Documenting Your Experience - It's Worth the Effort!

I need help keeping up with my own self.


When a "Call for Papers" is issued by a society, there is usually a section that asks for prior speaking experience.  In past years, I didn't really keep a record like I should have, and it was a difficult task to reconstruct all of those events.

So, I began a file in Dropbox to help me in that effort.  I call it my "Genealogy - Learning and Teaching List".  It looks like this:

Each time I attend a class or present a class via conference or webinar, it is recorded.  I looked back over my calendar, and using syllabi from conferences and webinars from various organizations, I put it together.  Let me show you what 2015 looks like:

Again, there are two divisions for each year -- one for learning and one for teaching.

Here is part of the file for learning:

The list goes on for several more pages.  It also includes conferences where I have attended classes.  As much as I love hanging out with genea-friends during these events, I am also there to learn!

The one I am showing below was the clincher for me:

Last November, I was reviewing my lists for 2015.  As I was adding up the various venues I had been part of, either in person or via webinar, I realized why I was feeling a bit worn out.  

The in-person events added up to 62.
The webinars accounted for about 15-20 more.

I made the decision to fulfill my commitments up to the end of June for this current year, and to spend the last half of the year working on my own.  That includes research on my own family, refreshing some of my lectures, and the development of new ones.

And, it has been wonderful!

I have made a trip to Kentucky, with another one planned in September.

I have refreshed about 1/3 of my current lectures.  The others are still in the works.

I am in the middle of developing four new ones, with a few more rolling around in the back of my head.

There have been some "Calls for Papers" that I have responded to, and when I do I include the cumulative experience that I garnered from compiling my lists.

Now, there is another reason I am keeping this type of a record.  As with any credentialing organization, I am required to renew my Accreditation through ICAPGen every five years.  Though I am not inclined to do client work anymore, I feel I must show that I am keeping myself current and fresh.

These lists do the job for me.

And, there's even one more reason.

I have talked with several genealogists through the years that would love to become part of the speaking circuit.  A few still have children at home, or for one reason or another are just not able to do it right now.

My advice:  Do the above!

Start where you're at, and begin to record and document every time you are asked to present a class anywhere.  It doesn't matter if it's:

• At your child's school
• Teaching a youth class at church
• Helping Boy Scouts on a merit badge
• Giving a class at the public library
• Speaking at a local genealogy society
• Demonstrating a skill at a local history fair (think spinning, churning butter, ropemaking, teaching about early settlers)
• Serving as a docent at an historical site
• Writing an article for your local state or county society

I think you get the idea.

All of these experiences count!  Most recently, a friend of mine was able to receive credit for two college classes because her cumulative list showed the advisor the needed field experience for teaching.  

Be sure to ask for a letter of recommendation from any organizer that you work with.  These can carry a lot of weight, especially if they keep asking you to return.

Your time and your effort count.  But, until you actually see it written down, you may not realize just how much you have done.

Every Opportunity Counts

I consider myself to be one of the most fortunate people alive.

I was recently asked about my background, my education, etc.  I took a deep breath and gave my answer.

Other than high school, I have no formal education.  But, I certainly am educated.  Let me tell you why.

The opportunity to go to college was not there for me.  Being the baby of the family is not easy, for I didn't have a line of people encouraging me in that direction.  All of my sisters are educated, with nursing degrees and x-ray technician backgrounds.

But, I am not.  I was generally told college was for smart people.  And, I believed that.

So, I educated myself.

I worked at Bierce Library at the University of Akron for a number of years.  I could have taken classes for college credit for free.  But, I didn't.  I did take one class on how to play the harmonica from a man who used to play with Freddie and the Fendercats.  Now, I don't have the breath to even play the harmonica.

All I ever wanted to be was a wife and mother, and I really didn't think that would ever happen, either.  But, it did.  And, soon I was "stuck at home" with four children under five years old.

This is when I did my greatest amount of learning.  While the kids were napping, I was reading and studying.  I was expanding my musical talent, learning how to go beyond piano and organ and saxophone (from high school).  I acquired six-string and twelve-string guitars, a banjo, autoharp, recorders, and anything else I could get my hands and taught myself.

As the kids grew, we spent hours at the library.  Each were allowed to check out ten books - forty books each week!  Kerry and I would immerse ourselves in the history and reference section.

Our kids began to realize how books could open up the world to them at a very early age.

When my kids were in junior/senior high school, I was asked to be the Family History Director at our local ward.  At this time, I hadn't taken the time to learn to do the things the easy way (microfiche, microfilm).  I had always gone to the actual areas with my parents.

Long story short...that assignment led me to where I am today.  I have traveled the United States and spoken to the world.  

So, when asked about my background, let me give some advice:

1.  Always, always take advantage of every opportunity for learning that comes your way.  There are so many to choose from.  They range from conferences, webinars, and classes to local gatherings at the public libraries, local genealogy societies, and even public television.  Learning about the 1918 influenza epidemic helped me to realize how difficult it was for my grandmother and her sister to lose seven babies between them.  It enhanced the writings in my mother's journal, who happened to live through it and remembered it as a five-year old.

2.  Learn to recognize the opportunity in front of you.  It may come in a casual conversation with someone of advanced age, a class being held, a book at a book sale.  

3.  Make the time to learn.  If you wait for the time to come, you may be waiting a long time.  Set aside the time for your own education.

4.  Some opportunities are free - some may cost money.  We were a single-income family, so I had to be judicial in what I spent money on for myself.  It might mean only one trip per year with my sisters to do research.  It might mean borrowing a book from the library instead of buying it.  One of the best ways is looking through what I already had in my own home.

5.  Conferences and institutes are tremendous, if you can afford them and the travel involved.  I have been fortunate to attend many conferences, but had to sit back on many more.  With modern technology, I can attend some of the streamed sessions.  

The Family History Library is hosting a wonderful United States Research Seminar in August.  I would love to be attending it.  But, I can't.  However, there are at least twenty classes being streamed!  Take a look at it here .  I have registered for as many as I can.

6.  I am an Accredited Genealogist, and have been for the past fifteen years.  I made a choice between becoming Accredited, or going through the Board for Certification of Genealogists.  I chose the first, as it hones you in on a specific area.

I did not need to do this professionally.  But, I wanted to.  Some of my friends and colleagues were proud of my accomplishment, and let me know that.  But, I'm still the same Peggy as before.

My oldest child had left on a mission, and I had three more in various stages of junior/senior high school.  Acquiring this Accreditation was one of the hardest things I had ever done.  I thought I was good, but it polished me.  I am so grateful that I set that as a goal, and that I reached it.

There are many genealogy colleagues who are neither Accredited or Board Certified.  But, they are good.  Very, very good.  Neither of these are needed to do professional research or speaking at different venues.  But, perhaps it helps when the post-nomials are noted, for it shows you have gone a little further.

7.  I learn from my peers.  I have attended classes when I have sat in awe at the tremendous amount of information being shared.  I have learned things I didn't know that I didn't know.

I have also attended classes where the only thing I learned was how not to teach a class.  I am not saying that to insult the presenter.  I have known several whose brains are so full of knowledge that I am coveting them.  But, they didn't quite know how to convey that knowledge to others.  As they spoke, I took note of the attendees around me.  Again, I learned how not to teach.

8.  I am always in research mode.  Always.  When we travel, I am reading.  When we were waiting for children at piano lessons, swim meets, tennis matches, etc., we always had a book.  (We watched our parents do the same thing.)  We never go anywhere without a book to read or a journal to write in.  

9.  I have found that by helping another person, or preparing a new lecture - I learn more than anyone else.  I believe it's called *homework*.  

10.  Belonging to your local or state genealogy society benefits you in so many ways.  I am fortunate to live just a few moments away from the Ohio Genealogical Society.  I have blogged about it several times, and those are tagged in the right column of this blog.

One thing they have begun doing is having a series of summer learning sessions - for free!!!  Please check out what has already been offered, and what is yet to come:  http://www.ogsblog.org/2016/03/2016-summer-learning-sessions.html?spref=tw

If I follow the example of my parents, my in-laws, and Mr. Kerry, my learning will never come to an end.  In today's world, there is no reason to remain uninformed on a subject.  

We choose those things that are the most important to us.  For me, it has been lifelong learning.

So, don't be discouraged if you're not able to go to all of the events you would like to.  Instead, be grateful for the things you may have right in front of you.  Kerry's father counseled his children:

Always keep your mind active and learning.

AND, from one of my previous posts

When you're green, you're still growing.

When you're ripe, you're almost rotten.

STAY GREEN!

Why I Will Not Seek Certification

I have decided not to become a Certified Genealogist.

Now don't get me wrong.  I AM a professional, having been accredited through ICAPGen for nearly fifteen years.

But, that is where it ends.

For several years prior to taking the test for accreditation, I thoroughly researched the difference between becoming certified through BCG (Board for Certification of Genealogists), and even going on to pursue that of being a CGL (Certified Genealogical Lecturer).

There wasn't a lot out there to help me at the time I was seeking the credentials that would identify me as a professional.  Accredited Genealogists (AG) seemed to be more of a western thing, for the testing was done by the LDS Church at the Family History Library.  Certified Genealogists (CG) seemed to be more well known, but I didn't know if I could pass the testing process.

Actually I didn't know if I could pass either of the testing processes.

I decided to become an AG for the Southern States.

It was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  I thought I was fairly good, but this process refined me and polished me.  I submitted my paperwork and received word that it had been accepted.  The next step would be to make an appointment at the Family History Library.  This would not be a problem since we travel to Utah frequently to visit family.

At the time I tested, the Southern States included everything from Virginia to Texas.  That was a bit of a problem for me, for I didn't really know much about Texas, or Louisiana, or the other states associated with the deep south.

But, I had to learn.

On a Wednesday in October, I dropped my oldest son off at the Missionary Training Center to leave for a two-year mission, drove to Salt Lake City with tears in my eyes, and began my testing that evening.

Little did I know how difficult the next three days would be.  At the end of each day, I had to wait to find out if my test results came back at 90% or above.  If they did, I would be invited back for the next day for more testing.

This went on until the final day, which included a minimum of four hours of an oral examination in a room with eight individuals from the Family History Library.  Oh, my!  I was grilled.  I sweated bullets.  I twisted in my seat.

But, I passed.

During the last thirty minutes, I was asked to leave the room while they discussed me.  I gladly left!  Soon, I was invited back in.  A question was asked of me:  If I were to be granted this Accreditation, what would I do with it?

I answered without pausing.  I simply stated that I would take what I learn and teach it to others for the rest of my life.

They concurred that I had indeed passed the necessary requirements, and they felt good about the work I had done.

And, it's enough for me.

I have renewed my credentials every five years, as required.  I have had to show that I am keeping up with current trends, both as a genealogist and as a speaker.  I keep a spreadsheet showing the classes I have taught, as well as the many opportunities I have had for learning.  I have almost as much to submit for renewal as I did at the beginning.  I was the last person to be tested by the Church before the testing facility evolved into what is now known as ICAPGen (The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists).

Now, why do I even bring this up?

This past weekend was the annual OGS Conference (Ohio Genealogical Society), of which I am a frequent presenter.  I love this event, for it's right here in my home state.  People come from all over the country to attend.

A few conversations rolled around to my becoming "double credentialed".  In other words, to add being a CG and CGL to my postnomial AG might be a good idea to consider.  I was encouraged, for having been a professional for most of my life, it would not be hard to complete the process.  However, I left the conference feeling this is not to be.

Though the two credentialing parties have different focuses, they are every bit as stringent.  Methodology is used in both cases, with the exception that AG's must test in a specific area.  (Since my initial testing, the Southern States have been divided.  I am now accredited in the Mid-South.)

www.icapgen.org

One of the last people I talked to before leaving informed me that becoming a CG involved such rigorous testing that I would literally be astounded.  Apparently, becoming an AG was a piece of cake compared to becoming a CG.  I believe I had just been insulted.  And, it takes a lot to insult me.  All of the respect I had for this individual suddenly diminished, for it was obvious they had no respect for the process of becoming an AG.

So, I will maintain my status as an Accredited Genealogist and will not seek for more.  Some people have no postnomials at all, and are every bit the professional that I am - and even more!  I will continue to lift up and build the confidence of my colleagues.

And, I will take what I learn and teach it to others - for the rest of my life.