I wondered if anyone attended the PMA event last weekend? I hear it was a forum for teacher trainers from all different schools of Pilates? Please share!

The PMA Teacher Training Summit was excellent. Many studios owners (large and small)were in attendance which created a terrific "meeting of the minds!" There were two excellent speakers: James Henderson, PhD., Psychometrician for the NCCA and Carole Ostendorf, PhD., PT, CEO of Lakeside School of Massage Therapy. Both speakers were quite eloquent and helped the PMA in it's quest to educate all of us on the importance of accreditation and credentialing. I believe most of us in attendance were fully supportive of the PMA's stand on certification - that their 3rd party certification exam should be the industry standard. Each studio should offer an assessment based certificate program that prepares the student to take the PMA exam. It was an excellent weekend and a great opportunity to network with other studio owners. Kudos to the PMA!

The purpose of this meeting was to establish a dialogue among representatives from Pilates educational programs, lineages and industry stake-holders about our common goal to establish the Pilates Method as a profession. As speakers from related professions pointed out to our group, to do so we must agree to recognize and adhere to basic professional standards and practices. The 2 primary points that were raised:
1) Distinguishing "Pilates Certification" from Assessment Based Certificate programs. At this point the PMA is the only organization in the US that offers a Pilates certification - all other schools and teacher training organizations are assessment-based certificate programs. To maintain this distinction and professional standards, we agreed not to use the word "certification"
2) CEC Requirements - Just as colleges degrees never expire, nor do "diplomas" from Assessment Based Pilates Programs. A certification on the other hand is a broad-based qualification to practice in a profession or a discipline. Continuing education is often required to maintain a certification but is not required to maintain "graduate" status from a Pilates school or program.
These distinctions have become somewhat confused within our community and the clarification is necessary to establish the Profession on a national/international basis. All in all the meeting was a success. Many voices and opinions were heard and respected and we very much came together as a community of professionals.

I wanted to mention that today we posted a downloadable report on the Summit weekend on our homepage: www.pilatesmethodalliance.org

This was a challenging weekend that required intensive focus, concentration and debate. We appreciate the support and participation from all of the 80 delegates that participated in the weekend who came from all across the US as well as from the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Canada and Mexico. I believe it was a unifying experience for all that attended, and I hope that the report on our website will serve to share the content and results of the meeting with those that were not able to attend in person.

The delegates requested that we plan more Pilates Teacher Training Summits in the future, perhaps once per year. We are definitely interested in doing this and are thinking about the best way to plan the next one.

Please do contact the PMA if you have questions about the report. Ray Infante, rayi@pilatesmethodalliance.org is on hand to answer questions.

Thank you!

Elizabeth Anderson
Executive Director
Pilates Method Alliance
www.pilatesmethodallianc.org

I know this is a late comment on the PMA Teachers Summit, but I feel it is necessary for an opposing side to be heard. The PMA is an organization that is trying to reach for something that can never be. One organization cannot properly educate, certify, and regulate all the Pilates training in the world. It is ridiculous for it try to do so, and it is wildly fascist as well. The fact is that it is the independent training schools that should be determining what certification is, and the simple written test the PMA calls a certification should be supplemental to that. Every Pilates instructor will agree that you cannont measure an instructors knowledge and teaching ability simply from a written exam. Pilates is so much more than rote memorization of exercises and protocols. It requires observing and listening to each client; assessing their level and guiding them with appropriate cues; it requires hands on learning and years of practice. None of these qualities are measured in the PMA Certification Exam. No less an expert thatn the current President of the PMA, Trent McIntire has said, and I quote, "I wouldn't hire an instructor to teach in my studio if they only had a certification from the PMA."
There is another issue with this stand by the organization and that is that it will definitely drive up costs for Pilates instructors. Not only do you have to go through a program costing thousands of dollars, you then have to shell out an additional $120 to joing the PMA so you can have the privilege of spending another $400-500 for the exam. And yet, if someone wanted to, they could not take any training program (save $2,500-$4,000), just borrow the PMA Exam study guide, maybe take a one-day PMA exam "Prep Course", and probably pass the exam no problem.
Many years ago, I suggested to the PMA president at the time, that we should establish minimum hours of study for recognition of certitications, like 200 hours for one apparatus, including mat, which could be a Level 1 Pilates Instructor, and then 400 hours for Basic Comprehensive Certification, Level 2, and then 500 hours + for Expert Comprehensive Certification, Level 3. This would give schools basic guidelines for meeting standards, and would then have freed the PMA to devote it's resources to helping schools improve their programs, and support Pilates instructors and the whole Pilates community in various ways that they are not doing now. Instead, I got the feeling that the PMA was on a track that it can't get off - one of control and ego, that really has nothing to do with upholding standards. IN FACT, by not recognizing any programs as having valid certifications, they opened the door to the multiple programs still offering one or two day Pilates certifications, which have spread all over the place. If the levels had been set before and recognition granted, then at least a minimum standard could have been adopted by the industry. But, instead let the buyer beware, confusion, and profligation ensued. Why did we go down this road? Why are we stuck to it? What will happen next? Well, the path seems to lead to more control and money interests: The PMA will want to start to make money off of offering a practical exam at "satellite centers". These will obviously be set up at the large schools, who have a financial interest in getting chosen to be a center where every instructor in the region will have to come and PAY to take an additional assessment practical to get Certification. It is all about money!!! The tradition of Pilates was meant to be passed on from mentor to pupil. It is not a cookie cutter system of training the body. Just as there are as many different ways to teach art, music, cooking, there are as many ways to teach Pilates. How will someone assigned as the PMA Assessment Facilitator, be able to appreciate your training if they are unfamiliar with the school you attended. There is just no way one person can be familiar with all the different schools and Teacher Trainers. Especially, since there are no standards on what a Pilates Program should entail. Shouldn't we discuss this first? How many hours should be devoted to Anatomy? How many to the Reformer, Protocols, etc, etc.
I say to all Pilates instructors, REVOLT! Stop your membership now and send in your reasons. Don't let them continue to milk you for more hard earned time and money. The PMA has been working against us and will never be for us.

There is grave misconception as to what the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) is and what it is not. I like to hope that these misconceptions have arisen from misinformation from underinformed individuals, rather than from individuals with an outright desire to undermine efforts to protect the public for their own advancement.

"The fact is that it is the independent training schools that should be determining what certification is, and the simple written test the PMA calls a certification should be supplemental to that."

Anyone involved in a teacher training program ("independent training schools") was invited to attend the Pilates Teacher Training Summit in November 2009. Several big name schools, and some not so big, were in attendence, and a majority agreed that standardization has become necessary because of the numerous two-day teacher training and online "certifications" that take advantage of unwarey consumers.

Basic guidelines and requirements for education were discussed amongst the independent training schools present and a vote was cast to define specifics. All schools were invited to the Summit. Obviously, those that chose not to send representatives did not get a vote.

"Every Pilates instructor will agree that you cannont measure an instructor’s knowledge and teaching ability simply from a written exam."

Practical competency is vital in any field designed to alter the human body. A written exam cannot measure the accuracy to which a nurse can hit the right vein when administering an I.V. or assist a surgeon in the emergency room. A nurse learns necessary practical skills at a nursing school, college or university and is tested for practical competency at the school level. The same training and testing system is followed for physical therapists, massage therapists, and athletic trainers. Upon demonstration of practical competency, students are awarded with an assessment based certificate (ABC) or diploma. This documentation is the proof of training required to sit for a state and/or national certifying or licensing exam.

Individual schools cannot administer their own state or national exams for healthcare professionals. Written exams are administered at facilities approved by organizations like the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. In fact the organization that provides accreditation for PMA is the same organization that accredits certifications for: nurses, midwives, radiologists, behavior analysts, dental assistants, occupational therapists,…and the list goes on.
(http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/NCCAAccreditation/AccreditedCertificationPrograms/tabid/120/Default.aspx)

The PMA cannot administer practical examinations for many reasons that were discussed at the Summit. All reasons relate to fairness and financial plausability.

Attendees of the Pilates Teacher Training Summit agreed upon a minimum number of training hours and agreed students must pass a practical examination in order to be awarded with an “ABC” or diploma. This documentation is not a legal certification. It simply provides proof of training and is required documentation for anyone wishing to sit for the PMA exam. Your application for certification examination will not be accepted without proof of practical assessment in the form of a certificate of completion, ABC, or diploma.

 
"The PMA will want to start to make money off of offering a practical exam at "satellite centers". These will obviously be set up at the large schools, who have a financial interest in getting chosen to be a center where every instructor in the region will have to come and PAY to take an additional assessment practical to get Certification."

The NCCA will not accredit an agency that endorses any school. This is why the PMA provides a paid listing of schools that meet their basic criteria, but does not endorse any one of them. The PMA is not allowed to participate in education or endorse specific programs. Their sole purpose is to administer an unbiased exam which provides basic consumer assurance and safety. The PMA does not participate in pilates teacher training or teacher education. They simply administer a fair and unbiased test based upon scientific psychometric standards. (wikipedia definition - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychometrics)

"...by not recognizing any programs as having valid certifications, they opened the door to the multiple programs still offering one or two day Pilates certifications, which have spread all over the place."

The PMA is not a training organization and only provides certification, consumer education, and advocacy within the Pilates professional community. Therefore, it is in the PMA’s best interest to recognize comprehensive Pilates teacher training programs and differentiate them from two-day “certifications”. Prospects must provide proof of comprehensive training in order to be eligible to sit for the PMA exam. Would-be Pilates teachers will not pass the PMA exam after completing an abbreviated course or self-study alone.

The PMA exam is a "base" exam that provides consumers and employers proof that an individual has been through a satisfactory training program, has basic knowledge and competency, and can safely train clients. There is no competition between the PMA and teacher training schools. On the contrary, the success of PMA is highly dependent upon quality training schools.

Pilatesteacher2010:
Thank you for the post. I agree with much of what you wrote, the most salient points, for me, being:

"No less an expert thatn the current President of the PMA, Trent McIntire has said, and I quote, 'I wouldn't hire an instructor to teach in my studio if they only had a certification from the PMA.' "

and

"Instead, I got the feeling that the PMA was on a track that it can't get off - one of control and ego, that really has nothing to do with upholding standards."

I am glad that Tori now has the above facts straight as to how the PMA is operating these days, however, it does not erase the fact that many longtime teachers have been left out of the mix, and fellow teachers don't seem to care about that at all.

At this point, our recourse is to take care of ourselves and to promote ourselves to the public, without engaging in the same kind of competitive game that the PMA is perpetuating. AASI, a grassroots, volunteer organization which I began in 2001 to promote community, is committed to supporting teachers who now find themselves at odds with the PMA's mandates.

Through our Coalitions, we are creating community and communication that allows us to be ready to respond to policy issues that may someday affect our values. Please view our website (www.aim-academy.org) and feel free to contact me (click on my name to view my PCDB profile); if you feel a call to service, AASI would wholeheartedly appreciate your attention, and/or your time and talents.

Thank you and Best Wishes

PS I wish the PMA the best of luck on its path; as a longtime teacher, I simply have chosen to follow a different path in order to forward the vision of JHPilates as I have come to understand it.

Tori writes:
“There is grave misconception as to what the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) is and what it is not. I like to hope that these misconceptions have arisen from misinformation from underinformed individuals, rather than from individuals with an outright desire to undermine efforts to protect the public for their own advancement.”

To speak to the above statement:

AIM Academy for Somatic Integration (AASI) has no misconceptions as to what the PMA is and what it is not.

From the PMA website: “The PMA's mission is to protect the public….”
This has always been the philosophy of the PMA, which we believe does not fully support the paradigm shift that Joe Pilates wrote about in “Your Health” and “Return to Life.”

AASI is absolutely for the advancement of any individual teacher who works in the best interests of the public they live and love to serve.

From the AASI website:
"Founded in 2001, AASI is a community of dialogue dedicated to the vision of embodiment and societal change inspired by J. H. Pilates and to enhancing communication in the cooperative networks of pilates teachers and enthusiasts everywhere. We herald the emerging multi-disciplinary practices. We recognize the client-centered paradigm of experience, education, responsibility, and choice, as means to safety, autonomy, and excellence."

Therefore, I must negate Tori’s thought process above which asserts that, if an individual resists or does not choose to be represented by the philosophy of the PMA (which, btw, many of us characterize as strong arm tactics), then that individual must be out to “undermine efforts to protect the public.”

To address the practical competency aspect of the PMA test...the fact is that the professions sited by Tori require a residency and/or internship as part of their practical training. Many Pilates trainig programs are not offering the apprentice type of traing required to develope hands on proficency and many do not require any observation hours .So one can certainly sit for the PMA test and pass that without even having worked one real body. Also as a regulatory board how is the PMA protecting the public and are they not advancing their own adgend?
Who did I pay to list my site on the PMA, who did I pay to take the test...and to join the organization?

Further..I can speak from experience in the fitness profession, this topic has raged on for at least 25 years. Setting standards that are applicable for what we do and the scope of practice for our profession has been under debate since the 80's and as yet is still unresolved.

I do think that we need standards for our profession..but should the criteria be decided upon by a self appointed board who obviously do not speak for all of us.

"Therefore, I must negate Tori’s thought process above which asserts that, if an individual resists or does not choose to be represented by the philosophy of the PMA (which, btw, many of us characterize as strong arm tactics), then that individual must be out to “undermine efforts to protect the public.”

That is not what I said. What I did say is that "there are many misconceptions about what the PMA is and what it is not". I wrote that there are many opinions formed based upon misconceptions. I wrote that I "hope" these misrepresentations come from something "other than" a desire to undermine for personal advancement.

No one is being forced to be involved with the PMA. However you can not shape it if you don't participate. In fact there were non-member teacher training schools present at the "summit" and no single voice was weighted any heavier than another. Those that feel left out of the mix need to participate. You don't get a vote if you don't show up to cast a vote.

Regarding the "paradigm shift Joseph Pilates wrote about":

The following was taken from an interview with Mary Bowen - "Joe did not die in a fire. He died two years later, in 1967, of advanced emphysema from smoking cigars for too many years (which he took up out of disappointment that he wasn't taken more seriously by the powers that be, especially physicians, during his lifetime)."

It seems to me that Joseph Pilates may have approved of a move to formalize his work and to align with other healthcare providers.

I still do not see the competive game the PMA is playing. It is NOT in their best interest to compete.

Regarding the statement 'I wouldn't hire an instructor to teach in my studio if they only had a certification from the PMA.'

I wouldn't hire a teacher trained by Romana without a practical interview either. I don't think any studio owner would hire anyone with any certification without an interview.

The teacher training program does not define the teacher. Some people are meant to be teachers and other are not. Some may be trained by a big name and not be as good as another individual trained by a small school. In the end no one will have "just a PMA certification". They will have a PowerPilates diploma AND a PMA certificate, or a Polestar diploma AND a PMA certificate, etc. The school "diploma" verifies that you have met certain criteria and benchmarks (including minimum hours and practical experience). Passing the PMA exam proved you have passed a national exam that FURTHER proves basic standards of competency. My business partner is a PT her masters is different than a masters she may have gotten from NCU, Masters recipients from IC and NCU take the same national exam though they learn a slightly different curriculum and are several states away from eachother. Standards prove that no matter where you go in the US you are safe and getting quality care/instruction.

"To address the practical competency aspect of the PMA test...the fact is that the professions sited by Tori require a residency and/or internship as part of their practical training." Well I don't know where you trained, but I was required to get a minimum number of practical hours (supervised and non-supervised) before I was allowed to sit for my exam.

"Many Pilates trainig programs are not offering the apprentice type of traing required to develope hands on proficency and many do not require any observation hours .So one can certainly sit for the PMA test and pass that without even having worked one real body."

FALSE - in order to sit for the PMA exam you must pass an exam from a school that REQUIRES a specific number of hours of training and REQUIRES practical examination. This is clearly noted in the Teacher Training Summit report.

"Also as a regulatory board how is the PMA protecting the public and are they not advancing their own adgend? "

Their agenda is to protect the public, they are non-profit and they only have two (maybe three) paid employees. Everyone else is a volunteer.

"Who did I pay to list my site on the PMA, who did I pay to take the test...and to join the organization?"

You paid the PMA who, once again is a non-profit and only has a handful of paid employees. You are paying for the 10s of thousands of $$ it costs to create and administer a standardized test. National accreditation is not cheap and incurrs a yearly fee as well. Web sites, lobbyists on Capital Hill to keep us separate from the general fitness instructors and personal trainers, and a list of other things I'm sure you could get access to because, as a non-profit, they are required to make their financials available.

No one is being forced to join the PMA. However, if you want to be in a position to be supported by them in the future you will need to take their exam. I think that makes sense. I wouldn't expect STOTT PILATES to support me if I had not taken their exams, or Romana Pilates, or BBU. (And, no you don't EVER have to be a member to be certified.)

I will leave the discussion now, but feel free to email me directly.

One of the problems I see with the PMA adgenda is that they are pushing for legislation that will eliminate the CHOICE as to weather or not one certifies with PMA. IF PMA gets approval for making their test the Industry Standard, it will definitely effect how we teach and what we teach and what schools we can attend to get our training. The small independent training program who perhaps has not joined PMA or Listed due to financial issues will be out of business. And as Tori mentioned she attended one of those training programs, and found it to be comprehensive and received great training skills. If PMA has it's way, that program will no longer exist, or even if it does try to cpmpete, who will spend time and pay to go through a training program that is not recognized when looking for a job after one has completed the program.
BElieve me I am all for industry standard that will ensure a through knowledge of safety and injury prevention,as well as the anatomy and physiology that are necessay and within the scope of practice of what we do. Which is teach EXERCISE. I know on the Power Pilates test one of the questions is to describe what is Pilates...and the answer is EXERCISE.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This thread has been edited. We ask you to please adhere to our Community Guidelines when participating in discussions, especially items 2 and 4, listed below.

2. Courtesy in Pilates forums: You will keep in mind that the Pilates-Pro.com Forum is an open and uncensored community which depends on the goodwill and responsible behavior of its users. Please treat Pilates-Pro.com, its employees, volunteers, fellow community members and guests on these boards with courtesy and respect, even if there is a difference of opinion. Please do not post or transmit any comment or statement which is deliberately intended to upset other users, start inflammatory arguments or interrupt legitimate discussion. General attacks on a person or idea will not be tolerated.

4. Private discussions: Sometimes, a discussion thread strays off into a friendly dialogue or a heated debate among a very small number of users. Public forum posts should be reserved for matters of interest to the general Pilates community. If possible, continue your discussion privately elsewhere; however, do not solicit personally identifiable information—everyone has the right to remain anonymous in this online public forum.

As a longtime practitioner, I "participated" in the PMA in good faith for years, until it became clear to me that the PMA's agenda is moving in a direction that is not for me. This is how I, and many others, have been left out of the mix.

Whether or not the PMA would continue on its course of attempting to accredit its psychometric exam was NOT under debate at the 11/09 Summit. The Teacher Training Organizations in attendance only voted on whether or not they were in agreement with the PMA's clear and stated terms. This is why I did not go to the Summit.

For those teachers who feel at odds with the PMA's operations and mandates, I have placed further response to comments above on the AIM Academy Forum. Please click my name for the exact link.

PS To Amy: I appreciate your moderation. :)

From time to time I feel it is important for me to make clarifications regarding statements posted about the PMA by members of the community. There are a number of factual errors in some of the posts above that I would like to correct or comment on for those who may be interested.

Quote: ‘One organization cannot properly educate, certify, and regulate all the Pilates training in the world.’

That’s right. The PMA does not educate or regulate. We certify Pilates teachers, and we are a professional association. These are critical distinctions.

Quote: ‘The fact is that it is the independent training schools that should be determining what certification is, and the simple written test the PMA calls a certification should be supplemental to that.’

Pilates teachers from across a range of lineages, schools and studios are exactly the people who created the Pilates Role Delineation Study; they are also the people who wrote all of the questions on the PMA exam. The exam was devised from/by members of the Pilates community.

All Pilates training schools are ‘independent’. With the exception of the very few housed within a university setting, they are all privately owned businesses.

PMA certification exam comes after one has completed a minimum 450 hour comprehensive (mat and equipment) Pilates teacher training program and passed the school exam. In that sense, you could say that the PMA exam supplements the school’s exam. It follows it; but the PMA exam is independent of any one school’s curriculum.

Here is a definition of what certification is, provided by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) (formerly NOCA – National Organization for Competency Assurance). ‘Certification is a voluntary process by which individuals are assessed against predetermined standards for knowledge/skills/competencies and granted a time-limited credential. The primary activity in certification is assessment, and the assessment process is independent of a specific course of study or any education/course/curriculum provider.’

Quote: ‘No less an expert than the current President of the PMA, Trent McIntire has said, and I quote, "I wouldn't hire an instructor to teach in my studio if they only had a certification from the PMA."’

Trent is quoted out of context here and therefore the statement doesn’t make sense. The point to understand is that a teacher has to meet eligibility requirements in order to sit for the PMA exam, one of which is ‘450 documented hours of training in a Pilates teacher training program’. One cannot ‘only’ have PMA certification. (Trent’s surname is ‘McEntire’.)

Quote: ‘Not only do you have to go through a program costing thousands of dollars, you then have to shell out an additional $120 to join the PMA so you can have the privilege of spending another $400-500 for the exam. And yet, if someone wanted to, they could not take any training program (save $2,500-$4,000), just borrow the PMA Exam study guide, maybe take a one-day PMA exam "Prep Course", and probably pass the exam no problem.’

This is incorrect. There are two possible eligibility routes to sitting for the PMA exam:

1) 450 documented hours of training in a Pilates teacher training program.
OR
2) 720 documented hours of employment as a Pilates teacher within the last 12-month period.

A person who has not done a teacher training program and who simply buys the PMA Study Guide and does a prep course would not be permitted to sit for the exam; they would have to demonstrate that they meet one of the two eligibility criteria above.

The cost of an annual PMA membership is $150. You do not have to be a member of the PMA to sit for the PMA exam. The PMA exam costs $250.75 for PMA members and $295 for non-members. No one has to join the PMA, and no one has to sit for the PMA exam. These are voluntary activities. Our alliance is working to establish teaching Pilates as a profession within the world of professions. All established professions have certain elements; such as a definition of what that profession is, and what the professional does and doesn’t do, standards for required education in that field, and a credential or qualification that you must have in order to practice in that profession. Some examples of ‘professions’ include: lawyers, engineers, professors, teachers, architects, accountants, dentists, midwives, pharmacists, medical technologists, nurses and physicians, to name a very few. These professions require education and a diploma, followed by an exam which earns a professional credential. This is what the PMA is working on for the Pilates teacher. The aim is to define, establish and then protect and perpetuate the teaching of Pilates as a profession among professions.

Quote: ‘IN FACT, by not recognizing any programs as having valid certifications, they opened the door to the multiple programs still offering one or two day Pilates certifications, which have spread all over the place.’

It is not an option for the PMA to recognize a ‘diploma’ as a ‘certification’. These are two distinctly different things; we cannot say that one is the same as the other. This is what the speakers at the Teacher Training Summit in Dallas spoke about so successfully. Schools do not certify, by definition. They grant certificates, or diplomas, to students who meet their requirements. Unfortunately, schools have been using the word ‘certification’ improperly for many years which has created the confusion we are now grappling with in this industry. ‘Certification’ is defined below. This is not something that PMA invented – this paradigm already exists across a vast range of professions. One can easily investigate other professions for confirmation of that statement. The definitions below come from the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE), formerly NOCA (National Organization for Competency Assurance).

‘Certification’ (associated terms/concepts: ‘credential’, ‘3rd party certification exam’)
Certification is a voluntary process by which individuals are assessed against predetermined standards for knowledge/skills/competencies and granted a time-limited credential. The primary activity in certification is assessment, and the assessment process is independent of a specific course of study or any education/course/curriculum provider.

‘Assessment-based certificate program’ (associated terms/concepts: ‘teacher training’, ‘school’, ‘education program’, ‘syllabus leading to an exam based on that syllabus’)
An assessment-based certificate program is a relatively short, non-degree granting program that provides instruction and training to aid participants in acquiring knowledge/skills/competencies and designates that participants have passed an end-of-program assessment derived from the learning/course objectives. Although assessment is an integral part of the certificate program, the primary purpose of the program is to provide instruction and training.

Quote: ‘If the levels had been set before and recognition granted, then at least a minimum standard could have been adopted by the industry.’

When the PMA was created, its founding members took a poll to discover if such an organization was formed, what would members like it to do? The clear mandate was to create a universal competency credential that people from all training backgrounds could sit for. The alternative to an independent certification exam (independent of any particular school), would be to create an industry-specific accrediting organization. This idea was rejected by the founding members, as it would mean that inspectors from the accrediting organization would have access to the training manuals and private administrative records of a school applying for accreditation. In a small and such a political field, people felt that they would not want their peers, perhaps coming from other competing schools, to have access to their private business plans/strategies/records.

The PMA exam, which is a based on a Role Delineation created by Pilates teachers, and consists of questions written by Pilates teachers, sets the minimum standard for competency and safety for Pilates teachers. All professional credentials assure a minimum (not a maximum) of competence.

Quote: ‘The PMA will want to start to make money off of offering a practical exam at "satellite centers". These will obviously be set up at the large schools, who have a financial interest in getting chosen to be a center where every instructor in the region will have to come and PAY to take an additional assessment practical to get Certification.’

This is incorrect. The practical training and assessment of the physical skills of a Pilates teacher are dealt with by the school, not the PMA. The PMA has no plans to create a practical exam. It’s completely impractical.

Quote: ‘. . . there are no standards on what a Pilates Program should entail. Shouldn't we discuss this first? How many hours should be devoted to Anatomy? How many to the Reformer, Protocols, etc, etc.’

This is CORRECT! This makes the case for the PMA exam, which was created through representation from a very wide range of leading teachers in the Pilates field, who came together to agree on what the skills and knowledge is that a Pilates teacher must have, and then wrote the questions to assess it. As it stands now, when a person graduates from a Pilates teacher training school and says they are ‘certified’ (rather than that they have a diploma from X school), there is no way to know what their ‘certification’ measures compared to what ‘certification’ from another school measures. This is because there ARE NO common standards, elements or protocols that have been agreed on by the schools which all schools must have. In the Pilates field, schools generally think of themselves as ‘companies’, not ‘schools’. These are very different paradigms. Our next Teacher Training Summit (May 13 – 15, 2011 tbc) will focus on asking the schools to agree on standard elements that Pilates teacher training programs should entail. This must be developed. We discussed this at the Dallas Summit; it is next on our agenda.

Quote: ‘I am glad that Tori now has the above facts straight as to how the PMA is operating these days, however, it does not erase the fact that many longtime teachers have been left out of the mix, and fellow teachers don't seem to care about that at all.’

The PMA wants to include all teachers within the alliance’s programs in whichever ways they want to participate. Many long time teachers are our ardent supporters and participants, including first generation teachers Mary Bowen, Ron Fletcher, Lolita San Miguel and Kathy Grant, and you can’t get more ‘longtime’ than that. There are many more other longtime teachers who are very experienced and established who support (and helped create) the mission and programs of the PMA. Unfortunately there are teachers who do not see the value in the PMA’s mission and who choose not to participate. We cannot be all things to all people; we respect any teacher’s choice to participate or not as they see fit. Participation with the PMA is voluntary, and it is appropriate for those who are in alignment with its goals.

Quote: ‘From the PMA website: “The PMA's mission is to protect the public….”
This has always been the philosophy of the PMA, which we believe does not fully support the paradigm shift that Joe Pilates wrote about in “Your Health” and “Return to Life.”’

The PMA is constantly growing, changing and striving to improve and respond to helpful feedback. We have recently re-written our mission statement, which is on our homepage:
‘Our mission is to foster community, integrity, and respect for diversity; establish certification and continuing education standards; and promote the Pilates method of exercise.’

Further, the notion of ‘protecting the public’ is an inherent purpose of certification. Put ‘certification’ and ‘protect the public’ into Google and you will see a great number of websites linking these concepts. This is not particular to the PMA. It’s an inherent component of professional certification. Certification serves to protect both the public and the profession, by definition.

In our effort to refine and improve our materials, we have recently taken down the 2006 Position Paper on Pilates. There were sections of that paper that needed to be updated and/or revised. Our plan now is to re-integrate the information from that document into our new website which is coming soon in a way that will provide more detail, context and a deeper exploration of various concepts presented in the paper.

Quote: "Also as a regulatory board how is the PMA protecting the public and are they not advancing their own agenda?"

The PMA is not a ‘regulatory board’. We have no authority to regulate anything. We are a certification body. Certification is voluntary. Our agenda is devised by the Pilates teachers who serve on our board.

To clarify our staffing, we have 5 full-time employees in the Miami office (Executive Director, Communication Coordinator, Certification Specialist, Membership Manager, Membership Administrator), and 4 part-timers (CEC Coordinator, Bookkeeper, IT Consultant, Conference Coordinator). We have service providers such as an attorney, accountant, conference producer, graphic designer, and many, many volunteers who serve on the board, on committees, and in many other capacities.

Quote: ‘I do think that we need standards for our profession..but should the criteria be decided upon by a self appointed board who obviously do not speak for all of us.’

The PMA Board of Directors is not self-appointed. They are elected by the PMA membership each year.

Quote: ‘One of the problems I see with the PMA adgenda is that they are pushing for legislation that will eliminate the CHOICE as to weather or not one certifies with PMA.’

This is incorrect. The PMA has not been pushing for legislation. In fact, we have pushed against legislation (along with many others) with regard to the Fitness Professionals Licensing Act proposed in the New Jersey Senate. Our request was for them to remove Pilates teachers from their bill, as Pilates was being classified as a subset of personal trainers and group exercise instructors for whom licensure was being proposed.

PMA certification would/could only become mandatory if/when all employers require it, or if teaching Pilates became a licensed profession. Until/unless either of those things occurs, PMA certification is a choice.

Quote: ‘IF PMA gets approval for making their test the Industry Standard, it will definitely affect how we teach and what we teach and what schools we can attend to get our training.’

See my last paragraph above the quote. There is no organization that would grant ‘approval’ of making the PMA exam an industry standard. No such organization exists.

The PMA exam is based on classical Pilates repertoire. The teachers who developed the Role Delineation and wrote the exam questions believed that the classical repertoire was the foundation of the technique and that all teachers, whether they teach at the ‘contemporary’ or ‘classical’ ends of the spectrum, should share a common basis of knowledge, skills, and exercise vocabulary, based on the classical work. Passing the PMA exam demonstrates a baseline of competency and safety. How a teacher chooses to teach (classical – contemporary) after that is up to them. The PMA’s concern is only that if they are teaching ‘Pilates’, that they work their Scope of Practice (http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/scope_2009.pdf).

Quote: ‘The small independent training program who perhaps has not joined PMA or Listed due to financial issues will be out of business.’

A training program cannot join the PMA – all PMA members are individual people (not organizations/studios/companies). Please bear in mind that the vast majority of teacher training schools are small or medium sized. There are very few large ones. The PMA will soon launch its Registry of Schools, which will list schools that meet certain criteria put forward by the Pilates teaching community (http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/tt_Summit_report.pdf). To repeat, these criteria were not imposed by the PMA, they were suggested and agreed upon by the 80 representatives of (mostly small) Pilates teacher training schools who attended the Summit. If you review the list of schools that participated in the Summit, you’ll see that the majority are small. The PMA is definitely not of the view that the best training comes from large schools and not from small or medium sized ones – we believe excellent training can come from schools that are small, medium or large.

Quote: ‘And as Tori mentioned she attended one of those training programs, and found it to be comprehensive and received great training skills. If PMA has it's way, that program will no longer exist, or even if it does try to cpmpete, who will spend time and pay to go through a training program that is not recognized when looking for a job after one has completed the program.’

This is incorrect. The PMA absolutely knows that schools of all sizes, including small schools, may run excellent training programs. We also believe that a member of the public that is researching where to do their Pilates teacher training has the right to have access to the most relevant information about prospective schools, so that they can compare and assess the programs available to them and make an educated decision about where to train. Please see page 6 of the Summit report, for information about the Registry of Schools (http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/tt_Summit_report.pdf).

I hope that these clarifications have been helpful. In our emerging industry, there are a large range of issues to understand, many of which are complex. I would urge readers always to do their due diligence by contacting the PMA to verify what they’ve read about the PMA which may come from a wide variety of sources. We are available to answer questions and explain what we are working on and why.

Elizabeth Anderson
Executive Director
Pilates Method Alliance
www.pilatesmethodallianc.org

Elizabeth Anderson writes:

"PMA certification would/could only become mandatory if/when all employers require it, or if teaching Pilates became a licensed profession. Until/unless either of those things occurs, PMA certification is a choice."

Exactly. Thank you for finally stating this. In my estimation, "UNTIL/UNLESS" are the operative words here and clarifies the PMA's hope and agenda.

Teachers please take note of this important distinction: The PMA is working towards making pilates a licensed profession. As Ms. Anderson all but admits in so many words, the end result of the PMA's efforts is to ensure that its Exam WILL BE MANDATORY for licensure as a pilates professional.

Most teachers would agree that pilates should not be classified as a subset of personal trainers and group exercise instructors and should not be regulated by those outside the field. However, most DO NOT agree that legislators should, instead, believe that the PMA has the FULL support of the pilates community and/or accept the PMA Exam as the standard.

The PMA continues in this effort even though many, many teachers do not agree with its terms at this time; the PMA continues in this effort even though in Elizabeth Anderson's own words (PMA Exec Dir, Nov 25, 2008 comment on the PPro PMA Certification Exam Post by Carole Amend):

"The Schools never sat down and agreed on what they all believed to be necessary for the training of a competent Pilates teacher, and they never agreed on how to measure these skills. Their syllabi can differ radically."

FACT: The PMA Certification Exam is no measure of these skills and does not ensure consistency or safety standards.

And so, here we are. AASI is glad that the PMA is forthcoming in its agenda and hopes that the PMA will, at some point, consider the efforts of AASI, as it asked in the premier statement on the AASI Online Blog on December 30, 2008 (Please see: http://aasicontributions.blogspot.com/2009/01/announcement-aasi-online-blog-begins.html).

I look forward to further communication and discussion through aboveboard, public online vehicles.

Thank you.
Sincerely,

Carole Amend
Founder/Facilitator
AIM Academy for Somatic Integration
www.aim-academy.org

PS Please note yet another link as you click my name.

Just to Clarify one point: You must be an Individual member of PMA to list your Teacher Training Program on the PMA site.

As far as board members being elected...Who were the original PMA members who elected the first board members..how does that work...I was a Pilates teacher during those days when PMA was being founded...I never received a ballot to vote for anyone...as an active participant in the profession why was my voice excluded from making a choice?

From the post above . . .

Quote: 'Just to Clarify one point: You must be an Individual member of PMA to list your Teacher Training Program on the PMA site.'

This is incorrect. Teacher Training listings are available to all. As it says on our website on this page: http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/studio_tt_listing.html

'To list your teacher training program on the PMA web site for one year, complete the Teacher Training Program Listing Application found below. This feature costs $300 for members (or $500 for non-members).'

All I can do is stress to readers, please do your due diligence by contacting the PMA to verify what you read about the PMA which may come from a wide variety of sources. Writing on blogs often contains incorrect information and conclusions about the PMA, as has just been demonstrated.

We will be launching a new website in the coming months which will include a section on the history and development of the PMA. This may answer some of the other questions above. If readers have a personal question for me, they can email me at info@pilatesmethodalliance.org

Elizabeth Anderson
Executive Director
Pilates Method Alliance
www.pilatesmethodalliance.org

I can assure readers that the information on the AASI Contributions Blog is sound, despite Ms. Anderson's assertion above. FYI, AASI has never made any reference to specific PMA membership or listing operations on its blogs.

The record will show that information put out by AASI has helped greatly in the past year and a half to create a forum for increased awareness and discussion on issues important to us all as teachers. It has also has helped immensely and will continue to help in reducing the common misconceptions about "certification" in the greater pilates community.

The information on the AIM Academy Forum thread entitled: On the Future of Pilates, Part 2 (click my name for link), offers information that has never before been made public by the PMA. I encourage all readers to visit often for updated information with regard to the process of professionalization.

Carole - it seems pretty obvious that Elizabeth was referring to LA's post.

Let me assure everyone that the information I obtained about listing my training program was not from any blog but from the PMA web-site and my impression at that time was that I had to be a PMA member to list my program on the site.