"The
biggest change I have noticed is in my ability to
recognize 'why' an interpretive presentation was
successful (or not). Before, I knew when I had a
good presentation or a poor one, but I couldn't
necessarily articulate why. After the attending
101 training it was so clear - connecting with meanings.
It is so much easier for me to develop a presentation
(written or oral) now that I have a better framework
(more than just "tell them what you are going
to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what
you told them"). Overall, participation in
the Interpretive Development Program for me was
like giving me power tools to replace my hand tools."
"I am more conscious of the way
I interpret. Rather than simply putting a program
together (or answering a question informally) intuitively,
with something that sounds good, I actively try
to apply the skills I've learned. Of course, with
time, a lot of those skills begin to become second-nature."
"I
think the Interpretive Development Program raised
my level of consistency in presenting good interpretive
products. Prior to the IDP, I felt like so much
of interpretation was an 'art form,' and therefore
hard to qualify or assess. Although I was good at
interpretation, occasionally a program would miss
the mark. In those instances it was hard for me
to figure out what was missing or what needed to
be changed. For me, the Module 101 concepts provided
a framework to help articulate and assess that almost
intangible quality of a successful interpretive
product- its ability to connect the audience to
the meanings and significance of the resource."
"The
Interpretive Process Model worksheet helped put
things together for me in a manner that made sense
and could be put into words. I had difficulty at
first way back in 1997 after I attended my first
Module 101 training. I was developing programs that
used the principles, but I had trouble understanding
and verbalizing the actual process."
"I
appreciate the level of professionalism that is
conferred with these certifications, and I think
it's a giant leap in the right direction. We now
have the tools to analyze our skills and work to
improve them."
"The certifier's comments have helped greatly.
Because no one in my park (until recently) had any
experience with the Interpretive Development Program,
I relied heavily on my training, the website, and
a friend who is an active certifier and trainer.
So what helped me the most? Getting started."
To submit a story, send
a Word document to the Training Manager Interpretation.