Testing Criteria

[Dirty Dog]

Not to mention that it is good to see how the student performs under some pressure.

Sure. Although I am not at all sure the pressure of testing can even remotely be considered comparable to the pressure of a real attack.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Sure. Although I am not at all sure the pressure of testing can even remotely be considered comparable to the pressure of a real attack.

Who said irt did?

 

[Shotokan Seishin]

I'll go along with that. But here's the thing. Whether they pass or fail the test, you already know where they are and what they can or can't do; you've been watching them.

If you stress them because you think stress is good for their development, I get it. I don't know that it's a valid criteria for promotion.

Just my 2 cents.

Because the test is not about 'me' and what I know, it's about them and their ability to perform when required. Life doesn't give you chance after chance after chance a lot of times. If you're a student defending your honours thesis it doesn't matter how many times you perfectly rehearsed it at home in front of your friends or parents.....it's about how you perform in front of your peers and professors on that one chance that you have. If you mess up your fail....period. You have one chance and you have to nail it. Martial arts testing is a good way to help a student prepare for similar situations mentally.

There is also the aspect that a student has to show emotional maturity regardless if they pass or fail. If they storm off due to failing then they have a lot of work to do, if they brag and strut after passing, then they might not be asked to test again any time soon

 

[Shotokan Seishin]

I also forgot to add that I might not be the only one evaluating during a test....so a student might have to stand up to standards of other equivalent instructors.

As for Dirt Dogs comment, as the OP of this thread I do not want it to go in the direction of those discussions...it'll just derail the topic of the thread.

 

[tshadowchaser]

Testing is in every class the entire class. Mess up, goof of, fail to pay aattention and more then likely you'll not be promoted.
for kids:
I test once or twice a year and do not always tell students its a test. Sometimes it is a picnic with class before we eat. Sometimes it is a visit to a friends class and we take part but I'm really testing and so are the other people there.
The last time I told the students they where testing only one preformed to any standard that would be acceptible to anyone. The others screwed up their forms, did not know basic knowledge of the system ( hell 1/2 could not eeven name the system)/\.
Did those students ever study at home ( I doubt it) where they told the answers to the questions I asked before hand ( many times, but I doubt the listened)

for adults: I think they should say " damn that was one hell of a test and a killer workout"
they should be happy the test is over and so darn proud of getting though it and overjoyed at passing.
Most adults pass as I have evaluated them for mounths and pretty well know their good and bad points. If they have listened and try to correct things they have been told to and show proper spirt commradship to other students, and work till the end of the test I'm satisfied.

What do students need to know for my tests: everything taught as cirriculum up to that point ( not just from their last test) they will have to have listened in class as background information and history is stated off and and throughout their classes ( more than once)

again I apologise for misspelled words my spell check is not working

 

[mixedup]

I train with two very different clubs, one which has the McDojo reputation, and the other which is undoubtedly legit. I think the McDojo label was given to GKR back in the day when very low grades were given instructor belts and asked to open dojos. I can't speak for other places, but here in Auckland that's not commonplace at all. They do issue instructor belts, but they must work as sempai for a long time before being allowed to run a dojo, by which time they are very close to shodan themselves. From memory they must train once a week in a regular class, once a week with the black belt class, and sempai one class per week, as a minimum.

Grading here is conducted monthly in front of a panel of around 6-8 senior black belts (not kyu grade instructors). Depending on numbers and grades, the session will be split into groups. All grades will show basic kihon together, and each group will be tested for their kata and advanced kihon relevant to their grade. The first grading is a given, and the test is really just to see that the student is trying and not messing around. From that point on, the gradings get longer, harder, and more picky.

My ten year old daughter recently failed her 5th kyu grading because her kata (Saifa) wasn't up to scratch. Most people fail their first attempt at 5th kyu, as it is the "perfection" grade, if you will. There are no new techniques, no new kata between 6th and 5th, it's just refinement, refinement, and more refinement. I was watching from nearby, and although this may sound like a doting dad, her hand techniques looked better than the nidan stood directly in front of her. The kicks not so much. She was testing alone, as the highest grade. All of the grading panel had scored her basics as excellent, and several parents came over to comment on how good she looked. Unfortunately for her, when she came to kata, it was all eyes on her, and a few old habits snuck in. According to the man in charge, she needs to wait a minimum of two months to iron out the flaws before trying again.

I also train with a local Kyokushin club, where it appears that lower level grades are awarded when students reach the required standard in class. As I'm only a visitor, I haven't yet signed up to start the journey with them yet, but that will happen soon.