I started karate about fourteen months ago in Spain. Our style was Shukokai. I went to orange belt in that and my son to yellow tabs. Our teacher (4th Dan) left the country to go back to her old school in Wales. That was about eight months ago. The only karate teacher available in my area was Freestyle (2nd Dan). They are both very good teachers but very different. I have stayed in touch with the old one by email as she comes back to Spain occasionally. She did a lot of katas while the new teacher is very keen on mostly sparring. We want to do a grading soon but there is a dfference of opinion between these teachers. My first teacher claims that my current teacher doesn´t have the particular qualification to grade students. My current teacher claims that no separate qualification is necessary but that no-one should grade their own students and that she was wrong to do so. Who is right? My son and I would love to continue to grade for belts as we have improved a lot but we don´t know who is right on this issue. Anyone know the rulings for Europe?
