To Hang Them All Or Not!?!

[sensei8]

You're opening your school of MA. You're excited. You've nicely decorated it quite tastefully. You've all of the necessary training devices and the like. You've done this and that in preparation of your grand opening. Then you ponder over something longer than normally.

Should you hang up every MA and the like platitude(s)?

OR...

Should you only hang up your latest MA and the like platitude(s)?

[Lupin1]

I would hang the latest ones which affect the students in a main area so people can see it when they come in and know your qualifications to teach. The older ones/ones that maybe aren't as relevant to what you're teaching I'd hang in your office so you can still be proud of them and students will still be impressed by them when they go into the office, but it's not like "LOOK AT HOW AWESOME I AM!!" all the time. I've seen stuff like that even become a thing of awe to students-- "have you ever been in his office and seen all those plaques and certificates!?" *insert wide-eyed look of awe here*

[sensei8]

Ever notice how organizations will want your send in every Dan cert including your latest?

I usually snicker at this because, if someone's a, for example, Godan, then they only send in their Godan cert...

Shouldn't that be enough? After all, they'd have to have been Shodan then Nidan then Sandan then Yondan then finally, Godan.

How could and why would it matter if said organization wants EVERY Dan cert?

[CredoTe]

For us, yudansha are given two certificates with each Dan: one to take home / keep, one to hang in the dojo. We do this to establish yudanshas' credentials / qualifications and to show their history / lineage with us. But, we only do this with our Matsubayashi-Ryu rankings. All other style rankings are hung elsewhere in the dojo in lower traffic areas (i.e. back office, etc.)

Otherwise, like Lupin1 said, we feel it becomes a "LOOK AT ME" scenario.

[ps1]

I have all of mine hanging. But each is from a seperate instructor and organization. So there was never an overlap where I was receiving, potentially undeserved, ranking in several arts at once. I saw this many times in my years.

[sensei8]

I once taught a college course at the Los Angeles Valley College for a few years back in the early 1980's on a very part time basis.

During the initial application process of coming on board, the LAVC administration wanted every single certificate I had earned up to that point for my Dan grade.

I refused them their request and presented to them my Yondan certificate, and that was it. During the panel interview, they questioned me about why I hadn't fulfilled their demands.

I simply explained to them that my Yondan certificate was quite sufficient for thier needs because I couldn't have earned my Yondan without already having earned the Dan previous to that; it would be impossible!! No one goes from whatever right up to Yondan, or any other rank in the MA without first having earned said previous ranks before hand!!

Beside, I explained to them, what's sitting before them is of the surface, if they wanted to see if I was qualified beyond any platitudes, well, proof is on the floor, and I'd be more than happy to explain it to them out on any given floor.

No, my Yondan certificate is more than sufficient to meet any LAVC pre-requisites for the position in which I was applying for. I presented them with my proposed syllabus and the like. Left them to decide for themselves because I wasn't going to jump through all of their hoops. I was more than qualified for the position in which they were trying to fullfill.

A few days later, I received a phone call at my dojo welcoming me to the next semester as part of their staff.

[Wastelander]

My instructor only has his most current (Yondan) certificate hanging at the dojo, but the rest are hanging at his home, including an honorary Godan rank that he was given by a martial artist that he respects greatly. He doesn't claim that Godan rank, though, or even really tell people about it, because he says he didn't test for it and earn it, so it doesn't count

With regard to people asking to see all previous certificates, I actually know why they do that. While it is true you should not receive a rank without first earning the rank before it, that is not always the case. I personally know of one person that falsely claimed a yudansha ranking without having earned it, and was later graded two ranks higher without ever having proved that he earned the first yudansha ranking. Some people are not honest, and they are the reason that people sometimes want to see every certificate.

[sensei8]

I too, hang up my current rank/title at the dojo and at the Hombu as well. The rest of my certificates and the like, I no longer display them at my home, no, I've placed them all inside of a safe deposit box at the bank I bank with for safe keeping.

One can't always be to safe!!

[ps1]

I have all of mine hanging. But each is from a seperate instructor and organization. So there was never an overlap where I was receiving, potentially undeserved, ranking in several arts at once. I saw this many times in my years.

After reading the posts after mine, perhaps I misunderstood.

I have the most recent ranking of all the systems I've trained hanging up. I agree that it would be a bit non-sensical to hang my blue belt certificate as well as my sandan certificate. Overall, I have 4 certificates hanging.

-3rd degree in chuan fa

-2nd degree in shotokan

-2nd degree in Aiki Ju-Jitsu

-Black belt in BJJ

Also hanging are my instructional self defense and instructor's certifications I've earned through the years.

[sensei8]

For many a great reason(s), there's no such thing as a certificate police to enforce what certificate one should or shouldn't hang; it's a personal choice that's not truly open for judgement. I've been in quite a variety of professional offices in and out of the MA, and many professionals hang up quite a lot of certificates. It's not what 'we' consider important, no, it's what 'that' practitoner considers important.