Posted by A Long Post, but worth the time (from yahoo) on February 14, 2003 at 14:14:00:
To: Students and teachers
From: NAMAE
Re: Update and outlook for 1999
As we move into the final quarter of 1998 we are planning for 1999 and want to recap our first year of operation of the National Association of Martial Arts Educators. We would like to thank all participants and especially those who gave their time and effort to help make this system a reality.
In November of 1997 there was a meeting of teachers of Moo Doe in the New England area. That first meeting provided a starting ground for our new system. We met again in January of 1998 and July of 1998 to complete the earlier discussions. Some of the improvements that have been implemented this year are listed below:
* Strengthened the relationship between the Kim family trust and the members of our system.
* Provided more training for the main teachers of our style including belt training, teaching training and curriculum updates.
* Developed a detailed curriculum for all belt levels through 5th degree, enhancing uniformity throughout our system.
* Designed and released a full customizable curriculum book for use in the schools at no cost to our certified members.
* Increased access to senior practitioners in the system.
* Implemented individual video analysis of form and movement of main teachers.
* Significantly improved the National Accredited Training program, by spending more personal time with students before and after lessons, making lessons more affordable, highlighting key points and weaknesses of students with their instructors, and addressing needs of students in their training.
* Reduced monthly cost of 'full package of services' to $1,000 per month maximum (one certified program and one complete NAT subscription).
* Eliminated ala Carte fees for teaching credentials including IDs, Certificates and recognition patches for teachers certified and above.
* Increased the availability of key training materials- Chul Sa Chung bags and Yang Mul Su - allowing teachers and students to improve their training.
* Enacted major discounts (up to 80%) for extra curricular training for teachers
Our main goals as an educational organization are to maintain and strengthen our connection to the source of knowledge, Chong Su Nim, Iron Kim, grandmaster and founder of the Chung Moo lineage of Martial Arts in the United States. We have accomplished this by signing agreements with the Kim family stating that we are and will be the sole provider of this line of learning. The Kim family asked only 2 things of us, that we maintain our lineage, history, and recognition of our founder and that we maintain our traditional uniform system. We also hope to preserve the integrity of form, movement and knowledge for the benefit of students and teachers and provide a way for any member of our system to reach their highest level of accomplishment as regards the knowledge we share.
In order to accomplish these goals our organization and communication are critical for our success. These have been perhaps our weakest areas this year and as such will be improved. We will be using an Internet site to improve communication, resolve questions (i.e. who can test a student for first degree?) and share knowledge and ideas. We have taken the first step in the process and have the following address: WWW.martialartseducators.org. All official information will be disseminated through this site in order to avoid any confusion. If you have input for this site please let us know. We will start by putting out all of the Association approved procedures and operations as discussed and voted upon in our first meetings. We will also put out the 1999 schedule by October so that all students and teachers can make plans for their training. As updates to our system our made, we will make announcements on this site. Different classifications will have different access privileges to our site.
Some of the improvements we are looking forward to in 1999 are as follows:
* Further develop our relationship and learning opportunities with the Kim family.
* The NAT system will be available to certified members as a
* 1.) Subscription (as it is now) or,
* 2.) As a revenue sharing program (schools will receive nearly 30 % of student NAT)
* 3.) Optional coupon program where schools waive their share of revenue and pass it on to students thus improving affordability of NAT lessons.
* Open up electives to all ability and interest levels, in other words offer more and varied electives during each trip (schools still receive 10% commission on electives).
* Reduce monthly 'full services' below $1,000 for certified members.
* Further delineate specific belt training, teaching training, and personal training for certified members and above according to rank and ability.
* Open up participation on our executive board to registered level and above, through an election as discussed in our July, 1998 meeting.
* Initiate a public relations campaign to raise awareness of the positive and unique benefits associated with the practice of the forms and movements of Moo Doe.
* Develop a forum to foster better relationships, and enhance the knowledge of our certified and above teachers.
* Provide a direct communication link to senior practitioners for our active members certified and above
1998 has been a challenging year of all of us. We want to thank all those teachers and students who have worked with us to preserve and develop this valuable line of learning and to recognize that through their patience and determination we can all improve our opportunities to learn and to earn a meaningful life.
The National Association of Martial Arts Educators.