is that testing material is also less defined.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Forms, sparring, and breaking always. One steps and various sorts of demonstrations depending on time constraints. We don't do tests, really. We already know you can perform the material at an acceptable level. Because you've BEEN performing it at that level. It's just a chance to show off and have some fun. If nerves get the better of them, they keep repeating whatever it was till they succeed, even if that's a different day. I've only ever seen that happen with the mandatory breaks, and not all that often for those.

 

[skribs]

Forms, sparring, and breaking always. One steps and various sorts of demonstrations depending on time constraints. We don't do tests, really. We already know you can perform the material at an acceptable level. Because you've BEEN performing it at that level. It's just a chance to show off and have some fun. If nerves get the better of them, they keep repeating whatever it was till they succeed, even if that's a different day. I've only ever seen that happen with the mandatory breaks, and not all that often for those.

How many tests and how frequent are the tests in your school?

 

[Dirty Dog]

We do tests whenever there's someone ready to advance. Generally that's every couple months. We have 10 geup ranks, Chodanbo, and 9 Dan ranks, which is pretty standard for the TKD world.

 

[Buka]

We would test every four months or so. Students had to have so many class hours attended in order to advance. But everyone was encouraged to partake, even if they weren’t eligible. It was good practice for them.

There was always a ten question written test to start. If a student answered all ten question correctly they’d get a double promotion. That never happened and it was fun busting their chops.

I wished I had saved the written tests, some of the answers from kids were priceless. There was a complete this sentence question. “It’s not how many times you get knocked down that counts, it’s how many times you————.

One boy wrote, “It’s how many times you hit the kid.”
It made me laugh so much I graded it correct.

 

[skribs]

We would test every four months or so. Students had to have so many class hours attended in order to advance. But everyone was encouraged to partake, even if they weren’t eligible. It was good practice for them.

There was always a ten question written test to start. If a student answered all ten question correctly they’d get a double promotion. That never happened and it was fun busting their chops.

I wished I had saved the written tests, some of the answers from kids were priceless. There was a complete this sentence question. “It’s not how many times you get knocked down that counts, it’s how many times you————.

One boy wrote, “It’s how many times you hit the kid.”
It made me laugh so much I graded it correct.

One of my favorites in class, the Master asked the kids, "What do you do if a stranger asks your name?"

4-year-old white belt: "KILL THEM!"

Another good one was a young girl around 6 or 7 was asked why we breakfall. Her explanation (which took 10x as long due to the way kids that age explain things) was that it's better to get punched in the feet than punched in the head, so if someone punches you, you move your head out of the way and take the punch with your feet.

Things like this are also why I want to move away from just rote memorization and actually focus on the "why" of techniques.

 

[Buka]

One of my favorites in class, the Master asked the kids, "What do you do if a stranger asks your name?"

4-year-old white belt: "KILL THEM!"

Another good one was a young girl around 6 or 7 was asked why we breakfall. Her explanation (which took 10x as long due to the way kids that age explain things) was that it's better to get punched in the feet than punched in the head, so if someone punches you, you move your head out of the way and take the punch with your feet.

Things like this are also why I want to move away from just rote memorization and actually focus on the "why" of techniques.

Classic! lol.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I have a requirement sheet for each new rank. It is given to the student when they pass the test and are encouraged to review it especially a couple of weeks before a test. They are encouraged to ask for help with anything they are uncertain about. This helps instructors know exactly what needs to be covered and puts the burden on students if they miss a class or whatever saying I never learned that. Each includes new items for that rank in Sections - Hand Techniques, Kicks, Sparring (Step and Free) Ho Sin Sul, Breaking (If Applicable) Pattern etc. That sheet also serves as the test sheet.

 

[skribs]

I have a requirement sheet for each new rank. It is given to the student when they pass the test and are encouraged to review it especially a couple of weeks before a test. They are encouraged to ask for help with anything they are uncertain about. This helps instructors know exactly what needs to be covered and puts the burden on students if they miss a class or whatever saying I never learned that. Each includes new items for that rank in Sections - Hand Techniques, Kicks, Sparring (Step and Free) Ho Sin Sul, Breaking (If Applicable) Pattern etc. That sheet also serves as the test sheet.

The way I have my curriculum broken down (in it's current iteration):

• Each belt (color and stripe) has a new form, and at least one other requirement that is new or increased from the previous.
• Each color has new kicks that will appear on the test. Each color also has new grappling skills that will be learned in class, and will be tested on once to get to the next color. (That serves two purposes: 1 - to get students more confident in grappling techniques before they test, 2 - to give that stripe something new to test on from the previous color).
• Color pairs make up "beginner" (white and yellow), "intermediate" (green and blue), and "advanced" (purple and red). Each color pair has a range of hand techniques and self-defense concepts that instructors can use to make class. These are purposefully less defined. Important hand techniques are tested in the form, and may show up on board breaking. Self-defense or ho-sin-sul is tested at higher levels through student-created sequences. This way, instructors have the freedom to be creative, and students must learn conceptually instead of just rote repetition of drills they may or may not actually understand.
• Sparring is its own beast, it doesn't have a set pattern within the belt system. It is also required on testing.

I plan to have these posted. I don't necessarily plan on having a test paper. One thing we did at black belt in my old school (and I'd like to do for every belt in my new one) is that your belt is placed beneath the final board break. When you break that board, you break through to get your belt. I plan to do my tests with 2 simple requirements to pass: don't get dismissed before you break your board, don't fail to break your board. If you break it, you got it, and it wouldn't matter what a piece of paper said anyway.

(This is also because, as a judge, I've often found large tests you spend more time circling letter grades than watching the students test).