There are 3 types of students who join our Apprentice Teacher Training Program:
A. Students who are certain they want a career as a professional Tai Chi and Kung Fu Martial Artist.
B. Students who are interested in a career as a professional Tai Chi and Kung Fu Martial Artist, but who are not completely committed. These students want the training and will decide if that is a goal as they learn more about it.
C. Students who do not want a career as a Tai Chi and Kung Fu Martial Artist but want the skills of a professional instructor to enhance their career, family, and overall life by living the principles of Tai Chi and Kung Fu in their everyday lives.
To which category do you belong: A, B or C?
To be eligible you must be a student of Master Gohring's Tai Chi & Kung Fu in good standing, be a Green Sash or higher in either Tai Chi or Kung Fu, a Masters Path Member and have Master Gohring's approval. Click Here to see what apprentices say.
"Nothing would be done at all if a man waited 'till he could do it so well that
no one could find fault with it." - John Henry Newman
5 Goals of Personal Fulfillment Core Philospohy Reasons Not to Join FAQ
What Apprentices Say
What Apprentices Think of the Program
Dear Master Gohring:
As I look forward to receiving my Red Sash in about a week I am reminded of just how much I have accomplished for myself and my family since joining the academy almost two years ago. I came in with the intention of getting free passes to a movie that I can't even remember the name of now, but I will never forget the first impression of the school. It felt like I had come home. I don't know how else to describe it.
I tried out one class and immediately signed up afterward. I waited with an anxious feeling to be invited to join Black Sash Training, and then I approached you to join Masters Path training because I wanted to be a part of that too. I was one of the first group to sign up for the Certified Instructor Training (CIT) last September. I can't believe it has only been a year since I started that part of my training. I remember sitting in that conference with you, and listening to you ask me if I was an A a B or a C. The eager child inside of me was jumping up in my seat with both arms raised shouting "A! A! I'm an A! Pick me!" Thankfully, the more poised woman in me won out and I was able to calmly reply that, "I am an A sir." I knew I wanted to be an Instructor at your school, and looking back now I really had no idea what that meant. You let me join CIT as a Gold Sash even though you usually reserve the right to Green Sashes or higher.
The thought of the path of becoming an Instructor was scary, and in many ways unreal at first. I just couldn't picture myself up in front of the class. It was not yet a part of me. CIT classes have not always been easy. Some days were challenging and some days I felt like there was no way I would ever be able to learn it all. I earned a position as a part time Recruitment Officer and with the help of Mr. Terbay also I think I did pretty well at that. Then I really had to sit down with my self and figure out which path I was really going to take. Was I going to dive in and pursue this crazy idea of becoming a Tai Chi and Kung Fu instructor? I think that the calm quiet introspective qualities of Tai Chi helped me with this process. I turned down a job offer in my previously chosen career field of accounting to earn a more permanent position at the academy. It was a calming and completely terrifying decision. What was I thinking at 31 years old changing my career path after spending money and years in college to become an accountant!? As a single mother it was not an easy decision at all. Was a setting the right example for my daughter. What better example is there for her to see than my pursuing a career in something I love to do and will want to do for the rest of my life.
It is such an honor to look out on the training floor and see smiling faces of students that I brought into the school. I was their first introduction to Master Gohring's Tai Chi and Kung Fu. Many of them are choosing to join Black Sash Training or pursue the Master's Path. It is wonderful to know that I have given back something to the school by bringing in more members to our family because the school has done so much for me. I look forward to so many more challenges and accomplishments I see on my path. I want to be fluent in Kung Fu as well as Tai Chi. My mother called my cell phone recently and after hearing my message she asked me if she would have to someday call me Master Grabhorn. I couldn't stop the warm feeling and smile that came to my face.
Thank you for the opportunity to grow my Self as a human being through all the avenues available at the academy. Who knows, maybe my daughter will follow a similar path in her Kung Fu training. She is 12 now and has already decided to pursue the Master's Path when she returns next summer from spending time with her father. I know she eagerly anticipates earning her Green Sash.
Every day is not about what I get to do, but truly about who I get to become.
Sincerely,
Ms. Mary Grabhorn
Click here for Ms. Grabhorns Instructor page.
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To Future CIT Apprentices::
About a year and a half ago, my brother had emergency heart surgery of the triple bypass kind. While he was recovering in the hospital, I made a vow that I did not want to go through his same ordeal at any stage of my life. After his surgery, I started shopping around for an exercise routine, something I could do every day, but not get bored doing something that would be good for my health, good for my mind, but not overly strenuous. Lo and behold, I stumbled upon Tai Chi at Master Gohring's school.
To date, the experience has been amazing. I've progressed substantially from my first day, when everything felt awkward and the uniform looked embarrassingly new. At this stage of development, I am about halfway to my black sash. I'm beginning to grasp the depth of the moves and the subsequent power and energy associated with the moves. My most recent progression has been to join Master Gohring's Certified Instructor Training (CIT) Apprentice program. The benefits were immediate.
Since joining the program about two months ago, I've noticed a change in the way I do my T'ai Chi. My form seems to have more meaning and substance and the energy feels different, more powerful, balanced and rooted. In the CIT Apprentice program we spend lots of time breaking down each move and transition into a number of steps. Subsequently, it has forced me to understand each move in detail. That detail has translated into smoother moves and transitions with a clearer understanding of the principle of sung .
Master Gohring is an accomplished martial artist with a rare gift for teaching. To really take your Tai Chi or Kung Fu to the next level, to really get a complete experience, I highly recommend the CIT Apprentice program. You won't be disappointed.
Mr. Andy Prince
5 Goals of Personal Fullfillment
A Professional Tai Chi & Kung Fu Instructors Path
1. Mental development. You must develop a strong, disciplined and focused mind. If you cannot direct your focus and your mind on your goals, you will not be successful.
2. Physical vitality. This includes strength, flexibility, an abundance of energy, and a strong immune system. You will not be able to enjoy your successes in the other areas of your life if your body is off-balance, if you have pain, or if your muscles and joints are sore and stiff.
3. Emotional health and strength. If your emotions are always up and down, then they will block you from your achieving success. You must understand how your emotions affect your everyday life, and that you have more influence over them than you might think.
4. Inspirational Development. To be inspired means to be In-Spirit. When you feel purposeful and connected to your spirit you carry with you a joy and lightness throughout the day. When you are uninspired your day is filled with mundane tasks.
5. Financial Abundance. Head Instructors can potentially earn between $30,000 and $100,000 per year. The greater your contribution to the community, the greater your compensation. You will learn you must always work harder on yourself than you do on your career. This will increase your capacity to contribute.
Success is the Progressive Realization of a Worthy Ideal Earl Nightingale
CIT Home Core Philospohy Reasons Not to Join FAQ
Core Philospohy
The Tai Chi & Kung Fu Instructors Path
Master Gohring's Tai Chi & Kung Fu Certified Instructors understand that:
• You create meaning and fulfillment in your life by helping others.
• When you help others become the best they can be, you are also helping yourself.
• Committing others to a path of personal growth keeps you on the path of personal growth.
At the end of your life, you are either an Example or a Warning.
The Professional Martial Art Instructor's Mission:
1. Create Inspired White Sashes 2. Graduate Qualified Black Sashes
3. Certify Committed Instructors
CIT Home 5 Goals of Personal Fulfillment Reasons Not to Join FAQ
Reasons Not to Enroll
Reasons Not to Enroll in Certified Instructor Training (CIT)
- DO NOT enroll if you don't plan on working hard to learn the skills of a professional Tai Chi and Kung Fu instructor.
- You will be challenged to be your absolute best you will be expected to rise to the challenge. If you plan on hiding in your shell, do not become an apprentice.
- You will be asked to overcome the biggest fear of most Americans. This fear also holds many people back from leading the lives they want to lead. This is the fear of rejection. If this scares you, that is okay. If the thought of being free from this fear paralyzes you, do not become an apprentice.
- Enrolling in the Apprentice Program does not in any way guarantee a job at Master Gohring's Schools. The training is a prerequisite for employment. Although we will be aggressively hiring qualified instructors, you must earn this opportunity.
- The program is set up to be flexible with the students who want to learn the skills of a professional
martial artist. It is an outcome-based membership, so CIT students might have to take time off. Do not look down on those that need to take time off from the program each person learns at a unique pace, and you must respect this. This is an important aspect of the Art of being an Instructor. - If you are physically gifted you must be patient with students who do not learn as fast.
- Sharing martial arts with others is the first skill set a professional martial artist learns. Do not enroll if you want to keep martial arts just for yourself.
- Remember that Apprentice-CIT is not just what you get to DO it's who you get to BECOME. We are human be-ings, not human do-ings.
CIT Home 5 Goals of Personal Fulfillment Core Philospohy FAQ
Apprentice FAQ
Apprentice Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will I have to sell? The answer is yes and no. This is the question of someone who wants the training to become a professional tai chi or kung fu instructor but doesn't want a career. The selling component is not what you might think it is. A professional Tai Chi & Kung Fu Instructor understands that success in the classroom does not involve convincing or pressuring someone to sign up. However, you will still need to learn and understand the process and the experience a new student goes through when choosing our school and becoming a member; although you will not be required to sign anyone up.
2. Do I have to teach? No. Once you are ready, Master Gohring may ask you to lead part of a class or help an individual student but you will not be left on your own to teach. You will get to role-play and practice teach in the Apprentice Class and lead the warm-up in the Apprentice Class. You will be given many opportunities to model more advanced Teachers and Apprentices.
3. How long does it take to become a Certified Instructor? Because the program is outcome-based, the time it takes to complete the program depends on you. It could take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years, sometimes longer. If you have previous experience in Martial Arts, Tai Chi and/or Kung Fu, or have been training with Master Gohring for a few years already, it may happen sooner. It is okay if you are newer to Martial Arts or need to take more time. You will be challenged, but you will not be rushed to finish.
4. When do I get to start teaching? You get to start teaching when Master Gohring determines you are ready. You will get extra training in your Apprentice Class as well as during your regular classes, and you will get extra insight into the practice and teaching of the Arts.
5. Does getting certified mean I will get hired? No. Enrolling in the program does not guarantee a job at Master Gohring's Schools. The training is a prerequisite for employment. Although we will be aggressively hiring qualified instructors, you must earn this opportunity. Our purpose is to provide an abundant lifestyle for as many instructors who want the lifestyle.
6. What exactly is the Certification Process? Great question. We have created another page to explain the process. Click Here.
7. Do you really think I can do it? Yes. With the right training, the right program, the right school, and a teacher who believes in you, you can do this.
8. What about school ownership training? School ownership is beyond the scope of the Appentice Program however it could definately lead to it. We have created another page to explain the Licensing Process. Click Here
CIT Home 5 Goals of Personal Fulfillment Core Philospohy Reasons Not to Join
Master Gohring
All classes are under the direct supervision of Master Gohring. Master Gohring has studied Tai Chi, Kung Fu and Yoga since 1986 with several well-known Masters.
