USDF Associate "Certified" Instructor???? Huh?

[Fantastic]

Confused!?! Nothing personally against this person, and I do not know her, but,

While snooping around on the USDF website at instructors and snooping around some more on various instructors websites, I found this person who claims they are a certified Associate Instructor.

http://paintedvalley.com/index.html (scroll down - person on right side)

http://paintedvalley.com/maa_training.htm

The problem I have with this is that it is false advertising to state that you are certified, when you are infact, not tested! Knowledge has not been varified. It is PUC to falsely capitalize on the word certified, and to position oneself with those who have been tested on the USDF Instructor Certification Program, and who have paid to be tested!

[horses-n-hounds]

On the USDF site, they list their levels of certification, and the first level is “USDF Associate Instructor”
link to the page on the site : http://www.usdf.org/education/instructor-certification/levels.asp#I

I. USDF Associate Instructor

                  [B]Criteria [/B]

 <ul>

Minimum Age - 18

Current USDF Participating Member

First Aid Certification

Three (3) written recommendations. (These must be from judges or other dressage professionals who can verify candidates teaching and training abilities and attest to his/her character)

Participation in a recognized USDF Instructor Certification Workshop Series as a Participating Instructor. These workshops include Lunging, Riding and Teaching. Participation in any workshop series prior to application is applicable. Associate Instructor Applicants will have to provide copies of their evaluation sheets to verify participation. [B]Benefits [/B]

 <ul>

Instructor Newsletter

Invitation to USDF National Trainers Conferences

Invitation to USDF Instructor/Trainer Open Sessions at Convention

Listing in USDF Directory

Listing on USDF Instructor/Trainer Web Site [B]Fees [/B]

 <ul>

One Time Processing Fee - $25

Annual Fee $40 (Must be paid by annually to maintain benefits package)

[Drsgrider]

I agree with claiming to be certified when in fact she has not been tested but has completed the workshops for lunging teaching and riding. Its the same thing with ones that have gone through the USDF “L” (learner) judge program claiming they are a USDF judge. These people know that most dont research the criteria for certification.

You know anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves what ever they wish. I believe this is one of the reasons for the USDF/USEF level qualification. To weed out riders that dont belong at a certain level.
I am glad the committee has tabled the discussion for qualification. There are too many “kinks” still that need to be worked out.

[Fantastic]

Right, but Associate Instructors are NOT certified?

http://www.usdf.org/about/contact/certified-instructors.asp?regionpass=6&Typepass=Instructors

Notes:
Type 2 Denotes Certification at Training Through Second Level

Type 4 Denotes Certification at Training Through Fourth Level

Type A Denotes Recognition as an Associate Instructor (successfully completed the USDF Instructor Certification Workshop series in Lungeing, Teaching and Riding but are not yet certified)

[horses-n-hounds]

I must be confused then, as the USDF seems to list USDF Associate Instructor under their “levels of certification” section. That would indicate to me that it is a level of certification. Must be poor web design…someone should tell them.:lol:

[sm1]

well, let’s cut to the chase: are you asking about Kathryn Stodick?

There is a link on that site which doesn’t work. After googling her, she is recognized on the USDF site as a certified USDF Associate Instructor, scroll down http://www.usdf.org/press/news/view-news.asp?news=157

[QUOTE=Fantastic;2954717]
Confused!?! Nothing personally against this person, and I do not know her, but,

While snooping around on the USDF website at instructors and snooping around some more on various instructors websites, I found this person who claims they are a certified Associate Instructor.

http://paintedvalley.com/index.html (scroll down - person on right side)

http://paintedvalley.com/maa_training.htm

The problem I have with this is that it is false advertising to state that you are certified, when you are infact, not tested! Knowledge has not been varified. It is PUC to falsely capitalize on the word certified, and to position oneself with those who have been tested on the USDF Instructor Certification Program, and who have paid to be tested![/QUOTE]

[horses-n-hounds]

http://www.usdf.org/press/news/view-news.asp?news=157

“The USDF is proud to recognize six new USDF Associate Instructors. This USDF Instructor Certification Program category recognizes instructors who have received positive evaluations after participating in USDF Instructor Certification Workshops. Each applicant must have participated in at least one workshop in the lungeing, riding, and teaching categories. The following USDF members have completed the USDF Associate Instructor requirements:”

[Fantastic]

Yes, that is the person on that website that says they are a Certified instructor. I am asking about ANYONE who advertises they are CERTIFIED when they are not; not just this person.

The hint is in the text. Please read:

USDF Announces New Associate and Certified Instructors

and

The USDF is proud to recognize six new USDF Associate Instructors. This USDF Instructor Certification Program category recognizes instructors who have received positive evaluations after participating in USDF Instructor Certification Workshops. Each applicant must have participated in at least one workshop in the lungeing, riding, and teaching categories.

and

Type A Denotes Recognition as an Associate Instructor (successfully completed the USDF Instructor Certification Workshop series in Lungeing, Teaching and Riding but are not yet certified

[ideayoda]

AI’s just go take the courses, no tests as far as I know.

[Fantastic]

AI’s just go take the courses, no tests as far as I know.

My point exactly.

[sm1]

but they have received positive evaluations from USDF and are credited by USDF, as opposed to just taking the course, for what it’s worth:

"This USDF Instructor Certification Program category recognizes instructors who have received positive evaluations after participating in USDF Instructor Certification Workshops. Each applicant must have participated in at least one workshop in the lungeing, riding, and teaching categories…

"The USDF Instructor Certification Program is designed to set a standard of excellence in dressage training and instruction in the United States. Instructor Certification identifies those instructors who have demonstrated the knowledge and abilities necessary to teach the classical concepts of dressage and meet specified standards of proficiencies." " http://www.usdf.org/press/news/view-news.asp?news=157

[rileyt]

I see what you’re saying Fantastic, but I think you’re getting carried away.

It appears to me (from the language you’ve quoted) that the Associate Instructor program is part of the broader Instructor Certification program. I wouldn’t have any qualms about an AI saying they are a “Certified” AI… and I certainly don’t think its false advertising.

[coloredhorse]

Agree with rileyt above. I checked both the trainer’s bio pieces and scrutinized the USDF description of its instructor certification program. It looks like the young lady in question is just a bit imprecise in her use of USDF terms. Technically, no, she is not “certified” as an instructor of any level. However, she has met the criteria for the title “associate instructor,” so I can see her stating that she has been generically “certified” as an AI. I’ll also point out that USDF is a little inconsistent in the use of their own terminology, to whit, this direct quote from their own pages:

"USDF offers certification (emphasis mine) in five categories:

• [I]Associate Instructor [/I]
• [I]Certified Instructor/Trainer; Training through Second Level [/I]
• [I]Recognized Teacher; Training through Second Level [/I]
• [I]Certified Instructor/Trainer; Third through Fourth Level [/I]
• [I]Recognized Teacher; Third through Fourth Level"[/I]

So I can see how one could consider oneself a "certified" AI.

[Velvet]

You might want to check with the USDF. They sell their “certified” instructor paraphernalia to all the instructors who are on their site…which includes “associate” instructors. That stuff says “USDF Certified Instructor” on it–and they don’t sell it to just anyone. So, I’d say that it’s not an issue. She can say certified, she should just list the level of qualification as an associate.

[hoopoe]

I audited the program that the person in question was a participating instructor candidate. It is no walk in the park to be under the eye of the instructors of this course. I missed one session but ( lunging the rider) but saw all the others.

I think we are arguing semantics more than anything else. If you have huge concern with her terminology the best persons to clarify are the USDF.

The person in question is an excellent rider and one of a handful I would send a young horse to if I wanted it well started. She impressed me with her tactful ridingand her gracious, positive character. It was exciting to watch her young horse develop over the year this program was in progress.

[Commander_Cody]

I think it is kind of like the issue there has been with the L program, where graduates are not “L judges” or “Learner judges” but technically “L program graduates” because only the USEF can license “judges”. It’s a matter of wording, and most make the mistake (if you want to call it that) completely innocently. With the L program, they have been trying to educate the new graduates as to how to identify themselves in ads, business cards etc… Perhaps the Instructor Certification program could do the same more clearly. I do think the various categories get a bit confusing to those who don’t know the programs.

[Velvet]

Okay, here’s yet another addition. It seems that the USDF told the first batch of “associate” level instructors that they could be considered certified associate level instructors. So, blame it on the USDF. I’m not sure if they are still saying that, or not, but that’s what I’ve heard.

Personally, I still don’t have a problem with it. It’s the rating that you have that shows what you’ve done with the program. And you have to get at least a T-2 certification with them to get the extra benefits. But the associates do get some extras from the USDF, so they are being certified by them on some level.