RE: FW: judging iris

Kitty,
	Region 17 has similar problems with distance.  It is difficult for someone
in Austin to get up here to Lubbock for a JT class or vice versa.  Our exams
are graded so we would have to handle that, but, I know the online courses
have to handle grading, so I am sure we could too.  I don't think you could
supplant the one on one tutoring with online training but maybe, the judges
training classes could be done 50% online and 50% in person.  One other
point is that you are required to attend two regional meetings here.  If you
attend the two regionals required, then getting the 6 hours of classroom
training is easy because there is always a three hour JT at our regionals.
We try to do two things to help our candidates and apprentices.  First, I
tell them to take the form available on the internet and print it out in the
early spring.  Then, mentally line up what they need and where they think
they can get it.  If you have access to local judges, then ask them for part
of the training early in the year, penciling in a date that looks good.
Find out which judges will be doing your local show and ask them to do some
of your training.  If you are good at scheduling and have a little luck you
can complete the candidate training in one year, two years is easy, then
move on to apprentice training in the same way.
The second thing we do is set up a day of training.  This year we have a
candidate in this region from Amarillo.  She is coming in to our garden
during median/AB bloom time.  I will tutor her, then pass her on to Vernon
and then she has contacted a third judge here in town to give her some
further training her in the garden.  Because we have a wide variety of
things here at the garden she can get several hours of "other than TB's" at
one session.  We have even set this up with two students in the past,
passing them from one judge to next.  It makes for a long day but a person
can learn a lot and have a good time <G>.
We would like to encourage anyone interested in iris to participate in
judges training.  It is a lot of fun and gives you an understanding for why
those restrictive rules were set up in the first place.	<VBG>

Dana Brown
AIS Region 17 Judges Training Chairperson
Director TBIS
AIS, ASI, MIS, RIS, SPIS, TBIS
Malevil Gardens
www.malevil-iris.com
Lubbock, TX
Zone 7 USDA, Zone 10 Sunset
DanaBrown@peoplepc.com



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-iris@hort.net [o*@hort.net]On Behalf Of Lobergs
Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2004 11:19 AM
To: iris@hort.net
Subject: Re: [iris] FW: judging iris

Dana,
    Ours (Region 14) are very similar to Reg17.  We always encourage
students and apprentices to take any other regular training as well, as all
training helps make a better judge.  After serving as JT chair for 3 years,
I have some thoughts and perspectives.
#1  Our region always needs more judges, and I suspect other regions do as
well.   Folks in our region are so widespread, it's 10 hours driving from
the Oregon border to past Fresno in the south, so it has always been a
problem for some clubs to obtain judges for their shows due to the distance
some need to travel, 2) for students and apprentices to get to where
training may be offered, 3) to get groups together for training because it
is hard to travel so far, and 4) if we arranged seminars in the north, the
south doesn't come, if we arrange seminars in the south, the north doesn't
come.   The hardest portion of training to keep candidates interested is
during those 'student' years, as once they become an apprentice, they're
'hooked' and usually proceed quicker through the final phases.   I think
we've had about a 50% dropout rate for students.  I think they feel
frustrated because it sounds like becoming a garden judge is "so far off
into the future", and they find it hard to get around to training because of
distances, or when they do get out to hybridizers or commercial gardens,
they learn MORE from talking to those growers, and get no credit for that
time.  I've had this discussed with me time and time again.
#2   It has been suggested to me, that some of the training... the portions
where one learns about the standards from studying the Handbook, could be
accomplished in an on-line training class... just like colleges and
universities are doing, on-line courses.  Another example, even student
driver's education is widely advertised, obtainable, and tested through the
Internet, and the hands-on portion is done through private driving schools.
On line JT training seems like an excellent idea.   When we do tests in the
group sessions in Region 14, they're not "graded" to see if you pass or not,
everyone checks the answers themselves on the tests, and all the questions
are gone over at the end of the group session.  It's part of the educational
process.   However, on-line courses could extend the opportunity to people
throughout all regions, the training could be more standardized and
thorough, and testing could be done on-line as well.  And once a
student/apprentice has completed the tests, including one such as awards and
ballots, they could also be scheduling one-on-one time or additional time in
the garden with experienced judges to reinforce their knowledge.  On-line
courses could facilitate getting students through those earlier difficult
years in a timely fashion and perhaps lower the high drop out rate we've
experienced.   And there is even an added bonus to the concept on on-line
classes.  In areas of certain types of iris, such as Japanese, which don't
grow very well in my area, on-line classes would provide exposure to
training that may not be available every year.   It also could be accessed
by accredited judges for those who simply would like some review, and even
to the general public who would just like to learn more.
Kitty

Kitty Loberg
Northern Calif.
AIS Region 14 Treasurer
AIS Region 14 Electronic Services Chair
AIS Region 14 2004 Convention Treasurer
AIS Region 14 Past Judges' Training Chair
AIS Region 14 Past RVP
AIS, TBIS, SSI, SJI
Redwood Iris Society President

>             There are several steps to becoming a judge in Region 17.
There
> are a set of requirements that are mandated by AIS.  On top of that Region
> 17 has added a few more things.
>
> The first thing you have to do is ask for and fill out an application.
> There is an online version of this available at:
> http://www.aisregion17.org/images/pdf/APPLICATION.pdf  The application is
> merely a formal request to start judges training and your acceptance is
> automatic as long as you are a member of AIS.
>
> After that you enter the first stage of training.  First you are a
> candidate.  In order to move from candidate to apprentice you must:
> * Attend 6 hours of judges training classes - split in to at two sessions.
> * Obtain 4 hours of tutoring from an AIS judge on Tall Beardeds.  This is
> further split into 2 hours in the garden and two hours of exhibition.
These
> may be split in to one hour segments.
> * Obtain 4 hours of tutoring from an AIS judge on "other than Tall
Beardeds"
> * Obtain 5 letters of recommendation from judges who have tutored you.
> * Attend two regional meetings.
> There is a pdf'd form listing all of this available at:
> http://www.aisregion17.org/images/pdf/jt-cand.pdf
>
>             Once you have completed the above then you become an
apprentice
> and to move from apprentice to accredited garden judge you must:
> * Observe two accredited shows as an apprentice attached to a panel of
> judges
> * 4 hours of tutoring on seedlings and new varieties in the garden, split
> into two 2 hour session
> * Obtain at least 2 hours of judges training classes per year - you must
> have a 1 hour class in show rules and 2 hours in awards and ballots
> * Prepare a show schedule or be show chair
> There is a pdf'd form listing all of this available at:
> http://www.aisregion17.org/images/pdf/jt-app.pdf
>
> Each step of this must be documented using this form:
> http://www.aisregion17.org/images/pdf/JT%20certificate.pdf
>
> Traditionally, the person obtaining the training will provide a copy of
this
> form along with a stamped envelope addressed to the Judges Training Chair.
> It is the judges responsibility to fill it out and send it in.  This would
> also be the point when you would ask the judge providing the tutoring for
a
> recommendation (while you are a candidate).  Remember, you need 5, so, you
> must get training from at least 5 different judges.
>
>             Hopefully I didn't miss anything.  Please remember that there
> are slight variations from region to region.  If any of you are interested
> just let me know, I would be glad to help!!
>
>
> Dana
>
>
> Dana Brown
> AIS Region 17 Judges Training Chairperson
> Director TBIS
> AIS, ASI, MIS, RIS, SPIS, TBIS
> Malevil Gardens
> www.malevil-iris.com <http://www.malevil-iris.com/>
> Lubbock, TX
> Zone 7 USDA, Zone 10 Sunset
> DanaBrown@peoplepc.com <D*@peoplepc.com>
>
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