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Old 02-16-2005, 06:24 PM   #9
senseimike
 
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Dojo: Rising Star Aikido
Location: South Bend, Nebraska
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 81
United_States
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Re: Grading too fast???????

In my dojo, we have a set hourly requirement for testing. Once the hours have been reached, it's not a guarantee that you will be tested at that time. There are many other factors that are taken into account. The student is told when they should be getting ready for testing, and usually won't ask the instructors to test. In many cases, the instructors know the outcome of the test before it's performed due to their evaluation of the individual student during regular class time.

I have seen cases where students progress very quickly through the ranks. This is usually achieved by memorization of techniques that are quickly forgotten.

I can identify with Joep Schuurkes when he talks about being a young person and being of a senior rank. I was always one of the youngest in my Sensei's class and earned my shodan at age 20. It took me 7 years to achieve that rank and that made the shodan mean more to me because I felt like I had actually earned it. In my opinion, racing through the kyu ranks and achieving yudansha levels too quickly cheapens the rank.

Mike Taylor
Godan
Chief Instructor, Rising Star Aikido
South Bend, Nebraska, USA
www.risingstaraikido.com
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