Requirements for BB testing (outside the curriculum)

[karatekid1975]

Hiya all,

I have an interesting question for you. Is there requirements that you must meet before you test for BB? I mean, stuff outside the curriculum. And how do you feel about it? Like in my dojang, we have to do 5 hours of community service. Some dojangs, you have to get CPR/First aid training.

We also have to clean the dojang (2nd gups and up). We have 4 cleaning teams. And we rotate the teams every week, so one team cleans once a month. Now we have mini competitions between the teams. Kinda like a tourny style setting, but slightly different rules. It used to be 5 teams, and we didn't have these stupid mini comps. I didn't mind it so much then, but now it's getting really lame. If I want to compete, I'll go to a tourny :rpo:

We also have to "coach" in class (assist in class), at least once per week. Well, they took that away from the red belts I really enjoyed that, too

Anyways, I wouldn't mind the community service thing, the CPR thing (if they had it here), and the coaching. But the other stuff has to go.

Ok, your turn

 

[TigerWoman]

It sounds like you all are indentured slaves. While I think that is great if everyone could get together to clean the dojang, very few have much time and some would have to clean the dojang and have no time to clean their own homes. I think that should be voluntary, especially if the owner/master is making good money from the students. Personally, I have cleaned, steam-cleaned rugs many times, scrubbed the mats, mirrors, windows, bathrooms, re-organized both storeroom twice, office many times. It always promptly goes back to dirty and a disorganized mess with more junk being brought in within a month indicating a lack of caring from the owner/master. I would put up a voluntary sign-up sheet but it hasn't worked before, everyone is already too busy and they see what happens.

We are required to go to 12 tournaments before coming up for recommended black belt and more are required at higher ranks. Also we are required to teach one hour a week. We have a mandatory once a year inner-school tournament for everyone in our school system. Penalty being you have to write a paper on a pre-selected topic, like history. No biggy, so alot of people who have to work on Saturdays are writing three page papers. It makes for lonnnng tests which I have stopped going to.

No community service is required, but I think that would be great though especially so that we get a better reputation in town than being a "scary" bunch. It might also improve the master instructor's rep if he also helped. TW

 

[rmclain]

We don't have any "outside requirements" in our system.

Keeping the training hall clean is part of the normal procedure for all students no matter what rank. Before class procedure is:
1) Arrive early
2) Clean (5 minutes)
3) Meditation
4) Stretch or train quietly until formal class begins

R. McLain

 

[karatekid1975]

It sounds like you all are indentured slaves. While I think that is great if everyone could get together to clean the dojang, very few have much time and some would have to clean the dojang and have no time to clean their own homes. I think that should be voluntary, especially if the owner/master is making good money from the students.

Yes, I agree. My feelings exactly. I didn't mention the stuff that we are EXPECTED to do. Like helping with activities, such as graduations, among other things (these aren't requirements, tho).

We also have inter-school tournies. I think it was made a requirement that we also have to attend tournies before testing for BB. But I'm not sure how many times (I compete, at least, once per year, anyway). We also have to write a paper, as well.

 

[chogyunim]

our school doesn't have any outside requirements but all students testing for their black belt are supposed to write a letter of why they feel they deserve or have earned it. we haven' really enforced this lately but i think it needs to be. i think there is a mental thing that goes along with getting your black belt and a certain level of maturity. younger people sometimes look at BB's as role models and if you are setting a bad example then what is that telling them? we also have a fight for five that you have to complete in order to receive your belt.
i think volunteering in your community would be a good idea but what kinds of things would one do?

 

[Gemini]

We don't have outside requirements for BB though we do for 3rd and 4th. Such as instruction time, CPR or CS. Whether they're done at that level or earlier as your school does, I think it's a good idea and promotes a more well rounded practitioner. Some of our students take these on earlier for their own benefit, not because they're required to.

As far as cleaning and such, I think all students should take pride in their school and do what needs to be done without being asked. If it's a non issue, fine, but if the school doesn't have the means, then help. I help clean mine before every promotion test, patch the walls after someone puts a body part through it, maintain the heating and AC, have painted it top to bottom twice and completely rebuilt it once. I've gotten to be such a normal "house keeping" fixture that one of the students mothers asked me when I was going to steam clean the carpet, it smelled. I couldn't believe it. I told her that it smelled fine to me, but if it offended her, she was more than welcome to take care of it. She said "I don't work here". I said "neither do I". She hasn't talked to me since. Oh well....

BTW. What's the winner of your mini comps get?

 

[shesulsa]

I think of participation in planning events as part and parcel of being part of a kwon or dojang. Few things rile me more than students who are happy to partake in events again and again but are not willing to make light work with many hands and help plan them.

I think this demonstrates passion for the involvement of the practitioners of the art and in the forwarding of the art. We all clean the dojang, we all help plan events if we can, when I give seminars for GSUSA the others in my class are always there to help, donating their time as well.

I suppose it's all about what you're there for. :idunno:

 

[karatekid1975]

i think volunteering in your community would be a good idea but what kinds of things would one do?

This part I do like about my dojang. I do agree with you. The things some students do is volunteer at the red cross (answering phones, and making calls). They are more than happy for the help! Believe me! They love us

Some help out at "soup kitchens" (the ones that feed the homeless). Or what I was thinking about doing ... Some churches have programs where they give out food to the needy. I would go there and help package the different goods and food, and help give them to whom ever needs them.

There's lots of stuff that you can do.

BTW. What's the winner of your mini comps get?

Nothing. We get a posting on the board about which team is 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. We (my team) was 2nd twice, and third now and one other time. Till I stopped going to these things.

 

[karatekid1975]

It sounds like you all are indentured slaves.

I don't mean to quote the same person twice. But I forgot to mention what I'm feeling now. This is what I feel like now (see above). I don't mind the coaching (if they give it back to red belts) or the community service, but other than that. I just want to train.

I am looking for a new job. And I don't plan on dropping my part time job. I'll be working six days a week. Saturday (the day for dojang cleaning) will be my only day off. Like TW said, I won't have time to clean my own house, let alone the dojang. I don't wanna give ya all the details, but that's pretty much how it will be. I'd rather take that saturday, and clean my own house, do laundry, run erins, ect.

I just simply want to train there. My family comes first.

 

[michaeledward]

I pay money to a gentleman running a business. I expect his place of business to be clean and safe. I give him money in exchange for knowledge.

If he expects me to do community service, I would quite probably go somewhere else.

Now, five or six or seven years seeing the same person two, three or four times a week, and you are going to build a relationship that extends to a bit more than commerce. But, if he wants to extend that relationship outside of a strictly commercial activity, he needs to be cautious about me reciprocating.

In other words, if he expects me to clean the toilet at the studio, he should expect my check to be significantly reduced.

 

[Marginal]

Hiya all,

I have an interesting question for you. Is there requirements that you must meet before you test for BB? I mean, stuff outside the curriculum. And how do you feel about it? Like in my dojang, we have to do 5 hours of community service. Some dojangs, you have to get CPR/First aid training.

I had to do 20 hours of community service. I'll have to do 30 for my next test. I don't mind that aspect 'cause it gets you to be a little extra creative about what you can do. (I built a web site for a nonprofit group for my 20.) I will help pick up trash, and set up for events, but that's not required. Just stikes me as common courtesy.

 

[terryl965]

No one should be required to clean the dojang, with that being said if the times come where they need help cleaning then one should pitch in but for the event at hand not to recieve a BB in exchange for services.
terry

 

[Kacey]

20 hours of community service - but this is a very broad definition; one of my students volunteered at an animal shelter and used that; another one coaches basketball and soccer teams his daughters are on; I give blood and used the time required for that for my 3rd Dan testing. Twenty hours over the year before 1st Dan is not excessive, I don't think - it goes up to 30 for 2nd, but you have the two years between testing for 1st and 2nd to accrue it, and then 3 years for the 30 hours required for 3rd Dan; I don't know anyone who's had problems with that requirement. At 4th Dan a thesis on a topic related to TKD is required; it used to be required at lower BB ranks as well, but the thesis requirement was replaced with community service for 1st-3rd Dans.

I require all of my students to read Shogun, so they develop an appreciation for Asian culture.

 

[karatekid1975]

I pay money to a gentleman running a business. I expect his place of business to be clean and safe. I give him money in exchange for knowledge.

If he expects me to do community service, I would quite probably go somewhere else.

Now, five or six or seven years seeing the same person two, three or four times a week, and you are going to build a relationship that extends to a bit more than commerce. But, if he wants to extend that relationship outside of a strictly commercial activity, he needs to be cautious about me reciprocating.

In other words, if he expects me to clean the toilet at the studio, he should expect my check to be significantly reduced.

Nicely put. I have to agree.

No one should be required to clean the dojang, with that being said if the times come where they need help cleaning then one should pitch in but for the event at hand not to recieve a BB in exchange for services.
terry

I agree. I don't mind helping here and there, but it WILL cost me my BB if I don't do so.

 

[deadhand31]

Well, when testing for cho dan, there aren't any requirements. When you get to the degrees, though, there is a barrage of questions. Some tend to be mostly for the kids, though. Here's a list of what is asked:

1. Is your room clean and bed made? (usually for the kids)
2. Grades in school? (like above)
3. Who is most responsible for you being able to test today? (always for the kids, and the answer is "Parents")
3. How is your attitude at home and in the dojang?
4. How often do you come to class?
5. How often do you help out in class?

The kids usually also have to hug their parents and thank them. Sometimes it will be a general command that anyone with parents there have to go and hug them. This happened to me, and I hugged my dad. (I was 23 at the time)

 

[Miles]

I don't have any "outside" requirements before black belt.

To go from 1st to 2nd dan, one needs to be a certified USAT referee and have worked at our State Championship (this was before the State Championships were eliminated...hopefully they'll be reinstated).

For 2nd to 3rd, one needs to have taught or assisted in 10 classes.

Miles