Master/Student Program -Temporary Place

"Two there should be; no more, no less. One to embody power, the other to crave it." -Darth Bane

Taldryan Master/Student Program

Introduction
Created as a sponsorship program, Taldryan’s Master Student Program is based on the core value that for new members to be successful a welcoming hand and dedicated support of a veteran member is required. It is our hope that through such interaction, new members will find themselves more accepted within the unit and this will assist in developing bonds between the member and their housemates. It’s important to note that while together the master and the student will be working for the students advancement to Dark Jedi Knight (as well as furthering the veteran’s career in the process), the main objective is the human interaction between the pair and the development of a strong friendship. Therefore it is stressed that the pair both be active and work together on competitions and goals (battling together in the ACC, playing a few matches together, etc). Through the successful start of a new member to the unit, this in turn assists the veteran member in succeeding in their goals for rank progression by adding merit for advancement. Overall, this too in turn assists the unit as a whole by retaining new members and assisting both members in advancement.

Overview
Developed in coordination with the duties of the Taldryan Rollmaster, new members joining Taldryan will find their selves welcomed and educated in their initial steps towards Dark Jedi Knight by the current RM. Within time, upon the proper rank, they will be informed of their right to enter into the master student program and, should they accept, the Rollmaster will help develop a compatible pairing between student and a willing master. (Members who do not wish to enter the program will remain under the direct care of the House Rollmaster; however, this is not recommended as there will not be as much time devotion available as a formal master would be able to provide). With a standing list of master candidates, a suitable master will be approached and introduced to the student by the Rollmaster. Should parties agree to work together, the pairing will be officially documented and continually supervised by the Rollmaster. From this point out the pair will work together in obtaining DJK for the student and will be requiring the active participation of both parties. Should the pairing not work out, an appeal can be submitted to the Rollmaster to have the pairing dissolved.
A note should be given, that any member approved for master status may feel free to be proactive in the search for a student. Should friendships develop before a member makes it to Protector, a pairing can be approved before the targeted rank is acquired and it is encouraged for veteran members to reach out to new Journeymen within the House. Furthermore, new members are always welcomed and a proactive nature from them is encouraged as well.

The Student
It is important to stress that this program is built around the student. It is their enjoyment within Taldryan that is to be stressed and this program is a means to help develop that. Through their participation, the student should come to understand that the DB is a place that isn’t just built on ranks, games, or writing but that the organization lives off of the friendships (many of which are long term) that develop between members. Therefore below are some recommended guidelines to members who participate in the program as students:

* All journeymen from the rank of Protector (PRT) up have the right to enter the M/S program and will be made aware of this by the current Rollmaster. Exceptions will be made for lower ranked members, should they wish to enter the program earlier.
* Make sure the Master you will be paired up with is someone you can work with. M/S pairings have the potential to last a year or more, so take the time to go on IRC and speak to the members of the list of available candidates and get to know them before selecting one.
* Please try to maintain regular communication with your Master (Email, IRC, Messenger, etc.), no one will press you to be more active then you desire to be, but simple courteous behaviour will remove much of the stress. For example, real life does get busy and should you be busy for a few weeks a simple email to your master will help keep sanity.
* Report activity to your master, this helps them know exactly when a recommendation can be made and unless they are in the Summit they won’t have access to the DB resources like the House Summit does.
* Try to remain open to suggestions and advice; Masters are the experienced ones and are not trying to lead you astray. However, should you have doubts about anything then the Rollmaster will openly available to hear any of your concerns and will assist in resolving the matter appropriately
* Let people hear your opinion. No matter the rank, every member within the brotherhood has equal say. We all want to enjoy ourselves and are protected by the Chamber of Justice from harassment so don’t be discouraged and feel free to bring up any matter with your master, your House Summit members, or even other veteran members.
* And finally, should at any point a student feel that the pairing is no longer beneficial to them or that a new Master needs to be replaced with their current, they have the right to request such action of the Rollmaster. (Please see the Compatibility Issues section for more details)



The Master
More than any other position in Taldryan, the master is a position of trust. Directly responsible for the well-being, education, and enjoyment of a new member, the master is a vital component of the unit. It is because of this that it is stressed that for a member to be a Master within Taldryan they must be worthy of representing the unit. Therefore, unlike the position of Student which is considerably open to acceptance, the position of master requires more of the Taldryanites involved in the program and therefore has the following requirements before being approved by the Rollmaster for the candidates list:
Master Requirements:

* Members must be Dark Jedi Knight or higher.
* Members must have a level of activity in the House; e.g. Participation, IRC, etc. and not expect their participation within this program as the only means of supporting the house.
* Members must have regular access to IRC
* Members must have a regular and timely email turnaround rate
* Members must be educated in the Promotion Requirements for all the Journeymen Ranks
* Masters must be in good status with the House and Brotherhood



Once a member has been approved for the available candidates list, the Rollmaster will keep their names in mind for each new recruit that enters the program. Depending on the interests and personalities, the Rollmaster will rate the best three candidates for the student and approach them about taking on the student. With the Rollmaster’s confidence and the master’s agreement, the pairing will be approved and documented. It is important to stress that a master may only take ONE student at a time. After this, the master will then become the sponsor of the student and work with them on enjoying the activities within the brotherhood. Since all requirements for the journeymen ranks have been outlined in the MAA guideline, the master should encourage the member towards activities relative to their advancement but should not dismiss activities the student may enjoy outside of this - even if they are activities the master their self doesn’t enjoy. Below are a list of recommended items the master should keep in mind during any pairing:

* Be open and available to the needs of the student
* Make the best effort to keep the student engaged and enjoying Taldryan and the DB as a whole
* Be aware of real life restrictions between both members
* Take the time to identify and explain the rules of the Brotherhood and promote every resource of it
* Try to be as helpful as possible with every platform of the Brotherhood, or be able to direct the student to those who can aid
* Keep the Rollmaster informed with the progress of your student, providing bi-weekly reports at best or a simple word regularly on IRC at minimum
* Be willing to provide recommendation for each promotion (See Promotion section for more details)
* Be willing to provide advice to the student on their activity and provide the proper resources for them to excel in what their enjoy most
* Ensure that your apprentice is having fun!
* Keep an activity tracking record (ATR) if desired, these are incredibly useful when writing recommendations
* And finally, help your student network. Introduce them to friends and housemates, extend an olive branch on IRC when they show up, work on their inter-personal skills, etc. Help them make the lasting friends we have all enjoy.



The Rollmaster
As program supervisor, the Rollmaster is directly responsible for the creation, maintenance, and operation of the M/S program. While tasked with other duties for Rollmaster position, in regards to the program their responsibility is to the betterment of program as a whole and insuring the upholding of its core values. While certainly involved primarily with the journeymen of the house, the Rollmaster also has a duty to the house as a whole and must work towards its best interest rather than just to the student or master. There will be no favouritism for either party in the eyes of the Rollmaster, and should any disputes need to be resolved regarding the pairing the Rollmaster will act as arbiter. Key duties included but not limited to are:

* Educating new Protectors regarding the Master/Student Program
* Maintaining a list of available Master candidates
* Assist in selecting and approving all Master/Student pairings
* Supervise all masters and recording all reports
* Make regular reports to the House on the status of the MSP
* Provide guidance to Masters and Students alike
* Oversee the removal of unfit Masters
* Continuously document the Program



Communication

A vital component of the Brotherhood, communication is also stressed in the Master/Student Program. Each level of the program needs to be communicating with the next for the program to run smoothly, otherwise members lose morale and activity will decline. Members need to regularly speak with their sponsor so their activities are recorded and for the Master to know he efforts are worth their time. Masters also need to be in communication with their students to keep them engaged and to be aware of their activities as well. Furthermore, they need to be in communication with the Rollmaster so they know that the student is being observed and that the student is active and on a path of progression.

This goes for the head of the program as well, for it to best serve Taldryan the Rollmaster is required to document all activities in the program and report both to the house and summit. Furthermore, to insure the success of the student, they need to be in contact with both Student and Master. With each level reporting with the next, it cycles through the whole program and let’s all members be aware of the program’s progression.

Promotions

Advancement within Taldryan is both a measure of success and an opportunity to experience more of what the Brotherhood has to offer. Helping a student earn the rank of DJK and the perks enjoyed with it is a journey that bonds many within the brotherhood but it also requires a specific task for the master. Recommendations are an important element of any promotion whether it be to Novice or to Dark Prophet. Members enjoy it when they see the approval and acceptance into their new rank, but what makes it special for many is the kind words of the members closest to them. Recommendations are the sole chance many of us in the Brotherhood have a chance to leave a permanent message to an individual and that is why Taldryan requires so many to be involved in a members promotion.
When a new member joins Taldryan they will find that with each rank they will have more friends giving their blessing for the member to be promoted. When they enter the M/S program, this doesn’t change. This is why it is important for the master to be willing to write a recommendation for their student. And therefore, to provide some assistance for master, these are the recommended items in keep in mind when recommending a member for promotion:

* Define some positive traits of their character
* Mention in detail the specific requirements they have completed (for example, not just how many SA courses they have passed but which ones)
* Provide encouragement, this isn’t a critical analyst of them; beef them up
* Don’t ramble, keep it to the points you want to make



Compatibility Issues
Not all pairings end in success. Sometimes one of the two parties goes AWOL, other times there’s arguments over if people are pulling their weight in the program, and even other times people just realize they aren’t compatible. No one should feel discouraged regarding this, sometimes things just don’t fit together. However, things shouldn’t be forced to work together if they don’t want to; if you do that to two gears then teeth are going to be broken. The same is with people and alas, the Master/Student Program.
Should any issues develop between a pairing the Rollmaster should be notified immediately. This can be done for major events, but even minor things like a lack of communication over a week’s time should be brought up to the Rollmaster. Most times a simple discussion between both parties and the Rollmaster can get things rolling around. However, when this isn’t the case the Rollmaster will take the proper steps for the sake of the program. Note, this doesn’t mean the student will be sided with always nor will the master be sided with. What is best for the program as a whole will be considered and proper action will be taken following this. It is important though that everyone attempt to maintain their cool through the proceedings, no one wants hardships to develop out of a program dedicated to helping build friendships and the Rollmaster will do their best to insure this.

Current Pairings
Email Raiju if interested

Available Candidates List
Email Raiju if interested

Document History
March 24th, 2011 - Created by OP Raiju Kang
April 4th, 2011 - After review by TalSum; Preface removed, master requirements changed, students allowed to enter program earlier if desired, pairing system changed to ‘matchmatching’ style, and communication section added