OLA Superconference 2020: Recent Episodes
voicEd Radio
The Ontario Library Association is Canada’s largest library organization and OLA’s Super Conference is Canada’s largest continuing education event in librarianship. The program is a tribute to the ability of OLA members to balance the cutting edge and the practical in a way that can satisfy an increasingly diverse number of member interests and needs.
voicEd Radio is embedded at this year's OLA Superconference to collect that voices, stories and insights of delegates, speakers and presenters.
Helaine Becker is an award-winning writer of books for children with over 90 books to her credit including the best-selling picture books, A Porcupine in a Pine Tree, Deck the Halls, and Dashing Through the Snow; You Can Read, and Sloth at the Zoom.
Mahtab Narsimhan has been writing fiction for young people since 2004 and her novels include Mission Mumbai, The Third Eye and The Tiffin.
Find out more about Helaine at http://www.helainebecker.com/
Learn more about Mahtab at https://www.mahtabnarsimhan.com/books
Connie Scott is a library technician at Dr. Frank J. Hayden in the Halton District School Board. But, as our OLA Super Conference conversation suggests, she has made this role much more about the community connections, relationship-building and student support.
Albert Wisco is a community builder, digital creator, storyteller and Community Manager at TVO. Many subscribers to Teach Ontario will know him as "Ask Albert". In this conversation, we explore the power of story, community and the importance of campfires in our media-drenched world!
Stacy Geddes and Jen Angle are both teacher librarians in the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. Listen in as they radiate experience, insight and passion for their roles and the importance of librarians and the people who make them work.
As outgoing past president of the Ontario Library Association, Kerry Badgley knows the full extent of libraries in the province. Not only does he know where they are and what they are, but he is also deeply aware of what they might be in the future, if we continue to value and support them. In this conversation, we go "beyond the books" to explore the importance of libraries for all types of communities.
Lisa Noble is one of those folks that you meet that are constantly surprising you with their knowledge, expertise and interests. An educator in the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, a knitter, a paddler and an explore, Lisa brings so much of that to this conversation from the OLA Super Conference.
Manga Classics are faithful adaptations of classic literature created by artists who have a genuine passion for the story they have produced. Publisher Erik Ko and Toronto-based educator, Mike Barltrop join me to talk about the Manga Classics project and how they are being used to introduce classic literature to all types of readers.
Stath Paleshi is a languages teacher at Elmira District Secondary School in the Waterloo Region District School Board. Stath is at the OLA Super Conference this year because she is also about to add the role of teacher-librarian to her teaching portfolio. You don't get closer to "new" than this!
When you spend much of your life in the virtual world, it's always a treat to catch up with people IRL. Author and podcaster, Jennifer Casa Todd and newly-minted teacher-librarian team up for this lively conversation about like-mindedness, ribbons, their respective podcasting work AND a surprise announcement
Heather Stoness is a teacher librarian at Emily Carr Public School in the Halton District School Board. Not only is Heather a presenter at this year's OLA Super Conference, but she is also the recipient of the 2019 OLA Teacher-Librarian of the Year Award.
In September 2019, CBC Podcasts launched a first-of-its-kind pilot program in the audio education space. ‘Podcasts in Class’ is a way for teachers to bring podcasts into their classrooms, with custom-made lesson plans, slides, handouts, homework, and even videos featuring CBC Podcast hosts.
Christina Ganev and Paula Nevins are part of a team that are responsible for helping to make this work come alive in Ontario classrooms.
Leah Kearney is an educator with the Toronto District School Board, currently on secondment as Instructional Liaison at TVO. Our conversation covers a great deal of ground, inspired by Leah's passion, insights and expertise!
Rina Hadziev is Executive Director an organization established in April 2014 with the goal of supporting and assisting public libraries in delivering accessible library materials to Canadians with print disabilities in equal measure to that which is enjoyed by other members of their community.
No conference would be possible without a large team of committed volunteers, giving their time to make the experience positive and seamless for delegates. We caught up with OLA Super Conference volunteer and part-time library sciences student, Nataliya Bezsalova. Listen in as Nataliya shares her passion for libraries and the role that they play in a modern society.
Beth Lyons is teacher-librarian at Larkspur Public School in Brampton, Ontario, and President-Elect for the Ontario School Library Association. It was great to sit down and talk libraries with Beth
Monica Rettig (@monicarettig) is a librarian at Brock University in St. Catherines, Ontario. An advocate for accessibility and helping students navigate the many services offered by today's university library. (And she's a former student of Stephen Hurley as well!)
Tim Boudreau (@timboo_drow) is a Teacher-Librarian at Lougheed Middle School in the Peel District School Board. Tim is the winner of this year's Ontario Library and Information Technology Association (OLITA) award.
Tim is also the host of the Lougheed Reads Podcast heard here on voicEd Radio.
The very first conversation from this year's OLA Super Conference! Ruth Gretsinger (@originalmissg) is a teacher-librarian in the District School Board of Niagara. An advocate for libraries, children's books and The Forest of Reading.
Trevor MacKenzie is an educator, an author and an international advocate for Inquiry-based learning. He's the author of two books on the subject. "Inquiry Mindset" with co-author Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt and Dive into Inquiry are widely available in a variety of formats.
It was great to catch up with Trevor on Day One of the Ontario Library Association Superconference in Toronto on January 29th. We spoke about new contexts for inquiry as well as some of the challenges AND opportunities awaiting those who commit to diving in!
Rebecca Hurley is a teacher-librarian in the Erie Grand District School Board and her sister, Lisa Kao holds a similar role with the Peel District School Board. We caught up with Rebecca and Lisa on day one of the Ontario Library Association Superconference!