My teacher taught me that to judge in years is imprudent because it is too vague. He used to say, "Why is it when you ask someone how long they have been "studying," they always give you the time period from when they started to when you ask the question?"
If a person has a full-time job and they tell you they've been there for two years, you can do the math. Minimum forty hours per week X five days a week. In other words, there is a general standard that can be adjusted by subtracting vacations, holidays, and weekends, depending on the job to determine fairly accurately how much time they actually put in.
To say they've been in the arts for two years means nothing. How many days per week? How many hours per day? Any time off for injuries? Vacation? Taking care of the kids? Going to school? How about fatigue? How about whether they're just sparring, or are they actually studying material? Do you count the time when they just come in to watch? How often do they miss because they're just busy?
My teacher taught me that if you want a more accurate measure of time, do what they do in academia, count "academic hours." That is actual time in the classroom. Oddly enough, when it comes to getting paid, most jobs do the same because it is the most accurate way to determine actual "work."
Counting years means nothing. That's why we have so many people with "years" under their belt, and no significant skill or knowledge to back it up. Only in the arts do the number of years you've been hanging around count toward advancement. The general assumption is you've worked your butt off studying and training during that period. The reality is much less so. "Back in the day" before it became a business industry the assumptions made sense. When I started, you were in the school at every opportunity, and the teacher had to put you out and lock the door to get you to leave. Then years made sense, because the assumption was true. Not any more.
My students are given course material for each rank. Each course requires a minimum number of academic hours of classroom time. It is also factored in that a maximum of 20% of hours may be "audited" to account for injuries, and fatigue and still participate in the class. Students have time sheets, and they must record, log, and have their hours verified at the end of every class session. Audited classes or hours are recorded as such and placed in their file. We have no children.
Only after students reach the minimum required for the course, may they petition to test for advancement. When they petition, Instructors monitor the physical participation, and they must submit their hours, notebooks, personal notes, and all academic material that demonstrates their academic participation. The petition must be approved, and then the written examination is administered. If the written exam is passed, then the practical physical exam is scheduled. There are no shortcuts. Students are academically competent, demonstrate solid foundational skills, move with physical competency, and are demonstrably effective.
Although it may sound stringent, in reality it is just a competent program. It is run as it should be if you're going to award ranks of competency in areas that potentially could be life threatening, or at the least serious physical injury. My students love it and are so immersed in the process, they have to be reminded when they are eligible to test. Additionally, because upper ranks (brown and black) don't wear stripes, often student have to be reminded of what they're rank actually is. I recall one of the browns telling me he was surprised to learn he was 2nd brown. I asked him, Didn't you know?" He said, "I didn't remember until I was thumbing through my notebook and saw the diploma." This is how My Teacher wanted me to teach. Modeled after academic institutions, he had a dream of an accredited college teaching Martial Science one day." Hopefully my students will get it done one day.
Their attitude, knowledge, and ability at all levels pays respect to my teacher's work. For me, that's all that matters.
MRI I'm supposed to hear back from for appointment on Wed. We'll see, I spose.
