SaJooNim
19-Oct-2003, 06:03 AM
A few questions for anyone who wants to answer...
1. In general, how are the testings conducted at your respective schools? Are the students actually "tested" or is it pretty much a slam-dunk that unless they totally forget everything, they pass?
In my dojang, the students are made well aware that their promotional testings will be taxing both mentally and physically. Their performance in class earns them the right to test, and their performance during the testing determines whether they are promoted or not. Their physical conditioning & determination is tested by not only demonstrating the requirements they learned at their current rank, but by repeating many of the techniques they learned at lower levels. The average student can figure on spending a minimum of 90 minutes on the floor performing various types of techniques in rapid succession -- interspersed with questions on general history and philosophy (or whatever else the judges come up with). For instance, just this week we had two white belts who tested and their testing lasted just over two hours. Once they finished (survived?) the testing, they actually felt like they had earned and accomplished something.
2. How are your testings graded or scored? Do you have formal testing scoresheets that require input from each judge? If so, what sorts of things are graded? Do you have established minimum grades or scores that one much achieve in order to be promoted or is it more just sort of a "feeling" that the judges have -- i.e., "I think he/she did well enough to be promoted."
For us, we use a scoresheet that forces the judges to grade each student in multiple (13) catagories from 0-5 for colored belts or from 0-10 for black belts. Within the section for the requirements they are currently testing with, they are graded on whether or not they actually remember all of the techniques (and in the proper order), they're graded on how well they perform the techniques, they're graded on both their focus and ki, and they're graded on the answers to any questions asked by the judges. Within the sparring section they're graded on the techniques they use, how well they perform those techniques, their control, and their sportsmanship. The breaking section requires scores on how well they perform the techniques (whether they're making wild, exaggerated movements just to break -- or if they are using proper technique), as well as a score for the number of attempts (they only get two attempts -- failure to break on the second means not passing). Then, in a miscellaneous section, they're given scores on both their breathing & balance.
Now for the kicker on the scoresheets... The scores are added up to figure a percentage of the total possible score. White belts must have a score of 70% or better on EVERY judges scoresheet in order to pass. Yellow through blue must have 75%, the rest of the colored belt ranks must score 80% or better to pass. All black belt ranks require a minimum of 85% (from every judge). If a colored belt (except white belts) student scores 2 or less (out of five) from any judge in ANY catagory, that automatically means they do not get promoted (no matter the final percentage). If a black belt scores below 7 in any catagory by any judge, then the same thing happens -- they do not get promoted, regardless of the overall percentage.
Not only are the testings made to be just that... a TEST, but the scoring is very difficult. It is not easy to get promoted from one rank to the next.
Another thing that I have adopted as a rule whenever we have guest judges, is that if any of them express concern as to whether a given student should be promoted or not, then that student will not be promoted. They way I figure it, if I invite an instructor from another style or another school, and they see something in one of my students that would make them think maybe they should be held back, then that is what will happen (even if they scored, say, 95% on my scoresheet) -- because there must be something that really stood out that needs either to be corrected or improved upon.
Having said all of that, I am very proud to say that in 17 years of teaching, I have had only TWO students who I've ever held back from a promotion. One was a student testing for his black belt the first time, and the other was a guy who was very overweight (who passed the next time around). So, if anyone is thinking that students are doomed to fail with this kind of scoring, all I can say is that this hasnt been my experience.
I believe when the bar is set high, and the students know what is expected of them, then they can be pushed and challenged beyond what some consider necessary. I really feel like the promotion means so much more when it truly has to be EARNED while under pressure physically, mentally, and by knowing that the scoring is tough to begin with... rather than by being promoted through a testing that was really just a "formality" in every sense of the word.
The knowledge & physical achievement that you are able to display, combined with knowing that you were challenged and did your best are far better reward than any belt, or any colored piece of tape, or any certificate.
Ta-ta for now...
Mike Burnett, Sa Joo
Shin Koo Hapkido
Yoo-Sok-Kwan
Lincoln, NE
1. In general, how are the testings conducted at your respective schools? Are the students actually "tested" or is it pretty much a slam-dunk that unless they totally forget everything, they pass?
In my dojang, the students are made well aware that their promotional testings will be taxing both mentally and physically. Their performance in class earns them the right to test, and their performance during the testing determines whether they are promoted or not. Their physical conditioning & determination is tested by not only demonstrating the requirements they learned at their current rank, but by repeating many of the techniques they learned at lower levels. The average student can figure on spending a minimum of 90 minutes on the floor performing various types of techniques in rapid succession -- interspersed with questions on general history and philosophy (or whatever else the judges come up with). For instance, just this week we had two white belts who tested and their testing lasted just over two hours. Once they finished (survived?) the testing, they actually felt like they had earned and accomplished something.
2. How are your testings graded or scored? Do you have formal testing scoresheets that require input from each judge? If so, what sorts of things are graded? Do you have established minimum grades or scores that one much achieve in order to be promoted or is it more just sort of a "feeling" that the judges have -- i.e., "I think he/she did well enough to be promoted."
For us, we use a scoresheet that forces the judges to grade each student in multiple (13) catagories from 0-5 for colored belts or from 0-10 for black belts. Within the section for the requirements they are currently testing with, they are graded on whether or not they actually remember all of the techniques (and in the proper order), they're graded on how well they perform the techniques, they're graded on both their focus and ki, and they're graded on the answers to any questions asked by the judges. Within the sparring section they're graded on the techniques they use, how well they perform those techniques, their control, and their sportsmanship. The breaking section requires scores on how well they perform the techniques (whether they're making wild, exaggerated movements just to break -- or if they are using proper technique), as well as a score for the number of attempts (they only get two attempts -- failure to break on the second means not passing). Then, in a miscellaneous section, they're given scores on both their breathing & balance.
Now for the kicker on the scoresheets... The scores are added up to figure a percentage of the total possible score. White belts must have a score of 70% or better on EVERY judges scoresheet in order to pass. Yellow through blue must have 75%, the rest of the colored belt ranks must score 80% or better to pass. All black belt ranks require a minimum of 85% (from every judge). If a colored belt (except white belts) student scores 2 or less (out of five) from any judge in ANY catagory, that automatically means they do not get promoted (no matter the final percentage). If a black belt scores below 7 in any catagory by any judge, then the same thing happens -- they do not get promoted, regardless of the overall percentage.
Not only are the testings made to be just that... a TEST, but the scoring is very difficult. It is not easy to get promoted from one rank to the next.
Another thing that I have adopted as a rule whenever we have guest judges, is that if any of them express concern as to whether a given student should be promoted or not, then that student will not be promoted. They way I figure it, if I invite an instructor from another style or another school, and they see something in one of my students that would make them think maybe they should be held back, then that is what will happen (even if they scored, say, 95% on my scoresheet) -- because there must be something that really stood out that needs either to be corrected or improved upon.
Having said all of that, I am very proud to say that in 17 years of teaching, I have had only TWO students who I've ever held back from a promotion. One was a student testing for his black belt the first time, and the other was a guy who was very overweight (who passed the next time around). So, if anyone is thinking that students are doomed to fail with this kind of scoring, all I can say is that this hasnt been my experience.
I believe when the bar is set high, and the students know what is expected of them, then they can be pushed and challenged beyond what some consider necessary. I really feel like the promotion means so much more when it truly has to be EARNED while under pressure physically, mentally, and by knowing that the scoring is tough to begin with... rather than by being promoted through a testing that was really just a "formality" in every sense of the word.
The knowledge & physical achievement that you are able to display, combined with knowing that you were challenged and did your best are far better reward than any belt, or any colored piece of tape, or any certificate.
Ta-ta for now...
Mike Burnett, Sa Joo
Shin Koo Hapkido
Yoo-Sok-Kwan
Lincoln, NE