In his blog post, The Next 5 Steps to Improving Your Family History Experience, James Tanner tells genealogists, “Start teaching others what you have learned.”
The best way to learn something really well is to teach it to someone else.
— James Tanner
I started delivering genealogy presentations a few years ago, and Mr. Tanner is right about how teaching about family history research helps us increase our knowledge about resources and research techniques, all while helping and sharing with others.
We need more Canadian genealogists to be inspired by Mr. Tanner’s words. There are already a number of good speakers, but we need many more.
Encourage
Canadian genealogical societies can do their part to increase the number of speakers by encouraging and mentoring their members to deliver presentations. This will help future speakers build their confidence and improve their teaching and presentation skills.
A few years ago, it took three or four emails from a conference chair before I finally decided to give it a try and submit a presentation proposal. It was accepted, and I delivered my first genealogy presentation, “How I was dragged kicking and screaming to join Facebook, and discovered it made me a better genealogist.”
If I hadn’t been gently encouraged more than once, I would likely never have submitted a proposal.
Mentor
Societies need to assign mentors to members who are willing to share what they have learned with an audience. The mentor should watch the member deliver their presentation, in a one-on-one setting, and then provide encouragement and tips on how to improve.
Mentors should also review the draft PowerPoint presentation and provide feedback.
Start small
The first presentation someone delivers doesn’t need to be long. Societies can start by encouraging members to deliver mini-presentations of about 10 or 15-minutes.
Every year, BIFHSGO holds at least one meeting, called Great Moments, where three or four members each deliver a 15-minute presentation, including PowerPoint slides, about a great moment in their genealogy research. It’s proven to be a good way for some members to test the waters and hone their speaking skills.
At least two other societies have organized a similar meeting. BIFHSGO’s next Great Moments will be at their June 3 monthly meeting.
When you hear yourself explaining a genealogical principle, then the principle becomes part of you. It is also interesting that as you teach, you begin to evaluate the “correctness” of what you are teaching and often the questions and sometimes the challenges will reshape your understanding and methodology. — James Tanner
Promote
Canadian genealogists also need to promote and support each other. It’s not solely up to societies to lead the way. We all need to get the word out about who the good presenters are — and who should be speaking.
In 2015, Lorine McGinnis Schulze of Olive Tree Genealogy lamented the small number of Canadians who were recognized as genealogy rock stars.
She wrote, “I believe part of the problem is that we Canadians are just not very well known, even in our own country. We don’t promote ourselves and we need to do that.”
The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) must be doing something right.
This past weekend, four of their members delivered presentations at four different events. Few societies can say the same.
Christine Jackson spoke at Family Tree Live in London, Lesley Anderson was a keynote speaker at the Alberta Genealogical Society’s conference in Edmonton, Glenn Wright spoke about documenting WWI ancestors at an LDS-sponsored family history conference in Belleville, Ontario, and I spoke at a genealogy fair hosted by the Ottawa Public Library and BIFHSGO.
Although BIFHSGO appears to have more speakers per capita than any genealogical society in the country, one of their board members told me they’d like to do even better.
Call for proposals
This year, at least three societies have or will be asking people to submit presentation proposals for conferences in 2020. All pay a speaker’s fee and cover travel and accommodation expenses.
The Manitoba Genealogical Society’s deadline is May 31, Saskatchewan Genealogical Society’s is June 28, and Ontario Ancestors has yet to issue a call for proposals.
I encourage you to submit a proposal.
Unfortunately, it’s hard for me to do this. I have talks that I do for the Sechelt Library, where I work, but as we are non-profit, I can’t use any of them in a place where people are charged to view it. And I don’t really have time to develop additional talks outside of work at this point…and the only brief one I have is so basic (about using FamilySearch) that I doubt anyone would be interested. If I get to retire, however, I’ll be more than happy to share and present.
Would you be able to receive a fee for your talks if you donated it or had it donated to the non-profit? I bet you could figure out a way around it.
As usual you inspire me, Gail. I have a talk about using Evernote for genealogy that I gave at the local chapter of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society. It was well received and I enjoyed teaching others. I was at the AGM for SK held Saturday in Regina. I heard the call for presenters. I immediately dismissed it because I’m not a big name and there must be someone more qualified than me, etc. I’m going to put my name forward. They can always say no.
I hope you submit. Your topic sounds perfect for the conference theme. Most of us just need a little push to do so.
Yes, Gail I was an attendee at Nepean- Centrepointe library last Saturday. I want to comment on your superb presentation. Your own enthusiasm helps keep one focused and awake. I look forward to your next presentation in this area.
Thanks!
Great post, Gail! I agree that BIFHSGO does a great job of supporting its potential speakers. I gave my first genealogy presentation at a BIFHSGO Great Moments and have subsequently spoken at the BIFHSGO conference twice, at OGS and at the OPL/BIFHSGO event twice. I’ve gotten some great advice from fellow BIFHSGO members.
I’m not ready to start submitting presentations to non-local societies yet, but when I retire in 6 years, I’ll start putting myself out there! I do enjoy it.
Spot on. Teaching is the best way to learn something. I hope you’ll come to the Manitoba conference next year, Gail. I’d love to meet you. And now you’ve got me thinking about applying to Sakatchewan’s.
One problem with the dearth of Canadian speakers is that so many genealogical societies in Canada seem to have a preference to inviting American and international experts to give talks, especially for key-note addresses. It might just be that my talks feature something different than normal subjects, or at least topics that conference attendees may be used to, but my personal experience has been that Canadian societies that I have offered presentations to preferred not to accept them. I did notice on the final lists of speakers that, outside of high-profile names, there were few individuals that were just starting their public presentation gigs. We do seem to see the same faces year-after-year giving the same or similar presentations at many different meetings. Not to demean these informative and entertaining people, most of them professionals, but it is hard for newbies to break into the invitation list or even be accepted by conference organizers.