Phyllis and the Celebrate Literacy Award

I need a picture. I can't believe I didn't retrieve my camera to take a picture of Phyllis Simon at our recent event. Phyllis was the recipient of our Celebrate Literacy Award. I won't bore you with my whole speech but I can't imagine Vancouver (and now North Vancouver and South Surrey) without Kidsbooks. Just the sheer luxury of a browse in Kidsbooks is something that many of us enjoy.
One of the reasons I think I crave books so much because as a child I never could get enough. I lived in a small town without a public library. The nearest bookstore was about 12 miles away. Two of my favorite memories was going to that bookstore and then spending a couple of hours at the nearby public library (and I don't even think I could borrow books from that library). That bookstore only sold hard cover books which I only received at Christmas or birthdays. Thank goodness we lived close to the states and I could find cheaper books there. Children in Vancouver are indeed fortunate. They have Phyllis and so do we!

Donald Leu-the fabulous event

I think everyone (and I only wish there had been a few more people but those of us there were so fortunate) who attended the BCLCIRA event with Donald Leu were "blown away". We were fascinated and mesmerized by the ideas and information presented. I think for many of us the possibilities of the web for our students and ourselves were really were opened up. He was able to make the complex simple and accessible. And as one of my friends said, there was the man himself... When he talked about the work that he and his colleagues at the University of Connecticut are doing, it was always we never I. It was obvious that he loves teaching and has such an appreciation of the world. He shared with us how his teaching had been grade four/five level in elementary school and he was somewhat intimidated with the thought of teaching in a grade seven class last year but then how much he enjoyed the students. And always, we are impressed by university professors who do go back into the "trenches" and deeply respect the work of teachers. My friend who doesn't see herself as a real computer type was so impressed she ended up at school the other night until 9:00 exploring some of the sites he had mentioned.
I picked up a neat book of essays entitled This I Believe which I have recently used in a couple of workshops and meetings. I love this essay by Bill Gates which you just must read. And the essay does talk about computers but much more.
I think Don Leu is someone who tap dances to work. (That was to force you to hit the last link so you can put that metaphor in context)
Never fear, you may have missed his talk but just go to the New Literacies website and check out some of their current projects and look at the section of opportunities for educators where you can actually see his video presentations of working with elementary students on critical ltieracy skills. Absolutely fascinating and so relevant to what we want to do.