who can be a grading officer

[mal103]

For normal kyu gradings what should be the minimum rank of the grading officer?

Thinking of a club nearby run by just a 2nd Dan, is that really good enough or should he consider sending his students to a bigger club for gradings.

[CredoTe]

We allow our shodans to be on the judging panel for tests, but only because my CI and I are on the panel, too. Indeed, if we weren't there, our shodans wouldn't be able to run the panel on their own. Our nidans could run kyu tests on their own, it's just that a situation hasn't come up yet where either myself or my CI aren't present.

Additionally, for a kyu student testing for shodan, current shodans are allowed to take notes to add their observations, but do not factor in to the results/grade. For the same shodan test, current nidans are allowed to be on the judging panel and provide grades/results, but only because we're on the panel (similar to above for shodans grading kyu tests).

[mal103]

Cheers for the info, I forgot to add that its generally acceptable that you can only grade 2 below so a Nidan would only be able to grade up to 1st Kyu if you follow those rules.

[sensei8]

Same with us, must be Sandan to grade to Shodan.

[Nidan Melbourne]

At gradings at my dojo our shodan-ho's (provisional black belt) and shodans are allowed to grade students for their kyu gradings. Their input does factor into whether a student passes or fails.

At dan gradings we require the grading panel to all hold a dan grading. But at the same time our dan grading candidates are at a 'black belt' grading which means any student attempting for any belt above blue belt can attend. so we allow non-dan graded black belts (Shodan-Ho) assist.

We allow non-dan graded black belts to assist at those advanced gradings but their comments are taken into account

[Nidan Melbourne]

and she shouldn't have to send his students to another school for grading.

For Kyu gradings he can run them fine since he is a nidan. He should know what each rank should be able to do.

Although he would have an issue if he was running black belt gradings.

[devil dog]

Most japenese and okinawan arts require that the examining instructor be at least 2 belts above the testing student.

When it comes to Kyu (Mudansha) tests the local instructor could promote them up to Ikkyu if he is a Nidan. Once the student is ready to test for Shodan a panel of no less than three higher ranked instructors (at least 2 grades above Shodan but typically higher) test the candidate.

I could advance all of my students to Sandan but it is tradition (at least in our art) to have a minimum of two other instructors there during the examination. Our Dan (Yudansha) certificates require three signatures. This is tradition in our art but not necessarily in others. I know a Rokudan that promotes all of his students whether Kyu or Dan without a panel. It really depends on the style and what the association allows.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Most japenese and okinawan arts require that the examining instructor be at least 2 belts above the testing student.

When it comes to Kyu (Mudansha) tests the local instructor could promote them up to Ikkyu if he is a Nidan. Once the student is ready to test for Shodan a panel of no less than three higher ranked instructors (at least 2 grades above Shodan but typically higher) test the candidate.

I could advance all of my students to Sandan but it is tradition (at least in our art) to have a minimum of two other instructors there during the examination. Our Dan (Yudansha) certificates require three signatures. This is tradition in our art but not necessarily in others. I know a Rokudan that promotes all of his students whether Kyu or Dan without a panel. It really depends on the style and what the association allows.

I like the idea of having the grading panel to be a minimum of 2 ranks above what they're grading. Although sometimes that is just not possible.

By that logic my sensei is a sandan (is waiting to be able to attend a grading with the AKF) and he shouldn't be able to grade anyone to nidan. Although admittedly when i went for shodan (and got regraded to nidan) and one of my friends got graded to nidan as well there was a godan there evaluating all of us students.

But since my sensei has been a sandan for a long time (many many years; i think about 12 years now) he knows the syllabus required extremely well and everything related to goju extremely well and is continually learning how to refine each technique even more to make each technique, kata, kumite and pre-arranged better.

[bushido_man96]

Same with us, must be Sandan to grade to Shodan.

That's what I'm used to, as well, and if black belts are involved, the more you have, the better. If testing to 2nd dan, usually having at least 2 or 3 black belts that are two ranks higher to grade them is ideal.

All the black belts testing above first dan in our organization have to go to the HQ school in order to test.

[sensei8]

If there's no expression beyond said syllabus/curriculum, then the practitioner is quite limited, and at fault, imho. The instructor is at fault as well for not providing the necessary vehicle for that expression outside of the box, however, the student is accountable and responsible for their own MA betterment, and to ensure in its improvement. Taste, and see if it's good!!