Grading procedures

[andyjeffries]

I have been thinking about how I'm going to be conducting gradings at my new club recently (which is pretty much how my original instructor did them, with some changes thanks to ideas from a member of this board) and thought I'd post it up here for comments and to see what you all do.

1. The dates for the gradings will be publicly available at the start of the year.
2. Students must apply at least one week before (and pay the minimal (equivalent to $10) fee then) *
3. On the day students will be warmed up together by an instructor while the examiner prepares (paperwork, etc)
4. All the students sit at the back/side of the hall
5. The students come up in groups of 3-4 and perform their required techniques, poomsae, etc then sit back down
6. At the end of the test, the students then continue with a portion of a regular class while the examiner finishes (stamping certificates**, etc)
7. All the students come and sit down and the examiner tells them general themes about the grading - what people generally did well or wrong
8. Students are called up individually (and given a round of applause as they come up) and the examiner gives them their new rank*** either handing the student the tags or tying their new belt around their waist and what pass grade they got, gives them their certificate

* Generally failures should be rare - if a student isn't ready to test they'll be told at this point that they aren't ready and can test next time.

** My original instructor didn't give certificates for Kup rank, only black belts (as a temporary notification until the Kukkiwon certificate arrives). I plan to give Kup certificates and they will be stamped with three traditional Korean-style stamps and entered in to a grading record book. The certificates will be made beforehand but only stamped on the day and obviously not given to the student if they fail. For black belt ranks they will be given some form of notification certificate (clearly marked as being temporary) until their Kukkiwon certificate arrives. It's very important to me that they receive Kukkiwon certification.

*** In the very rare event of a double-grading where students skip a kup grade, they will be told this and will be given their new certificate at the next training session. However, I'll endeavour to always have spare belts/tags with me.

So, how does this compare to how you perform tests?

 

[andyjeffries]

By the way, I thought I'd also post for comparison my current instructor's grading procedure.

1. Students are told they are almost ready for grading (this normally means the start of a 2-4 week polishing period with one of the black belts)
2. One evening when the instructor feels they are ready they take them to one side while class carries on and tests them while standing up (still keeping notes on their scores in portions of the test)
3. At the end of the class he tells everyone that X and Y are now Z rank and they get a round of applause.
4. After class they see him privately and get their new tags (or he asks me to order their new belt) and if he has them gives certificates* (these sometimes follow a couple of weeks later)

* The certificates he gives are national association Kup certificates. I'm starting my club under a different association and I'll be giving dojang Kup certificates. Dan gradings are done under the national association in his club, they'll be done in-house for mine.

 

[rlobrecht]

Our school performs grading each month, but kub candidates must wait at least two months between grazings. We also have a taping system where your instructor tracks whether you've successfully demonstrated a skill between gradings. Two weeks before a test, students are encouraged to get all their tape verified by an instructor. The week leading up to a test, mock tests are performed in class for those who have all their tapes. If you don't pass the mock test, you're not allowed to test. This is the real evaluation of readiness and skill, and helps to prevent failures on actual test day. Test forms must be filled out and paid for a day or two before the test, to make sure there is a new belt for everyone.

On the day of the test, there is no warm up. Students are encouraged to arrive early and warm up on their own.

We start the test with everyone lined up in rank order, just as we would for class. We bow in, and say our student oath. Then we say the Pledge of Allegiance, which the audience joins us for.
Then the students are sent to sit at the back and sides of the dojang, in roughly rank order.
Groups of students are called up by rank (white first). Usually no more than 6 at a time. If a particular rank is a small group of students, two belts might perform at the same time. All techniques are performed at this time, except free sparring.
Then everyone free spars.
Then the testers are brought to one of the rings in the middle of the mats to sit quietly. The instructors finalize the paperwork while our Sabumnim gives a motivating talk.
Then any awards are given out.
Then by rank (again white first) individuals are called up to receive their new belts.
Once all the candidates have received their belts, we again line up in rank order, and bow out.

I like that you are posting the grading dates at the beginning of the year. We in general know when gradings are going to be, but holiday months can mess up the schedule, and the altered date is often not announced until a couple of weeks before.

Rick

 

[sfs982000]

I have been thinking about how I'm going to be conducting gradings at my new club recently (which is pretty much how my original instructor did them, with some changes thanks to ideas from a member of this board) and thought I'd post it up here for comments and to see what you all do.

1. The dates for the gradings will be publicly available at the start of the year.
2. Students must apply at least one week before (and pay the minimal (equivalent to $10) fee then) *
3. On the day students will be warmed up together by an instructor while the examiner prepares (paperwork, etc)
4. All the students sit at the back/side of the hall
5. The students come up in groups of 3-4 and perform their required techniques, poomsae, etc then sit back down
6. At the end of the test, the students then continue with a portion of a regular class while the examiner finishes (stamping certificates**, etc)
7. All the students come and sit down and the examiner tells them general themes about the grading - what people generally did well or wrong
8. Students are called up individually (and given a round of applause as they come up) and the examiner gives them their new rank*** either handing the student the tags or tying their new belt around their waist and what pass grade they got, gives them their certificate

* Generally failures should be rare - if a student isn't ready to test they'll be told at this point that they aren't ready and can test next time.

** My original instructor didn't give certificates for Kup rank, only black belts (as a temporary notification until the Kukkiwon certificate arrives). I plan to give Kup certificates and they will be stamped with three traditional Korean-style stamps and entered in to a grading record book. The certificates will be made beforehand but only stamped on the day and obviously not given to the student if they fail. For black belt ranks they will be given some form of notification certificate (clearly marked as being temporary) until their Kukkiwon certificate arrives. It's very important to me that they receive Kukkiwon certification.

*** In the very rare event of a double-grading where students skip a kup grade, they will be told this and will be given their new certificate at the next training session. However, I'll endeavour to always have spare belts/tags with me.

So, how does this compare to how you perform tests?

This is exactly how our school conducts thier testings. The only differences is that with our new facility we're able to have stations for the different portions of the test. Normally they'll start off with 4-6 students start off with their form then once that portion is over they'll normally put thier sparring gear on and move on to the next station, then from there if required they'll move on to the board breaking station. Seems to work out very well and helps speed things up overall.

 

[TAGBmark]

From my experience the grading format is as follows:

- You have to have been training regularly, regardless, the only exception is if you've had a bad injury (such as an ACL etc) but even then this will affect it, so for instance if you missed your 2nd dan grading due to this injury rather than make you wait another 2 years they'll allow you to take it at the next available date (usually 6 months).

- In the month of your due grading your instructor places extra attention on you to make sure everything will be good enough for the grading examiner.

- You have a test of your theory within the month of your grading, such as the interpretation of your belt, what it means etc and your Korean.

- On the day you're called up and will be tested with other students of the same grade and throughout the grading you may be asked to do particular moves etc individually so the grading examiner can see what you can do.

- You will then be called up to the examiners table and he will ask you a multitude of theory questions be they in English or Korean.

- After the grading is finished you are asked to leave the matted area and you then find out at your next lesson if you've passed or note, your instructor will run through your strenghts and weaknesses and where you can improve.

As i would expect in most Dojangs if the instructor doesn't think you're up to scratch then you won't be allowed to grade.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

.... Then we say the Pledge of Allegiance, which the audience joins us for.

It's different to me to incorporate a national oath into TKD. I'm used to bowing to the 2 flags (home country and ROK), but not a further oath. At my school, we tend to have international students, so a pledge to the country would not be applicable for them. Do foreigners just stay silent during the pledge?

 

[rlobrecht]

It's different to me to incorporate a national oath into TKD. I'm used to bowing to the 2 flags (home country and ROK), but not a further oath. At my school, we tend to have international students, so a pledge to the country would not be applicable for them. Do foreigners just stay silent during the pledge?

We also have international students, and I'm not sure what they do. It is said each morning at our public schools, so I suspect the children are used to saying it, and don't necessarily think about what it is meant to mean.

 

[StudentCarl]

I'd be cautious about skipping any geup rank, though you didn't offer details on when you would consider this.

 

[andyjeffries]

I'd be cautious about skipping any geup rank, though you didn't offer details on when you would consider this.

Both my instructors in the past have skipped students geup rank, but it is for exceptional students who have generally done another martial art in the past (as the times between gradings are fixed).

I have personally been skipped a dan rank (there's a previous thread on that) so I don't have the hangup that some people do about skipping rank.

I believe people should be the rank they are worth (technically, mentally, etc) not the next rank in an arbitrary scale.

 

[puunui]

It's different to me to incorporate a national oath into TKD. I'm used to bowing to the 2 flags (home country and ROK), but not a further oath. At my school, we tend to have international students, so a pledge to the country would not be applicable for them. Do foreigners just stay silent during the pledge?

I only have one flag, an american one in my school, and we don't say the pledge of allegiance, or any other pledge for that matter. We also as much as possible use english terms to describe things. Only certain things we keep the Korean word, such as dan bong or narabang. My Korean born teachers for the most part had the attitude that we are in the United States and therefore we should teach and learn in english. One of my teachers had been in the US for one year and was learning to speak english when he said this to me.

 

[Kong Soo Do]

We also have a taping system where your instructor tracks whether you've successfully demonstrated a skill between gradings.
Rick

Video taping the students test is a great idea. I can be very helpful to them as a review afterwards to see first-hand any areas that you've advised them to work on. It also reinforces areas they're strong in while giving a general sense of accomplishment.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

Video taping the students test is a great idea. I can be very helpful to them as a review afterwards to see first-hand any areas that you've advised them to work on. It also reinforces areas they're strong in while giving a general sense of accomplishment.

I agree. We have all our gradings proffessionally filmed and then edited etc. Students can get the dvd of their gradings (including the whole day's grading) for $10. I didnt bother as a coloured belt but have the dvd of both my black belt and 1st dan gradings which are great for me to go back and look at and see where I need improvement etc.

 

[Tez3]

Videoing is a good idea but I'd say to Andy that if he is grading children to get each parents permission first to satisfy child protection laws here. The laws may be debatable but best not to fall foul of them.

 

[andyjeffries]

Videoing is a good idea but I'd say to Andy that if he is grading children to get each parents permission first to satisfy child protection laws here. The laws may be debatable but best not to fall foul of them.

Yeah, I was thinking about that while walking the dog last night. To be honest, I wouldn't be looking at videoing gradings straight away (for the first couple of years) as I'm new to testing people (I've mock graded people under my instructor many times, but only because a high enough grade late last year to test students solo) so will have enough to think about without worrying about videoing.

The club will be small/new so I don't want to pay for someone else to video it and won't have spare mental capacity for worrying about camera angles/lighting etc.

Also, while I'm posting there's definitely not going to be any oath saying or flag saluting... I think that's definitely not a UK thing...

 

[Tez3]

Only our children grade, the adults do MMA. We try to make the grading an 'occasion' for them. We only video if anyones parent is on deployment so it can be sent out to them. We do it more or less as you've laid out, there is an atmosphere about grading, a mixture of nerves and pride. I know many say belts aren't important etc, I've heard all the arguments but for children they are a great mark of achievement they can actually see and treasure. I suspect for many adults they are too!
I've never been to any UK martial arts event/class/training where any oaths were sworn deliberately, heard quite a few pain prompted ones though :uhyeah:

 

[andyjeffries]

Only our children grade, the adults do MMA. We try to make the grading an 'occasion' for them. We only video if anyones parent is on deployment so it can be sent out to them. We do it more or less as you've laid out, there is an atmosphere about grading, a mixture of nerves and pride. I know many say belts aren't important etc, I've heard all the arguments but for children they are a great mark of achievement they can actually see and treasure. I suspect for many adults they are too!

I agree, the kids really need that regular measurement of progress.

I've never been to any UK martial arts event/class/training where any oaths were sworn deliberately, heard quite a few pain prompted ones though :uhyeah:

ROTFLMAO!

 

[jthomas1600]

The only thing that's done much differently at our school is that new belts/certificates are given out a few days later. We test on Fri/Sat. there's now class on Sun. so for the first few days of the following week at the beginning of class the instructor will call anyone up who passed there test and promote them in front of the class. So the Monday after a testing weekend is kind of "promotion day". I think this is done partly so students who did not pass, although it's rare, can be contacted and it can be dealt with in a less embarrassing way.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Also, while I'm posting there's definitely not going to be any oath saying or flag saluting... I think that's definitely not a UK thing...

I thought pretty much all clubs salute the flags..thought it was a TKD thing.

I'm in Canada, and once a US executive at work mentioned the US pledge of allegiance, and asked what ours was in Canada. I told him we don't really have one, but oaths for citizenship or government offices have an oath to the queen... but who wants to pledge allegiance to the queen if they don't have to?? Seriously!

 

[Tez3]

I thought pretty much all clubs salute the flags..thought it was a TKD thing.

I'm in Canada, and once a US executive at work mentioned the US pledge of allegiance, and asked what ours was in Canada. I told him we don't really have one, but oaths for citizenship or government offices have an oath to the queen... but who wants to pledge allegiance to the queen if they don't have to??

Seriously!

Perhaps to the Duchess of Cambridge though or her sister?

I've been to a couple of different TKD places and they haven't pledged anything to anyone. I tend to think that if you have to keep pledging your allegiance someone must think that your word isn't good enough the first time around.

 

[masterchase]

We bow to three flags that are at the front of the room. American, South Korean and the Chung Do Kwan flag, and then recite the Chung Do Kwan pledge.

But that part of the discussion does not interest me. No one has mentioned the grading sheet. Do you scale from one to ten? Do you go with just a pass/fail. Do you go with a pass/fail for each category (poomse, sparring, breaking etc). Does just one person decide who passes/fails.
I have a close friend from another association that does something called a review board in which the candidates pre-test in the dojang privately just to be allowed to test in front of friends and family.

I’m part of a twelve school association that gathers twice a year for testing dan ranks.
We have two black belts (not from the candidates dojang) grade each candidate with a sheet that has several categories. They are scaled 1-10 in each category. After the test all the black belts and go to a back room and discuss whether the candidate has passed.
We issue Kukkiwon Certification.