"Certified Instructors"

[PasoDancer]

What exactly does this mean? Certified by whom? To instruct which dances?

This one guy who haunts some of our venues is "Certified", and he lets everyone know it. Ad nauseum. That's why it struck me as strange when he said "What is that?"... someone answered "Boto foga." "What's that?" "Yeah- Samba. Boto Foga." He looked perplexed, scratched his head, and said "How in the world do you even lead that?"

I just thought it was strange that a self-proclaimed certified instructor didn't know something that at least thirty people learned during the first samba group lesson...?

 

[fascination]

paid his dues

 

[Laura]

When do you learn Bota Fogo in the Samba syllabus? If it's Silver, then it's possible that the person in question has only been certfied as a "Student Teacher" or "Associate" in the ISTD system.

Or the person could just be a bit of a jerk, and got certified through some "six-week wonder" kind of system, if that.

 

[saludas]

What exactly does this mean? Certified by whom? To instruct which dances?

This one guy who haunts some of our venues is "Certified", and he lets everyone know it. Ad nauseum. That's why it struck me as strange when he said "What is that?"... someone answered "Boto foga." "What's that?" "Yeah- Samba. Boto Foga." He looked perplexed, scratched his head, and said "How in the world do you even lead that?"

I just thought it was strange that a self-proclaimed certified instructor didn't know something that at least thirty people learned during the first samba group lesson...?

Well, if he was froma chain studio, remember that they 'certify' the instructors after 6 weeks (known as '6 week wonders'). I am sure that complex ideas like lead and follow are not part of the 6 week couse, atho 'closing the sale' probably is.

In the dance world, the ISTD certifies instructors by having them pass an exam for the level that they are to teach.

 

[SPratt74]

Well, if he was froma chain studio, remember that they 'certify' the instructors after 6 weeks (known as '6 week wonders'). I am sure that complex ideas like lead and follow are not part of the 6 week couse, atho 'closing the sale' probably is.

In the dance world, the ISTD certifies instructors by having them pass an exam for the level that they are to teach.

How do you become certified after only six weeks? I'm still working on my first three months lol!!!

 

[liangjz]

This one guy who haunts some of our venues is "Certified", and he lets everyone know it. Ad nauseum. That's why it struck me as strange when he said "What is that?"...

How is this individual as a dancer? It seems to me that the reason he let's everyone know that he's certified might be that his dancing isn't enough to impress people. Without any more specifics, I guess we can only assume that some entity, at some point in time, gave him a piece of certificate claiming he had received/achieved some degree of knowledge in dance.

While we're at it, I guess you could say I'm certified in my knowledge of sexual harrasment... (Stupid corporate training... )

My initial take? That fact that he feels the need to brag about it means that his dancing probably isn't very good. Am I right?

 

[PasoDancer]

I'm no "judge", but he's a good dancer, IMO. I think he's just insecure.

Maybe it's like the ULC- anybody with money's a preacher, Lol.

 

[fascination]

yep...its hard to say these days...in almost all professions there are these psuedo-certifications that just make people like me, who went to graduate school to get ours, NUTS!!!!...nontheless...he may have tested and it may be legit...since he's so fond of talking about it, why don't you just ask him?

 

[ACtenDance]

From what I've heard, most certifications are worthless. The only one you can't buy your way into is the ISTD certification. For the ISTD certification, you have to pass a practical exam by bringing it one of only a few people certified to test people and spending a grueling couple of hours teaching your way through an adaptive test given by that highly qualified ISTD examiner.

 

[cl5814]

As most of us probably know, having the knowledge and then knowing how to share that knowledge with your students are 2 complete different animals.

Again, key is balance the two.

 

[sunderi]

Even most of the chains don't *certify* their 6 week wonder instructors (although the insecure ones may claim to be certified when talking to students). Arthur Murray has their own internal certification process. I can't compare it to any of the other certifications, but I can tell you that it's not a joke. You have to exhibit knowledge of patterns, sure, but beyond that, you have to exhibit a dance standard/level of technique in keeping with the level of certification, "book knowledge" (written test) as well as (and this is the most important part of the certification) the ability to teach the patterns and technique associated with each level. I will tell you there is no "sales" training as part of an actual AM certification.

I've been through the AM certification of Associate Bronze, and I'm working towards my Full Bronze. For what it's worth, I've been dancing for over 6 years (5+ as a serious student, and just over 1 as an instructor) and I'm finding it a challenge to prepare myself for the AM Full Bronze certification. In addition to my usual training, I'm spending about 2 hours EXTRA each day (Mon - Fri) working on my certification. I've really working at it for about a month, and I'm not nearly done yet. Keep in mind that's in *addition* to the dance skills I've gotten over the years, as a student and as a teacher, and in addition to the time I put in on dance training, etc, every day.

So keep in mind that (as far as I know) even the "6 week wonder" courses don't actually turn out *certified* instructors, no matter what the individual may claim.

 

[saludas]

Even most of the chains don't *certify* their 6 week wonder instructors (although the insecure ones may claim to be certified when talking to students). Arthur Murray has their own internal certification process. I can't compare it to any of the other certifications, but I can tell you that it's not a joke. You have to exhibit knowledge of patterns, sure, but beyond that, you have to exhibit a dance standard/level of technique in keeping with the level of certification, "book knowledge" (written test) as well as (and this is the most important part of the certification) the ability to teach the patterns and technique associated with each level. I will tell you there is no "sales" training as part of an actual AM certification.

I've been through the AM certification of Associate Bronze, and I'm working towards my Full Bronze. For what it's worth, I've been dancing for over 6 years (5+ as a serious student, and just over 1 as an instructor) and I'm finding it a challenge to prepare myself for the AM Full Bronze certification. In addition to my usual training, I'm spending about 2 hours EXTRA each day (Mon - Fri) working on my certification. I've really working at it for about a month, and I'm not nearly done yet. Keep in mind that's in *addition* to the dance skills I've gotten over the years, as a student and as a teacher, and in addition to the time I put in on dance training, etc, every day.

So keep in mind that (as far as I know) even the "6 week wonder" courses don't actually turn out *certified* instructors, no matter what the individual may claim.

However, the 'lack' of certification has not prevented you from teaching students at AM.

I think the discussion here is 'certified to do what' rather that 'certified to teach'.

 

[Josh]

From what I've heard, most certifications are worthless. The only one you can't buy your way into is the ISTD certification. For the ISTD certification, you have to pass a practical exam by bringing it one of only a few people certified to test people and spending a grueling couple of hours teaching your way through an adaptive test given by that highly qualified ISTD examiner.

That sounds like a pretty big generalization... can you offer something concrete as to how every other certification is bogus?

To all, any opinions on DVIDA certification? From what I know from those who have prepared for the exam and those who give it, those giving the exam are very qualified.

 

[ACtenDance]

I'm not saying that every other certification is bogus. I'm just saying that there are people out there that have the certification that circumvented the actual preparation and knowledge that having a certification would imply. Those that get certifications like DVIDA the proper way, I've got no beef with them... only problem is, how can you tell if they've bought the certification or if they've worked for the certification?

 

[Josh]

only problem is, how can you tell if they've bought the certification or if they've worked for the certification?

I guess that requires a measure of faith as well as the instructor's demonstrated knowledge (i.e., good dancing). The same holds true for trusting that your airplane's pilot is truly certified, that your doctor didn't buy his grades in school, and so forth...