Submitted by Kerryn Oliver, Iowa
Idea posted January 24, 2003
Question: Have you had any students finish the year without a black belt? And how did they take it?
Answer: Last year was the first year I had students who failed to achieve their black belt. As a group, they just didn't progress as quickly. Yet, they played technically better than some other kids who have gotten the black belt! Some kids just naturally move quicker than others, and I think it's more important for them to do it well and only make, say purple belt, than for them to reach the black belt and not know correct techniques and musicianship. If you let them know how proud you are of them when they do it exactly-smactly right, and tell them that you know that they can do it exactly-smactly right, that will be the goal they try to attain! The belts are the secondary achievement, albeit the one that "shows." Go for what's lasting (the educational, learned achievement), not just what shows.