Preceptory

A preceptor is a teacher responsible to uphold a certain law or tradition, a precept.

A preceptor was historically in charge of a preceptory, the headquarters of certain orders of monastic knights, such as the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar, within a given geographical area. The preceptor had supreme control of his brethren and was only answerable to the grand master of his particular order. A preceptory's main focus would be its church and accommodation for the brethren.

Examples include the Hospitaller Torphichen Preceptory in West Lothian, Scotland; West Peckham Preceptory in West Peckham, England and the Templar Aslackby Preceptory in Lincolnshire, Keele Preceptory in Staffordshire and Temple, Midlothian.

Within modern-day Freemasonry the preceptor is the head of a lodge of instruction. Such lodges operate within a geographical area and provide training in the performance of the order's ritual for members of the order. The preceptor is an elected position and is usually a Freemason who has spent several years as a director of ceremonies in his local lodge and is considered an expert in the ritual of the order.

In English Freemasonry, the Preceptor of the lodge is usually appointed by the Master. His main responsibility is to prompt those masons who have forgotten their words. Some lodges, and some preceptors, take his theoretical status as a teacher more seriously than others.

Musically, the title preceptor usually refers to a monk responsible for making music in a monastery. He trained the monks in the traditions of plainchant for daily services and prayers.

Some North American universities have a special student position called preceptor. Preceptors are student volunteers who assist the staff professor and teaching assistants of a large lecture class by helping design certain lessons and holding his or her own office hours and review sessions. In some cases, volunteers are required to take an outside class focused on leadership development, where the final grade is determined by both the lecture professor and leadership development teacher. Thus, the preceptor earns credit for his or her preceptorship. It is considered a good leadership experience and reflects well on the student in his or her transcript. Preceptor can also refer to a paid student grader.

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