Testing ?

G95champ · Black Belt

How often do you all fail people? I have only failed 2 in both cases it was students who kept saying when can I test when can I test. I kept saying your not ready but nothing would not do them. So half way out of spite and half way out of being not ready I failed them.

My testing policy is like this. You test about every three or four months. I tell you a week or 2 before time you are ready. You tell me after or before what class you want to do it.

90% of my tests are one at a time with only family or black belts watching. I find this better in case you have to fail a person. That way you can cut down on the emberassment.

What fails a person for me is the breaking of The Dojo Kune durring your test.
1. To Seek Perfection In Character
2. To Be Sincere and Honest
3. To Practice Courtesy
4. To Show Strong Spirit
5. To Control Bad Temper
Don't tell them but for all I care techinque and kata are a secondary aspect to the test.

Both students I failed lost their temper BTW....

Just trying to get a new thread started. Lets here what you think.

[ This Message was edited by: G95champ on 2002-05-06 23:03 ]

MBP · White Belt

Is this just for Black Belt testing or all tests?

_________________
" If a tin whistle is made of tin, is hook kick made from a hook?"
MBP

G95champ · Black Belt

all

from our first test at 8kuy up.

I don't mean to say I don't grade on techinque but its not what I look for. I want to see if you can carry and present youself in a proper manner first.

KickChick · Black Belt

I am taking this directly from our web site:

On average a Tae Kwon Do student will be promoted every 4 months up to Brown Belt. At Brown Belt level, promotion on average is 6 to 8 months. The following minimum requirements apply.

1. Knowledge of required material up to current belt level.
2. Steady attendance.
3. Must have no more than 5 lessons remaining on lesson count at the beginning of the month of promotion.

A pre-test is given only to those students who have met requirements #2 and #3, but are not able to fully demonstrate #1. Ability to demonstrate techniques correctly at their current belt level is mandatory. Areas of weakness are identified during pre-test and recommendations are made. Eligibility for promotion is determined by a satisfactory pre-test. Master reserves the right to have final say for promotion eligibility. PRE - TESTING

When:
First full week of each month during parent viewing.

What:
How well you know your form. Ability to perform techniques correctly at your belt level.

Why:
To determine preparedness for testing.

Eligibility to test... Pre-test must be satisfactory. Must have a minimum of 25 lessons (white-blue 2 belts) or 55 (brown 1, 2, 3 belts) at the beginning of month before name will be put on test list. If you are eligible to test, you must attend class a minumum of 2 times per week during the month prior to the test.

Recently our school has, in an effort to help younger students get into a good habit of practicing their Tae Kwon Do, been passing out practice forms to fill out and have a parents initial. Also we have implemented a new "red stripe" .... a red stripe will be given when a student can properly demonstrate his/her form. A student will only be on test list once this stripe has been received and other testing criteria is met.
Testing is done in front of panel of black belt judges (min. of 10) and [arents, friends & relatives. With all of the prerequisites listed above, it is a rare ocassion when a student "fails" or is asked to come back the following month to retest.

MBP · White Belt

Our school is a member of NAPMA. In a recent video lesson sent in on the benefits of martial arts, it was presented that as we advertise, the main theme is that we WILL teach and encourage the benefits the martial arts has to offer. For most schools, as they advertise they say that they will develope self-discipline, self-esteem, courtesy, honesty and a miriad of other mostly mental abilities. It has been our practice that this is a major focus area and more and more is expected of each student as they progress. As to testing them, all of our graduations are open to the public and all who are there pass. This is used as a tool to build trust in us that we know what we are doing for the students and the parents, and a confidence builder for the students. We actually pre-qualify each individual on their performance and attitude before they test. We give the under-adult students a report card for their teachers and parents to fill out with a lot of character performance being the main focus. The adults also have a report card, but it is used as a self-evaluation and we compare where they think they are to where we believe they are. Yes, we also fail students. This is done before the graduation during the evaluation of their skills. This is the real test. The graduation is for showing off what they can do. It has proven for us to be a HUGE self-esteem builder for the students to graduate in front of their friends and family at all levels. There are some people that get upset when they find that they cannot graduate, however it is explained to them exactly where their opportunities lie and what we can do to help them. I feel that not letting people graduate can be a positive experience, albeit a bit hard to swallow when you want them to move to the next level but they are lacking in one area or another. It can be tough to be the "Bad Guy" sometimes, but shouldn't truth come before harmony most of the time anyway?
Sorry so long, I get carried away pretty easily!

_________________
" If a tin whistle is made of tin, is hook kick made from a hook?"
MBP

ZR440 · Black Belt

I just tested last night for blue belt (in KSW) with all my other classmates. Our instructor lets us know about three weeks in advance of tests, which usually occur every two months. That's because our class in held at a college and some of the students are...students. We might have one test during the summer also. I have been denied advancement before. Sure I was disappointed, but I knew I kinda stunk. The instructor let me know before promotions that I needed more work in a particular area. It's not cruel to fail someone, it's good quality assurance that will reflect the instructors expectations and requirements.

SaiFightsMS · KF VIP

With the pre-testing process my school uses test failures are rare except for those who beg to test regardless of wether or not they are ready. If somone has a problem at test they are given another chance to do the technque or kata right then and there. If they still cannot pull it off there is a make up test until brown belt level about a week or two later when classes reconvene. We run on a quarter system with one or two weeks off between quarters. The time system was originally set up to match the structure of some of the year round schools in one of the areas classes were held.

Bon · Black Belt

Failing students is a good thing in my opinion.. I'd been training in kickboxing a month, then I graded in a short time 'cause I had prior experience in karate.. I wanted my orange belt, that was my goal, I got my yellow belt and orange tip, I was happy I double graded, but still dissapointed I fell short of what I wanted. That motivated me to train REALLY hard, but after a while I didn't care so much about my belt and missed another 2 gradings (not by choice though, went away both times) and now I take pride in my belt that's lost it's colour and looks horrible. =)

_________________
It takes sacrifice to be the best.

There are always two choices, two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that it's easy.

G95champ · Black Belt

I agree with that Bon. I think you need to fail a person ever so often to set an example for everyone else. Thats not to say well little Bobby is number 10 so Im going to fail him. However I think such was the cases with me that by failing the 2 kids who kepts begging to test gave others in the class a wake up call.

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