Titles

The martial arts titles of Master and Grand Master - for me - are shorthand for Master Instructor and Grand Master Instructor.

They do not speak so much about the bearers personal ability - like a rank degree (Dan) - as much as it speaks to their responsibility.

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These are the titles I like to use:

Teaching Assistant - a designated individual with the responsibility of acting as a facilitator for the instructor. They act as an extra set of hands, eyes, ears, legs, etc. for the person teaching the class.

Assistant Instructor - capable of working with a small group of people, under the instructor's direction.

Instructor/Certified Instructor - capable of handling the instruction of a class.

Senior Instructor - responsibilities include class instruction (what happens "on the mat") as well as anything else that needs to happen at the school.  A Senior Instructor would not need any additional information/support/instruction in order to be able to open up the school, teach any of the classes, sign up students, accept payment, close up at the end of the day, etc.

Master Instructor - is an instructor of instructors with responsibilities that usually extend beyond the walls of their own individual school.

Grand Master Instructor - an instructor of Master Instructors

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I think that it is difficult to make the case that titles should be tied exclusively to rank.

That would be like saying that you are only an adult when you reach the age of 18, or 21, or 25. I've known people that were very much adults when they were 16 and some that weren't until they were well into their 30's. What was the criteria?  It was mostly based on how responsible they were.

So again we return to... responsibility ... not simply ability.

Respectfully,
Kathy Wiz