Promoted By Email

[dancingalone]

It's funny, but I just got an email from my sensei. He's quite fluent in English, but he speaks English with an accent and every time I read something from him I unconsciously add the accent to his words.

This is the passage of interest. "You a yondan now, beeeg shot. Give you excuse now tak-a you preeetty wife to eeeat."

Hot damn, I guess I get to sew another stripe onto my ceremonial belt.

Anyone ever been promoted by email before?

 

[clfsean]

It's funny, but I just got an email from my sensei. He's quite fluent in English, but he speaks English with an accent and every time I read something from him I unconsciously add the accent to his words.

This is the passage of interest. "You a yondan now, beeeg shot. Give you excuse now tak-a you preeetty wife to eeeat."

Hot damn, I guess I get to sew another stripe onto my ceremonial belt.

Anyone ever been promoted by email before?

Yondan in what?

But answering the question directly, nope... never by email.

 

[Xue Sheng]

The last time I got a promotion e-mail didn't exist so I guess the answer is no

 

[terryl965]

No never even heard of that before.

 

[Haze]

Last promotion I got was chiseled on a stone tablet.

But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I would say it's OK. Your instructor, whether in person, phone call, email, snail mail or what ever feels you are worthy of that rank so in his eyes you are what he considers you to be.

 

[shesulsa]

are u sure he's serious?

 

[dancingalone]

Yondan in what?

Okinawan goju-ryu karate.

are u sure he's serious?

Fairly sure.

He'll likely have a handwritten certificate for me next time I visit him. He lives in another state than I do.

The last time I got a promotion e-mail didn't exist so I guess the answer is no

I'm impressed Sensei is using a computer so well actually. I'm the one that got him a pc in the first place a few years ago. And the last time I visited him, I switched him to Linux instead of Windows because he kept on getting infected with viruses.

I would say it's OK. Your instructor, whether in person, phone call, email, snail mail or what ever feels you are worthy of that rank so in his eyes you are what he considers you to be.

Yup, that's the old way, and it's the way we do things. These associations are new-fangled money makers anyway.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Never by e-mail, but if it works for sensei, then it is a-ok.

Daniel

 

[CuongNhuka]

Fairly sure.

He'll likely have a handwritten certificate for me next time I visit him. He lives in another state than I do.

Have you been teaching since you were last promoted?

 

[dancingalone]

Have you been teaching since you were last promoted?

Yes, I currently have 16 students and have taken 3 people to black belt.

Would it matter if I didn't though? I don't necessarily correlate teaching with rank.

 

[arnisador]

Well, anyway, congrats, dude!

 

[shihansmurf]

If your teacher says you're a yondan, then you're a yondan. The medium through which he used to communicate your promotion to your is irrelevant.

Congrats!


Mark

 

[CuongNhuka]

Would it matter if I didn't though? I don't necessarily correlate teaching with rank.

Disclaimer: The following post may be greatly misinterpreded as me making negative claims about your association. I'm not, if you think you may get upset, ignore this post.

Maybe, maybe not. To me, if you are promoted without a test I'd be concerned about the quality of the association. A Dan rank is an iffy matter though. But, if you were promoted to a Dan rank, and you hadn't been training under an instructor, or teaching, I'd be greatly concerned about the quality of the association. I'm not saying anything about your association, just general statements to explain my question.

 

[Tensei85]

I wish I could get a promotion over the email! Or a promotion at all...
Unfortunately I'm in TCMA so about the only promotion I get is if Sifu says hey its ok or if not he'll say go back & practice 1000 more times.

Congrats on the promotion!

(Enjoy it, I know I won't)

 

[jks9199]

Disclaimer: The following post may be greatly misinterpreded as me making negative claims about your association. I'm not, if you think you may get upset, ignore this post.

Maybe, maybe not. To me, if you are promoted without a test I'd be concerned about the quality of the association. A Dan rank is an iffy matter though. But, if you were promoted to a Dan rank, and you hadn't been training under an instructor, or teaching, I'd be greatly concerned about the quality of the association. I'm not saying anything about your association, just general statements to explain my question.

Why must a promotion be linked to a test? Is it possible for an instructor to be aware of their student's progress and development, and to recognize that the student is behaving appropriate to a higher rank? Could the test take place over time, and not at a given moment and place?

 

[CuongNhuka]

Why must a promotion be linked to a test? Is it possible for an instructor to be aware of their student's progress and development, and to recognize that the student is behaving appropriate to a higher rank? Could the test take place over time, and not at a given moment and place?

It doesn't have to. I'm just generally nervous around such schools. My dojo used to rent space out of a Tae Kwon Do school, and a there were a few times when students were promoted (or skipped rank at a test) as a retainment tool. I do understand that it happens in good schools, but instances like that make me generally cautious. That's all.

 

[MJS]

It's funny, but I just got an email from my sensei. He's quite fluent in English, but he speaks English with an accent and every time I read something from him I unconsciously add the accent to his words.

This is the passage of interest. "You a yondan now, beeeg shot. Give you excuse now tak-a you preeetty wife to eeeat."

Hot damn, I guess I get to sew another stripe onto my ceremonial belt.

Anyone ever been promoted by email before?

Sounds kinda odd, IMO, and no, I've never seen or heard of anything like this before. Usually the student would make the trip to see the teacher or the teacher would come to see the student.

Either way, congrats on your new rank.

 

[MJS]

Disclaimer: The following post may be greatly misinterpreded as me making negative claims about your association. I'm not, if you think you may get upset, ignore this post.

Maybe, maybe not. To me, if you are promoted without a test I'd be concerned about the quality of the association. A Dan rank is an iffy matter though. But, if you were promoted to a Dan rank, and you hadn't been training under an instructor, or teaching, I'd be greatly concerned about the quality of the association. I'm not saying anything about your association, just general statements to explain my question.

Keep in mind, once you start to reach the higher ranks of black belt, the focus isn't so much on a physical test, but on the following...a) time in grade, b) what you've given back to the art. If the person has been teaching, conducting seminars/camps, spreading the art, etc., then IMHO, I dont think its necessary to always go thru a physical test.

 

[CuongNhuka]

Keep in mind, once you start to reach the higher ranks of black belt, the focus isn't so much on a physical test, but on the following...a) time in grade, b) what you've given back to the art. If the person has been teaching, conducting seminars/camps, spreading the art, etc., then IMHO, I dont think its necessary to always go thru a physical test.

Agreed. In that same post I made the comment 'a Dan rank is an iffy matter' in refernce to that very matter. Different Associations do different things, some want tests, some have tests but they're a formality. I also made the remark 'But, if you were promoted to a Dan rank, and you hadn't been training under an instructor, or teaching, I'd be greatly concerned about the quality of the association' about that same thing.

 

[dancingalone]

I can see I have to fill in the picture a bit more lest my sensei gets tarred with a bad brush, I just thought I would relate an amusing story about being promoted through email. I certainly hadn't planned to get in a discussion about McDojos and undeserved ranks.

I trained in MA since the early eighties and got my TKD bb in 1983, eventually getting a 2nd black also in TKD. I became dissastisfied with the sports focus my TKD instructor had so I quit studying with him and I floated around the country, earning a college degree and starting my career during this time.

I found my sensei fortunately in one of my stops in California and I stayed in the same city with him for 13 years, earning a sandan. Then I moved for career reasons, always making a point to visit him quarterly to train and have my kata and basics corrected. I have trained under his direction now for 18+ years.

I started a school myself primarily to acquire training partners for myself since most schools simply don't offer the same level of rigor or depth I am used to. I have brought my teacher to my school on two occasions out of state to teach seminars and sit on a testing panel for my own students.

We are not members of any association. We are Okinawan karate people and although my instructor has lineal connections to the Jundokan, we do not choose to be affiliated with anyone at this time. As a side note, realize not all arts are into the association thing... it's primarily a money-making endeavor first and foremost. I charge my students $25 a month. I can't recall a time where my sensei's classes ever had more than 8 people, so he's certainly no business juggernaut.

And yes, I don't expect to be formally tested any more in front of my teacher. He doesn't formally test after sandan as there are no new material to be learned. You're now in the phase of assuming mastery over the system, interpreting and making it your own.