After you have completed the full 12-month OMF Teacher Training programme and reached 'Advanced Beginner' level, there are two different options of teacher certification:

The Trained Teacher Certificate

does not involve a Mindfulness- Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC) assessment. Your teaching videos will not be assessed by a trained MBI:TAC assessor, however, your supervisor/ mentor will have seen samples of your teaching and will be asked whether they support your application. This Certificate validates that you have completed the required level of training the OMF believes is necessary (as a minimum) to teach mindfulness and that you have taught at least two courses under supervision. It does not certify your level of competence.

The Certificate of Competence

requires a full competency assessment which involves submitting recordings of you teaching an MBCT course. These recordings are viewed by
a highly trained assessor, who will assess your teaching based on the Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC). The Certificate of Competence is awarded if your teaching is assessed as ‘Competent’ or above in a minimum of five domains with no more than one domain rated at ‘Advanced Beginner’ and none at ‘Beginner’. This assessment is an internationally recognised process, and assessments are made by highly experienced teachers who have themselves undergone lengthy and rigorous training in how to assess reliably.

Criteria for teacher certification:

Requirements Trained Teacher Certificate Certificate of Competence
Teacher Training Completed one of the OMF Teacher Training Pathways Completed a recognised MBCT training pathway
Teaching Experience Taught or co-taught a minimum of 2 MBCT* courses under supervision/ mentoring Taught or co-taught a minimum of 2 MBCT* courses under supervision/ mentoring
Assessment – Your supervisor/ mentor, who has seen evidence of your teaching (video footage or real-life teaching of a selection of practices, inquiry and cognitive exercises), will be asked whether they support your application
– You will also be assessed on your written reflective statements on what you have learnt through supervision/ mentoring and through teaching
– The recordings of your teaching will be assessed by a trained assessor using the MBI:TAC
Fee £250 £595

* The term MBCT includes MBCT-D, MBCT-L and Finding Peace in a Frantic World.

For more information on requirements and how to apply:

Trained Teacher Certification

Find Out More
Resources

Certificate of Competence

Find Out More
Resources

How do I decide which to apply for?

We are offering a flexible approach. When you have completed your Foundational Teacher Training and taught at least two courses under  supervision/ mentoring, you then have a choice:

– To apply for a Trained Teacher Certificate
– To apply for a Certificate of Competence
– To apply for Trained Teacher Certificate now and apply for a Certificate of Competence at a later date

So how might you choose? Relevant questions might be whether a Certificate of Competence is necessary or useful in the professional context in which you teach, and if it isn’t, whether you would like it anyway. Or perhaps you would like to apply for a Certificate of Competence at a later stage. Maybe Competency Assessment is simply not yet available in your language and country; or you just want to wait until you have more experience of teaching. You might like a Trained Teacher Certificate now to evidence the training you have completed and your readiness to teach mindfulness.


Trained Teacher Certificate

The Trained Teacher Certificate will show that OMF considers you to be fully trained to teach MBCT i.e. you have completed all the stages of our Foundational Teacher Training and have taught at least 2 MBCT courses under supervision/ mentoring from a trained supervisor/ mentor.

Why apply for the Trained Teacher Certificate?

The Trained Teacher Certificate is not a Certificate of Competence and does not replace it. Competency assessment based on the MBI:TAC is a rigorous process and not every trainee will need this level of certification (usually only required if teaching mindfulness in a clinical/healthcare setting or if requested by an employer) may wish to apply for this. In countries where MBCT has only recently been introduced, it will take some time before competency assessment is available in the trainee’s own language and takes into account cultural sensitivity. In the meantime, trainees can apply for a Certificate ‘to hang on the wall’ which validates the quality of their training and their experience of teaching.

Requirements

You need to have completed the OMF 12-month Teacher Training, taught at least 2 courses of the same type (e.g. 2 x MBCT, 2 x Mindfulness for Life or 2 x Finding Peace in a Frantic World) under supervision/ mentoring, and write reflective statements on what you have learnt through supervision/ mentoring and through teaching. Your supervisor/ mentor will be asked to support your application. For more information on the application process, see the resources below.

If you have any further questions before applying, please contact admin@oxfordmindfulness.org

Trained Teacher Certificate Resources
Handbook The handbook contains full details of the application process. Please do not proceed to the application form until you have read this. Open
Portfolio Template You will be asked to upload a portfolio to your application using this template. Download
Supporting Statement Template You will be asked to upload a supporting statement from your supervisor/ mentor to your application using this template. Download
Guiding Ethical Principals As part of your application, you must confirm that you are committed to adhering to the OMC’s Guiding Ethical Principals and any other code of conduct relevant to your professional context. View
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Certificate of Competence

Please note: at the moment we are only offering competency assessment to trainees on the OMF Training Pathway.

Requirements

The requirements for applying for formal competency assessment are set out in the MBCT International Training Pathway (Segal et al., 2018). Before applying, you will have taught at least two MBCT courses as an apprentice, with regular ongoing supervision/ mentoring of your teaching from an experienced MBCT supervisor/ mentor. Your supervisor/ mentor may advise you to gain more experience of teaching before applying for a formal assessment.

If you meet the pre-requisite criteria and you are assessed as ‘Competent’ or above in a minimum of five domains with no more than one domain rated at ‘Advanced Beginner’ and none at ‘Beginner’, you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency to Teach MBCT from the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation.

Certificate of Competence Resources
Handbook The handbook contains information on how to formally apply. Please do check this process to ensure you are eligible to apply. Open
MBI:TAC summary A summary of the MBI:TAC is available on this page. Open
MBI:TAC addendum for online delivery of Mindfulness-Based Programmes Courses taught online and submitted for assessment must comply with this document Open
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