The Dan Grade Essay
Q. What is the purpose of having to
write a dan-grade essay?
Learning the skills of Aikido is accomplished through the development of not
only the body but also, equally importantly, the mind. The dan-grading procedure
(the dan-preparation sessions and your demonstration performance on the day of
the grading) is a valuable method of assessment of the development of the
"body", but less so of the "mind". There are several methods which give insight
into the development of the "mind". The dan-grade essay is one such
method.
The essay is not an
assessment of your ability to write perfect
prose.
Q. What do I
write?
The essay is a personal account
of your relationship with Aikido. It is not an academic discussion of some or
any aspect of Aikido, nor is it a regurgitation of any other person's opinions
or text.
Moreso it discusses
questions such as the following;
Why did
Aikido appeal to me?
Why and how did I
start my Aikido practice?
Why do I
practice now?
Where is my Aikido taking
me?
Or may be thought of having
titles such as;
"Aikido and
I"
'My Aikido, yesterday, today and
tomorrow'.
'Aikido, my memories, my
lessons, my likes, dislikes and my aims.'
'The colours, tastes, sounds, smells, bumps and bruises of my
Aikido.'
'Aikido, my
beginnings.'
Q. How long
should the essay be?
The essay should
be at 1500 - 2000 words in
length.
Q. When does the essay need
to be handed in, and to whom?
The
essay should be available for reading, at least, one month before the grading
date. It should be posted, emailed or handed directly to Michael Narey Shihan or
alternatively posted or emailed to the Dan-Grading
Secretary.
Finally
Try to write about yourself, not
the self that you think is expected.
Please note that the reading of these manuscripts is acknowledged to be a
privilege and is therefore restricted. On occasions it is helpful to select a
few essays as examples. Therefore the degree of restriction will be discussed
with the individual concerned.
One
of the aims of this site is the provision of essay feedback. The value of
feedback has been long appreciated. The hurdles of time and effort balanced with
a hierarchy of relative import and communication constraints still need to be
completely overcome.
Posted at 09:15 PM
