Parents’ guide

What to bring

Until the dobok is issued, a t-shirt and track pants are perfect. Taekwondo is trained barefoot.

• Water bottle (named)
• Dobok, or t-shirt & track pants
• Belt, tied properly
• Slippers for off the mat
• Small towel
• Hair tie for long hair

High School students add sparring gear as they progress — head guard, chest protector (hogu), gloves, shin and forearm guards. Master Clarke will tell you when it’s needed, so don’t buy it in advance. When it is, use the group gear order.

On the day

Arrive a few minutes early so the class starts on time, and collect your child promptly when class ends — the club is responsible for students only during class time. Classes are at Hillel Academy, 51 Upper Mark Way, Kingston 8; Hillel students come straight from school, and families from other schools drop off at the campus.

Classes follow the Hillel Academy calendar and pause when the school is closed. If a student is unwell — fever, vomiting or anything contagious — keep them home and message us. Any other change is announced on WhatsApp.

No class on these dates

Dojang etiquette

Courtesy is the first tenet of taekwondo, and it starts at the door.

• Bow when entering and leaving the training area, and to your partner before and after every drill.
• Address the instructor as “Master Clarke” or Sabeomnim (사범님).
• Arrive on time. A late student waits at the edge, bows, and joins when invited.
• Listen first. When the instructor speaks, students stand at attention (charyeot).
• Respect the dobok — clean, folded and tied properly; the belt never touches the floor.
• Train with control. We look after every partner — no one gets hurt to make a point.

The five tenets

Attendance

Regular attendance is essential to progress and to safety. Please give notice of planned absences where you can — long or unannounced absences can affect eligibility for grading, team selection and competition.

Gradings

Gradings are held about every three months. A student is entered when Master Clarke judges them ready on syllabus, attendance and attitude; rank is earned at the individual’s pace and is never guaranteed within a fixed time.

Grading dates are announced on WhatsApp about a month ahead, and invited families confirm on the belt grading registration page. On the day, students wear a clean dobok, arrive early, and show the poomsae, kicks, terminology and conduct for their rank.

Belt ranks & time in rank · Full grading syllabus · Poomsae videos

Payments & receipts

Tuition at WTK is billed per school term (three months). There is a one-time registration fee and a one-time dobok charge; grading fees are separate. The current amounts are shown in full on the registration form.

1. Pay at class or by bank transfer — transfer details are on the payment page. Use your child’s name as the reference.
2. Tell us you paid on the same page — choose Hillel Taekwondo Program and add a photo of the receipt if you have one.
3. Your receipt comes to the WhatsApp number on your registration once the coach confirms it. Fees and history are always in the parent portal.

Tuition is not refundable for missed classes. A student whose fees are overdue may be asked to sit out until the account is brought up to date.

Character Development

Every month, each student and a parent complete one take-home sheet together — about fifteen minutes at the end of the month, and it becomes a conversation about who your child is becoming.

1. Practise all month. Your child does things without being told — at home and at school — and writes them down. At least three; ten is a great month.
2. Rate honestly. The home report card covers family, personal care, school conduct and taekwondo habits: E excellent, S satisfactory, N needs improvement.
3. Sign & send in the last week of the month — from the page on WhatsApp, or hand in the printed sheet.
4. Recognition. Complete, signed sheets count as merit toward the next belt exam and make your child eligible for Student of the Month.

Korean terms you’ll hear

Commands in class are given in Korean, as they are in every dojang in the world. Practise them at home — they are part of every grading.

Kicks: ap chagi (front kick), dollyeo chagi (roundhouse), yeop chagi (side kick), naeryeo chagi (axe kick), dwit chagi (back kick).

Ten minutes at home

A little practice between Tuesday and Thursday makes a big difference. Keep it short, fun and safe — clear space, bare feet, no kicking near furniture or siblings, and an adult watching younger children.

1. Warm up — jog on the spot, arm circles, gentle stretches (2 min).
2. Stances — hold front stance and walking stance, 20 seconds each side.
3. Kicks — 10 slow front kicks each leg, focusing on chamber and balance.
4. Poomsae — walk through the current form once slowly, once with power.
5. Terms — count to ten in Korean and say the class commands.
6. Cool down — sit-and-reach and butterfly stretch.