I set aside one  week of class for reviewing students for green stripe.  Each student will need to come in twice in order to earn their green stripe.  So do a Monday and a Wednesday or a Tuesday and a Thursday and you should be OK.

Now lets discuss what is expected on the review week.  You should be thinking of the review week as your test.  You would not go into your school on a test day, sit down to take the test and start asking the instructor basic questions about the material in the test.  Well review week is not a time to be asking questions (not if you intend on testing the next week).  You are there to show me how much you know!  I will be watching you and all of the rest of the class to determine who is ready to test.

Don’t ever be afraid to as a question. Yes that may mean you are not ready to test.  But you will have proven that to yourself if you are needing  to ask how to do some technique just a week before the test.  I don’t mind if you are asking for a correction or refinement on a technique.  What I don’t want to hear is someone asking “What are my five self defenses?” or “I don’t remember what number two is”.  That just shows me that you have not been practicing enough and you really need to spend another cycle learning the material.

If you know your are not testing please ask all the questions you want.  This is a review for you to.  however, for you it is a review to help you learn the material.  Even if you know it by the end of the class, it is probably not a good idea for you to go into the belt test.  If you want to come in the very next night and show me the same techiques, well then I might accept it, if you do a good job.

I will be more lenient with our beginner students.  That is white belt through orange belt.  By the time you reach the advanced class I want you to know your new material well and remember all of your previous material.  This may sound like I am being very hard  on my students, but I am doing for your own good.

Class changes when you reach brown belt.  You will only have one belt cycle to learn what I am teaching.  Then with the new belt cycle I will introduce new material and will not teach the previous material until it comes around again in about 9 months.  At brown belt I will expect you to show me all of your lower belt techniques at any or all of your belt test.  So as I said, I am being hard on you for your own good.  I don’t want you having to play catch up at this rank.  It’s just better to learn it all now.

So don’t be upset with me if I deny you your green stripe.  Karate has always been about  earn rewards not about being given things that you do not deserve.

When you come in with your green stripe on your belt to take your test  you should not be hesitating or looking confused about what to do.  You should be giving all of us a great show of your ability.

I look forwards to seeing you in your next test, and I look forward to seeing you in your future black belt test.

Work hard in class. Practice often at home.  Be proud of what you have accomplished.

Sincerely,

Scott Ward, Sensei
Ward’s Family Karate, LLC
Providing the finest training in Karate and Martial Arts in Colorado Springs.
Web site: www.WardFamilyKarate.com
Email: scott.ward@wardsfamilykarate.com
Blog: www.wardsfamilykarate.blogspot.com