Here at Dragon Storm training is done on an individual basis to the extent possible and not on a block system like Tae Kwon Do, some styles of Kung-Fu and Karate and other Martial Arts do.
What is a block system? Well in ATA Tae Kwon Do you will have three belts in 1 class, (lets say white, yellow and orange, the first 3 belts in the system), they all will be learning the same thing at the same time and it will be the material for just 1 of the first 3 belts. Then after 2 or 3 months depending on the school, all the students whether white, yellow or orange will test on the same material.
The next group of 3 belts will all learn the same thing then test on the same thing as a group. After they all test on the same thing and pass then they all go onto the next belt material. So you will have a white belt learning the same thing as a orange belt and the class as a whole will do the same exact moves together as a group. There is no individualized attention.
One nice thing about this way of teaching and testing is that due to the instructor wanting to make you happy, thus keep you coming back, thus making more money, it is almost impossible for you to fail a test. A negative aspect of this way of testing is that once you reach Black Belt in styles like Tae Kwon Do then you are not only required to hold the belt for X number of years before you can test but you have to test multiple times on the same material no matter how well you perform during testing and to reach 5th degree black in Tae Kwon Do you have to go to nationals several times to test there. This is all just another way to take your money. And I will take a moment to add that with ATA Tae Kwon Do you have to pay a yearly fee. Again all about money.
Under this type of system if you start when the class is already half way through the material for a belt then when test time comes up you will not be able to test because you would not have been able to learn all the material or have gone to enough classes to meet the testing criteria and you will have to wait a minimum of 4 months before you get to do the material again and can test on it. If for some reason you miss half of the required classes for testing, work or sick or vacation whatever it might be, you will again have to wait a minimum of 4 months before you can redo the material and test.
This makes it very easy for the instructors not just to learn the limited amount of material but to teach it. And it is easier to have everyone doing the same thing at the same time then it is to give individualized attention to each student. This also takes away the ability to learn at your own individual pace. This is good for the instructors but bad for you. Remember this is the Martial Arts not an aerobics class. Again we teach every one individually at their own pace. Exception to this would be a family that wants to stay together.
And not only are you paying for the instruction itself but you are also paying for the test.
Now us, first and foremost we never charge students for testing or for their belts up to Black Belt. Tests are not done every 2 months or every 3 months but rather a test will only be done when a student comes to the instructor and tells the instructor that he/she believes that they are ready to test. It is not for the instructor to push the student to test but the instructor must agree with the student that they are ready. No one is given a promotion until they know all the material and earn their next belt. I have failed students that did not know the material or should I say that let their nerves get the best of them.
There is a Nic Cerios Kenpo school in Omaha where the student can not say they are ready or ask if they can test. In that school you have to wait until the instructors tell you that you are ready. I know this because we went as a family for 3 months but the material for the first belt was so simple we had learned it in 1 month and finally I was fed up and tired of waiting so I didn’t ask I told the instructor in a polite way that we new the material and wanted to test. They where not happy to say the least but they did let us test. Now when I told them that we were ready they asked a family how long they had been at their current belt level and I was shocked when the father answered “a year” uh, are you kidding me, a year. I was shocked because the small amount of material that they had to know should not have taken more then 2 months for anyone to learn, but because they couldn’t say anything, were not supposed to say anything, the instructors just kept them where they were and thus just kept making money of them. Disgusting! Thus proving that to some it is all about the money and not the teaching. Good news is that they were allowed to test.
Again here at Dragon Storm we will not push you to test nor will we hold you back. We want everyone to learn at there own pace and we want everyone to work on their material not follow along as a group. Each individual will get as much individual attention as possible. We want each and every student to test when and only when they feel that they are ready. Our tests are extensive, you must not only show the required level of skill but you will be asked question to prove that you fully understand what you are doing and why you are doing it.
All tests are private and not a group participation. Exceptions are for families that want to test together or for special classes such as a women’s self defense class.
We also do not have a minimum time requirement of 4 months or 6 months like some other schools do. However, if you come to the instructors and tell them that you think you are ready to test (even though you have been the same rank for 8 months) the instructor may not think that you are ready therefore you will not be allowed to test. But, if you have been the same belt for 4 months and you and the instructor agree that you are ready, then you will be allowed to test. So it is mainly upon how much effort you put in during class and practicing at home and not how much time you put in to decide when you are to test.
Also when you test we will be watching to see if you have improved in the areas of self respect and respect for others, humility, honor, confidence, self-esteem, cardio, stamina, flexibility, fitness and the ability to remain calm. It is not enough for you to just do the moves, our tests are all inclusive.