DOJO ETIQUETTE
PHOTO GALLERY
Basic Dojo Rules
- Remove shoes outside the dojo
- Bow when entering
- Immediately seek out Sensei and greet with "Ossu Sensei!"
- Use time before class to practice and warm up
- Line up in grade order
- Follow instructions from Sensei and Sempais
- Try your best
- Acknowledge Sensei with "Ossu Sensei!" before leaving
- Bow before you step outside of the dojo
Opening/Closing Ceremony Procedures
SENIOR STUDENT, once class is ready to begin, make sure the line is straight. Wait for Senseis & Sempais to be seated before beginning.
SENIOR STUDENT: "SEIZA!"
(pronounced "Say-za")
(students sit down on knees)
SENIOR STUDENT: "MEISO!"
(pronounced "May-so")
(students close eyes and meditate)
SENIOR STUDENT: (when
ready) "MEISO YAME!"
(students open eyes)
SENIOR STUDENT: "REI!"
(pronounced "Ray")
(students do a sitting bow)
Sensei will then begin class. When Sensei says stand up, ENERGETICALLY say "OSSU SENSEI!"
AT THE END OF CLASS, make sure line is straight and once again wait for the Senseis and Sempais to be seated.
SENIOR STUDENT: "SEIZA!"
(students kneel down)
SENIOR STUDENT: "MEISO!"
(students close eyes and meditate)
SENIOR STUDENT: "MEISO
YAME!"
(students open eyes)
SENIOR STUDENT: "REI"
(students do a sitting bow)
Sensei will than say a few words. Watch Sensei, he will indicate when he is done. When he is done:
SENIOR STUDENT: "WAKAREI"
(students bow again - signals end of class)
Attendance Card Procedures
Before class begins, make sure that you get your attendance card out of the black box. The attendance cards are filed in alphabetical order by LAST NAME. If you don't have a card, see one of the senior students right away so that we can make you one. Once you have your card, line up in order of rank (highest to lowest from right to left) and wait for the senior student to collect the cards.
If you are the senior student, it is your job to collect the attendance cards at the beginning of class.
Once the class lines up, go down the row and collect an attendance card from EACH student.
-
If a student doesn't have his/her card, ask them to get it and proceed down the line
-
If that student doesn't have one, you will have to make sure they get one. Have them see you or Kiyo after class to make a card for them.
After collecting everyone's cards, make sure that they get stamped by either stamping them yourself or give them to someone RESPONSIBLE to stamp & file them.
The stamp is located in the purple pencil box in the attendance card box.
When stamping, make sure that the date is correct and that the date is right side up.
After making sure that the cards are taken care of, QUICKLY come back in line and begin the opening ceremony.
Procedures when coming late to class
If you come to class and the class...
...has started training:
- Bow at the door
- Seek out the Sensei and say "Ossu Sensei!"
- Quietly come in and put your things away neatly
- When you are ready to train, do the opening ceremony quietly by
yourself
- Sit seiza (kneeling)
- Close eyes and meditate (Meiso)
- When YOU are ready, open eyes (Meiso yame)
- Do a sitting bow (Rei)
- You may stretch out QUIETLY in the back of the dojo before you begin training (or even before you do the opening ceremony)
- Once you are ready to join the class, QUIETLY join in the back of the class or at the END of one of the lines
...is in the middle of the opening (or closing) ceremony:
- QUIETLY
enter the door, but stand just inside the door
(do NOT say "Ossu Sensei") - Stand quietly while the class does the ceremony
- When the senior student says "Rei", do a standing bow
- Once Sensei begins class, you may resume getting ready
- Once you are ready to join the class, QUIETLY join in the back of the class or at the END of one of the lines
BE SURE TO GET YOUR ATTENDANCE CARD STAMPED!