Grading twice

[mal103]

Had a new student start several weeks ago and they also train at another nearby Dojo, i've also been training there and they are very similar, same style, ethos etc.

The student has said that they want to grade at both clubs? I have tried explaining that you typically only grade with one Sensei and I am really not bothered who it is so long as they keep up their training. I said it's like doing your driving test twice!

How can I best get this across, or are they perfectly normal to grade at both, considering they may be out of sync if we grade at different times, would the other Sensei allow them to grade if they already had the latest belt colour on, certainly not to grade them to the next one but to allow them to re-take the grade? Would the student end up wearing different colour belts to different Dojo?

I can see the point if it was different styles but we are both Shotokan Karate and both have the same standard.

[Nidan Melbourne]

I think in the end it is up to the student to decide whether they want to grade at both.

But for you as the instructor, I think you might as well test them at yours if they decide to do it at the other dojo.

Or even if you have a chat with that other dojo if you can watch and evaluate her as well so you can decide if she warrants promotion at your school

[wagnerk]

I also would say that it's down to the individual student and both organisations that he trains at.

[mal103]

One problem I can see in the future is if he grades quicker with one club due to timings of the gradings etc, if he was still 6th kyu with one but 3rd Kyu with the other...

A belt chaser would choose the easiest route, someone more humble would take our work for it and accept the level we grade them and when.