Like Artikon, Im not a 4th DAN I am a 1st Dan, testing for second in a month or so. I teach my own class under the supervision of an 8th degree. He must do the gup (colored belts) testing for me. I feel I am gaining a lot of experience doing this. I hope one day to have my own school, but that will have to wait until I reach 4th Dan.
Well, I got a cheeky answer from Kukkiwon via their Q&A...so I rang 'em (you owe me a beer). Disclaimer: This was for Americans in America. I can't quite grasp the logic, but... One - Fourth dan can teach Two - Promotion until black belt is all up to you. Dan promotion is done by another (Kukkiwon chooses). Three - You may only recommend, not promote, to the degree below you. Four - (subsection of three) You are to fax KKW with the recommendation for dan promotion. They then will fax you the forms, you fill out and mail back to them with fees. You will then be told where to attend the next dan testing. (Just like in Korea) It seems a bit hinky, but maybe things have changed. Cheers, DH
In the ITF here in the UK, You have to become an international instructor in order to grade students to ANY level. A grading examiner on a dan grading must be atleast 2 degrees higher than the student being tested. So if someone was testing for 3rd degree then grading panel must all be 5th degree and above.
ok its been a while since anyone has posted in this thread. but i think i will bring this thread back to life and post my two cents. i realize that many of you went by the text on this question/ issue of starting a new school and tesing for black belts. i beleive it was hybridtkd who started this thread. well heres how i see it and it doesnt make it right but its just the way i look at it. i own a school and have since oct 2001. and we were only 2nd degrees at the time, now we did at the time have a 4th dan master who gave the black belt test, or invited other masters to give the test. thomas you are indeed right once again. heres the thing when it comes down to color belts i personally doesnt think its matters about who gives the test as long as they are black belts adults and are compable/ saying this i remember our master would never let us sit at the table to give a test.lol but lets be honest who is gonna say that your student isnt really a yellow belt cuz your not a 4th dan. and if you do decide to have black belt test i think its a great idea to invite other masters cuz lets face it you know what your students can do now let them show there abilities to others. so if your still around hybridtkd i think of you have the proper help still train and have a lot of patience, with alot of connections i think it is possible, in fact i know its possible to have a respectable school and be an owner even if your not a master yet becuz im living proof.
When I did my colour belt gradings (Started in 1992.) They were done under the TAGB area co-rdinator at the time - Mr Brian Towndrow 4th Degree (Again - at the time.) Now there are two prominent 5th Dan instructors in our area - mine and another, they grade each others students but not their own. They both had to take an examiners course before they could do this in our organisation. For Dan grades, it is done before a panel, consisting of several 5th and 6th Dans. Recently two 5th Dans wanted to grade up, both of them in order to accredit their rank better, did the international promotion before Master Choi Jung Wa and his panel of senior students. One of the 5th Dans promoted and went on to also grade before the PUMA panel. The other did not pass the international grading so said he would attempt to pass that next year before doing the PUMA grading. This was not mandatory as far as I know, simply the choice of the two practitioners in question, in order to ensure their rank was both earned and respected. The highest grade in our organisation is 6th Degree Black Belts.
