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Walter & Group...
[GH] Let's try to put all this in perspective :
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[GH] In the recent past, there have been discussions which question the actual level of teaching ability which we should expect of our newly passed CCI instructors. Opinions have varied all the way from the new CCI being an entry level teacher without any significant actual teaching experience to one who has had sufficient experience
to be proficient in diagnosing the cause of most common casting faults and their corrections.
Some of our Masters and CBOG's mentor their CCI candidates to the extent that they do become competent to diagnose and correct most common casting faults. Others take the position that the newly minted CCI is competent to teach basic fly casting but must continue his/her education and experience by actually teaching under the direction of more experienced instructors to acquire mature diagnostic skills and the ability to correct most casting faults.
As I read the CCI written exam and the printed Fly Casing Instructor Performance Test Evaluation form,(Updated, 4/10/09) I see no stated requirement for the candidate to present evidence of actual teaching experience. Few of the questions or tasks are based on the ability to make the diagnosis of casting faults or their correction. The teaching tasks (#'s 18 - 24) come closest. This is one reason why the candidate will not pass the exam if even one of these is failed.
I fully agree that teaching experience will place the candidate in a much better position to pass the exam. Especially if this has been acquired under more experienced CCI's or Masters. Best of all, under the direct guidance of a senior mentor. In some areas this is not difficult to arrange.... in others, a real problem.
At present, there is no requirement for the candidate to actually diagnose and come up with a correction for a casting fault performed by the examiner(s). That is reserved for the MCI exam.
Will this remain the status quo for the future ? I don't know.
Do we need a comprehensive Study Guide for CCI candidates complete with appropriate references as John Till's message suggests? I think so.
I do know that our CCI Testing Committee has worked for many months to make the exams as fair as possible. To this end, we have also submitted for approval by the CBOG careful re-wording of the task descriptions as well as clear and concise descriptions of the expectations.
With all this in mind, I was particularly interested to see if any of those who responded to Guy's question called attention to :
1. The CCI Candidate's actual teaching experience.
2. Evidence of competence in diagnosing common casting faults.
3. Evidence of ability to teach the correction of casting faults.
1. .... Mentioned teaching experience :
David Lambert : "I'd like to see proof or be confident that the candidate actually has taught fly casting for a year or so."
Gary Eaton : "8. You have assembled materials for and co-taught at least one comprehensive fly casting course with an experienced Master instructor. You should have made initial presentation of instructional material regarding loops, casting essentials, accuracy skills, adjusting to wind, smooth distance delivery, etc. It helps if your mentoring instructor insists that you initially field questions from students."
Ward Nicholas : Ward mentions teaching ability, though not teaching experience : "3) An ability to teach different levels of student casters"
Bob Stouffer: Bob mentions teaching skills but doesn't discuss actual teaching experience : " 8. exhibit deep preparation of the brief choreography for the "show and tell" points - this is about teaching preparation."
John Till : John discusses the candidate's ability to teach, though he doesn't mention actual teaching experience: " 9. The applicant should be prepared to provide different explanations or methods by which a particular task might be taught; for example, in teaching the double haul, the applicant might suggest a pantomime without a rod, then with rod alone, a side arm cast (allowing the line to fall to the ground after the forward and then the back cast), etc."
2.. ...Mentioned ability to diagnose casting faults :
Ward Nicholas: Ward comes close : " 2) An ability to analyse a casting stroke"
I note that tasks (18-24) under, INSTRUCTIONAL ABILITY do include statements on "error recognition" but do not state that the candidate must actually diagnose a casting fault demonstrated by an examiner.
3. ... Mentioned ability to teach the correction of casting faults :
While no one has specifically commented on this, we must take note of the present wording of Task 19 :
Task 19 . Explain and demonstrate the cause and correction of tailing loops. (Communication effectiveness, cause, correction, teaching, fundamentals, loop size, analogies, student involvement, line, rod, body, concave path of rod tip, ways achieved.)
So what do we really expect of our new CCI's ?
Ally Gowans,John Till and Paul Arden help sum it up :
[AG] Of course candidates must meet the stated standards but then as a professional instructor I have one other question to ask myself.
Would I hire this person to teach one of my clients?
Best regards,
Ally Gowans
[JT] At some later time, I would really be interested in having a thread dealing with what we really do or should expect of CI candidates so that some of us are not too tough or too lenient. Perhaps my concerns could be solved by a more definitive list on the FFF website.
John Til.
[PA] Hi Gordy,
I think to answer the question as to what is a prepared CI candidate you must first ask what is the objective of the CI certification?
The way I see it is that a CI's role is to be the local tackle shop instructor, the local fishery instructor and the club instructor. And it is a profession, because he charges - quite rightly - for his time and expertise.
So for me, a well prepared CI candidate is one who actually understands the examination, can visibly demonstrate effective teaching skills, and has the level of knowledge sufficient for the above. I think it goes without saying that his or her casting and presentation should be polished. When examining a CI I'm looking for him to instill confidence that he is both a teacher and a student.
Cheers, Paul
[GH] Food for thought as we consider how to advise, help train, and examine our budding CCI candidates.
Gordy
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