Tuesday 30 September 2014

Examination

A requirement of Jan de Jong's jujutsu shodan grading is an examination grading. The candidate is required to sit on a grading table as an 'assistant examiner' for 40 hours with at least 20 hours being with Jan de Jong.

While this requirement is good in theory it was not effective in practice as the candidate did not learn much about examining a student for their grading. They just sat there racking up the hours.

I took this as an opportunity to learn how to grade to Jan de Jong's standard. I'd mentally grade each aspect of the grading and compare it to the grade that Jan de Jong awarded. I got to the point where I'd be within one or two points of Jan de Jong's grades.

I've recently advised an offshoot of the Jan de Jong Self Defence School that this examination should require candidates to complete a supplementary grading sheet to be compared to the chief examniner's grading sheet, thus making this grading more effective.

I recently had coffee with an instructor before my seniour instructors who informed me that this is exactally what was required in the past. What happened to change it?