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What is TaeKwonDo America? |
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TaeKwonDo America is a national organization with member
schools across the United States. All the schools adhere to the same
principles, standards, and procedures which guide the way the schools
teach, promote students in rank, and project their image and reputation
within the community. Click
HERE for
more information.
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How old does a child need to be to
start Taekwondo? |
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It depends on the child. Many five-year-olds demonstrate
the maturity to pay
attention during a 45-minute class and follow instructions well. On the
other
hand, some kids who are much older behave in such a way that shows they do
not
have the same maturity. It has less to do with physical ability and age
than it
does with willingness to try hard. That's one of the reasons we encourage
everyone to try a free class first. We expect all students to:
. be able to focus and understand simple instructions
. follow instructions immediately and with minimal reminders
. treat all instructors and other students with respect and courtesy
. treat the school and equipment with respect
. obey safety rules
. behave according to the Tenets of Taekwondo
. handle bathroom needs without instructor assistance
. try hard and participate in all class activities with enthusiasm
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How many times a week should my child or I come to class? |
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Students are allowed to attend any
and all classes for their age and belt level every week, but we
recommend 2-3 classes a week consistently for the best results.
Setting a schedule and being consistent is important. It is better to
do 2 classes every week than missing a week and then trying to make it
up with 4 classes the next week. Additionally, students who do not
come to class consistently often feel out of place and then do not
want to come to class. However, students who do come on a consistent
basis feel better and actually look forward to coming to class. |
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What are the Uniform requirements? |
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Each student is issued an official
Taekwondo America Uniform upon enrollment. All students are required
to wear either their full uniform or their uniform pants with an HTA
or Taekwondo America T-shirt and their belt. T-shirts other than HTA
or TA may not be worn in class. When in full uniform, females must
wear a plain white T-shirt under their uniform jacket and males do not
wear any t-shirt under their uniform jacket. Anyone with hair below
their ears must pull their hair back. Jewelry, including earrings,
necklaces, watches and bracelets are not to be worn during class,
testings or tournaments because they can injure you or your workout
partners. |
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Should students practice at home? |
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Parents, we know how tempting it can
be to watch class and then try to "help" your child at home,
especially if you feel they are not learning as quickly as other
students. We have trained for years and have been instructors for
years to be able to perform and teach proper technique. As long as
students are attending 2-3 classes a week consistently, there is no
need for additional practice at home. We also do not want students to
injure themselves or a friend in an attempt to demonstrate kicks and
punches they have learned in class. However, if students wish to
practice their form or one-steps at home, it should be done in an
approved area with plenty of space. Breaking wood is never to be done
outside of the school until the student is a brown belt and both the
student and parent/guardians have been taught proper technique. |
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How do I find out what is happening in the school? |
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Every month, the school publishes a newsletter so that all of the students
(and parents) know the dates and times for upcoming events. Additionally,
each newsletter will have the current class schedule in it. |
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What if my child uses Taekwondo at home or at school? |
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Tell Mr. Weislogel
or Ms. Thompson IMMEDIATELY. While they understand that students can be
a little over anxious to share and show off, this can be dangerous. Please
inform them as soon as possible so that they can take steps to correct the
situation. |
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What do the instructors expect from the students? |
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We expect our students to give their best effort. Technique at the early
stages of training is not as important as a positive attitude. If a
student tries hard and has a good attitude, they will develop better
technique over time because they are listening and learning. |
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How do the students earn colored "stripes" in class? |
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Each stripe is earned in class for achieving a short
term goal that breaks up the requirements for advancement from one
belt to the next. |
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What is testing? |
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Testing is a process where we
evaluate the skills of the student to determine whether they are ready
to progress to the next level of training. What is expected of
students depends on the rank, age and physical ability of the student.
What is required to pass testing increases dramatically as a student
increases in rank. Testing costs $50.00 for White through 2nd Degree
Black Belts. Should a student not pass testing, they do not pay for
the next testing for that same rank. |
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How long does it take to become a Black Belt? |
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It is mathematically possible to become a Black Belt in 2 years. However,
it takes most people longer to attain that rank. But remember, Black Belt
is the beginning, not the end, of serious training. Black Belt indicates
that the wearer is a serious student of the art. |
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Who are the staff members? |
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Mr. Weislogel and
Ms. Thompson are the Chief Instructors at
Hilliard Taekwondo. |
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