In lieu of its cancelled 2009 conference, the Pilates Method Alliance is planning to hold a meeting of community members to discuss the terminology surrounding Pilates certifications and credentials. The meeting, or “Pilates Teacher Training Summit,” will be held Nov. 7-8 in Dallas.

All Pilates teacher-training providers are invited, from international companies to small studios, regardless of PMA membership. “Our goal is to solve the terminology issue that has caused major confusion and upset over the past few years within our profession,” said Deborah Lessen, Chair of the PMA Certification Steering Committee, in a press release. “This summit will be a proactive and productive process, aimed at agreeing how we can differentiate between completion of a comprehensive teacher-training program and a third-party credential. The goal is to promote education and standards that will simultaneously address everyone’s needs and benefit the industry as a whole.”

The keynote speaker will be James Henderson, PhD, Psychometrician for the National Commission for Certifiying Agencies (NCCA) and leader of the development of NCCA’s accreditation standards for professional certification programs. He’s also executive vice president of CASTLE Worldwide, Inc., the PMA’s test administration company.

Henderson will provide the basis for an open discussion among teacher training providers about the value of a professional credential and the differences between “certificate” and “certification.” Other issues, yet to be announced, will also be addressed. The venue hasn’t been set yet. If you plan to attend, you can rsvp to Maly De Jesus at the PMA (maly@pilatesmethodalliance.org, 305-573-4946, ext. 201).