Libraries, Literacy & Learning

Why yes, that is David Booth.

Top drawer PD today at the Ramada, courtesy of the Ontario Media Development Corporation, and Pembroke Publishers. Let's review.

We've all seen Wordle and the beautiful word clouds that it makes, but what to do with them? How about using them as anticipation guides before presenting a new text? Thank you Carol Koechlin. Want more? Check out her book Building info Smarts.

Chris Spence. What a man. Teacher, administrator, author, and current director of the Hamilton Wentworth school board. He will soon be taking over as director of the Toronto District School Board. They're lucky to have a man with such vision and classroom connection.

Kathy Kacer. Great talk on her personal story as the daughter of a holocaust survivor, along with some interesting stories about what inspires her writing.

Larry Swartz. Good books matter. I had the opportunity to see Larry at Reading for the Love of it in February, and this was a micro version of his talk at the conference. A good reminder to go and pull the book "Q Tasks" from the professional resource section and take another look. We worked through the "Tic-Tac-Tell" page.

David Booth. Critical Literacy. This man is a literacy legend, and everyone should listen to him. Here are some of my favourite quotes from his talk.

"We have frozen in time what we think reading is." As in, stop thinking that reading is enjoying a novel under a tree, and start accepting that reading takes many forms.

"I wonder about a nation that buys its boys designer underwear but thinks that books are too expensive." In reference to three teenage boys Mr. Booth saw on a plane with their designer underwear hanging out, and nothing to read.

"We know more than we act on." I felt this statement deeply. I know what I need to do for students to be successful, but am I doing it all? No.

"If you want to teach swimming you have to get in the pool." In conclusion to a story about unsuccessfully teaching his child to swim while standing on the deck. His son finally learned to swim from a swimming instructor who jumped in the pool ahead of the students.

"If you believe in story you have to believe in response"

"The answer to everything in life is all of the above, some of the time"

And in conclusion...

"You are the people that can hold those kids on a rug, instead of a lap"

All in all, an exceptional day of PD. Thanks to Pembroke, the Ontario Ministry of Culture, and Marlene and crew.