Teacher Certification by the Valley Forge Rug Braiding Guild is not a scary process!

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There are 3 areas that are important:

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1.  Being an Advanced Braider

     • You can skillfully braid at least 3 shapes from the following list:  round, an oval, a heart, a rectangle, a square, an octagon, a hexagon, a diamond... or a shape of your own devising.  At least one shape should be continuous, and at least one shape should be all-butted.  One of the rugs should have a diamond pattern or a zigzag pattern.

     • Corners are where they should be, and color changes are well-placed.  The rug is flat.  Seams are (mostly) hidden. Tapers are well-placed and not obvious.

     • You can butt braids by two methods, one of which will work in a small space (only 2 or 3 straight loops between corners).

     • From 3 photographs, you can pick out where the braiders went wrong and describe how to fix the problem.

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2.  Making Good Handouts -- OR Videos -- for Classes

     • A good handout is invaluable for a good class.  It tells the student exactly what supplies and fabric quantities are needed for the class; it gives them clear photos or diagrams with explanatory descriptions of important steps; it serves as a reference for reviewing steps in the future.  For certification, a handout from one of your classes should be submitted.  

     • An alternative is to create a video that leads the student through the supplies needed and the skills shown in the class; the video can be watched again and again for review.  For certification, a teaching video can be submitted.

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3.  Taking a Class in Online Teaching for Rug Braiding 

     • As part of the commitment to Teaching Teachers, the VF Guild will offer periodic classes in the skills necessary for teaching online via Zoom.  This class is necessary for certification, OR:

     • Demonstrate that you can successfully show your hands braiding for instruction on Zoom or other online platform -- usually requires using a laptop/desktop for speaking to students, and a second camera (smart phone or webcam) for overhead filming of your hands working.

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***Once these three points are achieved, you will receive a mailed certificate documenting that you are a Valley Forge Certified Rug Braiding Instructor.   Certification enables you to post classes on the website and teach at VF braid ins.

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