Shiatsu Society

Why did we revise the Guidelines?

A number of practitioners felt the previous guidelines were too prescriptive and did not leave room to account for the individual situations of members. For example, it would be quite easy to find two Shiatsu teachers to act as your supervisors in somewhere like London, but this could be more difficult to achieve in more sparsely populated areas of the country, or where Shiatsu teachers are more scarce!

The new Guidelines are intended to enable everyone, regardless of their situation, to be able to work towards achieving teacher status. The focus of this change is to give the responsibility for assessing trainee teachers (t), and deciding when they are ready to become teachers, back to the Teachers (T) who have been responsible for supporting the ‘t’ through the process.

To this end we acknowledge that Teacher Trainers (Teachers (T) with more than three years experience) may need support / guidance so that standards around the country are consistent.

We now have formed the Teacher Training Working Group as part of the Education/Training Sub committee. Members are: Cliff Andrews, Kate Burford, Annie Cryar, Laura Davison, Carol Dean, and Catherine Scanlon (Board member). This is likely to include looking at any training needs and the possibility of Teacher Trainers meeting up as a support group to ensure standards are maintained. This could be done online.

On this website, in the Members Discussion Area, we have set up a discussion board for TT’s to share good practice in terms of supporting t’s for whom they are responsible.

If you require any further clarification on these Guidelines, or have any suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us via the Office. If you are interested in becoming a Shiatsu teacher you will find an application form in the Document Downloads section of the website.

Teacher Trainer (TT) changes from 1st December 2007

The 2007 AGM saw changes for Teacher Trainers. The following proposal was passed by the members:-

Introduction:
At present, the only criterion to become a Teacher Trainer (TT) is that a Shiatsu teacher (MRSS (T)) has to have been on the Shiatsu Society Teacher Register for five years.  Considering that the route to teaching status may take three years or more (some schools insist that prospective teachers assist at all three years of practitioner training), it was felt that this could be an unrealistic time frame.  Also, given present government pressure for more rigor in the field of adult training, the Shiatsu Society felt it incumbent to examine ways of ensuring standards in our teacher training.

Proposals:

• To reduce the requirement for a T (teacher) to become a TT (teacher trainer) from 5 to 3 years.
• To include criteria to be met before being entered onto the Teacher Trainer register.

Criteria:

• An established educational qualification; e.g. PGCE , Cert Ed, BEd (or agreed equivalents).
• OR a portfolio with evidence of :
• Teaching experience, including teaching material (eg schemes of work, lesson plans, evaluation) from years one, two and three of the practitioner’s course.
• Teaching or tutoring at post-graduate level,
• The study of material which examines contemporary theories/ practice of teacher training (e.g. ‘Qualifying to Teach’ Teacher Training Agency – available via web). 
• An outline of intended training program  / mentoring process which includes categories of  professional values and practice, knowledge and understanding and teaching.

Once on the Teacher Trainer Register, evidence of CPD (as gathered by the Shiatsu Society) of at least one workshop per year aimed at the professional development of teacher trainers/teachers will be required on top of the annual Shiatsu Society CPD for practitioners and Teachers.

A grandfathering system will be used so that all teachers currently on the register will be exempt from the above proposals, providing they express this by submission of the appropriate form to the Shiatsu Society by 1st January 2008.     

The new criteria will come into force on 1st December 2007. 

If you would like further details of the grandparenting scheme and an enrolment form then please visit the Downloads section of the website.