At the end of each class we recite the Dojo Kun, or training hall rules. These may be recited in English for general classes, in Japanese for advanced classes, or in a simplified version for young children.

ORIGINAL JAPANESE

hitotsu! jinkaku kansei ni tsutomeru koto
hitotsu! makoto no michi o mamoru koto
hitotsu! doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto
hitotsu! reigi o omonzuru koto
hitotsu! kekki no yū o imashimuru koto

STANDARD TRANSLATION

SEEK PERFECTION OF CHARACTER
BE FAITHFUL
ENDEAVOUR TO EXCEL
RESPECT OTHERS
REFRAIN FROM VIOLENT BEHAVIOR

YOUNG TIGERS

BE A GOOD PERSON
BE HONEST
TRY YOUR BEST
USE GOOD MANNERS
NEVER START FIGHTS

Curriculum

Kildonan Karate follows a rotating curriculum unique to each one of our classes. With the exception of the Tiny Tigers program, each curriculum provides a specific focus pertaining to the WTKO Grading Syllabus tailored to the level of the students in the class. This ensures that regularly attending students are well-prepared for their belt examinations while providing depth to the movements they practise.

Use the calendar above and select an individual class to see what topics are planned for that day.

YOUNG TIGERS (ages 6 to 7) - 12-week progressive linear curriculum introducing the basics of karate, forward and backward breakfalls, calisthenics, and fundamental movement skills. At the end of the session, students will receive an evaluation, certificate of achievement, and their next stripe! Students who progress to red stripe will be well prepared to enter into our general karate program. Download Young Tigers Curriculum.
BEGINNER - 16-week rotating curriculum covering kihon (fundamentals), kata (forms), and kumite (sparring drills) testing requirements for preparing white belt, yellow belt, and orange belt students. Students also learn the basics of free-sparring, close-quarters grappling, and kata applications. Download Beginner Curriculum.
INTERMEDIATE - 16-week rotating curriculum covering kihon, kata, and kumite testing requirements for preparing green belt, purple belt, and brown belt students. Students continue learning the basics of free-sparring, close-quarters grappling, and kata applications. Higher belts are welcome to attend and help out. Download Intermediate Curriculum.
ADVANCED- 16-week rotating curriculum covering kihon, kata, and kumite testing requirements for brown belt and black belt students. Students continue to study the close-quarters grappling, throwing, and striking elements found in kata oyo. Download Advanced Curriculum.
ALL LEVELS - 16-week rotating curriculum designed to improve and refine the fundamentals of karate practice and overall body mechanics using a combination of solo work, partner work, and pad work. Essentially a hybrid of the Beginner and Intermediate curricula, each class focuses on one Beginner kata, one Intermediate kata, and one fundamental technique. Advanced students are highly encouraged to attend these classes to continue to refine the core elements of Shotokan Karate. Each of the four weekly All Levels classes begin the curriculum at different points 4-weeks apart, permitting a keen student to cover the entire All Levels curriculum in just 4 weeks. Download All Levels Curriculum.

Grading

DOWNLOAD THE WTKO GRADING SYLLABUS

Kildonan Karate instructors are authorized to conduct Kyu tests for our membership.
We typically hold Kyu tests every 4 months (April, August, and December).

Dan examinations are held at WTKO seminars conducted by certified examiners.

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POSSIBLE KYU TEST RESULTS

KYU (FULL RANK)
Result: Full pass. Next belt level achieved.
Next test conditions: No additional conditions
Example: 7th Kyu (orange belt) student testing for 6th Kyu (green belt) achieves 6th Kyu (Full Rank).
Student must attend a minimum 30 classes over 4 months to be eligible to test for 5th Kyu.

KARI KYU (HALF RANK, "B" GRADE)
Result: Partial pass. Next belt level achieved with conditions.
Next test conditions: Student must double the next belt level's training requirements for lessons.
Example: 7th Kyu (orange belt) student testing for 6th Kyu (green belt) achieves 6B Kyu (Half Rank).
Student must attend 60 classes in order to be eligible to test for 5th Kyu.

RE-TEST REQUIRED
Result: Next belt level not achieved.
Re-test conditions: Student must fulfill the current belt level's training requirements again for training period and lessons.
Example: 7th Kyu (orange belt) student testing for 6th Kyu (green belt) is not successful and remains at orange belt.
Student must attend another 24 classes over 4 months to be eligible to re-test for 6th Kyu.

WTKO Passport

When you become a member of the WTKO, you are issued a passport in which to record your training and progress.
Your passport is required for all Kyu and Dan examinations.

Keep it safe!
Just like your travel passport, your WTKO passport is an important piece of personal documentation of your karate journey. Keep it safe! Lost or damaged passports can be replaced for a fee, but the information inside it is irreplaceable.

Training Stamps
Whenever you attend a WTKO seminar or competition, you should obtain either a stamp or a signature from the instructor to record your attendance. Training stamps become a testing prerequisite beginning at brown belt level. Starting at 3rd Kyu, students must obtain the prescribed number of training stamps as a prerequisite to test for the next rank (see Grading chart above). Valid training stamps are those obtained since achieving your current rank.

How Do I Get A Stamp?
There are several opportunities to obtain training stamps each year. WTKO Canada holds Spring, Summer, and Fall Invitational Seminars. WTKO Canada affiliate dojos in Manitoba hold seminars throughout the calendar year as well, with Kildonan Karate typically hosting at the end of January. You can also earn a stamp by participating in our yearly WTKO Canada Competition.

Regardless of the testing requirements, we truly believe in the benefits of attending these special classes, as they are quite beneficial to a student's development. Although regular attendance at all WTKO seminars is highly encouraged, we recommend all of our members regardless of rank, to attend at least one WTKO seminar per calendar year.

Announcements regarding upcoming WTKO events will be sent out by email and reminders given in the dojo as the dates are confirmed.

Attendance

Please sign-in before class using the tablet at the front desk
At Kildonan Karate, we use an electronic attendance tracking system. By collecting attendance data electronically, we have been able to accurately track student attendance, as well as balance our schedule and class offerings to best suit our membership's needs. It is a wonderfully helpful system... assuming that our members regularly remember to sign-in!

Attendance is a testing requirement!
As laid out in the Grading section above, there are certain requirements a student must meet before becoming eligible to test for their next belt. Regular attendance plays a big factor. Using this system, our instructors are quickly able to determine how many lessons a student has attended since their last test, and whether they meet the minimum number of lessons to test for their next belt.

Students who regularly forget to sign-in each class might be overlooked to test for their next belt as they may not meet the minimum number of lessons according to our records.

Where's my name?
If your name is not yet in the system, you can add yourself using the tablet at the dojo by clicking on the link indicated in this photo.

Student Info

Dojo Kun

Sensei Richard Amos, 8th Dan, WTKO Chief Instructor, provides an in-depth translation of the Japanese Dojo Kun.

At the end of each class we recite the Dojo Kun, or training hall rules. These may be recited in English for general classes, in Japanese for advanced classes, or in a simplified version for young children.

Class Calendar

Curriculum

Grading

WTKO Passport

Attendance