Keeping Certified

[tkdgirl30616]

I have a question for everyone to answer. How do you and your other instructors stay certified? Like do you have to pay a fee or test ever so often or what? And do yall have a thing you have to become before you are a head instructor? Because we have something called a Trainee, that is where you can't not teach a class unless a certified is out on the floor or they have given you persmission. If yall could answer that it would be awesome!! Thanks!

 

Sarah

 

3rd Prob. Black Belt

 

Trainee Instructor

[Pacificshore]

Hi Sarah:

 

First of, welcome to the forum . Now to answer your question at hand. I think that certification varies from organization to organization. For instance, in my particular one, so long as you are staying current with your training, then you for the most part remain certified. Some organization give out certification certificates, which are different say from receiving your black belt certificate. Just because you have your black belt, dosen't necessarily mean that you are certified to teach. Now whether or not that is true depends upon the individual, and how they are preceived by their students, or potential students. I hope this was of some help, again welcome aboard

[tkdgirl30616]

Thanks! I wanted to say that it does help me because some people do think that since you are black belt that you can teach. Which we do not think that. Some don't believe in a certificate and spending money. But thanks that does help me!!

[G95champ]

Its differant for differant schools. Its nice to have a certificate on the wall that some org. gave you their approval to teach but at the same time if you can TEACH then you can teach. No peace of paper wil make that call. As a teacher I felt obligated to make sure I had my paper work registered with a org. not for my sake but for my students sake. So to each his own but it does not effect how I teach.

[ninjanurse]

My organization requires all Instructors to be certified in order to teach. There are different levels based on rank and each level requires an Instructors course and written test. My old organization did not certify but rather dan promotions included teaching requirements.

 

[karatekid1975]

In my school/org, there is a seperate test to get certified. The black belts can teach without it, but if they decide to teach somewhere else they will need it (depends on the school, that is). I have two tests coming up in spring. My BB test AND my teaching cert test. But I don't know how they go about staying certified. That would be a good question to ask my instructor

[John G]

We can teach after receiving our 1st degree (Dan) with the consent of the chief instructor.

 

However it’s only up to half the level of our own ranking i.e. 1st degree can teach up to blue belt, 2nd degree can teach up to 1st degree.

 

We cannot promote or grade students until we have become a 4th degree and have fulfilled the requirements to attain certified instructor status.

 

Respectfully,

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Basically, we consider that when you get a black belt, you have the fundamental knowledge to be able to teach the subject up to a certain point..which is one belt below black (brown).

 

Personally, I will not award a black belt to someone that doesn't have the ability to teach, as I beleive that everybody has the potential to do. Whether or not they will be a GOOD teacher, that's something else entirely.

[stl_karateka]

SS,

 

Thats a good practice not to award a BB to anyone that doesn't have the ability to teach..unfortunately I don't think too many people follow it...even the orgs I am in. I mean if Black belts are going to be called 'Sensei'...and Sensei means teacher, then I ya think they should be able to teach!!!!

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Yeah, I'm kind of a tough 'ol S.O.B. when it comes to promotions. Maybe that's why in the 25 years I've been teaching, I've only turned out 3 black belts! But dang, they sure are EXCELLENT ones!