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Old 11-15-2006, 08:22 AM   #3
Dazzler
Dojo: Bristol North Aikido Dojo
Location: Bristol
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 659
England
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Re: Up and downs. Teaching / running a dojo

Well...I don't think theres a standard approach - everyone does it differently it seems.

In Templegate we make a big thing out of gradings, we take time to prepare each group for their grading and as the event draws closer we have mock gradings and ramp up the intensity of practice to help everyone peak on the day.

We have the day, its a pretty formal but fun affair - grading panel in club blazers etc.

Then we go out for a fair few beers.

This is fairly easy for us, we are a big club these days and separate classes for each kyu level.

This isn't so easy if you have a more traditional mixed class.

In terms of attitude to gradings - We've had similar problems to yourself in that some people are frightened to grade, some just don't believe in gradings, others want to grade when they feel ready and not because the instructor says so.

Dave - You've registered on our Templegate forum, have a look at some of the posts there trying to exhort students to put in the efforts that we feel they should.

Sometimes you just have to accept that what the students want to achieve may not match what you'd like them to achieve.

Sometimes the reverse is also true - I've lost students that I thought were friends because I had to be honest and say that they were not yet ready to grade, I've even been threatened as a result.

You can't please everyone and accepting that comes along with time.

As a rule though - we have a clear syllabus for each grade and we make sure the students are familiar with it. No one gets put forward unless we believe they are ready to move up. All paperwork must be in place to ease administration.

Really we do everything we can to help the students help themselves and recognise their grading for what it is. .........A highly important milestone.

Regards

D

Last edited by Dazzler : 11-15-2006 at 08:34 AM.
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