Colour-belt grading time!

[DWx]

Don't have to read this if you don't want to but just come home from an all day colour-belt grading at my school.

Been a while since I've helped out at testing (am away a lot at uni) so was fun to get behind this side of table again. Had 53 students testing, majority were white belt to yellow belt (first couple of grades), some intermediates and about 8 advanced colour belts (3rd and 2nd gups). Examining was my instructor (6th dan), his wife (4th dan) and our assistant instructor (5th dan) with me and a couple of 1st dans assisting.

A lot of white belts were testing for the first time and all did well. Lots of new adults which was good to see Adults white belts all broke too. I don't often get to see the beginners and the standard was quite high. A number of them were looking pretty sharp so will definitely be keeping an eye out for them as they carry on training.

Green belt group really did not impress at all though. Apart from the adults and a few kids, the rest of the group just looked like they couldn't be bothered and a few hadn't learnt their theory all that well... My instructor got quite annoyed during the self defense section as even though they were told repeatedly to put some effort in, they weren't grabbing each other properly. So he made me get up and do it! Told them to all line up and I had to go attack them whilst in full suit and tie and proper shoes! For the ones that stepped up to mark they did reasonably well and was quite good for the parents to see them try to defend themselves against an adult. Lot more realistic than having another kid trying to grab your arm. But for the rest it was a mess. Just don't know what it was with this lot but really demoralizing as an examiner to watch and frustrating. A number of them ended up failing the testing and will be put on probation. Not for a lack of skill as I know they all can do better but mainly because there was an absence of enthusiasm and effort. Hopefully will give them a kick up the backside for the next testing day.

The last session with the 3rd and 2nd gups was great though. Was only younger teens/kids in this category but they were really raising the bar compared to even the adults in the group before. Most of these kids have been training since they were 4-5 yrs old and are now about 7 or 8 years old. Proper switched on though, not like the group before. Had me doing the self defense with each of them too, grabbing them by the throat and trying to drag them by the arms. Lets just say I came home with a few bruises. On the breaking a few of them even stopped sir to ask if they could have a more difficult board or double up on the boards! Really impressed with that as tbh I'm happy if a 7 year old breaks the board I was holding (was a child "advanced board") as it still requires a bit of force behind it to break and they were asking if I could go get the other one as well! Just wish the lazy green belts had stayed to watch.

[still kicking]

Thanks for sharing this, DWx, I enjoy hearing details about other people's promotion tests. I'm glad those lazy butts did not get promoted -- I hate it when schools promote people just because they're there! Sounds like you have some good, motivated, students coming up in your school, which is always nice to see. I think that sometimes instructors get stuck in thinking they are doing something wrong when people aren't motivated. Sometimes maybe it does have to do with teaching methods, but it's a complicated topic why some students are ambitious and driven, and some are, well, just lazy butts. Anyway, I think it is telling that the ones you thought were "unmotivated" did not stay to watch the more advanced students. You just can't worry about them, IMO, and just focus on the ones who care!

[DWx]

Thanks for sharing this, DWx, I enjoy hearing details about other people's promotion tests. I'm glad those lazy butts did not get promoted -- I hate it when schools promote people just because they're there! Sounds like you have some good, motivated, students coming up in your school, which is always nice to see. I think that sometimes instructors get stuck in thinking they are doing something wrong when people aren't motivated. Sometimes maybe it does have to do with teaching methods, but it's a complicated topic why some students are ambitious and driven, and some are, well, just lazy butts. Anyway, I think it is telling that the ones you thought were "unmotivated" did not stay to watch the more advanced students. You just can't worry about them, IMO, and just focus on the ones who care!

Thanks for reading still kicking I think a part of it is that because we have quite a few students, classes are segregated into belt groups so there's a class for beginners, class for intermediates etc. It's great for learning and focusing on stuff applicable to your current level but you never get the opportunity to see what the higher grades are doing. When I was a colour belt, the classes were mixed but that was also good because I could copy how the higher grades were moving and be inspired when they did something really cool. My instructor said as much during the grading. Told some of the lazy ones that it would be good for them to come along and watch a blackbelt class or stay and watch the next part of the grading.

[sensei8]

Don't have to read this if you don't want to but just come home from an all day colour-belt grading at my school.

Been a while since I've helped out at testing (am away a lot at uni) so was fun to get behind this side of table again. Had 53 students testing, majority were white belt to yellow belt (first couple of grades), some intermediates and about 8 advanced colour belts (3rd and 2nd gups). Examining was my instructor (6th dan), his wife (4th dan) and our assistant instructor (5th dan) with me and a couple of 1st dans assisting.

A lot of white belts were testing for the first time and all did well. Lots of new adults which was good to see Adults white belts all broke too. I don't often get to see the beginners and the standard was quite high. A number of them were looking pretty sharp so will definitely be keeping an eye out for them as they carry on training.

Green belt group really did not impress at all though. Apart from the adults and a few kids, the rest of the group just looked like they couldn't be bothered and a few hadn't learnt their theory all that well... My instructor got quite annoyed during the self defense section as even though they were told repeatedly to put some effort in, they weren't grabbing each other properly. So he made me get up and do it! Told them to all line up and I had to go attack them whilst in full suit and tie and proper shoes! For the ones that stepped up to mark they did reasonably well and was quite good for the parents to see them try to defend themselves against an adult. Lot more realistic than having another kid trying to grab your arm. But for the rest it was a mess. Just don't know what it was with this lot but really demoralizing as an examiner to watch and frustrating. A number of them ended up failing the testing and will be put on probation. Not for a lack of skill as I know they all can do better but mainly because there was an absence of enthusiasm and effort. Hopefully will give them a kick up the backside for the next testing day.

The last session with the 3rd and 2nd gups was great though. Was only younger teens/kids in this category but they were really raising the bar compared to even the adults in the group before. Most of these kids have been training since they were 4-5 yrs old and are now about 7 or 8 years old. Proper switched on though, not like the group before. Had me doing the self defense with each of them too, grabbing them by the throat and trying to drag them by the arms. Lets just say I came home with a few bruises. On the breaking a few of them even stopped sir to ask if they could have a more difficult board or double up on the boards! Really impressed with that as tbh I'm happy if a 7 year old breaks the board I was holding (was a child "advanced board") as it still requires a bit of force behind it to break and they were asking if I could go get the other one as well! Just wish the lazy green belts had stayed to watch.

Danielle....that's a very solid post...and I mean SOLID!!

[bushido_man96]

That sounds like you had a good testing, then. Yeah, even though one group was a tad down, it sounds like they got what they had coming, and I don't blame you or your instructors a bit. Its important to step up to the plate and bring your A game to a testing, even if you're not feeling it that day.