Read Into This: Recent Episodes
Alanna King, Elizabeth Lyons, Lisa Noble
Read Into This is about books, articles, fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, media texts, cookbooks, and everything in between. We will explore how we read and how what we read makes us who we are and helps us learn about those around us. Can’t wait for you to join in and talk wordy with us.
Guest:
Kevin Sylvester
http://kevinsylvesterbooks.com/
Twitter: @Kevinarts
Instagram: @sylvesterartwork
Kevin Sylvester joins host Beth Lyons to talk all about his work as a kids lit author/illustrator and the challenges of writing such a variety of genres and styles. Kevin shares his love of visual texts such as Spiderman Comics and graphic novels and discusses why it’s such an important genre for kids (and adults!) to explore. The conversation takes its first (of many) tangents to explore the idea of what actually is “middle grade” fiction and should books be sorted for readers using these arbitrary categories? Beth invited Kevin mostly to talk about his newest book, Apartment 713, which is a love story to community and stories that are held within the structures of a community. Beth and Kevin discuss the inspiration for the Regency (the main building that acts as a character within the story), time travel and historical fiction as a tricky genre for kids, and the cast of eccentric secondary/tertiary characters. WARNING! The conversation meanders for a bit as Kevin and Beth follow a tangent about sports stories and sports fandoms in general! Grab a copy of Apartment 713 and take time to check out the dedication at the beginning of Apartment 713…Who helped make you the reader you are today?
Texts mentioned in this episode:
Ghost Light by Kenneth Oppel
Bloom by Kenneth Oppel
Black Thorn Series by Kevin Sands
The Good Fight by Ted Staunton
The Almost Epic Squad Series by Kevin Sylvester, Ted Staunton, Richard Scrimger and Britt Wilson
I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott
My Baba’s Garden by Jordan Scott
Small in the City by Sydney Smith
How to Draw the Marvel Way by John Buscema and Stan Lee
Butt Sandwich and Tree by Wesley King
PS Tell No One by Vikki VanSickle
New Kid by Jerry Craft
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Spiderman #151
The Barnabas Project by the Fan Brothers
Ten Little Dumplings by Larissa Fan
Airborn by Kenneth Oppe
lA Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
The Misewa Series by David Robertson
Larf by Ashley Spires
**The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
Links:
Britt Wilson (ceramics) http://www.brittwilson.com/ceramics*** https://quillandquire.com/review/apartment-713/
* https://canlitforlittlecanadians.blogspot.com/2022/09/apartment-713.html?m=1
Hosts:
Beth Lyons (@MrsLyonsLibrary)
Pav Wander (@PavWander) and Chey Cheney (@mrccheney)
**The Chey and Pav Show (@StaffPodcast)
In a repeat of their crossover episode last year, Chey Cheney and Pav Wander from the Chey and Pav Show, join Beth Lyons to discuss their new roles within the education system. The conversation starts with looking back at their start in podcasting when the pandemic first began and how the re-opening of the world and activities has influenced the “busy-ness” of the world and the pressure to reconnect in this new world.Reflecting on the change in their roles, the variety of roles within the education system and the nuances of why people might change roles sparks the entire discussion through both of the crossover episodes.
Part 2 of this crossover will be published by The Chey and Pav Show (@StaffPodcast).https://www.cheyandpav.com/podcast**
In this episode, Beth Lyons, discusses multilingual learners with MLL resource teacher, Kimiko Shibata. The discussion starts with looking at what is a multilingual learner and the transition to MLL from ELL -asset based terminology. Kimiko helps to define what ESL means in the context of a classroom, STEPs to language proficiency, collaboration between classroom and MLL staff, and accommodations vs modifications. The question of how classroom culture impacts MLLs and their ability to adapt to new surroundings is explored in the context of language-friendly schools and working from an asset-based not deficit based lens. Kimiko shares her thoughts about the role school library professionals play in supporting both educators and learners including: inclusion-who do we represent? Do we have books that are mirrors as well as windows? (Sims Bishop) and the library as a “safe space”-libraries are for more than just reading* Guests- Kimiko Shibata + Twitter @ESL_fairy + Email: kimiko_shibata@wrdsb.ca * Resources Mentioned In the Episode: * https://bit.ly/ReadIntoMLLs
The episode starts with all three educators talking about early years education and the reflection/intentionality behind our practices before getting into the discussion of mentor texts in the classroom and school library. Klara and Michelle provided this prompt on their IG account as they engaged in sharing a variety of mentor texts at the start of this school year: How might mentor texts provide opportunities for our Ss to feel seen, acknowledged, and important? In this episode we discuss how Klara and Michelle started this project of highlighting mentor text and how they began to plan and pick topics and the joy of using mentor texts with students.
Texts Mentioned In This Episode:
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
Be A Good Ancestor by Gabriella Prince and Lorena Prince
I Promise by LeBron James
Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies: An Act For Reconciliation And Anti-Racist Education By Jo Chrona
Atlas Of The Heart By Brene Brown
The Walking Curriculum by Gillian Judson
Walking Forward by Gillian Judson and Heidi Wood- https://noiie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Walking-Forward-Wood-Judson-2022updated.pdf
Imaginative Arts Activities for the Walking Curriculum- https://www.educationthatinspires.ca/2018/05/16/imaginative-art-activities-for-the-walking-curriculum/
The Innovator’s Mindset by George Couros
Empower and Launch by AJ Juliani and John Spencer
Inquiry Mindset by Trevor Mackenzie
Trevor Mackenzie returns to Read Into This to chat more about #InquiryMindset and his book Inquiry Mindset: Assessment Edition, Scaffolding a Partnership for Equity and Agency in Learning with host Beth Lyons. The conversation starts by looking at their previous conversation at the start of the pandemic and their observations about the learning that has happened due to crisis education. Trevor explores what prompted the journey from Inquiry Mindset (and Dive Into Inquiry) to this assessment edition and his ongoing learning connected to inquiry based learning and teaching. Beth shares her thoughts on the younger year’s companion resource, written by Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt, especially as it relates to Chapter 3- Co-Design and Co-Construct and asks Trevor about the biggest stumbling block for educators when they start the process of nurturing assessment ownership, especially with younger students. The conversation also explores the idea of soft starts, self-regulation, co-regulation and a culture of performance compared with routines that support a feedback based community of learners. Lastly, the discussion turns to books and other learning texts that Trevor and Beth have been reading lately and using for their own learning.
Texts mentioned in this episode:
Inquiry Mindset and Inquiry Mindset: Assessment Edition Companion resources- https://www.trevormackenzie.com/companionresources
Cultivating Mindset- Gholdy Muhammad
Textured Teaching by Lorena Escoto Germàn
Armchair Expert Podcast- https://armchairexpertpod.com/
EduCrush Podcast- https://educrushpod.libsyn.com/
Identity Talk 4 Educators podcast- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/identity-talk-4-educators-live/id1509599570
Revisionist History podcast- https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history
Resurgence: Engaging with Indigenous Narratives and Cultural Expressions In and Beyond the Classroom by Katya Adamov Ferguson and Christine M'Lot
Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies : An Act for Reconciliation and Anti-Racist Education by Jo Chrona
Woke Kindergarten- https://www.wokekindergarten.org/
Serial podcast- https://serialpodcast.org/
Educating Ruby by Guy Claxton
At What Cost? Defending Adolescent Development in Fiercely Competitive Schools by David Gleason
The Self Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives by William Stixrud and Ned Johnson
The Intellectual Lives of Children by Susan Engel
Challenging Mindset: Why a Growth Mindset Makes a Difference in Learning – and What to Do When It Doesn’t by James Nottingham and Bosse Larsson
You Got This by Cornelius Minor
The Danish Way of Parenting: What the Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids by Jessica Joelle Alexander and Iben Sandhal
Yoga for a World Out of Balance by Michael Stone
Only Murders In the Building- Disney+
Read Into This host, Beth Lyons, welcomes Stephen Hurley from VoicEd Radio yo co-host as they discuss Dyslexia Awareness Month with Alicia Smith, the Executive Director of Dyslexia Canada, and Stacey Morrison Hadden, a literacy consultant with the Durham Catholic District School Board. The conversation starts with unpacking dyslexia, a complex term that’s important for educators to understand.
The panel looks at some of the common misconceptions about dyslexia and learning to read and the assumptions about learning to read that current research challenges and pushes back against. Alicia and Stacey share how teacher librarians and educators can support students with dyslexia, how the Right to Read inquiry shifted awareness in the education system about dyslexia, and which resources do they recommend educators look into to learn more about teaching all children to read.
Resources for Educators:
Made by Dyslexia
https://www.madebydyslexia.org/
University of Florida Literacy Institute
https://ufli.education.ufl.edu/
The Big Dippers
https://www.thebigdippers.org/
International Dyslexia Association Ontario- Basics of Decoding and Spelling Instruction
https://vps.idaontario.com/mod/page/view.php?id=312
Top Ten Tools
https://readingteacherstoptentools.com/product/ida-course/
Texts:
Reversed by Lois Letchford
Read Into This host, Beth Lyons talks with teacher-librarian Matthew Shchukovsky about what led to the decision to genrify the fiction/chapter book section in the K-5 library where he works.
Texts mentioned in this episode:
A shout-out to Kelsey Bogan (@kelseybogan) for sharing her process on her blog:
https://dontyoushushme.com/2018/11/08/10-steps-to-genre-fy-your-library/
https://dontyoushushme.com/2021/10/12/genrefication-3-years-later/
Cultivating Genius by Gholdy Muhammad
The War Room- The Legacy of Bill Belichick and the Art of Building the Perfect Team by Michael Holley
Thanks to Paula Hrycenko and Sarah Little for joining host, Beth Lyons, to discuss school libraries within the HWDSB during the 2021-2022 school year. The group discussed what their schedule as the TL looks like and what they are responsible for in their role. Sarah and Paul share how they are working to connect with other TLs within the HWDSB board and support each other’s learning, including collaborating for the Forest of Reading. Beth posed the question, “where are you finding school library joy?” to both guests to celebrate the joy that is #ONSchoolLibraries.
Beth would like to extend a huge thank you to Paula and Sarah for their patience and understanding with the time it took to edit and publish this episode as this was recorded back in May 2022.
Guests
Paula Hrycenko
Role-Teacher Librarian/Remote FDK/Prep Coverage
Twitter @PaulaHrycenko
Email phrycenk@hwdsb.on.ca
Sarah Little
Role-Teacher Librarian/primary prep coverage
Twitter: @salittle98
Email salittle@hwdsb.on.ca
Texts mentioned in this episode:
The Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
The Outlandish Companion by Diana Gabaldon
How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Co-host Beth Lyons welcomes PDSB Teacher-Librarian Jonelle St. Aubyn to the podcast. The two talk about their connection as TLs within a family of schools and the joy and support that comes from meeting together as a teacher-librarian collective. Beth and Jonelle talk about the opportunity they had to present at the superintendent meeting for their family of schools about their journeys within the LLC and how a library learning commons can support the school community. The library and the work done within the library can act as a driving force within a school to help improve pedagogical practices in relation to inclusion, equity and culturally relevant and responsive teaching. Both teacher-librarians discuss the intentional and goal-driven journey that has guided the transition of their LLC space and the co-planning and co-teaching with their fellow educators that has evolved due to the ongoing pandemic and drive to serve the community and its needs. As Jonelle and Beth looked back at their journey within the LLC and worked to create their presentation for the superintendent meeting, they both highlighted four guiding principles they felt spoke to the vision of their space. While the four guiding principles chosen for each LLC may be different, the two discuss their interwoven nature and ongoing learning as they continue to curate a space that evolves with the needs of the school community.
Guest- Jonelle St Aubyn
Role - Teacher librarian at Louise Arbour Secondary School in the Peel District School Board. 7 years as a teacher librarian and 21 years as an educator in Peel.
Twitter - @Ms_St_Aubyn
Texts Mentioned in This Episode:
Cultivating Genius by Gholdy Muhammad
Diversity Audit of a Middle School Library by Toni Duval
https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/diversity-audit-of-a-middle-school-library/
Tom Schimmer Podcast- Passions or Strengths | Chey Cheney | Concise Answers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-inYGg5C7Y
Co-host Beth Lyons welcomes three teacher-librarians from the TDSB to talk about the closures/reductions/limitations that were in place in the LLC last year and how the LLC re-opened for students this year. The panel discussed what they are noticing or wondering as students return to the LLC and how that has impacted their goals or plans for this year. (This was recorded in November of 2021 and some of the protocols and policies may have changed in the interim.)
Guests-
Diana Maliszewski
Role: K-8 TDSB teacher-librarian
Twitter: @MzMollyTL
Lisa Lewis
Role: K-6 TDSB teacher-librarian (.5) + Core French (.5)
Twitter: @MmeLisa_Lewis
Valia Reinsalu
Role: K-8 TDSB teacher-librarian (.5) JK-8 + Intermediate Resource (inclusion teacher) 7&8
Twitter: @valiareinsalu
Texts mentioned in this episode:
Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond
Is Everyone Really Equal? by Ozlem Sensoy
Cultivating Genius by Gholdy Muhammad
Like a Duck by Deborah Kerbell
Open by Andre Agassi
Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci
White Tears, Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color by Ruby Hamad
Co-hosts Lisa Noble and Beth Lyons sit down with author Lawrence Hill to discuss his new book, Beatrice and Croc Harry.
Lawrence Hill is a writer whose novels and works of non-fiction have been widely read in Canada, translated into many languages and published around the world. He is a professor of creative writing at the University of Guelph and has served as a teacher or mentor to developing writers for thirty years.
His new children’s novel is Beatrice and Croc Harry. It is 375 pages, and was written for both children aged 9 – 14 as well as for older teens and adults. It will be published on January 11, 2022 by HarperCollins Canada.
https://www.lawrencehill.com/
The group discussed the closures/reductions/limitations that were in place for their LLCs last year. Coming from three different Ontario school boards there was a lot to discuss as to how each board approached staffing during the 2020-2021 school year. All three TLs share how their libraries have re-opened for student and educator use this year. How are we ensuring that students have access to culturally relevant and diverse texts as well as a variety of text formats (ebooks, audiobooks, etc)? Given the transition that’s happening for Ontario Ministry of Education mandated tests (OSSLT & EQAO) there also needs to be a shift in how students are able to access texts within their classroom and school library. As school library professionals what steps can we take to help push this transition forward and advocate for the needs of our students? The panel also discusses goals for this year in the LLC while balancing their own energy and mental health needs.
Alanna King
Role: Educator, fully remote senior English with the Upper Grand District School Board
Twitter: @banana29
Jonelle St Aubyn
Role:Full time teacher librarian at Louise Arbour Secondary School
Twitter: @Ms_St_Aubyn
Adrienne Kennedy
Role: Full time teacher librarian (focus on Library and Wellness) Toronto District School Board, TDSB
Texts/Resources mentioned in this episode:
Libro FM
https://libro.fm/
Poetry In Voice
https://www.poetryinvoice.com/
Centauri Arts
https://www.centauriarts.com/
HotDocs
https://www.hotdocs.ca/
Festival of Literary Diversity
https://thefoldcanada.org/festival-events/fold-kids-bookfest/
The Making Box
https://www.themakingbox.ca/
Digital Human Library
https://www.digitalhumanlibrary.com/
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Thank you to all who contributed!
Jenn Angle- ON, Teacher-Librarian, Bellmoore School (Binbrook), Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
Natasha Cardoso- Elementary Teacher/librarian William G. Davis TDSB
Kate Johnson-McGregor, ON, Secondary Teacher-Librarian, Brantford Collegiate, GEDSB - OLA SuperConference Planner
Jennifer Byrne, ON , Elementary Teacher-Librarian, Wilshire Elementary School, YRDSB
Lila Armstrong- BC
Rebecca Rubio- BC
Tim Boudreau, ON, Middle School Teacher librarian at Lougheed Middle School, Brampton, ON
Cathy MacKechnie, ON, Secondary Teacher Librarian at Nepean High School, Ottawa, ON
Barbara Whiston- QC/Montreal
Jen Giffen, Secondary School TL, YRDSB,
Read Into Summer Reads
The co-hosts gather to look back over their favourite summer reads of 2021.
Texts mentioned in this episode:
Not Your Princess by Lisa Charleyboy
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood (Editor Kwame Mbalia)
If I Tell The Truth by Jasmin Kaur
Indivisible by Daniel Aleman
Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
Beth Lyons hosts Melanie White and Cathy MacKechnie, both educators in the Ottawa Carleton District School Board to discuss the idea of learning loss vs. learning gains over the past few years as educators and students have faced the COVID 19 pandemic. The discussion centres on the collaboration between educators who work together, create a plan and are prepared to design in the moment to support student learning.
Melanie White- @WhiteRoomRadio
Podcast- Just Conversations https://voiced.ca/project/just-conversations/
Blog- https://reflectingonrecreation.wordpress.com/2021/08/17/the-abscess-sol2021/
Cathay MacKechnie- @NHS_library
Texts mentioned in this episode:
180 days: Two Teachers and the Quest to Engage and Empower Adolescents By Kelly Gallagher, Penny Kittle
Not Light, But Fire: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Classroom by Matthew R. Kay
This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewel
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond
High School by Tegan and Sara Quin
S2E13 Interview with author Michelle Grierson
Alanna hosts this episode with debut novelist Michelle Grierson. Teacher turned author Michelle explores the inspiration for Becoming Leidah, and how her trip to Scandinavia solidified her ancestral culture into the world she designed in this book.
You can follow Michelle at:
https://www.michellegrierson.com/
on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/michellegrierson11
on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.ca/mishkagryson/_saved/
and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/michellegrierson11/
For my review of Becoming Leidah check out my blog here:
https://threadbarebeauty.com/2021/04/02/becoming-leidah-by-michelle-grierson/
Stephen Hurley joins host, Beth Lyons, to unpack the series of podcasts that looked at audiobooks, podcasts and read alouds in classrooms and school libraries during the 2020-2021 school year. They look back at the school year that included both online and bricks-and-mortar classes, the humanity of the education system and what it means to be human in the 21st century.
The podcasts discussed in this episode include:
S2E7 Read Into Audiobooks/Podcasts- Adrian Del Monte (Part 1)
S2E8 Read Into Audiobooks/ Podcasts- Lynn Thomas (Part 2)
S2E9 Read Into Audibooks/Podcasts- Tim Boudreau (Part 3)
S2E10 Read Into Read Alouds- Julie Vandendool & Aviva Dunsiger
Texts mentioned in this episode:
Rebels Against the Future by Kirpatrick Sale
The Giver and Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Makes Us Human by Jonathan Gottschall
The Librarian’s Stories by Lucy Falcone, illustrated by Anna Wilson
Tough Like Mum by Lana Button, illustrated by Carmen Mak
Creating Inclusive Writing Environments in the K-12 Classroom: Reluctance, Resistance, and Strategies that Make a Difference by Angela Stockman
Cultivating Genius: A Four-Layered Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy by Gholdy Muhammad
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
Sound Reporting: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and Production
Brené with Tim Ferriss and Dax Shepard on Podcasting, Daily Practices, and the Long and Winding Path to Healing- podcast, Brene Brown, Unlocking Us
Co-hosts Lisa Noble and Beth Lyons chat about Indigenous texts that span the K-12 education continuum and ways that educators have integrated these texts into their daily practice. This episode was inspired by A Day to Listen- 12 Hours of Indigenous-led Radio Programming on June 30th.
https://downiewenjack.ca/a-day-to-listen/
Texts Mentioned In This Episode
Reclaimed by Jared Martineau (Lisa incorrectly called it Unreserved which is a different CBC show with Falen Johnson)
A Sitting In St. James by Rita Williams-Garcia
I Lost My Talk by Rita Joe, Illustrated by Pauline Young
The Ecstasy of Rita Joe by George Ryga
I’m Finding My Talk by Rebecca Thomas, Illustrated by Pauline Young
First Nations Child and Family Caring Society- Spirit Bear
Facing History and Ourselves
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
Author Monique Gray Smith
When We Were Alone by David A Robertson
Powwow by Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane
Birdsong by Julie Flett (and all books by Julie Flett)
My Day with Yayah by Nicola Campbell, Illustrated by Julie Flett
Board books series by Neepin Auger
American Indians in Children’s Literature site by Debbie Reese
Nibi Is Water by Joanne Robertson
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade
Medicine Wheel Education publications- The Circle of Caring and Sharing, The Eagle Feather, Gifts from Raven, Trudy’s Healing Stone, The Hoop Dancer’s Teachings
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
We Are All Treaty People by Maurice Switzer, illustrated by Charley Herbert
Barren Grounds by David A Robertson
Tales from Big Spirit series by David A Robertson
A Girl Called Echo by Katherena Vermette
Surviving the City by Tasha Spillett
Siha Tooskin Knows Series by Charlene Bearhead and Wilson Bearhead | illustrated by Chloe Bluebird Mustooch
This Place: 150 Years Retold by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Sonny Assu, Brandon Mitchell, Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, David A. Robertson, Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, Jen Storm, Richard Van Camp, Katherena Vermette, Chelsea Vowel | illustrated by Tara Audibert, Kyle Charles, GMB Chomichuk, Natasha Donovan, Scott B. Henderson, Ryan Howe, Andrew Lodwick, Jen Storm | colour by Scott A. Ford, Donovan Yaciuk
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
The Break by Katherena Vermette
If I Go Missing by Brianna Jonnie with Nahanni Shingoose, art by Nshannacappo
Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga
There There by Tommy Orange
NotYourPrincess- Voices of Native American Women by Edited by Lisa Charleyboy & Mary Beth Leatherdale
Glass Beads by Dawn Dumont
The Next Chapter with Shelagh Rogers
One Dish, One Mic- podcast
Telling Our Twisted Histories- podcast
Storykeepers: Let’s Talk Indigenous Books- podcast
Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
In This Together: Fifteen Stories of Truth and Reconciliation by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail
Indigenous Writes by Chelsea Vowel
21 Things You Didn’t Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph
Indigenous Peoples Atlas
Anti-racist Educator Reads hosted by Colinda Clyne
Join Read Into This host Beth Lyons as she explores how virtual read alouds have been used with fellow teacher-librarian Julie Vandendool and kindergarten educator Aviva Dunsiger throughout the 2020-2021 school year. Our discussion stems from a Twitter thread between the three of us looking at why read alouds seemed to have been more successful when in a virtual space than in the bricks-and-mortar space while following safety protocols. How do we balance supporting the literacy needs and sharing of stories with students and educators using virtual tools with the power we know that comes from small group discussions and the connections made when talking about the books together? Both Julie and Beth reflect on how the act of sharing stories in a large school-wide setting using virtual tools allowed for a small act of community gathering in a year when we were all so far apart. How can we engage in a story and the learning connected to themes and inquiry sparks when working with grades ranging from kindergarten to Grade 8. We know that stories act as “mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors” (Rudine Sims Bishop) but how have they also acted as “keys” (Julie Vandendool) to a shared common space?
Julie Vandendool- Alloa Public School LLC
@AlloaLlc
Aviva Dunsiger
@avivaloca
Poem shared by Julie-
Her Books and Stories by Erin Hansen
https://inspiration.allwomenstalk.com/her-books-and-stories-by-erin-hanson/
Sparks that helped structure our discussion:
“We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories” ~Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human
The Science of Story- https://news.berkeley.edu/berkeley_blog/the-science-of-the-story/
Jonathan Gottschall Tedx- https://youtu.be/Vhd0XdedLpY
Texts mentioned in this episode:
The Truth About Wind by Hazel Hutchins & Gail Herbert
I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott and Sydney Smith
What Riley Wore by Elana K. Arnold
A Family is a Family is a Family by Sara O’Leary
Malaika series by Nadia L. Hohn
I Lost My Talk by Rita Joe
Take It Back by Kia Abdullah
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Cultivating Genius by Gholdy Muhammad
Calm, Alert, and Learning by Stuart Shanker
Inquiry Mindset by Trevor Mackenzie and Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt
Make Writing: 5 Teaching Strategies That Turn Writer's Workshop Into a Maker Space by Angela Stockman
Creating Inclusive Writing Environments in the K-12 Classroom: Reluctance, Resistance, and Strategies that Make a Difference by Angela Stockman
Beth Lyons speaks to teacher-librarian Tim Boudreau about creating podcasts with students as part of his philosophy and integration of maker education in the school library learning commons. How might integrating podcasts and the creation of content help students to see themselves as creators of digital content and not only consumers? Tim outlines the planning process he undergoes with students as they begin to develop and plan for creating their own podcast. How can we use podcasts- both the creation and consumption of- to improve our students’ listening and speaking skills? Tim and Beth discuss whether virtual learning has raised educator’s awareness of the need to better connect literacy activities to the important skills of listening and speaking in a way that wasn’t acknowledged before.
Student Created Podcast- Lougheed Reads
https://www.spreaker.com/user/voicedradio/lougheed-reads-dont-stand-so-close-to-me
Tim Boudreau
@Timboo_drow
Texts mentioned in this episode:
Podcasts
Pod Save America - Politics
The NY Times The Daily - News
Revisionist History - History and storytelling
Tai Asks Why- CBC
The Interview Dudes
The Happiness Lab - Mental Health
Shut Up and Sit Down - Gaming
Mars Patel- Gen Z Media
Books
From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle
Invincible by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, John Rauch
House of M by Brian Michael Bendis
The Walking Dead by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore
Beth Lyons speaks to educator Lynn Thomas about using audiobooks and podcasts in her secondary classroom. Shout out to our #EduKnitNight from bringing us together and helping educators from across the K-12 continuum learn from each other’s experiences. The conversation starts with exploring how readers may experience and interact with audiobooks differently than physical books. How can using both modalities of reading in our learning environments help support all learners develop a love of stories and discover the genres that they are passionate about? How might we restructure our assignments and activities in the Language Arts and English classroom to create engaged and literate citizens? Lynn shares how she uses both text formats in her classroom with her students and offers the choice of physical book or audiobook or both to her students to help them access the text and narrative in a format that works for them.
Lynn Thomas
@THOMLYNN101
Texts mentioned in this episode:
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
Hamilton Spectator- https://www.thespec.com/nie.html
AERO- audiobooks
Serial Podcast- https://serialpodcast.org/
Finding Cleo- https://www.cbc.ca/radio/findingcleo
Brené Brown- Unlocking Us, Dare to Lead- https://brenebrown.com/podcasts/
Gen Z Media
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara and Susan Elizabeth McClelland
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Ken Follett- https://ken-follett.com/books/
Co-host Beth Lyons and Adrian Del Monte from The Wholehearted Teaching podcast sit down to discuss how educators are embracing audiobooks and podcasts as texts in their classroom, especially since the start of the pandemic. As parents of young children Beth and Adrian reflect on the current remote learning situation and how it has impacted their understanding of the education system as educators in the areas of assessment and demonstration of learning. How might we embrace audiobooks in our classrooms and school libraries to allow students greater access to stories? What constitutes “real” reading in classrooms and is this an outdated, colonial approach to teaching students about stories and narratives? As educators we need to reflect on what the goal of teaching language arts is and how we are serving our students as individuals in our literacy programs.
Adrian Del Monte
The Wholehearted Teaching Podcast- @podcastforheart
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KkC9ZDZgThOAAoRUCxlc20H0JcBs9QjN/view
@adrian_delmonte
Texts Mentioned in this Episode
The Dogman series by Dav Pilkey
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (audiobook narrated by Trevor Noah)
The Truth About Stories by Thomas King
This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell
The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman
Dear Humanity by Wali Shah
A Promised Land by Barack Obama (audiobook narrated by Barack Obama)
Becoming by Michelle Obama (audiobook narrated by Michelle Obama)
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls (audiobook narrated by Jeanette Walls)
When They Call You a Terrorist; A Blacl Lives Matters Memoir by by Patrisse Cullors (Author), asha bandele (Author), Angela Davis (Foreword) (audiobook narrated by Patrisse Khan-Cullors)
The Stone Thrower A Daughter's Lessons, a Father's Life by Jael Ealey Richardson (audiobook narrated by Jael Ealey Richardson)
Gutter Child by Jael Ealey Richardson
Dear White People…Why Is Your Mental Health So White? By Asante Haughton
The Wild Robot and The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Charming As a Verb by Ben Phillipe
Punching the Air by by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam
The Crossover and The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
The Track Series by Jason Reynolds
The Disappearance of Mars Patel by Gen Z Media
Unlocking us (Podcast) and The Power of Vulnerability by Brene Brown
White Fragility by Robin D’Angelo
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho
Stamped Racism, Antiracism, and Youby Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi (audiobook narrated by Jason Reynolds)
How to be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi (audiobook narrated by Ibram X. Kendi)
We Want To Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom by Bettina L. Love (audiobook narrated by Bettina L. Love)
The Handmaid’s Tale and the Testaments by Margaret Atwood
The Hate U Give by Anglie Thomas
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Shout out to Jonelle St Aubyn @Ms_St_Aubyn for inviting our feeder schools to your speaker series for Sikh Heritage Month.
Book club organizer Lisa Corbett interviews teacher-turned-author Anne Shilolo about her cozy mystery Rescue Me. The book is about 3 teens who visit a G8 protest and the adventures that they experience as they become separated from each other in the chaos. As Anne says in her book description: What could go wrong? We recommend this book for grades 7 to 12.
Anne reveals how publishing a book per month in the cozy mystery genre independently has been very satisfying, in contrast to the traditional way of approaching publishers with a manuscript. Anne recommends the self-publishing process for its benefits for creative control and publishing momentum. We also uncover two more of Anne’s series: animal humour in a murder mystery series Poodle Versus, and also Murder in Season which focuses on an injured detective Claire Beckett. Anne also talks about all the mysteries in her reading history that have influenced her own creations.
Anne’s books are available in multiple formats through her website: https://www.anneshillolo.com/
This episode was recorded in May 2020.
In the second part of a special crossover episode with The Staffroom Podcast hosts, Chey Cheney and Pav Wander, Beth Lyons discusses the power of stories in education and learning. You can check out Part 1 of this series at the following link:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Erg1iodNeKborleFljBvi?go=1&utm_source=embed_v3&t=0&nd=1
The conversation continues by looking at how we can embed current events, identity, making connections and stories into our learning with students. The importance of consistently valuing, appreciating, honouring, and connecting to the lived experience of students and the school community in order to learn from and validate the stories of the students we have the privilege to work with each day. How are we working with students to build their capacity to not only understand the visual stories they are bombarded with each day but to tell their story through pictures and images? How can we differentiate the modes in which we ask students to tell their stories- whether that’s the story of how they communicate their understanding of math or a narrative? The discussion shifts to looking at multimodal ways to capture student’s understanding beyond pencil and paper and whether the consistency of working for a length of time in one grade or the experience of changing grades/allocations has helped us on our own learning journey as educators. The discussion ends off with sharing our love for audiobooks and brings the conversation full circle with Part 1 where we discussed oral storytelling.
Chey Cheney- @mrccheney
Pav Wander- @pavwander
https://www.cheyandpav.com/
The Staffroom Podcast- @StaffPodcast
The Drive with Chey and Pav- @TheDriveVoicEd
Books mentioned in this episode:
Make Writing: 5 Teaching Strategies that Turn Writer’s Workshop into a Maker Space by Angela Stockman
Creating Inclusive Writing Environments by Angela Stockman
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Gutter Child by Jael Richardson
Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man by William Shatner
The Fabulous Zed Watson by Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvester
Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian
The Barnabus Project by The Tan Brothers
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
In this live chat session, Read Into This podcast co-host Alanna King revisits a lighter retrospective on some of the hot-button topics of the 2020 year in reading and school libraries. Please enjoy listening to this live recording, and have a look at our Jamboard artifact where participants contributed their ideas about our main topics. in our live Jamboard and call in about your school library experiences! BYOB to this podcast party.
Jamboard link: https://jamboard.google.com/d/14-ZxFI1RU8yFyYlJHT1M3lKEK_cQgzKRr2wMltcvTjM/edit?usp=sharing
Co-host Beth Lyons welcomes Jael Richardson, author and executive director of the Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD) to discuss the importance of choosing to bring Canadian content- authors, illustrators, publishers- into Canadian classrooms. Looking at the social responsibility and moral imperative of the Canadian education system to book Canadian authors and activists to speak to students. They discuss how the publishing industry in Canada needs to shift to promote Canadian writers, in particular BIPOC authors, that represent the lived experience of our country. How might we as readers and specifically teacher-librarians work to bring intentionality to the authors we showcase within our schools and with our students? Jael shares her thoughts on how teacher-librarians and educators can work from the geographical space in which their students reside to help share a clear path that has been followed by authors and other artists in order to help students make connections. What mandates and policies exist within an educational organization that promotes and holds people accountable to bringing in Canadian authors and content? How might we advocate to make these policies a reality? Lastly, the role of parents and grown-ups in advocating for the reading materials that are consumed by readers, regardless of the medium or genre, is discussed.
Shout out to Toni Duval for being fabulous.
Jael Richardson
@JaelRichardson
The Festival of Literary Diversity- https://thefoldcanada.org/
Q Recommendations- http://www.jaelrichardson.com/writing/q-recommendations
I Read Canadian Day- https://ireadcanadian.com/day/
Books Mentioned In This Episode:
The Stone Thrower: A Daughter’s Lesson, A Father’s Life- Jael Richardson
The Stone Thrower (Children’s Book) - Jael Richardson
Gutter Child- Jael Richardson
You Are Eating An Orange, You Are Naked by Sheung-King
Like Home by Louisa Onome (YA)
Bruised by Tanya Boteju
Beth Lyons and Toni Duval look back at their journey together as teacher-librarians towards reading more diversely. They recount their time at the Ontario Library Super Conference, seeing Jael Richardson as a spotlight speaker and attending the Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD) as a means to live and read more diversely. Toni talks about her time as a FOLD volunteer and using the resources and learning offered by the FOLD as an inroads to bringing diverse literature into the classroom. The pair consider their learning in a professional development sense and the importance of bringing an awareness to who is presenting the sessions, the messages they are sharing and moving beyond your silo. Both Toni and Beth have started to engage in a diversity audit of the book collections in the school library and discuss the statistics and learning that have come from starting this work. Toni shares about how she connected with Rebeca Rubio and their upcoming session at OLA Super Conference 2021 looking at their diversity audits and the discussions that stem from the data and the work.
Mentioned in this episode:
OLA Super Conference- https://www.olasuperconference.ca/
Treasure Mountain Canada- https://tmc.canadianschoollibraries.ca/
Rebeca Rubio @rebecarubi0
Thanks to Jael Richardson and the FOLD for always pushing our learning.
@JaelRichardson
@TheFOLD_
https://thefoldcanada.org/
Books mentioned in this episode:
Black Water: Family, Legacy and Blood Memory by David A. Robertson
The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson
This Book is AntiRacist by Tiffany Jewell
Trending: How and Why Stuff Gets Popular by Kira Vermond, illustrated Clayton Hanmer
The Jigsaw Puzzle King by Gina McMurchy-Barber
Teaching Tough Topics: Interview with Fatty Legs authors Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
Teacher-librarian Lisa Lewis joins Alanna to speak with author Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton (Olemaun) about the impact of their book on tackling the tough topic of Canada’s history of residential schools and the legacy of this cultural trauma. This unique memoir of the Inuvialuit experience is a must-read for middle grade audiences.
Lisa uses Fatty Legs with her intergenerational book club and speaks about the power of unpacking trauma with middle grade students. Christy mentions how Fatty Legs is also resonating with new Canadians and adapting to new cultures. Christy also refers to the cross-cultural connections of global history including war's effect on human migration, the Japanese treatment of Korean people. Lisa emphasizes how the impact of migration on family culture really resonates with her students and their families.
Shoutouts to Jenny Kay Dupuis’ I Am Not a Number, mentor Maggie DeVries, illustrator Liz Amini-Holmes, Annick Press, and editor Antonia Banyard.
For more resources to go with Fatty Legs:
https://www.cjordanfenton.com/teacher-resources
https://www.annickpress.com/Books/F/Fatty-Legs-10th-anniversary-edition
For more information about this book and the authors:
The Canadian Encyclopedia: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/fatty-legs
Beth Lyons speaks to Maria Martella and Margie Wolfe about the creation of the Save School Libraries Coalition, the role school libraries and Canadian books plays in the education of students, the legacy of devaluing and defunding of school libraries over decades and the most recent alarming closures of school libraries in response to the pandemic. The panel discusses the need to advocate for school libraries, work to educate families and caregivers of how school libraries support their children’s education.
Maria Martella- owner of Tinlids
https://www.tinlids.ca/
Margie Wolfe- publisher and owner of Second Story Press
https://secondstorypress.ca/
The Save School Libraries Coalition:
African Heritage Educators’ Network (AHEN)
Annick Press
Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP)
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC)
Canadian School Libraries (CSL)
Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators & Performers (CANSCAIP)
A Different Booklist
International Board on Books for Young People — Canadian Section (IBBY Canada)
Ontario Book Publishers’ Organization (OBPO)
Larry Swartz – Literacy Instructor Ontario Institute for the Study of Education (OISE)
Ontario Library Association (OLA)
Ontario School Library Association (OSLA)
Second Story Press
Tinlids Inc.
The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC)
Primary Contact:
Anita Brooks Kirkland
Chair, Canadian School Libraries
www.canadianschoollibraries.ca
anitabk@bythebrooks.ca
519-503-9388
299 Canterbury Drive
Waterloo, ON N2K 3C1
Books mentioned in this episode:
The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim
The Ontario Library Association Forest of Reading is “Canada’s largest recreational reading program! This initiative of the Ontario Library Association (OLA) offers ten reading programs to encourage a love of reading in people of all ages. The Forest helps celebrate Canadian books, publishers, authors and illustrators. More than 270,000 readers participate annually from their school and/or public library. All Canadians are invited to participate via their local public library, school library, or individually.”
This timely episode explores the nominations for 2021 in all of the trees so if you want to see the full lists, check these out: https://accessola.com/forest/award-nominated-lists/
The Forest of Reading comes under a scrutiny as we apply our #ownvoices lens to each of the lists. Are the lists representative of the diversity of our students? As members of the education community and also representatives of the selection committees, we bring a lot of experience to this conversation.
Shoutouts to Lisa Lewis and Deb Dundas.
For more information on the challenges of diversity of Canadian publishing, check out this Treasure Mountain Canada paper by Deb Dundas called “Who do we see in kids’ books? Star survey provides insight into diversity of Canadian publishers and the characters they develop”
Beth speaks with Wali Shah who is a spoken word poet, author, Tedx speaker and advocate for education. Wali speaks about the community that school provides and the changes that students are experiencing due to COVID and our current pandemic situation. Wali recounts his experience in high school when his teacher introduced him to a book of poetry and saw the potential in his abilities. He attributes his success and passion for writing to his interaction with this teacher and the book of poetry he was given to read. They discuss the importance of sharing culturally responsive texts with students that allow the students to see themselves in the characters and authors they are exploring. Wali shares about the book he is working on with author Eric Walters and the appreciation he has for the opportunity to learn with and from Eric as they collaborate on this new book. The book will allow students who connect with the immigrant experience and growing up as a Muslim to see themselves in a book written by an author who looks like them and understands their lived experience.
Books Mentioned in this Episode-
The Rose that Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur
Damn Good Advice for People with Talent by George Lois
https://www.lifeaswali.com/
@LifeAsWali
Shout out to Eric Walters @EricRWalters
Beth speaks with Angela Stockman who is an educator, an author and a champion for the power of storytelling in its many forms. She has spent her career being curious about what makes writers struggle and how she could help push young writers to see their capabilities. The conversation starts by discussing Angela’s new book- Creating Inclusive Writing Environments in the K-12 Classroom: Reluctance, Resistance, and Strategies that Make a Difference and how Angela is connected and collaborates with so many school library professionals and other educators in Ontario. Angela explains her thoughts about the role reading has in the writing lives of students and the intertwining of play and storytelling. Angela says that ”[s]tory is not the property of English language arts and English teachers. Story is a power force inside every single industry.” We discuss the cultural reckoning that is happening across the world right now and the importance of bringing in students’ lived experiences to the classroom and valuing many forms of storytelling.
Books Mentioned in this Episode
Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad by Austin Kleon
Design Is Storytelling by Ellen Lupton
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
http://www.angelastockman.com/
@AngelaStockman
Look for The Building Better Writers group on Facebook
Join co-host Beth Lyons as she explores how school library professionals are “leveraging their LLC” using the Canadian School Library graphic as a starting point for discussion. The panel discusses book circulation as we work to keep staff and students safe as we adopt curbside pickup or a delivery model. An important piece of the puzzle is how might school library professionals provide curriculum support due to repeated re-organizations of staff into different assignments, a lack of tech devices as they are being given out to online students and not available to those learning in the face-to-face model. The panel shares how they are creating and curating lists of available resources and making “how-to videos” to support the needs of their community, especially as the virtual library learning commons becomes a more central piece of how the library functions. The current role of various communication tools and how we are getting the needed information to families is considered as many boards look at which tool- Google Classroom/Site, Brightspace, and/or Messenger, can be used as Virtual Learning Environments and the importance of building capacity with these tools in order to best serve the needs of our learners. Finally the panel looks at collection building- what are school library professionals looking to purchase and use to build a rich and diverse collection especially in light of the Ministry report highlighting the anti-Black racism in PDSB and the ongoing societal shift as we open our eyes to the need for these materials.
On a personal note, I want to thank the four educators who joined me to discuss their current roles and goals as we returned to school for the 2020-2021 school year. The emotion and stress attached to all educational roles this year as educators work to pivot to our new reality while still working to support students as best they can is palpable and I am grateful for their trust in sharing their stories. ~Beth
Thanks to our guests:
Jonelle St Aubyn @Ms_St_Aubyn
Dawn Telfer @DawnTelfer
Jess Longthorne @LongthorneJess
Diana Murrell @Murrell_TL
CSL Graphic- https://www.canadianschoollibraries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CSL_LeverageYourLLC.pdf
Jonelle St Aubyn mentions “EML” which stands for Empowering Modern Learners from the PDSB.
Books Mentioned
I Will See You Again by Lisa Boivin
The Forgotten Home Child by Genevieve Graham
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi
The Third Path by Dr. David Tranter, Lori Carson, and Tom Boland
The Last Houseguest by Megan Miranda
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib
Mystery authors- Ruth Ware and Mary Kubika
Podcasts Mentioned:
88 Cups of Tea
Reflecting on the most “unprecedented” start of school ever. The co-hosts discuss what their roles are at the time of recording, the first weeks of learning and being back at school. A look at how we have been adapting to our roles- whether online or face-to-face or a mix of both. Beth talks about staying in her role as a teacher-librarian and the work of supporting educators and curating resources to have at the ready for the learning community without overwhelming them at the same time. The loss of school libraries across the province at this time as boards struggle to fill class needs with educators reflects the legacy of devaluing school library professionals and the loss this represents for educators and learners is recognized and discussed. While reflecting on the new normal of school the Lisa and Alanna share their experiences in face-to-face and online/remote learning and the changes they are seeing in both educators and students- from the ever present worries and need to pivot at a moment’s notice, the continued importance of a PLN (professional learning network) to support your pedagogical learning, the dichotomy of the increased independence of students and inability to focus for a long duration of time. The episode finishes off talking about what the co-hosts have read and loved recently, what they hope to read soon and the on-going debate of separating art from the artist.
Books mentioned in this episode:
Lovely War by Julie Berry
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
The Library of Legends by Jamie Chang
Creating Inclusive Writing Environments by Angela Stockman
I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
Summerwood/Winterwood by E.L. Chen
Worlds of Making: Best Practices for Establishing a Makerspace for Your School by Laura Fleming
Podcasts mentioned in this episode:
Unlocking Us with Brene Brown (June 10th episode with Austin Channing Brown)
Alanna hosts Australian learning commons leader and educator Jennifer Cain @jennifercain26 as we talk about how she programs an entire week of experiential and participatory knowledge-building using competitive, collaborative and community activities, somewhat akin to the Triwizard cup of Hogwarts, but with much more variety (although less underwater breathing is required). Jennifer shows how the significance of the librarian’s role has been pivotal in the success of her school as they have moved to remote learning during the pandemic. Jennifer provides a wealth of perspective as we compare Australia’s model and proactive response to transitioning to remote learning and the importance of a literacy and learning leader during this time.
Jennifer Cain can be reached at: cain_j@materchristi.edu.au
Shoutouts to Australian Library and Information Association https://www.alia.org.au/
Link to the original article in Canadian School Libraries Journal: https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/creating-knowledge-building-skills-designing-and-implementing-a-knowledge-week/
Alanna hosts our school library panel on the topic of instigating collaboration through instruction and building that cycle. Our coast-to-coast #CollaboNation panel of experts Lila Armstrong, Sonja Clark, and Leigh Borden strategize about their menu of collaboration and making sure that the school knows their true range of skills and abilities. How can we continue to push our schools to investigate inquiry projects where the ending (i.e. diorama) isn’t predetermined? Favourites from our panel include book sets, anticipation guides, combining STEM with literacy, continuity pieces that cross all curricula and shifting school culture to embrace dissonance.
Shoutouts to Jenn Brown, Christie Johnson, National Film Board, Mitch Resnick’s Lifelong Kindergarten, Lisa Unger, Reggio, Robert John Meehan, and Walter Isaacson’s The Innovators.
Alanna hosts Australian learning commons leader and educator Jennifer Cain @jennifercain26 as we talk about how she programs an entire week of experiential and participatory knowledge-building using competitive, collaborative and community activities, somewhat akin to the Triwizard cup of Hogwarts, but with much more variety (although less underwater breathing is required). Jennifer shows how the significance of the librarian’s role has been pivotal in the success of her school as they have moved to remote learning during the pandemic. Jennifer provides a wealth of perspective as we compare Australia’s model and proactive response to transitioning to remote learning and the importance of a literacy and learning leader during this time.
Jennifer Cain can be reached at: cain_j@materchristi.edu.au
Shoutouts to Australian Library and Information Association https://www.alia.org.au/
Link to the original article in Canadian School Libraries Journal: https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/creating-knowledge-building-skills-designing-and-implementing-a-knowledge-week/
Alanna, Lisa and Beth unpack the 3rd and 4th quarters of the book revealing all! Spoiler alert! jump right into the second quarter of Emily St. John Mandel’s novel Station Eleven. We talk about the hallmarks of culture in the book versus the ones we might have chosen for ourselves in 2020. We even dissect why Emily St. John Mandel’s characters seems intent on preserving ‘the canon’ of literature and music. Does the novel’s timeline help or hurt all the big reveals that happen? Were we successful at unravelling the mystery as the clues were laid out? We also spend a lot of time on Tyler the Prophet and the meaning of the name of the book.
Beth hosts Diana Maliszewski, Mona Cheema, Renee Shah Singh and Ketly Appleton to discuss the recent Twitter campaign launched by the Ontario School Library Association (OSLA) where school library professionals from across Ontario (and Canada!) are sharing their documentation process of student learning, the joy of the school library and the joy of reading. The panel discussed the energy and the vibe of an LLC and the shared passion for creating a school library that is the hub of the school and the recurring theme of community that emerged through the discussion. Diana reminded us that tweets are a media form and that as we use this medium to advocate for our spaces and our learners we need to be mindful of the attention economy. A great inquiry question- How might we create tweets with engaging hooks to push our advocacy for school libraries forward? Listen for shoutouts to other school library professionals that inspired us and if you haven’t yet shared a tweet using #ONSchoolLibraries or #ShareYourLLC, remember- your ordinary is someone else’s extraordinary
Panel
@MzMollyTL - Diana Maliszewski
@MsCheema_TDSB - Mona Cheema
@IngleboroughLlc - Renee Shah Singh
@Kappleton_GG - Ketly Appleton
Shoutouts to the School Library Professionals Who Inspired Us
@MrsVandendool Alloa Public School LLC
@NHS_Library1 NHS_Library
@originalmissg Ruth Gretsinger
@DNevilleTeach Danny Neville
@JennMacBrown Jenn Brown
@WilshireLibrary Wilshire Library
@MrsGoodybdps Laura Goodfellow
@LibraryScott Connie Scott
@msbordenTL Leigh Borden
@Lila_TL_EWP Lila Armstrong
@MsTravassos Cassandra Travassos
Land Art- Andy Goldsworthy
Beth explores what makes a good non-fiction text for primary to intermediate readers with fellow PDSB teacher librarian Toni Duval. Toni outlines her experiences on the selection committees for the OLA Forest of Reading program and the criteria used to choose a book for the list of nominees. The conversation takes on the non-linear fashion of non-fiction texts, memoirs as a narrative sub-genre, the amount of visual literacy built into a non-fiction text and the necessity of a good layout to help young readers make sense of the text. Beth and Toni discuss how students benefit from having positive models of reading in their lives, the shift from only valuing fiction and novels during their parent’s education to opening the door to readers to choose what they like to read and why that is an important aspect of the role of a teacher librarian. Their brief disagreement over a book chosen for the Yellow Cedar nominee list is discussed and they move on as friends! Signage, book displays and ideas for promoting non-fiction in their library learning commons is a common thought for both teacher librarians and they share how they have shifted their practice to learn more about #OwnVoices within the non-fiction publishing world.
Toni Duval @toni_a_duval
Books mentioned:
Meatless?: A Fresh Look At What You Eat
by Sarah Elton, Julie McLaughlin (Illustrations)
Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History
by Alison Matthews David, Serah-Marie McMahon
Read Into This co-host Beth Lyons, Ontario School Library Association (OSLA) Vice-President, and Jenn Brown (OSLA Past President) chat with Tim Boudreau and Connie Scott about the most recent #ONLibChat that was held on July 28th. The chat still centred around the question “How might our school libraries look in the fall if/when we return to school?” but shifted to focus on ideas around advocating for the role of school libraries within a learning community and how school library professionals might use their collective voice to share the necessity of a school library with education stakeholders. The panel discussed the upswell in advocacy that resulted during the chat as participants asked if OSLA was prepared to reply to the education announcement once it was shared and Beth discussed the process of writing the letter - School Library Staff: Essential to Supporting Students Adapt and Succeed in the Unprecedented 2020-21 School Year . The panel also discussed the roles of teacher-librarians, the lack of equitable funding for school libraries across the province, the possible role of the school library as schools re-open with COVID 19 protocols in place and as always, as we can serve the students in our communities.
The next chat has been scheduled for August 25th at 7:00pm- https://www.accessola.org/web/OLA/Event_Display.aspx?EventKey=EIW200825A
Jenn Brown @JennMacBrown
Tim Boudreau @TimBoo_Drow
Connie Scott @LibraryScott
Alanna hosts author and educator Jennifer Casa-Todd and we talk about her journey from being a fearful and reluctant parent of teens in regards to the use of social media, to blogging and using social media with her students, and now student voices on a global scale. Jennifer gives some solid advice about setting up norms in social media for student participation and handling multiple perspectives for learning.
Shoutouts to Alec Couros, George Couros, Dean Shareski, danah boyd, Henry Jenkins, Leigh Cassell, Stacey Wallwin, Tina Zita, Donna Fry, Mark Carbone, Brock Baker, Allison Fuisz, Nicole Kauffman, Michael Drezek and Dave Burgess.
Jennifer’s paper for Treasure Mountain Canada 2020:
https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-casa-todd.html
Get involved with #GlobalEdSsChat: https://globaledsschat.com/
Want to know more? Here’s Jenn’s book Social LEADia: Moving Students from Digital Citizenship to Digital Leadership
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35444016-social-leadia
Alanna hosts author and reading advocate Eric “Momentum” Walters and chair of Canadian School Libraries Anita Brooks Kirkland as we dissect some of their year of passionate intention to increase reading engagement in K-12 students. Eric suggests that all he needed to do was a little spark to the fire that teachers and school library staff already do. He wants more passion for student choice and voice in reading choices. Anita talks about how her research and data collection convinced key stakeholders to let the books go out during the summer. We round out this conversation by talking about the needs for virtual engagement in the library learning commons, building partnerships with public libraries and how to pivot in this pandemic.
The article that sparks this discussion: https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/the-eric-walters-school-library-summer-lending-project/
Bibliovideo YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoRQbrmtvSYMRm1emqkhP8Q
Anita’s Webinar series on Building your Own Virtual Library: https://www.bythebrooks.ca/build-your-own-vllc/
Shoutouts to Orca Books, The Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Michael Marchenko, Debbie and Ruth Ohi, Eugenie Fernandez, TD Summer Reading Program
Beth explores how podcasting has helped educators Pav Wander and Chey Cheney find their voice and work to share it with others. Chey and Pav are the co-hosts of The Staffroom Podcast and The Drive and have found that by sharing their voice and ideas with others using these mediums they are becoming more comfortable with having courageous conversations and pushing their learning forward.
During the episode Beth, Pav and Chey discuss the intertwined literacies of listening, speaking, sketchnoting and reading, curating articles and texts that connect and push pedagogy forward and the experience of curating a playlist in relation to theme each week for their live radio show hosted on VoicEd Radio.
Chey and Pav reflect on their use of podcasting with students in the classroom as an organic experience that grew out of a Genius Hour project and the changes that might take place if podcasting were more intentionally embedded through the inquiry process.
Books mentioned during this episode:
Pav: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Chey: Practical Wisdom: The Right Way To Do The Right Thing by Barry Schwartz
Alanna, Lisa and Beth jump right into the second quarter of Emily St. John Mandel’s novel Station Eleven. In this episode we unpack some of the themes that are emerging and we are particularly drawn to Mandel’s use of memory and time with multiple narrators and also a non-linear timeline.
We start to explore the abandoned places that are explored in the novel, and the technology objects that are left behind. We talk about Ai Weiwei’s work as a protest against Chinese nationalist policies and how he plays with value of objects, the same way Mandel is. We talk a lot about how children and families fit into the pandemic and the conditions that we’re experiencing, that are emphasized in the novel.
We talk about the power of cultural artifacts to transform us back to moments of impact where we were called to action or to think in a different way.
Here’s the theme wheel we talk about: https://www.litcharts.com/lit/station-eleven/chart-board-visualization
Jump into the conversation with us on TVO’s TeachOntario:
https://www.teachontario.ca/community/explore/TO-OSLA-book-club/projects/station-eleven
Shoutouts to this previous episode with Rolland Chidiac and Chris Cluff:
EP 08 How do stories hold us? What stories do you hold on to?
https://voiced.ca/podcast_episode_post/ep-08-how-do-stories-hold-us-what-stories-do-you-hold-on-to/
Read Into This co-host Beth Lyons, Ontario School Library Association (OSLA) Vice-President chats with Jenn Brown (OSLA Past-President) about the recent #ONLibChat they facilitated that took place on June 25th and looked at the question- “How might our school libraries look in the fall if/when we return to school?” The chat was an open discussion between school library professionals across Ontario (and BC!) and a few key themes and concerts emerged:
Will school libraries open if/when we return to school?
How might we support community wellness by advocating for the LLC as a safe space for learners?
How can we continue to use the school library space as a centre of support for student health and wellness?
How might we advocate the need to have centralized databases, resources, and school library positions at all Ontario boards to support modern learners?
How might we foster collaboration with educators and other library sectors as a result of what we have learned during this time?
What role can school library professionals play in supporting educators and students in exploring ideas of digital citizenship, privacy, and copyright?
Further chats have been scheduled for July 28th at 7pm and August 25th at 7pm.
http://www.accessola.org/web/OLA/Events/Online_Events/ONLibChat/OLA/Events/Online_events/ONLibChat.aspx?hkey=2ff011df-23bc-4fa8-b93d-27c2256b9c8e
Resources mentioned in the discussion:
Toronto Sick Kids Hospital Recommendations for School Reopening: https://www.sickkids.ca/PDFs/About-SickKids/81407-COVID19-Recommendations-for-School-Reopening-SickKids.pdf
Alanna, Lisa and Beth dive into the first quarter of the Emily St. John Mandel’s novel Station Eleven navigating the wicked discomfort, and juicy details about survival and finding civilization, or at least meaning, in a pandemic. We talk about our own intentions and survival strategies during the pandemic compared to the characters’ choices in the book. We also wonder about the meaning of using Shakespeare’s King Lear as the opening scene and recurring theme in the book…..what does it all mean? We discuss at length how there are a surprising lack of grocery stores in this novel as the infrastructure disintegrates.
Jump into the conversation with us on TVO’s TeachOntario:
https://www.teachontario.ca/community/explore/TO-OSLA-book-club/projects/station-eleven
Lisa, Beth and Alanna talk about learning and unlearning about racism personally and taking this learning into the professional realm. In this episode we start to unpack how to translate our reading into action. We talk about the real struggle of providing resources that are not from a deficit lens. There are so many resources again in this episode but we’ve shouted out to our favourites.
Shoutouts to Colinda Clyne, Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga, the film Deeply Rooted by Cazhhmere, The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, Robin D’Angelo, Pam Palmater and Matthew Morris
Read Into This highly recommends this podcast series Anti-Racist Educator Reads https://voiced.ca/project/anti-racist-educator-reads/
Alanna interviews Richard Beaudry, who currently chairs the Canadian Federation of Library Associations / Fédération canadienne des associations de bibliothèques (CFLA-FCAB) Intellectual Freedom Committee, representing Canadian School Libraries. Richard got the opportunity in November 2019 to see what was on the cutting edge at the American Association of School Libraries (AASL) conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Richard is known in Canada for his activities to promote human rights and freedom of information, and is currently interested in diversifying school library collections and the gaps between secondary and post-secondary education. Richard’s takeaways from his experience and lifelong love of school libraries will spark your own ideas for your school programs.
Shoutouts to SOJI 123 Education https://www.sogieducation.org/ and Andrea Langelaar
See some of his photos in the Canadian School Libraries Journal article at:
https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/aasl-conference-2019/
Laughs abound as Lisa Corbett is joined by her daughter Claire and they host author Amy Ludwig VanDerwater http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/ Lisa asks Amy about Betsy the Writing Camper and all of the magical things that inspire this writer. Claire reads a poem called “Dead Branch” and asks all the hardest questions to Amy. Amy reads from her brand new book called Write! Write! Write!
Alanna is joined by Shari Green, author of Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess, and middle grade educator Lisa Lewis to discuss how this book works to help talk about disability, ageism, and blended families. Lisa has a chance to bring in the students’ own questions for Shari especially about Macy’s confrontations with her soon-to-be stepfather, Alan. We talk about how this rich book opens up conversations with students to help them find truth and make a difference despite the odds.
If you want to hear more about Lisa Lewis and her intergenerational book club, check out episodes:
22a Paper - Ignite a Lifelong Love of Learning: Create an intergenerational book club in your library learning commons https://www.spreaker.com/user/voicedradio/ep-22a-ignite-a-lifelong-love-of-learnin
22b Interview - Read Into Building Empathy by inviting Parents/Guardians to an Intergenerational Book Club
https://www.spreaker.com/user/voicedradio/ep-e22b-interview-read-into-building-emp
In this Long Story Short episode, guest host Lila Armstrong talks to Teacher Librarian Mary Morrow and Teacher Chelsea Badger about their Forest School programs. Lila’s guests share how they weave stories, poems, oral storytelling, Indigenous language and culture, science and inquiry into their forays into nature. Supported by a local group of likeminded educators, both Mary and Chelsea agree that participating in the wonder of childhood encourages them to continue to expand their outdoor learning practice.
Lila can be reached on Twitter at @Lila_TL_EWP. You can reach out to Mary via email, Mary.Morrow@sd72.bc.ca and Chelsea at Chelsea.Badger@sd72.bc.ca
Alanna speaks with teacher-librarian and researcher Amber Hartwell about the TPACK model and how the pandemic has reshaped the significance of having balance between technology, pedagogy and content. Amber emphasizes how this model from 2006 continues to assist her as entry points for collaborative conversations at all education levels, especially for school library staff who want to improve the culture of participatory learning and collaboration in their learning spaces.
Read the full article here: https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/tpack-as-a-framework-to-facilitate-co-planning-teaching-and-assessing/
Shoutouts to Carol Koechlin and Ruben Puedentura’s SAMR model.
Alanna hosts our school library panel on the topic of developing a school library collection collaboratively. Our coast-to-coast #CollaboNation panel of experts Lila Armstrong, Sonja Clark, and Leigh Borden covers really nerdy topics including: the ratios of library resources to students, how to improve the collection with data, vigorous weeding, strategic cataloguing, budget advocacy and the precarious nature of gatekeeping. We talk about working to diversify the collection for culture, compassion, reading ability and mental health.
Shoutouts to Follett Destiny, Junior Library Guild, Adrienne Gear, Stephen Krashen and Paul Fleischman.
Alanna speaks with author and blogger Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano [A Guide to Documenting Learning: http://langwitches.org/blog/2018/01/30/now-available-a-guide-to-documenting-learning/]
We uncover how the fluid nature of media needs to be taught in the language arts/English classroom. Through the observations/conversations with students, Silvia calls for a new pedagogical mindset to embrace the reach and potential of technology for expression and communication. Her international background as a student and as a parent allowed Silvia to see the arbitrary nature of education and to recognize the untapped potential for learners. We agree that the pandemic is putting a spotlight on the gaps in society’s transliteracy. A master class in heutagogy.
Shoutouts to Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs
Alanna talks with Heather Buchansky, the Student Engagement Librarian at the University of Toronto Libraries, regarding the gap that exists in information literacy for students in their first year of post-secondary education. She was a part of a collaborative effort between OCULA (Ontario College and University Library Association) and the OSLA (Ontario School Library Association) to develop an information literacy toolkit. Shoutouts to The Assignment Calculator developed by the University of Toronto.
Explore the draft toolkit here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MYaF-AEDOKjYmdQdAU20iwUDqPyVfPTnMsRnSql46kQ/edit?usp=sharing
Leave your feedback on the draft toolkit here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWscXW5Hh0Wii1FawNeWFpuJnho0QWelqnKYGuXEVAUXdv5A/viewform
Heather Buchansky reads her paper from Treasure Mountain Canada called: Connections between campuses: Creating a collaborative OCULA/OSLA information literacy toolkit.
https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-buchansky.html
Alanna talks with Beth Lyons about creating a maker culture in her school and making it fit her context. After a number of successful maker activities, Beth launched into making a Genius Cart which allows for easier management of materials, supervision and changing up the inquiry focus. Beth also talks about the importance of documenting the learning as data for new directions and her hopes for the future of making in her library learning commons.
Shoutouts to The Majestic Glue Gun.
Elizabeth Lyons reads her paper from Treasure Mountain Canada called: Maker. Space. Inquiry. Place. What might be the connection?
https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-lyons.html
Alanna hosts our school library panel on how working remotely as the teacher-librarian changes collaboration with staff. Our coast-to-coast #CollaboNation panel of experts Lila Armstrong, Sonja Clark, and Leigh Borden covers topics including: working on the collection, grooming the knowledge building centre in the virtual learning commons, and solving problems in communication and equity for their schools and school districts. Our wish list for equitable access to software, databases and hardware is daunting but privacy, security and availability are foremost in our minds.
Shoutouts to Anita Brooks Kirkland for Knowledge Building Centres http://www.bythebrooks.ca/knowledge-building-centres/
Lisa Corbett hosts author and stand-up comic Michael McCreary. Michael focuses on how humour has brought light to his autism diagnosis and sharing through comedy is not only hilarious, it's an advocacy piece for neurodiversity. Learning to navigate social norms, including bullying, finding your own identity and voice, and moving out for the first time, this book has something for everyone. Highly recommended for teachers, parents and anyone who knows someone with ASD.
Check out his book:
Funny, You Don't Look Autistic: A Comedian's Guide to Life on the Spectrum
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41005592-funny-you-don-t-look-autistic?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=8P8iNdTnIC&rank=1
How does the digital fluency of teachers act on their willingness to innovate using technology? How can teachers be supported in their efforts to weave digital literacy into their teaching? In this episode, Lila talks with two Campbell River School District Media and Technology Support teachers Shannon Hagen, and Rod Beavis about how far they’ve come this year, and how we all need to lean on and learn from each other to continue to move forward. The district has only recently moved to make Teacher Librarians the technology experts in each school, so this episode gives us a lot to think about in terms of reaching our colleagues.
You can reach out to Shannon on Twitter @haggyshan and www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-hagen-21253952). You can find Lila
Lisa, Beth and Alanna crack open Teaching Tough Topics by Larry Swarz and we uncover the intersections of own voices, gaps in publishing and how much I Read Canadian day has pushed our school literature collections. The pandemic is further highlighting the inequities in our school systems. Lisa describes how tight knit communities seem to ‘make room’ for invisible diversities but have trouble with other intersections. Beth wrestles with global literature and the primary bubble of kindness, and how not until junior levels do students open themselves to topics of social justice. Alanna recalls relying as a parent on the school to talk about the tough topics in that primary level when communication is just forming.
Shoutouts to Jael Richardson, The FOLD (Festival of Literary Diversity), The Knowledge Bookstore, Wali Shah, Lorna Schultz Nicholson, and S.K. Ali
Alanna talks with Rebeca Rubio about the shift from library to learning commons and how having a teacher in the role of programming for school libraries has allowed Richmond, British Columbia to make this shift. Yet the need for ongoing innovation has also grown exponentially so the annual provision of grants for projects has both allowed for concentration on a particular area but also promoted the vision the district has for changes in collaboration, new technologies, and unfamiliar pedagogies. The most successful inquiries had indeterminate endings and only through true collaboration experienced growth.
Resources for further learning:
https://ourdistrictstory.sd38.bc.ca/our-learning/big-ideas-inquiry/libraries-are-changing
The Spiral Playbook http://c21canada.org/playbook/
https://bctladotca.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/from-school-library-to-library-learning-commons.pdf
Shoutout to Trevor Mackenzie
Rebeca Rubio reads her paper from Treasure Mountain Canada called: Innovation Grants: Supporting Professional Learning and Collaborative Inquiry in the Library Learning Commons
https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-rubio.html
What does work as a public librarian look like during a pandemic? How do you change your approach to client services with almost no lead time? Lisa Noble talks with two public librarians, Erin Kernohan Berning and Karen Bisschop, (one rural, one in a small urban environment) about the challenges and victories of pivoting a public library.
Alanna speaks with elementary teacher-librarian Jennifer Brown about her contribution to Treasure Mountain Canada school library research symposium this year: a website. Jennifer starts each year asking “How can I convince more of my colleagues to collaborate with me this year?” This new website fulfills multiple purposes as an addition to Jennifer’s school virtual learning commons to: incorporate new media types as a model to staff for future lessons; promoting the library’s goals to stakeholders outside of the walls of the school; and also for the pivot in teaching required for remote learning.
Access the website here: https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-brown.html
Shoutouts to Bitmoji and Tim Peterson.
Alanna speaks with teacher-librarian Jonelle St. Aubyn and Leigh Cassel, founder and Chief Curation Officer of The Digital Human Library (https://www.digitalhumanlibrary.com/). Human libraries really help unlikely relationships to occur and they bring an authenticity to the experience that might otherwise be missing from another form of reading. Whether expertise in a particular topic, or a defining life experience, Jonelle and Leigh agree that the connections made with their human libraries are great catalysts for student inquiry from K - 12.
Shoutouts to the Geneva model of Human Library https://humanlibrary.org/, Royal Tyrrell Museum, 49th Shelf and Burt Bacharach.
If you liked this episode, check out our earlier podcasts with Jonelle:
Episode 4a: Jonelle’s paper about her experience creating a human library https://voiced.ca/podcast_episode_post/ep-04a-title-paper-the-human-library-at-the-louise-arbour-secondary-school-library-learning-commons/
Episode 4b: Our interview with Jonelle about the experience
https://voiced.ca/podcast_episode_post/ep-04b-interview-read-into-making-a-human-library-with-jonelle-st-aubyn/
Beth talks with Trevor MacKenzie (author of Dive Into Inquiry, Inquiry Mindset) about how we honour our students as readers in schools. Whether that’s acknowledging the pace at which readers read, the note-taking style or the genre, recognizing the importance of leaning into our own beliefs about what reading is and why we read when we are working with students. Trevor shares about his routine of reading many books at the same time, voraciously reading many different forms of text to improve himself as both an educator and a person. The main theme that runs through the discussion looks at how teaching and learning from an inquiry stance has transformed reading habits and the mindshift towards empathy and equity that both Trevor and Beth hope comes from our current emergency distance learning situation.
Shoutouts to The Self-Driven Child, The Merchant of Venice, The Hobbit, Into the Wild, Seven Fallen Feathers, and Two Frogs.
Alanna talks with Greg about trying to grow a culture of cross-curricular collaboration in the school library through Phenomenon Based Learning. Now that Greg is teaching with Nipissing University he carries his learning through to the pre-service teachers there. Lots of great strategies for taking creative risks and deepening inquiry in this episode.
Greg Harris reads his paper from Treasure Mountain Canada called Participatory Learning through Phenomenon Based Learning: Moving from the Learning Commons into the Classroom
https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-harris.html
Alanna hosts our school library panel on challenges and strategies for enticing your staff to plan collaboration with you. Our #CollaboNation panel of experts Lila Armstrong, Sonja Clark, and Leigh Borden covers topics including: scheduling for maximum collaboration, strengthening your school’s reading culture, and gathering data from staff to inform your next steps. We wonder aloud about summoning the courage to take greater risks in modelling.
Beth, Lisa and Alanna continue to talk about these fine lines of building a collection for a wide range of school library readers. We wonder out loud about diversifying the collection and bringing in authentic voices in addition to teaching the classics. How do you offer a range of topics and decide what topics are appropriate? More great titles and strategies for your own teaching practice including how to keep students reading during the pandemic.
Inspired by this article: https://diymfa.com/reading/eight-reasons-adults-read-ya
Shoutouts to https://www.mostlyyalit.com/, Killer Style, and Eric Walters
Beth, Lisa and Alanna talk about building the collection for middle grade and young adult readers. We try to define the lines between readiness, readability and engagement for each level. How do you organize a collection with multiple ages? How do you engage your alpha-readers to promote books? How do the same themes and archetypes stay fresh in the genres?
Shoutouts to Hunger Games, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Amulet, Pernille Ripp, Falcon Wild, the Narnia series, Desperately Seeking Susan, grade 5 podcaster https://twitter.com/JordanThinking, S.K. Ali, Marrow Thieves, Blended and The Outsiders
Inspired by this article: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/12/why-so-many-adults-are-love-young-adult-literature/547334/
Guest host Lila Armstrong interviews Cathy Fowler @Cathyfowlersd72 and Robyn Russell @russellrobyn about how the Library Learning Commons can support Social Emotional Learning in all learners. The panel discusses how library activities, student choice and opportunity foster personal growth and success in students. Both guests share personal experiences that speak to the importance of safe, welcoming space in the school, and an open-minded teacher librarian.
Shoutouts to The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), www.casel.org.
Alanna talks with avid readers Fiona Ross and Rachel Siegel about books that helped transport them into new cultures. Both Fiona and Rachel find parallels in how these books allowed them to see new perspectives on gender roles, justice, mental health and loneliness.
Shoutouts to read-alikes Inkheart, Once Upon a River, All American Boys, The Hate U Give, Throne of Glass, The Book Thief, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and Koyal Dark Mango Sweet.
Alanna talks with Kasey about the paper and the need for a committee to develop more inclusive language in the Ontario School Library Association. Kasey reveals her rich educational journey and her reasons for choosing a library technician route within the educational environment. We discuss how staffing descriptions, staffing allotments, job descriptions and inconsistency of school library staffing models continue to create tension. Through this collaborative committee’s work there is overdue optimism about bridging gaps in communication and representation for all school library workers. Kasey’s takeaway: “Never underestimate a different perspective.”
Shoutouts to Nogah Kornberg at I-Think, Martha Attridge Bufton (editor of OLA’s Open Shelf magazine)
Kasey Mallen Whalley reads her paper Collaborative Professionalism: Participatory Learning within the Ontario Library Association (OLA) By-Law 2 Consultation Committee
https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-whalley.html
Alanna talks with secondary school educators Sarah Wheatley and Daphne Habib about how reading has “infused their worlds”. Whether sharing with a book club or with family, Daphne and Sarah agree that these formative books both include strong female characters, hard-earned love, and learning our parts to play in the game of adulthood.
Shoutouts to book bloggers @MalhotraSoumya, @mostlyyalit for continuous inspiration.
Beth speaks with Stephen Hurley and Doug Peterson about how their habits have changed, and remained the same, through their careers in education and beyond, including memories of unusual locations where reading materials were purchased and which books are in your “thinking genre” . The discussion looked at the how and why people write blogs, blogs as a reading genre and the weekly celebration of Ontario EduBlogs.
Shoutouts to The Hardy Boys, The Old Reader, Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov.
Alanna hosts our first episode in this series on challenges and strategies for collaboration coast-to-coast in the school library. She is joined by our #CollaboNation panel of experts Lila Armstrong @Lila_TL_EWP in Campbell River, British Columbia, Sonja Clark @MrsClarkLLC in Surrey, British Columbia, and Leigh Borden @msbordenTL in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Topics today include making your space more collaborative to entice collaborative planning.
Read Lila Armstrong’s article at the Canadian School Libraries Journal: Looking to Get Colleagues on Board? https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/looking-to-get-colleagues-on-board/
Alanna talks with Lisa about the paper and how being part of a selection committee helped give her a solid background for choosing books that would appeal to both children and adults. Lisa shares how her own family background fighting anti-Semetic injustices has given her a deep need as an educator to promote peace and equity. Shoutouts to Undergrounders by David Skuy, Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green and The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis.
Alanna speaks with authors Ann Y.K. Choi and David Albertyn, and reader/educator Fiona Ross, about their new project The Author’s Book Club which helps readers and authors to connect. This group is working hard to bring a virtual community together that celebrates the work of Canadian and Indigenous authors. With 50 authors welcoming these connections, the club really recognizes the reader is the heart of everything that authors do. Find out more at: https://theauthorsbookclub.ca/
Shoutouts to Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA), Terry Fallis, and Jesse Thistle.
Lisa Lewis reads her paper Ignite a Lifelong Love of Learning: Create an intergenerational book club in your library learning commons and invite your community to explore the diverse world of the human experience https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-lewis.html
Alanna talks with avid, lifelong readers Aviva Dunsiger and Ramona Meharg about books that greatly influenced them as Aviva and Ramona were also coming-of-age. Ramona explains how reading The Outsiders taught her a lot about the power of loyalty for making friends feel like family. Aviva reflects about how Judy Blume may have formed her later choice of women’s studies in university and how it really is an artifact of the 70s. Read Into This celebrates our very first poem recitation as Ramona performs Robert Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay”.
Shoutouts to Beverly Cleary, Jean Little, Tiger Beat, C.Thomas Howell and Patrick Swayze.
Lisa Corbett hosts author Jesse Thistle and Ontario educators and book club members in this pre-recorded Zoom Meeting. Lisa asks Jesse about the issues and vulnerability displayed in this memoir. Thistle advocates that this book would be a great addition to the school library as it is both a warning and a success story.
Lisa, Beth and Alanna explore some non-fiction topics, including graphic novels, and dig into whether the person who takes us to the library as kids (if someone did) makes a difference to what we read.
Shoutouts to our parents, and lots of amazing graphic novel creators. (As well as Rolland Chidiac and Chris Cluff, who started some if this thinking)
Pippa Davies, Director of Learning Commons, and her colleague Cynthia Duncalfe, Curriculum Consultant, speak with Alanna about increasing the impact of their digital library learning commons at Heritage Christian Online School. Innovative lessons in pivoting to online learning for schools everywhere here are provided in detail by Pippa and Cynthia. Shoutouts to Seesaw, Zoom, Flipgrid and Lego for helping build rich assignments for remote learning.
Pippa Davies reads her paper Exploring Digital Horizons within the Culture of the New Learning Commons
https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-davies.html
Alanna talks with Krista Sarginson and Will Gourley about books that greatly influenced them as teens which were, coincidentally, both books by Canadian author Timothy Findley. Krista and Will share their circuitous journeys to teaching and the indelible impressions of edgy Canadian literature. Challenging power structures and the constructs of gender and love, Findley’s influence helped our two guests be critical, suspicious and even subversive. We also try to find middle school books that stir us to see those outlying perspectives.
Shoutouts to the bygone years of OAC (grade 13), professor Warren Hartman at Brock University, Mr. O’Hanley at Father Henry Carr SS in Etobicoke, ON, and Mrs. Simpson at St. Mark High School in Manotick, ON
Garfield and Laura speak with Alanna about reconciling both backwards design and the double-helix approaches, and shifting to remote teaching without sacrificing pedagogy.
Shoutouts to Joanne Gibson.
Garfield Gini-Newman and Laura Gini-Newman read their paper Powerful Instruction and Powerful Assessment: The Double-Helix of Learning
https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-gini-newman.html
Alanna hosts Lisa Corbett and her guest Karen Grose, author of her debut novel The Dime Box. Lisa asks Karen about the impetus for the novel and her writing process. Grose talks about the research she needed to do to accurately create the power dynamics that gradually reveal Greta’s origin story.
Jane Dennis-Moore and Beth talk about photography making thinking visible. Jane explains how putting cameras into student hands helps them find their identities for communication especially once they’re taught to frame an image with intention. Jane argues that making media in a participatory and collaborative way brings about deep learning about visual literacy.
Shoutouts to Melanie Mulcaster, Tina Zita and Jane’s recommended apps Kaleidacam, Chatterpix, iMovie, Photoshop Mix, and AdobeSpark
Jane Dennis-Moore reads her paper If You Give a Kid a Camera: Participatory Visual Literacy in the LLC
https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-dennis-moore.html
Alanna talks with Colin Jagoe and Jim Pedrech about books that greatly influenced them as teens. Colin discusses his choice: Cosmos by Carl Sagan; and Jim talks about Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy trilogy (in four parts). Shoutouts to Tim King, Sasha Sagan, The I.T. Crowd, Neil Gaiman, Dr. Who and Sean of the Dead.
Alanna talks with Beth and Lisa about books that influenced them from teens to adults. The memories flow as we talk about books for each stage of life (but especially for those ugly duckling times) and maybe how the classics belong in the past.
Shoutouts to Mrs.Clark for The Hobbit, Mr. Hornick for MacBeth, Mr. Underhill for Canadian Poetry
Alanna talks with Albert and Tim about books that greatly influenced them as teens. Both Albert and Tim talk about books that appealed to them because they were new Canadians. Albert discusses his choice: Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger which taught him that being disagreeable was cool; and Tim talks about Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein which taught him about a deeper meaning of citizenship. Shoutouts to Heather Durnin, Shopclass for Soul Craft by Matt Crawford and Range by David Epstein.
Alanna talks with Lisa Corbett about her spontaneous Twitter-based book club. The first book chosen was Jesse Thistle’s From the Ashes and Lisa lead a Twitter Chat and a Google Hangout with the author. Next book and podcast will be Karen Grose’s The Dime Box. Lisa talks about using cloud-based tools like Google Forms, creating hashtags, and the books sitting on her list that might just be next.
Beth explores the hierarchy of genres and how we as educators bring our own experiences as readers, the positive and the negative, into the classroom with guests Rolland Chidiac and Chris Cluff. How does reading lead to making, creating, learning, and to building your capacity? How is the diversity of experience reflected in the books we encounter?
Rolland Chidiac- @rchids
Chris Cluff- @chrisjoncluff
Books Mentioned-
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27213329-grit
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7090193-tattoos-on-the-heart?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=8cQBNHYDd3&rank=1
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26085732-solitude?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=o78aTJKvv6&rank=2
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9963483-falling-upward
Dr. Dianne Oberg and Alanna talk about collaborating on a research project attempting to track the impact of school library programs in Ontario as students move to post-secondary education, the difficulty of developing data, and observing global models of school libraries. Shoutouts to People for Education, and her international colleagues Carol Kuhlthau and Ross Todd.
Dr. Dianne Oberg reads her paper Ontario School Library Impact Project (OSLIP): Information Literacy from High School to University
https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-oberg.html
Melanie Mulcaster, Tina Zita, Mishelle Pitter-Adlam, Amanda Williams and Alanna talk about collaborating on a large scale project pairing picture books with coding across schools, learning to create culturally responsive collections, documenting learning through observations and conversations, and the power of offering choice to teachers and readers. Shoutouts to Geneva Gay, Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Canva and Flipgrid Shorts
Melanie Mulcaster, Tina Zita, Mishelle Pitter-Adlam and Amanda Williams read their paper #12daysbooksnbytes - Fostering Professional Participatory Learning Cultures with Literacy and Code https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-mulcaster.html
Lisa, Beth and Alanna explore doing enough yoga to read in crisis, books that are too hard to read right now, books that feel like safe spaces, books that fill the spirit, and series you wish would never end.
Shoutouts to Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Kim Gill and local independent bookstores everywhere.
Jonelle and Alanna talk about the paper, finding humans willing to be books, breaking down stigma for marginalised peoples, diversifying curriculum, and creating comfort for challenging conversations. Shoutouts to Melanie Mulcaster and Jael Richardson for support and inspiration.
Jonelle St. Aubyn reads her paper The Human Library at the Louise Arbour Secondary School Library Learning Commons https://tmcanada.blogspot.com/p/tmc6-st-aubyn.html
Rabia and Alanna talk about the paper, and the importance of administration support for making real change with CRRP, tokenism, asset-based approaches to teaching culture, documentation of learning and supporting new teachers.
Rabia Khokhar reads her paper Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy in a Racially Homogenous School
Beth and Alanna talk about the paper, transliteracy, change cycle theory, and learning to put your students’ success before curriculum. They explored the role of the LLC and TL in our current pandemic situation and the divide created by access to technology in relation to the concept of transliteracy.
Alanna King reads her paper Getting on the Train: A Decade of Shifting Culture in the School Library
Diana and Alanna talk about the paper, and the finer points of student motivation (especially when it comes to reading), participatory learning, the Toronto Resource Fair, and measuring the impact of teaching critical thinking skills.
Diana Maliszewski reads her paper Toward an Understanding of the Impact of Youth Involvement in Purchasing Resources for the School Library Learning Commons and Issues of Equity in Participant Selection
Beth, Lisa and Alanna talk about reading podcasts, ALCS, libro.fm and everything in between.