Training Accreditation Guidelines

TAGs Training Programs in Europe and Israel

Below is the EuroTab version of the international Training Accreditation Guidelines (TAGs). Please read it carfully before submitting an application since it defines the application's structure. You can download it in PDF format here. The International version of the TAGs is organized differently and can be found here.

It is devided into three parts:

Part G	General Application and Accreditation Guidelines
Part A	Which is necessary to hand in for any organization that is applying for the first time TOGETHER with Part B for the individual Training Program.
Part B	Which is the only part that needs to submitted for a new Training Program run under the same organization as other Training Programs before.

The numbers in the brackets refer to the international edition of the International Training Accreditation Guidelines.

General Application and Accreditation Guidelines

G-1.	The training shall prepare trainees for competence in the practice of both AWARENESS THROUGH MOVEMENT® and FUNCTIONAL INTEGRATION®. [1.]
G-2.	An organization applying for a Training Program for the first time needs to submit PART A AND PART B in its entirety. An organization applying for a recurring program needs to submit only PART B for any new individual Training Program. [2.]
G-3.	A program shall not begin before accreditation has been given. [4.]
G-4.	A proposal will be considered for approval by the TAB within three (3) months of receipt of a training proposal which fulfills all the criteria to the TAB. The staff will review the proposal for completeness and write to the training organizers for additional data, if needed, before the proposal is put on the agenda of the TAB. [5.]
G-5.	Advertising and promotional materials: [6.] a. Advertising includes written announcements to the public or to practitioners, teachers, and/or trainees of the FELDENKRAIS METHOD. A letter of intention or announcement of a "project" or anything of similar intent, published in FELDENKRAIS literature or any publication or place is considered advertising. b. Advertising published before accreditation must include a statement that the organizer "intends to apply for accreditation”. c. Advertising should specify that in certain states, or countries, professional practice may be subject to licensing laws limiting their professional practice unless the graduate has (a) certain license(s). d. Advertising shall indicate that neither ATM or FI may be practiced professionally until the person has graduated from an accredited training program. Interim authorization as an e. ATM teacher is a student teaching position, subject to completing all graduation requirements. f. Service Marks: i. The training program shall comply with the service mark provisions of the country in which the program is operating. For information on local service mark provisions training organizers are to refer to the Guild/Association of the country in which the training program is operating. ii. Service marks will be appropriately used in all training program promotional materials.
G-6.	It is expected that a training program will proceed according to what has been set forth in the proposal with regard to educational content, personnel, location, structure, etc. The TAB must be informed as soon as possible, in writing, of any planned or unplanned changes in these areas. Significant changes in program may affect the status of accreditation. [8.]
G-7.	It is recommended that Assistant Trainers hired for years 3 and 4 of a Training Program have experience teaching in years one and two. [22.]
G-8.	All Trainers and Assistant Trainers must be members of a recognized FELDENKRAIS Professional practitioner/teacher Guild/Association. [23.]
G-9.	The Educational Director is responsible for the integrity of the entire training process; they should be a TAB-Certified Trainer with at 80 days of experience in this function. [30.]
G-10.	Trainees in Training Programs will be permitted to teach AWARENESS THROUGH MOVEMENT for purposes of their learning, after two years enrollment in the Professional Training Program. If a trainee drops out of the Training Program after two years enrollment, but before graduation, they will lose the right to teach AWARENESS THROUGH MOVEMENT, unless they have been granted a leave of absence. [39.]
G-11.	Trainees may miss no more than five (5) days in any year, and no more than ten (10) days during the whole course of the Training Program, without having to make formal arrangements with the Trainer or educational staff to make up missed class time. The trainee, however, is responsible for the content of the missed material. Trainees must make up all additional missed time with assistance of the Educational Director and the Training Program teachers. When an entire sequence is made up in another Training Program, it is expected that the learning material be comparable, both in content and stage in the training process. Make up work is to be done as soon as possible. No person shall join a Training Program, having missed more than the first year (40 days/200 hours) of the program. [41.]
G-12.	The Training Program graduating the trainee and giving the diploma is responsible to see that the trainee has fulfilled all the requirements for graduation. [42.]
G-13.	A trainee who wants to transfer from one Training Program to another must receive a letter from the Educational Director and the Administrative Director of their original program, indicating fees paid, number of days of training completed, which parts of the program completed, and a recommendation to continue the training elsewhere. [43.]
G-14.	If a trainee has to interrupt the Training Program and wishes to continue in another program after a period of elapsed time, the Training Accreditation Board will decide about the trainee's eligibility to continue their training, on a case-by-case basis. A training has to be completed within seven years' time. [44.]
G-15.	There shall be a visitor (trainees from other programs and graduates) and guest policy. [45.]
G-16.	Compliance forms are due within one month after the completion of each Training year (40 days). [47.]

PART A

Quantities

A-1.	A training is to be held over a minimum of three years (36 months) and include a minimum of 800 hours of class instruction over at least 160 days of training. [11.]
A-2.	A training shall accept no more than 80 participants for a given program, have no more than 80 participants on site, and graduate no more than 80 (exception - visitors and guests). [25.]
A-3.	A minimum of 12 FI lessons shall be offered to each trainee as part of the training and included in the tuition. All of these lessons shall be given under the direction of the Educational Director. At least 1 of these lessons shall be given by a Trainer. Practitioners with at least five years of experience may give up to 5 of these lessons. All remaining lessons shall be given by a Trainer or an Assistant Trainer. It is expected that the majority of these lessons will be given outside the 800 hours. [35.]
A-4.	In the first half of a program, there shall be an average of one Trainer or Assistant Trainer for each 20 participants or fraction thereof. For trainings under 40 participants, in the first half, there may be one Trainer for 30 participants or fraction thereof. In the second half of all Training Programs, the ratio is one to 15. [36.]

Educational Aspects

A-5.	Please address how the following will be provided: [9.] a. an educational support system during the Training Program and continuity between segments, such as study groups, newsletter, etc. b. opportunity for post graduate education after the Training Program c. attention to ways a professional practice can be developed.
A-6.	A proposal should include a clear and comprehensive educational plan including an outline of general and specific skills and functional abilities to be fostered by the training, along with learning strategies to be used to provide learning experiences for the trainees and how these will evolve throughout the training. [26.]
A-7.	The educational plan shall include a description of how the educational materials of Moshe Feldenkrais will be utilized in the training program and how the trainees will be exposed to the man and his teachings. [31.]
A-8.	A description of the process and criteria to be used in screening applicants should be included in the proposal. Diversity from a variety of professions, occupations and fields of endeavor is encouraged. Trainees shall be accepted into the FELDENKRAIS Professional Training Program regardless of their race, gender, religion, physical limitations, age or sexual orientation, provided they fulfill the other requirements described herewith. [27.]
A-9.	Previous experience in the FELDENKRAIS METHOD, both FI and ATM, is needed for participating in a Training Program. [28.]
A-10.	In countries, where the main language of the trainees is not English, a translation of materials should be provided. [32.]
A-11.	It is expected that ATM will be part of the curriculum all four years of the Training Program. The educational plan will specify how AWARENESS THROUGH MOVEMENT will be taught in relation to FUNCTIONAL INTEGRATION. [33.]
A-12.	The proposal shall include: [16.] A description of the process and criteria to be used to remove trainees during the training. [16-g.] A description of the graduation process will be included in the proposal. [16-h.] A description of the on-going feedback and evaluation strategies to track the progress of the training, the trainees, the Assistant Trainers, and the performance of the Trainers. [16-j.] A copy of the contract to be signed between the training organization and the trainees. [16-k.]
A-13.	Each trainee must have the opportunity to teach ATM under supervision before they are authorized to teach ATM with the public. Such authorization will not be granted before 80 full days of training is completed. [37.]
A-14.	In the last quarter of the training, each trainee will have the opportunity to give at least two (2) FI lessons under supervision. [38.]

Educational Direction

A-15.

The function of Educational Direction of the Training Program includes: [30-c.]

Development and implementation of the educational plan and coordination of the educational process.
Coordination and integration of all Trainers and training staff with the process.
Ongoing evaluation of the educational process, including how it is received by the trainees.
Evaluation of the trainees for graduation.

Contract

A-16.

A contract shall be signed between accepted applicants and Training Organizers. This contract shall include: [29.]

a.number of FI lessons included in the tuition

b. fees, conditions of payment and responsibilities for non-payment of fees

c. number of hours and years

d. evaluation process during the training

e. causes and process for dismissal

f. maximum of permitted time of absence during the training program

g. authorization to teach ATM after a designated period of time

h. graduation process

i. a clause about the intention of the trainee to complete the four years in one training

j. a statement about what insurance coverage the Training Organization offers.

k. description of when and how the service mark terms and the logo may be used.

l. a statement about needing to conform to laws about "hands on" practice in certain cases, in some states, provinces, and countries.

m. a statement that the training is organized under policies of an International Accreditation Board.

n. a statement that the training has to be completed in seven (7) years.

o. a statement that the trainee agrees not to advertise at all during the first two (2) years of the training.

p. a statement to the effect that by signing the contract, the trainee authorizes the use of their name, address, date of birth, email address and any status conferred by the training, in FELDENKRAIS databases (local Guilds and EuroTAB).

PART B

Administration, finances, laws

B-1.	Is the training organized in a country with a professional IFF full member organization?
	In countries where there is a formally recognized Association of Practitioners/teachers, the TAB will consult with the national organization. No Training Program in a given country will be accredited without consulting with the national Association of Practitioners. A letter from the Practitioner Association regarding the Training Program should accompany the training proposal. Each country may have a specific agreement with the TAB regarding the way to be considered in the process of accrediting a proposal. [3.]
B-2.	Include a statement in the proposal attesting that the program is in compliance with country, state, and local laws and that all necessary permits and licenses for conducting a professional Training Program have been obtained. [10.]
B-3.	The Administrative Director shall know the laws, language and customs on the country in which the Training Program takes place. Someone from the Administrative staff shall be present on the training site as often as needed. [15.]
B-4	The proposal shall include: [16.] a. Name(s) of the Educational and Administrative Director (s) as well as the contact person responsible for the communication with ETAB b. List of qualifications and duties of persons responsible for administrative and professional aspects. c. Location, where the Training Program will be held. d. Exact dates, indicating how the minimum requirement of the 200 hours per training year will be met. e. A list of the names of the Trainers and the dates for which they are scheduled. f. Training Application and compliance percentage in Euro.
B-5.	The TAB shall receive a fee for the process of accreditation. The current fees are: [17.] a. The Training Application fee (non-refundable) is € 550. (This is a one-time fee, to be included with the application.) b. The Training Accreditation (compliance) fee is 3 % of the yearly tuition fee, multiplied by the number of students per year, payable at the end of the training year to the EuroTAB office. The total amount per student shall not exceed 80 €. This affects trainings accredited after 31st December 2018.
B-6.	A fee has to be paid yearly without direct relationship with a student membership. The fee is set at 20.- Euro/calendar year per trainee. The fees should be paid and the names and addresses of the trainees given to the EuroTAB Council by the 25th day of the training program. The fee is to be paid as follows: [18.] a. for all trainees in the training, the fee is paid to the host Guild/Association of the country where the training takes place. This is irrespective of the trainees' country of residence. A training may take place in a country where there is, as yet, no Guild. In this case, the Training Organizer will pay the fees to the EuroTAB Council. Once a Guild is formed, which is a full member of the EuroTAB Council, the EuroTAB Council will give this money to that Guild. The list of names and addresses of trainees will also be sent to the Council, who will send on names and addresses to relevant Guilds.

Quantities and Schedule

B-8.	Exact dates, indicating how the minimum requirement of the 200 hours per training year will be met. [16-d.]
B-9.	In training segments longer that 10 days, there has to be at least one day off after each 7 days. [11.]
B-10.	During the training, the trainees shall be exposed to a minimum of four trainers. The maximum any one trainer can teach is 50%. However, an Educational Director who has directed a minimum of two training programs can teach a maximum of 60%. The additional days shall be taught by a minimum of three additional trainers. Minimum exposure to any of these three guest trainers is 10 days. (Additional guest trainers may be present for less than 10 days.) The educational plan will indicate how the principle of significant variety will be implemented. [34.]
B-11.	A Trainer needs to be present for the entire 800 hours, except for brief and extraordinary circumstances. However, a maximum of 10 (ten) days of any training program can be taught by an experienced Assistant Trainer (defined by a minimum of five (5) years of experience as an Assistant Trainer and 280 days of work in training programs) or a Trainer Candidate without the Trainer present, but with Trainer supervision, at the discretion of the Educational Director. No more than five (5) of these ten days may be consecutive. Training proposals must include specific dates a training is to be held, with a list of who the Trainer is for each of those specific dates. [12.]
B-12.	If an Assistant Trainer is scheduled to be the Trainer for a specific segment on the assumption that they will be granted Trainer status by that time, a letter from a Trainer will be required committing themself to be a backup for this time should the Assistant Trainer not become a Trainer as scheduled. [21.]

Continuity and Educational Direction

B-13.

Proposals must specifically address the means by which continuity may be achieved throughout the training process. The preferred means for doing this would be that a single person, or perhaps two people sharing the role, would be present 100% of the time. Those filling this role should be Trainers and/or very experienced Assistant Trainers.

Alternative means are possible: various combinations of faculty, manuals, design materials, and communications with the Educational Director may be used to fulfil the continuity functions, given the specific situation for each Training Program. Whatever the circumstances, the Educational Director must be present at least 50% of the time. The proposal must specifically account for the following aspects of continuity:

how the students' need for a consistent, reliable presence by an educational team member is actualized. [30-a.]
how each incoming Trainer will know about the educational design and what has preceded the current segment, including information about any special needs of the group and/or specific students.
how the Educational Director will learn about the segment including information about any special needs of the group and/or specific students.

Declaration of Obligation: As part of the Training accreditation process in Europe and Israel, training organizers will be required to sign a Declaration of Obligation in which they agree to be bound by their guidelines in regard to fulfilling their obligations and paying the required fees, as listed in B-5 and B-6.