(In the interest of full disclosure, this article hits home at least a little bit as I consider myself a fan as well – mostly of U2’s music, not so much of Bono.)
But I think the reality is that the list was inspired by something else. I attended the 2011 WILU conference here in Regina and easily the best presenter was David Bouchard who I was fortunate to see in both a breakout session and as the endnote speaker. (In fact, he wasn’t just the best at that conference – he’s a contender for best speaker I’ve ever heard!)
He has many theories and thoughts he expounded on but one was of particular note. He said that everyone needs a book pusher, someone that gets you hooked on books. He’s fortunate that his pusher is the head of the BC School Librarians Association and he tells in hilarious detail how this woman got him hooked and then has continued to supply him with books over the years.
Another of his theories is that you need three things to create a reader:
I talk to educators all the time, as I do with parents, about the three things a child needs to become a reader. The first thing they need is time – they’ll read when they’re ready. Don’t try to get them reading before they’re ready. We have a way of trying to force our kids to read while they simply want to be in the playground – “I want to play in the sandbox” – “No, you have to read”. Maria Montessori was very clear in saying that reading is as natural a process as walking and talking. A child will walk when they’re ready, talk when they’re ready and they’ll read when they’re ready.
The other thing I tell teachers is that kids need a role model: we have to get our seniors and our elders reading – and don’t think for a second your kids are going to read if it’s not a priority in your communities and in your schools. Teachers, you should have silent reading in your schools, not so your kids can read but so they can see you, their hero, reading.
And kids need books that are accessible and also meaningful to them, books in which they can see themselves. For a long time, we didn’t have those books, but they’re now starting to appear – so I say to teachers, “Your job is to go find these books and make them accessible to your kids – and in the meantime, let me show you 25 of them!”
Mosaic is a long-standing multicultural festival in Regina which is an highlight for many in the city.
For $14 (the current price though I remember when it cost half that! </oldman>), you get a passport that allows you entry into numerous pavilions located in curling rinks and community halls around the city (plus free bus transportation between them if you’re imbibing or just don’t want to fight the traffic.)
Each pavilion – be it Korean, Latin American, Ukrainian, German and so on – features relevant cultural entertainment, food & drink, displays and occasionally vendors. The food is a bit over-priced for what you get (often sampler plates are the best value but these will still run you about $8-12 each for not a lot of food) but hey, you’re probably going to try something at most pavilions and it’s only once a year right?
For many, part of the appeal is seeing how many of the 20-odd pavilions you can get to over the three days that the festival runs. For that reason, hitting the same venue twice is a rarity (unless you have a favoured venue that you like to end at every night. Traditionally, this would be the Scottish, Irish, Carribbean pavilions which are the “party central” ones.)
But this year, Shea and I were so impressed with the entertainment at the Brazilian pavilion that after going out last night with friends but leaving Pace at home with my aunt, we decided to go back again today to catch the show from the front row with him joining us this time.
Well, because, I don’t get many opportunities to toot (tout) my own horn for being not only on the ball but ahead of the curve, I’ve decided to make Tout the first-ever site to get re-featured as a Friday Fun Link.
Why? Well, it recently made major headlines when Shaquille O’Neal decided to use Tout to announce his retirement! (He also sang a really bad off-key version of a Prince song and did a bunch of other funny short video clips as well as naming himself “King of All Social Media” or some such.)
Anyhow, I’m hoping to get a clip of Pace announcing his retirement from daycare on Tout soon in response to Shaq’s big bombshell. But in the meantime, I’m using Tout more and more as I love the insight it gives and can give into people’s everyday lives.
I recently did a post about bands I’ve seen so I thought this might be the work-equivalent of that list from my personal life.
I’m focusing on speakers I saw as stand-alones or as keynotes at conferences, not every single person I’ve ever seen do a session which would be a very very long list.
(As with the band list, I’m sure this is incomplete.)
Susan Agulukark
Margaret Atwood
Maude Barlow
David Bouchard
Gord Downie
Will Ferguson
Sue Gardner
Michael Geist
Curtis Gillespie
Joseph Janes
Darci Lang
Stephen & Avi Lewis
Sid Marty
Brian Twaits
Jessamyn West
– it’s always enjoyable to attend a conference in a different city – staying in a hotel, eating meals in cool restaurants, checking out the attractions of a new place. But there’s definitely something to be said for a conference where you get to go to sleep in your own bed every night! (I took my leave from the reception tonight saying I had to go watch the hockey game and one librarian who’s staying in the college dorms like most attendees blurted “Where are you going to watch it?” At home, I replied. “Ohhh, right. You live here.” she said almost sadly.)
– as I often do on those all too rare occasions that I get back to the U of R campus, I took the opportunity to visit the English department and have a wander around. I’d say about half the profs’ names are familiar and half are new (which leads to the realization that many of my profs were probably younger than I am now when they taught me – a disturbing thought for some reason.)
– speaking of my English degree, I’ve talked about this before but I tend to write this blog in an informal, stream-of-consciousness manner with no proofing. So all kinds of typos and “there/their, too/to/two” type errors slip through. This is my own fault, not U of R’s, and I won’t be asking for a refund. But I still reserve the right to judge other people posting online who make spelling and grammar mistakes! 😉
– still on that note, our body not keeping up with our brain was one of the themes of our excellent keynote speaker…
– it was great to catch up with a few colleagues I went to library school with and to meet others who were either at FIMS before or after I was there. (I’m especially looking forward to corralling two who are connected to St. John’s – one currently and one from her undergrad days so I intend to pick their brains in advance of our trip out east next month.)
– at the reception, one guest who, like a good librarian had researched Regina and its attractions, was very excited to hear that RPL had a film theatre. Another was interested in our province’s multitype database licensing program.
– I also got a chance to brag talk about SILS a bit too.
– okay, back to the game. In honour of Regina’s American visitors (and because I’m cheering for them too), I’ll say “Go Bruins Go!”
