“I am an I.T.F. International Instructor.” What is it when an instructor tells me that?
Well, what it is, and what it was supposed to be are two different things. It was supposed to be that an “International Instructor” was a 4th to 6th Dan I.T.F. black belt that has attended a 3 Day (minimum) Instructors Course given by Gen. Choi or his designated I.T.F. IIC instructors. While he was alive, there were two of them. One was GM Rhee, Ki-ha, the other was GM Charles “Chuck” Sereff. When the International Instructor title was given, only then could black belts have the black stripes down the arms of the dobak. If you have not attended an IIC, then you were only allowed the black stripe down the pant legs.
So how is it? From its inception, it has been paid the Course fee, shows u, and then pay the certificate fee. And the I.T.F. would send you (sometimes had your certificate ready at the end of the events.) your IIC certificate. So, the IIC especially the last two years before the General’s death had become attendance and cash based!
The IIC should be competency-based! There should be a form of oral, written, and practical applications after the black belt have attended the event. The IIC should be closer to a week-long or broken up into several levels. The I.T.F. under GM Pablo Trajtenberg (acting) has headed in that general direction over the last couple of years. The I.T.F. under Chang Ung has made a couple of these as part of their IIC, and the I.T.F. under Choi, Jung-Hwa does what’s called “Master Class” and it has been more of a lecture series rather than a practical seminar. Also, the instructors should require routine re-testing and qualifications, and some organizations have also started this.
The largest roadblock to these changes is the fact, that once they have an IIC certificate, a lot (of course not all) of the higher dan ranks believe since they have been to a Gen. Choi IIC, that they become an “authority” in instructing Taekwon-Do. It has been my experience that every instructor needs to routinely seek instruction, improvements, and experience! To use, and promote an IIC that has a written, oral and practical application, testing, and follow-up system.
Soon, we will promote a ‘model’ for an IIC that the Kido Kwan instructor must follow, and must have prerequisites and other criteria before and after an IIC. It is my (authors) firm belief that it doesn’t and shouldn’t take the 9th Dan to teach and promote an IIC. IICs, should and could be taught by QUALIFIED 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th Dans, along with 8th and 9th Dans!
(updated 29OCT2010)
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