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ATC - What is Testing?
Belt Testing Day Procedures
What is and why do we have testing:
Belt testing assists in building confidence, school grades and improving self-defense techniques in all students; it also gives students a “personal” challenge and an opportunity to meet fellow students. At the same time, it gives the instructor an opportunity to see a student under pressure and to understand what areas a student has to improve on. Unlike ATC, most academies that have testing fees do not give awards or new belts or even belong to an accredited organization, and some academies require students to test every month.
To be eligible to test:
1) You must have attended enough classes. (If you show up for classes the week before testing you will not test) 2)You must Earn 5 Stripes in class and maintain good school grades to qualify to test. 3) You must attend belt testing
to be tested under a challenging environment. 6) Tuition must be current. - Academy Unpaid Fee Policy: See below.
If you don't pass you will have to retest at late testing. (No charge for re-tests)
ATC Specialty Programs:
The Little Lions, Juniors and Adult programs are specially designed to improve grades and leadership abilities. It takes daily training to hone your superior martial arts skills; like anything great, it takes time to develop the needed skills such as self-control, concentration, confidence, plus the required balance, strength, wisdom and dedication needed for advanced self-defense and martial arts techniques.
Academic Requirements:
In order for “colored” belts to test for or retain their ranks, each student must maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average in school. Report cards will be checked from time to time. In order for Deputy or Black belts to test for or retain a black belt, each student must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average in school. Report cards will be checked regularly and before each testing or pre-testing.
Judging Other Students:
Judging a student is not the position of a parent, it is solely the responsibility and job of the World-Certified Examiners. No two students are the same; some students have ADHD or ADD, physical disabilities or many other issues. ATC grades each student on his/ her own improvements and “NO Student” will advance to the level of Black Belt without meeting the basic requirements. Students that do not meet ATC requirements will be held at Deputy Belt (Red Black) and will be required to pre-test many times until such requirements are met and the student becomes eligible to advance to black belt. Parents who think that just because one child struggles, every child will struggle are flatly mistaken. Just as one child’s requirements in academics may be adjusted to meet the individual needs of the child, each TaeKwon-Do program is adjusted to bring out the physical and mental strengths of each child.
Black Belt Levels:
There are 10 levels of Black Belt, and these levels require years or decades to accomplish, so with this in mind “Black Belt” is not the end of an individual’s training but a sign that a student now has the basic needed skills to begin to understand the martial art. Through these 3-5 years of training a student gathered the required basic techniques to advance to the higher Black Belt levels. These advanced levels take a tremendous amount of dedication, and the student will spend a life time improving his/ her attitude and martial art techniques. Each person is different and not everyone will make the grade.
Failing a Belt:
ATC does not share failing information with other parents or students. This avoids embarrassment and negativity. If a student fails the belt examination, he/ she will be required to re-test the following week (no additional fees) on the part he/ she did not complete correctly. Note: If you do fail, you still will receive your new belt and award during the belt ceremony, but you will be notified privately by your instructor following the award ceremony or in your next class. If you do not re-test on the part you failed, you will be required to return you belt, certificate and award until you re-test.
Belt Skips and Belt Progression:
Professional Examiners will make the decision on what belt rank you will be qualified to test for or advance to; this is in the best interest of a child’s or an adult’s individualized TaeKwon-Do training. We are experts in the area of martial arts training. At times, ATC chooses several students to advance to a higher rank (Skip Rank); this presentation is done at the award ceremony. ATC does not skip students at make-up testing.
Specialty Awards and Prizes:
If you do not attend regular testing or the after testing award ceremony, you forfeit any possibility of a belt skip or any specialty award (top grades), patches (T-Instructor) or any Door Prizes that are given during that testing.
Testing Fees:
There is a fee to cover material costs such as belts, awards, accredited certificates, patches, uniforms, added staff time during the days of preparation needed for such an event, plus gymnasium or other facility and all the added expenses required to rent such a facility. This is why tournaments, special events and testings are not free. Testing fees also help in the daily operation of any academy.
Certificate Questions:
ATC follows Master Spillmann’s guidelines and requirements. You chose to learn Martial Arts (TaeKwonDo, HapKiDo, Jiu-Jitsu) at ATC and you have diligently performed your training, so you are now eligible to advance to your next Dan. Certification was not an issue or discussed at that time of your first registration. In the same sense, specific certification was not guaranteed or promised to anyone, as advancement is up to Master Spillmann. However, you are now on your journey to becoming a TaeKwonDo Black Belt, T-instructor, Instructor and Master, so we will cover such certificate issues.
In reality, all certificates are close to equal (as long the Grandmaster signing the certificate is recognized by a world organization), but remember if you move or transfer to a school that belongs to another organization, you might be required to pay for that particular academies federation or union certification dues (just like any Union dues).
If you are certified to teach under ATC, TaeKwonDo International, the World TaeKwonDo Federation or any other optional certification offered by ATC, ATC does not 100% guarantee that every martial art or TaeKwonDo academy will accept your certification given that many academies have different requirements (different forms), guidelines and rules.
Even though Master Spillmann feels deeply that ATC and TaeKwonDo International meet or exceed all TaeKwonDo requirements, there is always a chance you will have to certify under another organization. Ask first to see if there is a Federation, Association or Union academy in the area you are planning to move to. If you can’t find a academy near you and you relocate to a new academy, Master Spillmann will try to assist you with your transfer and if needed, at an additional cost, register you with that organization.
Many things have changed with many organizations over the last 4 years, but 95% of schools today accept your ranking under their system even though they will still require you to learn their guidelines and principles of instruction and teaching.
Here is an example: If you come from an ATA academy to a WTF academy or from a WTF academy to a ITF or TI academy, you will have to certify under each specific organization to further your ranking under each federation, association or union. There is no such thing as an ultimate, universal certificate.
There are also no “better” or “worse” certificates, just a separation between Martial Art and Sport Certificates. Master Spillmann feels that learning the Martial Art is far more important than just the sport, especially being that the TaeKwonDo Sport may not survive the Olympics with all the issues at hand. Master Spillmann recommends a prestigious TaeKwonDo International certificate. This certificate encompasses not just the sport, but the full art and philosophy of TaeKwonDo.
Note: ATC does offer other certification options.
Note: For Sport Competitors we are members of AAU & USATKD.
The American Athletic Union accepts all world recognized certificates (TI-AAU-WTF-ITF-ATA and Kwons) and USA TaeKwonDo accepts many other certificates, but most certificates tend to be from the WTF. Either way, they both control the sport aspect of TaeKwonDo and any recognized Black Belt may compete at the Olympics or any other tournament if they qualify.
Academy Unpaid Fee Policy:
Due to many issues in the past
of returned checks and unpaid fees for equipment and tuition,
Dan Grade Level Students certificates will not be ordered and any Dan Certificate fees will go towards your back tuition. If your account reaches a 90 days late status your unpaid tuition will cause you to lose your rank status and your certification to be revoked. You will also be removed from the Training Instructor and Instructor level programs. |
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