Our Dojo
Code of Conduct and Rules

As a school, we have a code of conduct that everyone adheres to. We have a set of rules for students, and a set for parents. These rules help us operate appropriately with one another and maintain a peaceful, safe, healthy, clean and friendly family atmosphere for everyone!

• For Students
  - Arriving Late
  - Coming Prepared to Class
  - Respect for Dojo Property
  - Disruptive Behavior
• For Parents
  - Communication from Dojo to Parents
  - Pick Up/Drop Off
  - Helping Young Children with the Bathroom
  - Sideline Coaching/Distractions During Class/Tests
  - Is your child an assistant instructor, or being taught by one?
  - Snow Policy

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RULES FOR STUDENTS
Where to Put Gear and Shoes

When you arrive at the dojo, if you have a bag or any gear, you must put it in the back dressing room area. There are hooks on the walls, hooks in the dressing rooms, and cubbies inside the wooden closet to the left of the door where you can put your bag, weapons, gear, etc. There should be no gear or bags in the lobby obstructing foot traffic areas.

If you leave your shoes in the back room, you must wait there for class to start and enter the dojo mats through the door by the bathroom – DO NOT walk outside to the front lobby in your bare feet.

If you prefer to wait in the lobby instead of the back room for class to start, you can wear your shoes outside to the front lobby and leave your shoes in the lobby under a chair or in Kristina's office – somewhere where they will not be tripped over.

Arriving Late to Class

Students and parents must try their absolute best to be on time or early to every class. This is a matter of developing your self discipline, and showing respect for your sensei and your classmates. However, it is better to come to class late then never, so if you arrive late to class, you will be asked to pull your attendance card, hand it to the sensei, do 15 pushups before joining the class.

Bowing

All students are required to bow whenever they enter or exit the dojo door, and whenever they step onto or off of the dojo mats. This is an important part of paying respect to ourselves, the place we train, our senseis and our fellow students, and developing our personal self discipline. Failure to bow will result in 100 pushups for each offense.

Come Prepared
Students must come to the dojo prepared for class. This means students must:

• arrive on time

• be ready to train, having practiced at home since the last class

• bring all sparring gear (All gear, bags, and weapons must be stored in the back room. If shoes are left in the lobby, they must be under a chair or somewhere that does not block foot traffic.)

• wear complete, clean uniform with belt tied correctly

• bring all weapons if applicable

• bring any homework ready to turn in, if applicable

• pull their attendance card at the beginning of every class
  
  Failure to do any of the above will result in pushups and/or having to sit out of class.

Pickup/After Class

Students under the age of 18 must wait inside the dojo for their parents. Parents must come into the dojo to pick them up after class. Parents should note that children will not be allowed to wait outside until they see their car, but rather must be picked up in person by a family member or guardian.

Hygiene and Safety

For the safety of all students during self defense and sparring, for general hygienic concerns, and in order to be respectful towards oneself and the dojo, students must come to class with:

• uniforms clean and free from excessive wrinkles

• fingernails and toenails clean and clipped short

• clean hair and skin – remember, you will be working in close contact with other students and must be considerate of your training partners

• belt tied correctly

• longer hair restrained appropriately

• no jewelry or watches may be worn in class besides a wedding ring and small stud earrings in the ear/nose if necessary; if any earring stud/wedding ring is worn, the student takes full responsibility for any loss injury to themselves or others as a result of the jewelry

• no pants underneath their gi pants (shorts are ok if they are not too big to prevent movement)

• no long-sleeved shirts or any collared shirts beneath their gis

• appropriate undergarments that provide adequate coverage considering that gi pants are white

• female students over the age of 10 should wear appropriate undergarments or t-shirts underneath their gi tops

Failure to come to class with the appropriate attire/physical hygiene may result in the student being asked to leave and/or rectify the situation before returning to class.

Respect for Dojo Property

Martial arts students must show respect for the place that they train, the people they train with, and those who teach them. This is why we bow, behave in class, and show respect to those around us. This is also why all dojo property must be respected. This includes:

• Keeping the bathroom clean and sanitary for the next student who will use it by adhering to the following rules:

  • do not urinate anywhere except directly into the toilet (students too small to sit on the toilet must have parental assistance to do so – there is also a stepping stool in the bathroom for this purpose)

  • if a student cannot reach the toilet, cannot use the bathroom properly by themselves, or cannot get into or out of their karate uniform by themselves, a parent MUST accompany them to the bathroom each time, as no sensei or instructor at the dojo is permitted to assist a student in the restroom

  • tissue, paper towels, and all types of trash must be put into the trash can (not in the sink/toilet/floor)

  • only toilet tissue may be flushed; sanitary items and paper towels must go into the trash

  • flush the toilet completely before leaving the restroom

  • wash your hands

  • if you make a mess, clean it up before you leave

• Mirrors may not be touched at any time!

• Dojo mats must be kept clean and free from damage; no one may touch the mats with their shoes; weapons and other gear should not hit or swipe the floor in any damaging way.

• Dojo kicking bags, shields, weapons, etc. must be used properly at all times and kept in their appropriate places when not in use.

• Dojo décor, chairs, dressing rooms, doors, walls, etc. must be used as one would use them in their own home. No slamming, knocking things over, drawing on things, breaking things, pulling on things, or otherwise damaging any item in the dojo.

• In order to protect student information and dojo property, no student or parent may use the dojo computer or files.

• In order to keep walkways clear, all gear, bags, and weapons must be stored in the back room. If shoes are left in the lobby, they must be under a chair or somewhere that does not block foot traffic.

Mistakes can happen, and that is alright, but individuals will be held financially responsible for any dojo gear, décor or property purposefully or negligently damaged.

Communication

Periodically students will need to be informed of schedule changes, policy updates, demos, tournaments, rank tests, etc. This information will be posted at the dojo, so please watch the dojo bulletin board for information. Additionally, the change/information will also be communicated in at least one (probably most) of the following ways: Via an all-student email, letter/flier sent home in monthly invoice, posting in the monthly dojo newsletter, posting on the website, announcements in class, and/or fliers handed to students at class.

Students are asked to practice their awareness, discipline and self-reliance by paying careful attention to announcements/postings at the dojo, and reading mail/email sent to them from the dojo.

Disruptive Behavior in Class

In order to take classes at the dojo, students must have a minimum level of self-control and focus. They must be able to take simple directions and focus on one task for at least a few minutes at a time. Sensei Brian is skilled at adapting class to challenge all, but not leave behind any student. However, if a student continually disrupts class by not following directions, they will be given two warnings and then asked to sit out of class.

Fighting – Inside or Outside the Dojo

Fighting will not be tolerated. There is a difference between sparring and fighting. Fighting disregards the feelings of others and comes from anger and violence. Sparring is a tool to train the mind, body and spirit to work together quickly and efficiently. In the Bushido code, Courtesy, Humility, and Honor are held paramount. Fighting disregards all of these. At the dojo, we are a family, and all dojo brothers and sisters should support each other in the pursuit of excellence.

Any students caught fighting in or outside of the dojo will be suspended from classes for at least one week. Subsequent fighting will result in a one-belt loss of rank.

Language

Swearing, foul or perverse language is not acceptable. Courtesy means showing respect for the minds and hearts of your fellow students, and no degrading language will be tolerated. This includes swearing, taunting, and insults of any kind.

RULES FOR PARENTS
Communication

Information needing to be communicated to parents/students (such as rank tests, schedule changes, events, etc.) will be posted at the dojo, so please watch the dojo bulletin board for information. Additionally, the change/information will also be communicated to students in at least one (probably most) of the following ways: Via an all-student email, letter/flier sent home in monthly invoice, posting in the monthly dojo newsletter, posting on the website, announcements in class, and/or fliers handed to students at class.

Students are asked to practice their awareness, discipline and self-reliance by paying careful attention to announcements/postings at the dojo, and reading mail/email sent to them from the dojo.

Pick Up/Drop Off

The dojo requires that students be picked up at the dojo door, by a parent or guardian. Parents are not permitted to have their child to wait for them outside, or to come to the parking lot when they are done with class. Students will be required to wait inside the dojo or on the dojo porch after class, and are not permitted to leave the dojo premises by themselves.

Bathrooms

If a child cannot use the restroom by themselves without making a mess on the floor and leaving the bathroom in an unsanitary condition for the next student who comes in, or if they are too short to sit on the toilet, or if they cannot get into/out of their karate uniform by themselves, parents MUST accompany that student to the bathroom each time. If a child who cannot use the bathroom properly by themselves asks to use the restroom during class, sensei will allow them to do so, but the parent must meet the child at the bathroom and assist the child there. No sensei or instructor is permitted to assist any child in the bathroom.

Dojo Mats

Parents are asked to keep themselves and any children who are watching class off of the mats at all times. No shoe may ever touch the dojo mat. If you need to go to the back room, please walk outside to the back door.

Sideline Coaching

After watching classes for weeks or maybe months, parents will become proficient in Japanese terminology, and will probably be able to do a number of techniques, kata or self defenses. This is fantastic. However, absolutely no sideline coaching will be tolerated. If your child is doing something incorrectly, as difficult as it is, you must let the sensei correct the situation as he/she sees fit. DO NOT GIVE YOUR CHILD THE ANSWERS. This is especially important at Patch Workshops and Rank Tests. Parents will be warned once if this happens, but may be asked to sit in the office and watch through the glass window if they cannot refrain from coaching or giving answers to their child. This behavior is considered cheating and could cost your child at their test.

Sideline Distractions

If you are going to watch a class, or have friends and family who would like to watch a class, our spectator seating area is open to anyone. It is important to watch and try not to coach the students. Clapping and encouragement in moderation are welcome, but it is very difficult for the students to concentrate on what the sensei is teaching when there are many different voices yelling directions. Coaching, giving directions, or criticizing the students from the sidelines is never welcome. Parents who continually disrupt the students and show a lack of respect for the participants in the class by criticizing or giving directions from the side will be asked to leave during classes.

Bringing Children to Watch Class

We want the dojo to be a place of learning, and a fun environment for the whole family. Bringing small children in to watch class or wait for their brother or sister to finish class is not a problem. We have a toy box full of entertaining items for children for that very purpose, but we ask that parents keep an eye on their children, those in and out of class, and control the distraction of screaming kids. The play area is meant to keep children occupied, and isn’t meant to allow them to rough house, make a lot of noise, or run out onto the mats.

If you bring older children to watch class, they must also be fully supervised at all times. They may not play in the back room or outside on the roof/steps by themselves. Parents are responsible for their children at all times at the dojo.

Private Lessons

A parent or guardian must be present at the dojo with any student under age 18 during any private lesson.

Assistant Instructors

Learning how to assist in class, teach students of different ages, and pass on the martial arts to a new generation of students is a very important part of martial arts training at Sortor Bushido Kai Karate. There are lots of physical, mental, emotional and relational factors that play into being a good martial arts instructor. Being a good teacher does not happen overnight, and being a perfect teacher does not happen ever.

Although there will always be a black belt instructor teaching every single class at the dojo, there may be times when a class will have additional assistants, whether to train the assistants or to help the students in the class. Assistants in class must be of the purple belt rank or higher, and will all be personally trained and approved by Sensei Brian. Assistants will be supervised by Sensei Brian and/or other senseis at all times during classes, even when they are independently working with a student or students.

If you see an assistant instructor teaching a child in a way that you do not feel is the most effective, or teaching a student a technique that you think is being done incorrectly or not as well as it could be done, please give Sensei Brian the chance to correct the situation as he sees fit. Mistakes by assistant instructors DO NOT escape his notice and if an assistant makes a mistake, Sensei Brian will likely speak to them privately after class is over. Mistakes are treated with the utmost seriousness every time, regardless of how trivial the mistake may have been; that said, it must be understood that every assistant will make many mistakes during their training. This is how we all learn.

It is never appropriate for a parent to correct an instructor during class. We all must treat students learning to teach with the same grace we give to every other student learning something brand new. Remember, there will come a day when your child is learning how to teach. How well do you think he or she will do under that pressure, with a demanding audience of parents, students and sensei(s) watching his or her every move? How would you like parents of other students to treat your child as he or she is learning something very nerve-wracking and new in such a high pressure situation? That is the way you will want to treat all assistants as they learn how to assist. The dojo must remain a friendly, welcoming place where people are free to learn, make mistakes and succeed without criticism!

Snow Policy

The dojo does not close because of snow. But caution: Drive to the dojo in the snow only if you feel safe doing so!

Questions and Concerns

It is common for parents to have questions during the course of their child's martial arts training. If you have a comment, question or concern of any kind, you are encouraged to speak with Kristina in the office or speak with a sensei after class immediately. Regardless of how small the concern may be, or how silly you may feel the question is, it is always better to ask than to not know! Our door is always open!


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