[Tango-L] Certification vs. Qualifications

[Jake Spatz]

People,

"Teacher certification" is one of the things that teachers sell to other 
people who want to teach. Like any other degree or certificate (PhDs 
included), it only denotes that you've paid for it and shown up. The 
only reason to get one is to qualify for hire at a business that 
requires it. (Schools are often such a business.)

Otherwise, "teacher certification" is purely a vanity credential. 
There's a market for that sort of thing.

---
I've withheld putting this anywhere in public, because I don't want to 
embarrass anyone who doesn't measure up. But since the topic has arisen, 
let me stick my neck out and offer my own /personal/ "minimum 
qualifications" for a tango teacher. Perhaps it will challenge someone 
to improve, or at least equip some students with a little common sense 
(common sense so often being the first casualty).

* MINIMUM Qualifications for a Tango Teacher *
    -- Proficiency dancing either role (with style)
    -- Proficiency dancing different embraces (open, close, salon, whatever)
    -- Proficiency dancing tango, vals, and milonga
    -- Understanding of what the word "arrastre" means (in the music)
    -- Invitations to teach (i.e., rather than self-marketing)
    -- /At least five/ CDs of tango music recorded prior to Black Sabbath

The first 4 of these are purely a skill set. The 5th gets into ethics & 
/credibility/, the 6th should need no explanation.

There are many teachers who meet this minimum standard, and they're the 
ones I respect. There are many more who don't come anywhere close, and I 
personally don't consider them qualified to teach the dance. I would 
never refer my own students to anyone in this second bunch.

I hardly think my personal requirements are strict.

---
The question arises: Why are there so many unqualified teachers?

1. Young communities are built up on the enthusiasm of a small group, 
and they work with what they've got. Often I see that the /de facto/ 
teachers in such places (i.e., the grass-roots organizers) are very 
modest about what they do, and even deny themselves the "title" of 
teacher. No harm there: these folks deserve a pat on the back, in my 
opinion. Until--

2. Teachers often use assistants, and then these assistants get it into 
their heads that, because they've "taught" a little, they're entitled to 
teach on their own. These dancers, I notice, seldom meet my first /and 
most important/ requirement of proficiency in either role.

3. Talented dancers sometimes perform, and think that if you can perform 
you can teach. I don't know why they think that, but they do; and this 
delusion (a conflation of very distinct areas in the arts) accounts for 
most of the poor teachers in any artistic discipline.
    Regarding tango in particular, performing & teaching perhaps get 
conflated because so many teachers do end-of-class demos. I personally 
think such demos are worthless, unless the teacher (singular) does them 
with every student there, for /that/ student and not for an audience. 
(This should be going on /during/ a good class though, and it 
/partially/ explains why I think "proficiency in either role" is the 
foremost qualification.)

Jake