Apprentice Certification Process - An Outline
All students in the Apprentice Program whether A, B, or C will be going through the same certification process. The stars are the initial steps on the path to being fully certified. There are requirements to achieve a green, blue and red star. A gold star is awarded when you have earned all three of the other stars. Gold means you have finished the initial requirements. I know you may already have earned one or more stars. I will not take that away from you. These initial requirements should take about two years. Of course I will take into consideration what you have already accomplished in the CIT Apprentice Program if you have been in it for a while. When you earn your Black Sash or earn a full time commission you are an Assistant Instructor. Then you are fully certified when you achieve 2nd degree Black Sash or when you earn a commission as a Chief Instructor.
The Stars (The Stars are always being updated and upgraded and are a work in progress)
Green Star
Summary: Green Star includes the L Levels 1-4 for Tai Chi, Kung Fu and Family Martial Arts: VIP person to person, Phone, Walk-in, Introductory Lesson, everything but the office part. L1 - flyer, L2 - name & number, L3 - appointment, L4 - lesson.
A green star is awarded when you can go through all of the following up through the 5th test.
Requirements for Green Star
1st Test Green Star - all vip and phone plus L4 for family (notes allowed)
2nd Test Green Star - L4 for kung fu
3rd Test Green Star - L4 for tai chi
4th Test Green Star - L4 with objections
5th Test Green Star - All L4s without any notes (no office)
Covered in the Field - (For Staff Only) L5 through L18
Notes:
1. From my experience some CIT apprentices don't want to learn the above and even state they didn't know it was required. Please see http://mastergohring.com/apprentice.htm as it outlines what I go over with every potential CIT apprentice before they join, just as I did with you.
2. The ability to sign-up a student is, by definition, what "professional" means. I am sure most of you have heard me share the story of the apprentice who was a definite "C" when he started. I didn't make sure he was qualified as a "green star." At the end of his program he wanting to be an "A" but was not capable.
Blue Star
Summary: Blue star is the Wude and includes marketing support. Some marketing that sounds like marketing and some that is more like student support. The Blue Star symbolizes that I trust you as an ambassador of the school. I can trust you to treat everyone with respect, to not gossip and to always speak positively of me, my staff and the school.
It also includes writing reviews, sending AWOL cards, checking in with students, keeping a pulse on the student body, etc.
What is Wude: Understanding the practice of the Wude . As a teacher working with you as my Apprentice, the Wude is always on my mind, especially of deed and mind. I recommend reading the "morality of deed" and the "morality of mind" at least once a week during your Apprenticeship. Even if you fulfill all the quantitative requirements, the qualitative requirements may cause you trouble. When making a decision to recommend your blue star, this is the most important consideration. Note: This has kept past apprentices from full certification.
The blue star symbolizes that you understand the Wude and that you know that I will now be constantly watching to see if you live up to the standards of martial morality in mind and deed. The "test" is a written test you can take in class. The real test is consistency in deed.
A Few Visible Signs of Wude and being an example:
Wude 1 - The way you bow into the school.
Wude 2 - The way you step onto the mats
Wude 3 - Greeting students
Wude 4 - Using last names
Wude 5 - Responding to questions with sir, ma'am
Wude 6 - Appearance - Approved Uniform - Clean, pressed
Wude 7 - Greeting Students
Wude 8 - Not talking during, before or after class
Requirements for Blue Star
1st Test Blue Star - Know Part 1 of Wude and Student Support Handout
2nd Test Blue Star - Know Part 2 of Wude and Student Support Handout
3rd Test Blue Star - Know Part 3 of Wude and Student Support Handout
4th Test Blue Star - Have a conversation with Master Gohring on how you are and are not following the first 3 blue star tests.
5th Test Blue Star - With Master Gohring's approval based on recommendations from the 4th blue star test, if any.
Red Star
Red Star includes leading basic training part of class - Your Red star symbolizes that I trust you to lead a warm-up and the basics in either a Tai Chi, Kung Fu or Kids Martial Arts class. This is something you can test on during any of the units we are on. Depending on what rank you are when you join the Apprentice program you may have lead one or more classes at our school in the capacity of Leadership. You still have to "test" over each in the apprentice class, leading your apprentice peers.
There are 6 kinds of basics that you need to be able to lead. These are nei kung (10 postures), tai chi basic section (first section of form), crane basics, sparring (kung fu kicking and punching), tiger basics, poison hands-iron body or other current basics.
A red star is awarded when you can go through all of the following up through the 5th test.
Requirements for Red Star (either Tai Chi or Kung Fu)
1st Test Red Star - Be able to Lead One Kind of Basics
2nd Test Red Star - Be able to Lead Two Kinds of Basics
3rd Test Red Star - Be able to Lead Three Basics
4th Test Red Star - Be able to Lead Four Kinds of Basics
5th Test Red Star - Be able to Lead All the kinds of basics-
Note: The test is during the Apprentice CIT class with your peers and NOT in an actual class.
These next five are covered in the field and not in the CIT Apprentice Class. They are covered only after you have earned your Four Stars.
6th Test Red Star - Beginner Black Sash Training 108, Applications
7th Test Red Star - Intermediate Black Sash Training 108, Applications, Sparring/Push-hands
8th Test Red Star - Advanced Black Sash Training 108, Applications, Sparring/Push-hands
9th Test Red Star - Black Sash Weapon One Staff/Flute
10th Test Red Star - Black Sash Weapon Two Saber
If you are a Tai Chi student I do want you to be able to lead the kung fu basics to the best of your ability, if you are a Kung Fu student I want you to be able to lead the basics of the Tai Chi to the best of your ability. You will not be expected to know all the black sash training for the art you are not studying. You will of course need to know all the Black Sash Training for the art you are in but not for the any of the stars. If you are seeking full certification in both of them you would have to know both.
Gold Star
Gold Star includes administrative support and symbolizes having passed all five tests on the each of the previous three stars and/or applied and earned a trial employment as a part-time R.O. Note: I have and will allow those without all the above star requirements to apply as a part-timer. To be able to apply for full time position you must have earned a Gold Star and have earned a commission as a part-timer.
The stars are the initial requirements. When you earn your Black Sash or a full time commission you will be recognized as an Assistant Instructor. You are fully certified when you achieve 2nd degree Black Sash or when you earn a commission as a Chief Instructor.
Probable Progression
Initial Requirements:
Green Star
Blue Star
Red Star
"All stars": Gold Star - passed first 5 tests on each star or earn a part-time commission.
Assistant Instructor Status:
There are two paths to Assistant Instructor Status:
1. Earned 4 stars and Earned Black Sash (Assistant Instructor Patch that Replaces Apprentice Patch on Apprentice Uniform) or
2. Earned 4 stars and Earned a Full Time Commission (Assistant Instructor Patch and Black Uniform with White Trim)
Note: You do not need to be employed to earned an "Assistant Instructor" Patch.
Full Certification with Teaching Certificate
There are two paths to full certification
1. Earn 2nd Degree Black Sash (this is when you would earn the title "Instructor") or
2. Earn a Commission as a Chief Instructor (Black Uniform with Red Trim)
Definitions of Titles:
Master Instructor: 5th degree Black Sash and a Certified Instructor - May or may not be the chief instructor at a MGTK location.
Head Instructor: 3rd degree Black Sash and a Certified Instructor - May or may not be the chief instructor at a MGTK location.
Chief Instructor: Usually Black Sash or Higher but can be color sash - title means you are the main teacher at a MGTK location as a full-time staff member.
Instructor: 2nd Degree Black Sash and Certified Instructor. No employment necessary.
Assistant Instructor: 1st Degree Black Sash. All-star. No employment necessary.
Example: Master Gohring is a Master Instructor. He is also currently the Chief Instructor.
Additional Note about Chief Instructor Position: As a martial arts instructor, you have students of all ages and with all kinds of personal issues looking to you both as a role model and for guidance. As an instructor, you have the power to help people transform their lives. As a martial artist, you have the power to set an example of a life-style that is physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. With these powers come tremendous responsibility...and extraordinary potential danger...you have the potential for becoming a destructive force.
A little-talked-about but extremely important component of becoming a martial arts instructor--especially chief instructor of a school--is the need to face and learn to deal with your own personal issues (known, unknown, and/or unrecognized). This is done by seeking and willingly participating in psychotherapy with a competent professional therapist. The time to begin is now.
Remember certification does not mean you will be guaranteed a position at the school. Many factors, some within your control and most not within your control will determine positions available to apply for at the school. There will likely be PT positions as a green star, red star, blue star or gold star. Of course, my goal is to produce "all stars" to be master level chief instructors in a local chain of Master Gohring's Tai Chi & Kung Fu Schools. So stay focused and prepare yourself to the best of your ability.
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