Masters exam / AFTER MASTERS

Walter & Group....

From Jim Valle :-

Gordy and Group,

 

In fairness to all the MCI candidates out there I think it is important to put the Masters exam in perspective.

A Federation Master is first and foremost a teacher, expected to have a broad range of knowledge about fly fishing and casting. A Master must have the ability to teach and examine other certified instructors while maintaining  the degree of excellence the Federation has achieved.

 

It is impossible to know everything… No one expects a candidate to know it all ….I’m still learning.

 

The Masters program is about Understanding, Experience and Confidence and a real drive to learn more.

 

Accuracy

The size or distance to a target just isn’t the point. A Master should be able to make a good cast to a target at any distance. Proper form, loop and line control are the parameters I personally look for. That doesn’t mean within an inch,  It does mean however a FFF Master cast that could be performed in front of a group or at a show, a professional presentation. Don’t kid yourself it is going to happen to You! … Someone is going to get sick and you will be asked to do a demo, show or ever a 3-4 hour workshop on the spot… do you have the understanding experience and confidence to handle it?

 

Oral Exam Questions

The idea that questions are coming from an examiners ego I find a matter of interpretation. My dad once told me “if you look for a fight, you will find it”, and that can be applied here. Answering questions that appear to be from left field, or off the wall  first of all Will Not determine your Pass or Fail. These questions are about how you are going to handle a student’s questions, which have no boundaries. In reality the examiner is preparing the candidate for the real world, and from what I have observed first hand  these are examiner experience questions. By that I mean, questions that the examiners themselves have had to handle in their teaching experiences. This is all part of the education and culture of our program. I have also seen questions asked that are intended to help the candidate remember something or give the opportunity to show a candidates depth of knowledge on a certain subject.  It’s really about using your depth of knowledge to arrive at an answer that is logical….there may be no right or wrong answer… Consider Tom White’s “Getzit Fish” …  

 

Sometimes examiners are learning from the candidate …more than you think ..! Examiners are always looking to learn, they wouldn’t be Masters if they weren’t.   A new point of view is always interesting, provided it’s  well considered and thought out.  Remember every examiner has been there, they all understand the pressure and they all respect you.  It’s assumed you are experienced, up to date on reading and casting theory,  the cream of the crop. Examiners begin with the attitude  you are one of the best or you wouldn’t be there to begin with….It’s up to you to continue the feeling…

So I wouldn’t be too concerned with the questions or subject matter…. Answer as if a student were asking the question during a class… Examiners know the boundaries of the exams substance vs style!

 

Cheating

Personally I like to mark my lines and I encourage my students mark theirs for consistency of line control during practice . Never anything to do with accuracy. I have to keep my eye on the target and probably couldn’t look at the line marking if I wanted to … but, OK, so what! … that’s the exam criteria today, tomorrow it will be something different … so what! My personal feelings is that an instructor candidate especially a Master that needs an accuracy crutch, isn’t ready and is Not going to be able to pass the overall exam anyway.

 

Bottom line this is a professional casting program. Accept the challenge as a “Master” and part of your educational journey.

The reality is that you must already be a Master to become a Master. It’s not about the size of a target or a particular question.  

 

 

Hope that helps,

Jim 

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Jim ......    I agree with you.   We must remember, however, that the CBOG has voted to disallow any fly lines which are marked except for a mark at the base of the head when these lines are used during an MCCI exam.   Our candidates need to know that.  

Gordy.

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WHEN YOU PASS  -  WHAT NEXT ???

Here are some of the things I was looking for in the answers:

"Giving back" as stated by some of you, is an important consideration.  This can take many forms such as:-

1.)  Teaching, not only students, but CCI's as well as you help them on the journey you once took.

2.)  Actually becoming a MENTOR to those who seek this path.

3.)  PARTICIPATING in the educational ventures at Conclaves .....not simply attending.

       a.)  Giving worshops .... especially on subjects and casting where you excell.

       b.)  Giving other presentations at conclaves ..... slide shows, talks, etc., etc.

4.)  Helping to teach in various study groups.

5.)  Performing actual testing of CCI candidates.

6.)  Volunteering to join the MCCI testing teams at conclaves or wherever these are given.

7.)  Developing examination skills by working with those who have years of experience as seasoned examiners.

8.)  Staying current with fly casting knowledge and techniques as the years pass.

          a.) By frequent communication with other Masters and other experts.

          c.) Attending and participating in Continued Education courses.

          d.) Continued reading and studying the fly casting literature as new teachings and writings emerge.

9.)  By attending the yearly CBOG meetings whenever you can.

10.) By actually learning all you can from your STUDENTS.

11.)  By volunteering to work on CBOG committees.  (AS MASTERS, WE ON THE CBOG ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO !)  (many Masters didn't know this. Others who did have already become valuable committee members.)

12.)  By considering actually becoming a member of the CBOG, in time.  (After all, that is where our present Board members all came from over the years.)

          a.)  As the years go by, we need to replentish our Board membership.

          b.)  Each Board member serves for a period of 5 years.  He/she must then be re-elected. This is based upon the member's inclination to keep serving as well as the contributions the member has made as duties are performed.  In this way, members of the CBOG, themselves must remain current.

       Those of you who did attend the CBOG meeting at Whitefish Lake already know that consideration is being given to various methods of being sure that our Masters stay current.  In the future this may include periodic re-testing and /or some sort of system based on the accumulation of points earned by the FFF participations which I outlined above as well as others I may not have included.  By doing this, we'll not only remain relevent, but high in the eyes of the rest of the World of Fly Casting and Fly Fishing organizations.  This becomes even more important as we develop an increasing international profile.

Gordy