But sensei, when do I get to...

[The Pred]

The gentleman who teaches explained that this was how he had been trained in his native Okinawa by the master who taught him. He mentioned something to the effect that this was how karate must be done to really develop useable techinque.

Ranks or belts were of little concern, as most did not have any. Students trained every day, sometimes twice and the master would often teach only two or three things for months. Only after basics were understood and performed satisfactorily was any kata taught.

Then he said if he tried to teach exactly as he was taught, he might have maybe three regular students instead of a dozen, which is still a small dojo. Maybe that is a sign of our times and the general attitude.

I believe that you've hit the nail right on its head!!

Curriculums are a plate full to deal with, nowadays!! Why? In the hopes of challenging our students each and everyday. Yet, even if your curriculum was as it was/is in Okinawa with teaching a few things for months, it's the quality of the instructions that would make the student not even think they were only being taught a few things for months; they'd be challenged in appropriate measures.

It seems that curriculums of nowadays are to match the upcoming testing cycle which is held once every 3 months, and todays dojo's want substance for a testing cycle. The appearance of normalcy!!

A typical Shindokan testing cycle will have anywhere near 30 items in the beginner ranks, then double in the intermediate ranks, then triple in the advanced ranks, then quadruple or more in the Dan ranks...and this is on an average, but the number of items tested varies as it's meant to over time!! 10th Kyu will do this many, then 9th Kyu will do a little more, then 8th Kyu will do much more, and so on and so forth all the way up to Hachidan. This explains why a some testing cycles take longer than others! However, our Soke firmly implanted into Shindokan that QUALITY was always at the core, and that QUANTITY is never considered!!

My friends who does martial arts with me, kid also does it. Parents are making him take a promotion once a year, until he reaches 14-16 for black.

Furthermore, was your Kudan test, the longest and hardest test in the history of Shndokan?

Parents are?? Parents don't run ANYTHING in the dojo, or they shouldn't be!! Imho, that decision lies strictly with the CI.

To my Kudan testing cycle...YES!!

True parents don't run a dojo. But customers overall do run it. Because as stated before, "

Then he said if he tried to teach exactly as he was taught, he might have maybe three regular students instead of a dozen, which is still a small dojo. Maybe that is a sign of our times and the general attitude." Which is a shame

I'd rather close the doors forever than to allow parents to even think for a second that they indirectly run my dojo!! That'll never ever happen, and if I have only 1 student or 3 students, then so be it. I'm not selling my integrity to fill the floor!! And if I've no students because I won't let parents or anyone for that fact, run my dojo, then I'll at least have one heck of a place to train at.

[Hawkmoon]

In my honest opinion people who have any idea of what is happening tend to come from a culture of have a background in that 'thing/sport' etc!

For example here in the UK every dad in the country is an expert in Football (soccer), its what we see and are familiar with from school, from the TV, from the local park!

The sideline coaches do on many many occasions loose the plot and things do get out of hand, something my son has not seen or had to deal with in kickboxing.

I am rather passionate about 'armchair coaches' and Grand Master Karate'ka sitting at the side of the hall giving instructions the benefit of there ample experience and expertise ... truly am!

Karate is something I have done my whole life, I have memories, history, injuries, friends, medals and trophies spanning that career, my life!

The good and bad memories all stack up into a huge pile called experience!

So to me to see mum or dad maybe both explaining there views on what should be and why the BB is wrong .... sorry what?

This is not a meeting room with your power point slide show running with all the faces in the room looking at you!

This is a dojo, all the faces are looking at the person at the front of the hall AKA not you with the black belt on,.

My son is on about leaving his kickboxing school and doing football instead, this a real fear for me it which means I have to watch, hear and maybe shield a child from the sideline coach who has forgotten manners, respect and control.

In the dojo when a parent speak out it disrupts all including there child, why they do not see this astounds me, but they do and its more astounding to see that some times the parent wins.

Gradings to me should be a closed affair with only the students and examiner in attendance... that's it.

If a student is ready to grade they are invited to grade, don't get me wrong, I do not mean a formal letter, a simple smile and a question. If the student is a child have that chat with the parent included, get them involved and working with you.