Reading for the Love of It conference in Toronto

One of my favorite conferences is Reading for the Love of It! This was my 3rd year in a row to speak there. This year one of my session was on “Creating Independent Readers in the Junior Grades.” (That’s grades 4-6 in Canada.) 

I shared ideas from Practice with Purpose, including some for individual independent work (independent reading and response writing) as well as partner independent work (literacy work stations). So many teachers told me about their success with stations after hearing me speak last year. Lisa Donohue, a teacher-author from Canada, who writes for Pembroke Publishers, told me that she began integrating digital literacies into stations with her grade 5 students last year. I picked up her new book, Keepin’ It Real, while at the conference. 

A highlight of my trip was meeting the many university students who attended the conference. And, of course, getting to see my friend, David Booth, who agreed with me that math really matters! 

Signing Math Work Stations at its first conference appearance!

With author Lisa Donohue and her new book, Keepin' It Real

With a group of Canadian university students

Showing Math Work Stations to Canadian author David Booth

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Reading for the Love of It

I recently returned from one of my favorite conferences of all time, the Reading for the Love if It  Conference held in Toronto, Canada. I loved meeting all the wonderful teachers I met there! The Canadians turned up in record numbers for sessions on small group reading instruction in K-3 and literacy work stations for the junior grades (gr. 4-6). I snapped a few pics of teachers waiting in line for sessions to open. Interestingly, there was less snow in Toronto than in many places we’ve been trying to visit in the southern U.S. lately!

While at the conference I saw some of my favorite Canadian friends, like David Booth and Mary Macchiusi from Pembroke Publishers. And I got one of the coveted Scaredy Squirrel (and Chester) bags from the Kids Can Press booth. If you don’t know this series of books, check them out at Amazon.  The author, Melanie Watts, is from Canada and is absolutely brilliant! Not to mention funny! There’s even a Scaredy Squirrel puppet I might have to get.

Scaredy Squirrel

 

Canadian teachers waiting in line

Teachers waiting for my session to begin

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Literacy stations around the world

I’m noticing that we’re getting quite a few fans from countries around the world, including a number of you from Denmark and Canada. We’d love to hear how you’re using literacy stations and small group instruction in your classrooms! Please post a comment and let us know.

I’ve worked in Canada several times and will be speaking at the upcoming Reading for the Love of It conference in Toronto on February 11-12, 2010. Hope to see some of you there! Please come by and say hello.

In fact, while working with the Edmonton Catholic Schools last year, we created a faith-based or worship station “I Can” list. We had quite a great time coming up with this idea!

Worship Station "I Can" list brainstormed with Edmonton Catholic Schools

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