Opinion on number of candidates at gradings

[Nidan Melbourne]

How many people at a grading attempting a promotion do you think is too many?

Have a look at this video. It is of a GKR (Go-Kan Ryu) Grading - it is the last video they uploaded of this particular grading.

What are the positives and negatives of having this many people attend the one grading?

Personally for the kata, they should have split up the whole group so the instructors could see if the karateka is doing the kata well or going through it without really trying.

At my grading we had a large group (in relation to our dojo) at the black belt grading, we all did some of the less advanced kata together (since there were 15 of us). But for the advanced kata we did it in groups of 3. at it was the same for pre-arranged sparring.

[Harkon72]

There's a famous (in my opinion bogus) Master in North Wales who was well known for grading a hundred students together at one time. Charging £30 each and not being able to make a fair assessment of any of them. But, if you payed; you passed - fries and chicken nuggets were optional. Please make real gradings guys; your students deserve it.

[bushido_man96]

The numbers don't bother me so much, but I think its necessary to have an adequate amount of judges that can observe that number of students. If one judge has a mark next to every one of those students' names, then that's a mistake. He can't possibly realistically judge all of them.

I think it would be better to break them up into smaller groups to better observe their performances, and give them a better opportunity to perform to their level, and not be worried about kicking the person in front of or behind them.

[Nidan Melbourne]

thanks for your opinion on it. Cause when i watched the video i thought it was odd that i didn't really see many instructors go around checking on things.

[DWx]

It seems like it would be a little difficult to properly observe all of those students thoroughly.

Our gradings tend to run around 15 or less and then students are assessed in 2's or individually by the panel.

[sensei8]

Testing cycles, IMHO, shouldn't ever mimick a group class because the testing cycle is for that one student, and while a group of students might be at the testing cycle, that doesn't mean that all of them should test together. It's not fair to the students!!

Our annual testing cycle is held the last week of June into the first week of July, and it's held at the Hombu. Many apply to test at the Hombu, but not all are accepted for one reason or another. On an average, we'll get a couple of hundred to test, or all ranks, hence the reason why it'll take two weeks. It has worked for us in the past and it will continue to work out for us in the future.

We test one student at a time, and I don't think we'll ever change it.

Now, if testing a large group works for some other governing bodies, then I'll tip my hat to them in respect. But, in a testing cycle, for us, one at a time is appropriate.

In a group, and just like in group classes, many mistakes are missed, and therefore, proper correction isn't always provided. Bad habits start sinking in and before you know it, you're spending time fixing something that shouldn't have been missed, but in a group class, it happens.

Same thing for large testing cycles. Proper observation will be missed, therefore, the proper grading and its deductions are overlooked/missed, and this will give said student(s) the false security that they're alright, when in actuality, they're not alright.

Who's fault is that? YOU; the instructor and the like!!

We owe it to EACH of our students to evaluate them properly across the board.

[bushido_man96]

I didn't know you tested one at a time, Bob. That's pretty cool. How long will a testing last for a student, on average? Do you have high ranks available for one-steps, bunkai, and sparring?

[sensei8]

I didn't know you tested one at a time, Bob. That's pretty cool. How long will a testing last for a student, on average? Do you have high ranks available for one-steps, bunkai, and sparring?

Yes!! That's been exclusively established by our Soke: One student at a time.

*On an average for Kyu's: 1-3 hours, depending on ones rank tested for.

*On an average for Dan's: 1-3 days, depending on ones rank tested for.

*The thing to remember is that our testing cycles last for two weeks. Week one will be for the Kyu's and week two will be for the Dan's.

For Kyu's, there are "sections" for testing. We'll divide the number of testing candidates by number of "sections" that we've available, usually 12. For example...If we've 200 Kyu testing candidates, then there would be about 16-17 students per "sections". In that, we've got to place them in "sections" that are rank appropriate, and if need be, we'll create a new "sections" to accommodate the number of testing Kyu candidates. In that, there will be at least one Sandan or above to administer their said testing panel.

For Dan's, they too have "sections" for testing, but not as many because, for one, we've more Kyu's testing than Dan's for various reasons, as well as obvious reasons, tenure and the like. If we've only, for example, only fifty Dan candidates in totality of the testing cycle from Shodan to Hachidan, then we don't need the usual 12 "sections", like with the Kyu's, we'll have. For example, we'll only use 10"sections" with about 5 testing candidates per "sections", and of course, we'll add more "sections" are required. We'll complete the Dan testing from Shodan-Yondan in the middle of the week, but only if we've testing candidates for the Godan and above. Then comes the fun.

Godan - Hachidan testing candidates will use only one "sections" because the testing panel is much larger; more eyes on the testing candidate, so to speak. We'll test them, if we have any, and quite often, we won't have any Godan and above testing candidates.

This is in a nut-shell, so to speak.

To your second question. YES!! We've plenty of high ranks to tend to the needs of the areas in which you've inquired about. All high ranks MUST be at the Hombu, no exceptions!!

[Nidan Melbourne]

I didn't know you tested one at a time, Bob. That's pretty cool. How long will a testing last for a student, on average? Do you have high ranks available for one-steps, bunkai, and sparring?

Yes!! That's been exclusively established by our Soke: One student at a time.

*On an average for Kyu's: 1-3 hours, depending on ones rank tested for.

*On an average for Dan's: 1-3 days, depending on ones rank tested for.

*The thing to remember is that our testing cycles last for two weeks. Week one will be for the Kyu's and week two will be for the Dan's.

For Kyu's, there are "sections" for testing. We'll divide the number of testing candidates by number of "sections" that we've available, usually 12. For example...If we've 200 Kyu testing candidates, then there would be about 16-17 students per "sections". In that, we've got to place them in "sections" that are rank appropriate, and if need be, we'll create a new "sections" to accommodate the number of testing Kyu candidates. In that, there will be at least one Sandan or above to administer their said testing panel.

For Dan's, they too have "sections" for testing, but not as many because, for one, we've more Kyu's testing than Dan's for various reasons, as well as obvious reasons, tenure and the like. If we've only, for example, only fifty Dan candidates in totality of the testing cycle from Shodan to Hachidan, then we don't need the usual 12 "sections", like with the Kyu's, we'll have. For example, we'll only use 10"sections" with about 5 testing candidates per "sections", and of course, we'll add more "sections" are required. We'll complete the Dan testing from Shodan-Yondan in the middle of the week, but only if we've testing candidates for the Godan and above. Then comes the fun.

Godan - Hachidan testing candidates will use only one "sections" because the testing panel is much larger; more eyes on the testing candidate, so to speak. We'll test them, if we have any, and quite often, we won't have any Godan and above testing candidates.

This is in a nut-shell, so to speak.

To your second question. YES!! We've plenty of high ranks to tend to the needs of the areas in which you've inquired about. All high ranks MUST be at the Hombu, no exceptions!!

that seems like a lot of work! do you do other gradings throughout the year or just at that one grading?

[andym]

A grading must be a test of a persons ability. How can that ability be tested and assessed in such circumstances ? Way to many there. Dan grading can only be done in small groups, containing a portion of individual testing. That's my view.