2016 STA Convention notes

Richard Wagamese: Storytelling and the Face of Reconciliation

• Indiginize the classroom. Bring in Aboriginal speakers, "living libraries."
• It's not about being the best teacher but rather, telling stories.
• Our gifts as humans are that we can DREAM and we can SHARE these dreams with others. This is our mission and purpose in life.
• Bring the STORY to the classroom. A "Story Circle" can get kids to engage and talk. Soon students take ownership of this story time. 
• We need reconciliation. First Nations people need to share their stories, history, culture in a meaningful, relevant way, through education. 

Project-Based Learning with an Indigenous Perspective

Essentially, this is an organization that deals with project-based learning, in particular, the Young Entrepreneur's Show. Of course, it's been a fixture at Surrey Centre for some time now with the grade 5s, and I'm looking forward to take part in it next year. The presentation included consideration for Aboriginal-related projects. 

Paul Pantaleo: Accelerating the Progress of Readers Experiencing Difficulties

THE SIX Ts OF LEARNING:

1. TIME: more time for reading/writing
2. TEXTS: "just right" books
3. TEACHING: coaching, side-by-side, small group
4. TALK: conversation, not interrogation
5. TASKS: continuous text, longer options
6. TESTING: effort and improvement

LESSON GUIDELINE:

1. Reading (familiar/independent): 5 - 10 mins.
2. Reading (independent/instructional): 20 - 25 mins.
3. How Words Work: 5 - 7 mins.
4. Home Reading (independent/instructional)

• If a child reads 20 minutes a day, that's 3600 minutes in a school year, or 1800000 words! 
• Children learn to read only by reading. Therefore, the only way to facilitate their learning is to make reading easy for them. (Smith, 1983)