Opinion on number of candidates at gradings

[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!!

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

It may seem like a lot of work but it's well worth the effort. The students deserve that. We've a nice pool of Sandan and up to help at the Hombu's annual testing cycles.

Each and every Shindokan dojo tests once every quarter/3 months in-house of their dojo; that's their choice.

I test at the end of each quarter in my dojo, and so does the Hombu. In that, I only attend the annual testing cycle at the Hombu because I've my own testing cycles during quarters 1, 3, and 4. However, the annual testing cycle is held at the end of the 2nd quarter, and into the beginning of the 3rd quarter each year at the Hombu.

No student HAS to test at the Hombu. It's a choice! Unless you're testing for Godan and higher, then you MUST test only at the Hombu! No exceptions.

[sensei8]

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.

That's why we/I test one student at a time!!

[hammer]

One grader or more to each student...how can it be done otherwise?

[sensei8]

One grader or more to each student...how can it be done otherwise?

Yes!! No less than 3, that's in our By-Laws!!

[Nidan Melbourne]

One grader or more to each student...how can it be done otherwise?

Yes!! No less than 3, that's in our By-Laws!!

Gotta love by-laws

For our gradings: we have 3-4 instructors for the adult gradings (my sensei, a colleague of mine who got his 2nd dan at the same grading as me, and then myself and an extra sempai if available) for the class. But we usually have 15 students in the grading and 4-5 of them are actually grading.

and we have a few black belts who attend the grading for the heck of it really help push the grading candidates really hard. so it works out to be like 9 black belts pushing the candidates.

for our junior gradings we have 6-7 black belts (that's including my sensei) and the number of candidates are variable due to the number that have fulfilled the pre-requisites.

at my shodan/nidan grading we had Shihan, 2 sensei's and 3 sempai's on the panel and there were 7 of us grading. and when i went for my black we had 5 instructors to 20 candidates

[quinteros1963]

Many have said that an instructor knows if you are going to pass prior to grading. If this is the case, why does it matter if there are so many people grading?

[wagnerk]

imo, it matters less on the amount of people doing the grading and more on the standards that the association/club has and upholds during the classes and the gradings.

I've had gradings with associations where you had to do things individually & in pairs. I've had gradings with associations where the groups were large but the examiners watching would still pull people out who didn't meet the standards (they were not allowed to continue with the grading). And then I've had gradings where the groups were large, the standards were poor and some of the people going of 5th and 4th kyu could not even do the requirements for 9th Kyu properly, after I saw that they passed (they came from a different club within the association so I never saw them before, otherwise I would have left sooner) I left that association.

[mal103]

Many have said that an instructor knows if you are going to pass prior to grading. If this is the case, why does it matter if there are so many people grading?

It's a point that I was also going to make, our total grading time takes 4 hours, any more and we would have to pay more rent for the large hall and most of the students would get bored/cold waiting their turn.

We still only have 5-8 students up at a time though in front of 2-5 instructors. The students are only there if we think they can pass, they are mostly confirming it. On the odd occasion we get a fail or a temp grade to cover the odd mistake - the temp grade is a pass but they have to prove themselves and be very strong to grade again.

[sensei8]

We've no less than 3 graders, and the higher the Dan rank, the more graders. Why? More eyes equals credibility.

Imho!!

[devil dog]

I am with Sensei8. We test one at a time. The only thing we differ on is the amount of graders. Kyu is tested by the instructor alone up to Sankyu. At Sankyu the instructor and a witness sit in on the grading. At Dan a panel of 3 to 5 judges sit in on every testing. One of which is the instructor. The grades must be 3 or more ranks above the student being tested. Example: The rank the student is testing for is Nidan then the majority of the board must be Yondan or above.

I also agree with his assessment of credibility with more graders. It insures that all mistakes are caught and a true assessment is given to the student. Those that deserve to pass are promoted and those that do not will be failed.

Since instructors from other dojos sit in on testing this keeps instructors honest about sending students up for their next Dan grading. We don't typically have unqualified students sent for testing but it has happened and they will be failed.

IMHO you owe it to an individual who has trained as long as they have to give them not only all of your attention but also a true assessment by finding thier deficiencies so that they can correct them and improve. Our students reflect us as instructors and they represent our art. It's worth a little extra effort.