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Walter & Group...
[GH] From Shaun Ash :
Hey Gordy good to have you back ,the fishing looks great - we fish the same way for tuna, tailor and Australian salmon its pretty intense and fun when fish bust up like that , and the story of teaching is very good.
I was there to see tony get his masters it was an experience just to watch, I also got the chance to observed some CCI testing.
I would highly recommend that to anyone going on to masters as you get to see the test from a different angle.
The subject did come up at the Melbourne conclave that Peter Hayes organised about the CCi test and making it harder, a very good comment came from a just past CCI he said that the test was difficult and it is always easy to look back at a test and say it was or is to easy once you have passed it..
Shaun
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[GH]
Shaun,
I have fished those tuna and salmon off Queensland and know exactly what you mean !
We didn't catch tailor there, though I'm pretty sure those are what we call BLUEFISH here in the U.S.A. (Pomatomas Saltatrix). When they get over 7 Kilos. (15 lbs.) we call them "Guerilla Blues ".
Caught many of them as well off Montauk.
Watching those exams is a great way to learn !!!
(We are careful to get the permission of the candidate being tested as well as the examiner's before allowing any one to observe.)
When I have an especially good candidate on the MCI exam, I'll occasionally make the exam much harder. I do that to explore the depth of the candidate's knowledge or expertise. Often I learn by doing that !
I'm very careful, however, never to flunk one of these candidates on any question or topic which is beyond the actual scope of the exam in the interest of fairness.
I'll add that on a CCI exam, I rarely do that. At that level I like to keep it as consistent as I can.
Gordy
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[GH] From Mark Roberts :
Hi Gordy
just returned from Ireland and have picked up on the string of e-mails regarding exams and assessments.
I believe it is a problem nearly every organisation has with candidates who are not really prepared for what is expected. To help combat this and to support the candidate(s) within GAIA (Game Angling Instructors Association) for both the GAIC (Game Angling Instructor Certificate) and APGAI (Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructor) accreditation we encourage all those going forward to work with one of our mentors and the regional group based in their own area so as to be best prepared for the coming assessment.
This has been criticized in some quarters as some believe that any potential candidate needs to learn their skills through trial and error alone and that to give them the knowledge and develop their skills is simply allowing someone to potentially steal their business in the future. For me this is short sighted and is more about power dynamics rather than about teaching.
One of the advantages of a potential candidate attending a regional group session this is that everyone benefits.
I personally run a weekly casting clinic for a local club in the summer. The guys that do the actual teaching are themselves under instruction/supervision by the qualified instructors there working in support of the potential candidates development (this ensures that they are covered by insurance etc).
The people learning are from all points of the compass, are of all ages (9 to 84) and have a knowledge base from never having picked up a rod before to some who are at an advanced level in either single or two handed fishing. These learners pay a small fee which is then put into providing an annual two day junior academy for anyone aged between 10 to 18 years who may not otherwise have a chance to learn about our wonderful sport.
The clinic runs for two hours and is then followed by a couple of hours instruction to those potential candidates by those already qualified in the aspect of the training that they will deliver the following week. In this way they are not thrown in the deep end and learn not only the technical aspects of what they need to know but also various ways of how to teach them.
The important point here is that I have been able to create a safe learning environment where if mistakes are made there is someone on hand to put it right without either belittle-ling or destroying anyone's ability to learn whether potential candidate or student. There is also an added advantage in that those supervising also may get to learn a fresh approach to common problems.
At present I mentor over 38 individuals who are at various stages of development from basic instructor/coach to advanced. My aim is simply to get them to a position whereby they can start to teach me.
The simple fact is I make no money from this but I have the real satisfaction of knowing that each candidate that goes for assessment is both technically and capable of teaching the subject matter to the level that is expected. It has resulted in less failing to achieve their goals and to be honest I get such a buzz seeing one of my guys or girls develop into a credible and competent ambassador of our sport.
best wishes
Mark
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[GH]
Mark,
Your last statement strikes a chord !
I consider among my greatest achievements my student who has learned to make a cast better than I can as a result of my efforts !
Gordy
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