01 March 2015

Pedagogical Pecking Order

A recent post on this blog, Inaccurate Data on the Rating List, listed eight FIDE titles awarded for organizational activities. After I wrote the post, I started to wonder what those titles mean. What, for example, is the difference between an instructor and a trainer?

I didn't have to look too hard for an answer. The Fide.com page Handbook :: B. Permanent Commissions has a chapter, 07. Regulations for the Titles of Trainers. Here we find a simple answer to my simple question.

1. Trainers’ Titles
1.1. FIDE & TRG recognise the following titles (in descending order of expertise):
1.1.1. FIDE Senior Trainer (FST)
1.1.2. FIDE Trainer (FT)
1.1.3. FIDE Instructor (FI)
1.1.4. National Instructor (NI)
1.1.5. Developmental Instructor (DI)

A little further down there is an explanation of the quailifications for the four titles through FIDE Trainer (FT). The highest title, FST, requires 'a ballot among the five TRG Board members', where TRG stands for 'FIDE Trainers' Commission'.

1.2.6. Evaluation Tables
1.2.6.1. Highest FIDE or National Rating (strength). Counts 20% on final title:
1.2.6.2. FIDE titles. Evaluation according to the Lecturer. Counts 10% on final title:
1.2.6.3. Attendance. Evaluation according to the Lecturer. Counts 10% on final title:
1.2.6.4. Bibliography - Published Material. Evaluation according to the Lecturer. Counts 10% on final title:
1.2.6.5. Experience as noted in the CV. Counts 20% on final title:
1.2.6.6. Written Exams. Counts 30% on final title.
1.2.6.7. According to the total result of the previous evaluation tables, the titles are awarded as following [...]

I couldn't find a list of 'five TRG Board members', but I suppose it means the first five positions on the page for Trainers' Commission (TRG). What sort of title could I hope to get? Giving myself the number of points indicated for the first two categories and an average score (50%) for the last four categories...

1.2.6.1 160
1.2.6.2 0
1.2.6.3 50
1.2.6.4 50
1.2.6.5 100
1.2.6.6 150

...I get 510 points! That puts me in the NI range. Assuming I could overcome my natural laziness and achieve a full score (100%) for the last four categories, I would get an additional 350 points. The new total of 860 points would put me just into the FT range. In reality, I think I would have trouble getting even 50% in the categories for 'Bibliography' and 'Experience', meaning that the highest title to which I could realistically aspire would be FI.

As for the three other titles, IA and FA are described in 06. Regulations for the Titles of Arbiters, and IO is described in 09. Regulations on Seminars & Title Award for Organizers. Those titles are most certainly out of reach for me.

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