permaculture

["Michael Kramer" <MKramer@hawaii.rr.com>]

Indeed, Keith, the fact that only 26 people recognize Bill's certification
requirements (and only 1 American at that) says quite a bit about our
collective lack of consensus on this issue, and we are certainly not obliged
nor willing to adhere to his procedures. We have probably done a great
disservice all these years to have not had clear written standards in the US
or bodies to enforce them. The result is tremendous disparity in course
quality, format, expertise, cost, pedagogical approach, and effectiveness.
One could argue that all this experimentation is a protracted demonstration
of the notion of small scale trials, but then one has to wonder how we can
ever collectively agree to certification standards at this point, particular
for those who have already been teaching for quite a while; it seems that
this would be voluntary adherence at best, as clearly it is in regards to
Bill's certification process. At the moment, it would seem that everything
is up for discussion, which I suppose is my primary point. There are many
divergent views on these topics and a long way to go to create consensus, I
imagine, but we shouldn't pretend that there are accepted standards at this
point in time. I would love to see us in the United States create teacher
certification and quality assurance standards, design course curriculum
standards for a variety of courses, etc, as it would build permaculture's
credibility.

-----
Michael Kramer, Accredited Investment Fiduciary
Natural Investment Services
P.O. Box 390595
Keauhou, HI 96739

Michael@NaturalInvesting.com
www.NaturalInvesting.com
808-331-0910
Toll-free: 888-779-1500

Socially Conscious Portfolio Management & Hourly Consulting
Sustainability Strategic Planning and Education

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 01:40:51 -0500
> From: Keith Johnson <keithdj@mindspring.com>
> Subject: [permaculture] course length, certificate, continued
> To: Permaculture ibiblio <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <42216B73.8000404@mindspring.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Uncle Bill is a bit more rigorous on the subject of certification. I
> just found these new pages.
>
> http://www.tagari.com/PermInst/TeachReg/InfoStud_TReg.htm
> http://www.tagari.com/PermInst/TeachReg/TeacherReg.htm
> http://www.tagari.com/PermInst/TeachReg/RegdTeachersList.htm
> http://www.tagari.com/PermInst/TeachReg/Checklist.htm
> where, if you wish to be a certified Teacher you need to meet these
> qualifications:
>
> Letter applying for registration with Applicant's full name and contact
> details.
>
> Copy of Teacher's own Permaculture Design Certificate or if applicable,
> details of Diploma in Permaculture Design.
>
> Comprehensive Course Outline, clearly noting each and every topic of the
> curriculum of the Permaculture Design Certificate Course i.e.
> PERMACULTURE: A Designer's Manual.
>
> If Course Outline does not clearly note each and every topic of the
> curriculum, include extra notes indicating where the topic is presented
> to students (eg during site inspection, videos, practical exercises /
> demonstrations, within other subject discussions etc).
>
> Application fee - Aust$125.00
> This price includes Australian Goods and Services Tax (GST).
>
> So far there is one American listed as a certified teacher and that's
> one of Peter Bane's students, 20 Australians (David H. not included), 2
> South Americans, 1 African, and 2 New Zealanders.
>
> -- 
> Keith Johnson
> Permaculture Activist Magazine
> PO Box 1209
> Black Mountain, NC 28711
> (828)669-6336