WRITTEN BY LESLIE DICKSON

Welcome everyone to the 2018-2019 school year! I hope everyone has had a restful summer and a fabulous start to the new year.  This is sure to be an exciting year for literacy education in Manitoba.

Bringing home ideas from the International Literacy Association annual conference has been a long-standing tradition within the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg. This year, the conference was held from July 20-23 in Austin, Texas and the theme was “Be a Changemaker.”  After reflecting on my experience at the conference, these were the main ideas I brought home:

• Allow room for students to self-select their reading material
• Placing books in the hands of children influences their education level
• Leveling systems apply to texts, not kids – they have no place in classroom, school and public libraries, or on report cards.  Surprisingly, this message came from Fountas and Pinnell
• What can we do to challenge, stimulation, and engage our students?
• Volume reading and writing in all middle and high school subject areas is important!
• Student engagement is driven by responsive teaching
• Quickwrites  boost volume of low stakes writing, encourage risk-taking, develop valuable soft skills beyond literacy, and resets students’ default approach to writing

We have a busy professional development year ahead of us.  On Monday, September 24, the Reading Council is happy to present Monica Wiebe:  Road to Reading Mysteries: Become a Running Record Ace and Comprehension Detective. In addition, please help us connect with literacy leaders by sharing our updates for this year’s RCGW MTS PD Day on social media. We look forward to hosting literacy expert John Schu for his day-long PD.  Register via MTS MemberLink.  Finally, the Reading Council will be hosting Dr. Jan Richardson on February 5, 2019 at Holy Eucharist Hall.  It’s going to be a great year!

We are always looking to welcome new members, so please consider coming to a meeting to check us out. Our next meeting will take place on Thursday, October 11, 2018, 4:30 PM at St. Maurice School. Please contact me for further information at ledickson@shaw.ca.  I look forward to seeing you.

“To become a lifelong reader, one has to do a lot of varied and interesting reading.”
-Kelly Gallagher


About the Author: Leslie Dickson is the president of the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg.  An award-winning teacher, Leslie is the Social Studies Department Head, ELA Teacher, and Lead Literacy Teacher at Elmwood High School in Winnipeg.  She has been recognized with the RCGW Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Literacy and, most recently, Manitoba Education and Training's Teaching Excellence Award.

WRITTEN BY BERNADETTE DWYER
INTERNATIONAL LITERACY ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
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Note from the Editor: We asked the International Literacy Association president Bernadette Dwyer, who hails from Ireland to share with us how she plans to address the international aspect of the International Literacy Association. She shared with us ILA's new Children's Rights to Read campaign. Thank you, Bernadette, for your contribution to our blog! 

Each year, International Literacy Day (ILD) on September 8 serves as a reminder to mark our achievements and reflect on the challenges that lie ahead in our pursuit of literacy for all.
 
Since the first ILD in 1966, we’ve seen substantial progress. Literacy rates, across the globe, continue to rise from one generation to the next. In 2016, 91% of 15–24-year-olds were reported to have basic literacy skills, compared with 78% 50 years prior. Forty-three countries have made major strides toward gender parity.
 
But international surveys tell us that’s not enough. There remain today 750 million adults, two thirds of them female, who can’t read this sentence. A whopping 264 million children and youths are not enrolled in school. Two thirds of students who can’t read proficiently by the end of fourth grade will struggle in their lives to attain employment.
 
These numbers are a staggering reminder that the fight against low levels of literacy is ongoing, and we need a multipronged, collaborative approach to combat this crisis.
 
Which is why, this ILD, we’re celebrating another milestone: the launch of the International Literacy Association (ILA) Children’s Rights to Read initiative—the first part of a yearlong campaign focused on ensuring that all young people, regardless of geographic location, socioeconomic status, and circumstance, are granted not only the rights to read but also the right to literacy.
 
In 2018, the ILA Board of Directors convened a task force charged with reviewing existing literature pertaining to a child’s rights to read with the goal of developing a worldwide campaign to ensure that every child receives these fundamental rights. Composed of literacy educators, researchers, and advocates, the task force of ILA members from Australia, Japan, Russia, Ireland and USA reflected the diverse voices we hope to reach. Together, we came up with a list of 10 rights, of equal importance, that ILA believes are essential for individuals to reach full personal, social, and educational potential.
 
These rights—such as the right to read for pleasure, the right to extended time set aside for reading, the right to read texts that mirror cultures, languages and experiences, the right to share and collaborate both locally and globally—ensure learning environments that unleash the transformative power of reading.
 
To be a literacy educator is to be an advocate. Literacy permeates all areas of life, fundamentally shaping how we learn, work, and socialize. The skills we impart to students are essential to informed decision making, personal empowerment, and community engagement. They enable individuals, especially those from underserved communities, to overcome barriers to living fulfilling and successful lives.
 
However, the benefits of literacy ensue only when a strong framework is in place. Through this campaign, we seek to partner with other educators, policymakers, and literacy advocates devoted to advancing these 10 rights. We won’t stop until they’re embedded in the ethos of our curriculum, pedagogy, and policy.
 
The world has changed since 1966, but our dedication to our mission of literacy for all is unwavering. In the coming months, we’ll be developing and distributing resources to advance adoption of the Rights in schools and communities across the globe. Delivering on this commitment will require support from educators like you. By uniting our efforts, we can help position and prioritize literacy as a human rights issue.
 
I encourage you to download the Children’s Rights to Read, learn more about the campaign, and sign on in support at literacyworldwide.org/rightstoread.
 
With my deepest gratitude for the work that you do--

Bernadette Dwyer
President, ILA Board of Directors


Bernadette Dwyer lectures in literacy studies at the Institute of Education, Dublin City University (DCU), Ireland and is the current president of the International Literacy Association. She has worked in education for over 38 years as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, teacher educator, researcher, and author.

Registration is NOW OPEN! ​Register Now!

MTS PD Day with Mr. Schu – October 19, 2018 
John Schu believes every child deserves to attend a school filled with reading ambassadors. In this session, participants will discuss the importance of advocating for every child's reading life and walk away inspired to implement heart-growing literacy practices that will make the world better and brighter for their students and colleagues. In the afternoon, join in a conversation with Mr. Schu as he presents some of the best new books. In typical Mr. Schu fashion, he will share book trailers, websites, activities, and interviews you can easily incorporate into lessons and booktalks to get everyone on your campus hurrying to your bookshelves to find the perfect book.

See our MTS PD Day page for more details. 

June is often a time for celebration. New high-school graduates move on to the next chapter of their loves and new teachers graduate with their Bachelor of Education degrees, eager to enter into the classroom. For many teachers, June is a time to look back and celebrate successes and to think about the year ahead. 

The Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg also uses the late spring to honour members of our community who have made valuable contributions to literacy in our province. We are pleased to announce the winners of the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg's Awards and Scholarships, which were presented Thursday, May 31, 2018 at the Viscount Gort in partnership with the Manitoba Reading Association. 

The Certificate of Merit Award recognizes persons of outstanding achievement in reading in the areas of research, classroom teaching or teacher education. Katya Adamov Ferguson has excelled and made significant contributions in not one, but all of these areas. Katya’s dedication and contributions to education and literacy are far reaching.

Katya is a gifted learner willing to collaborate with others to provide resources and to learn new skills. Katya holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Bachelor of Education degree (Early Years Stream), Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Education (with Special Education Certification) and just this spring completed her Master of Education (Curriculum Teaching and Learning Specialization). Katya has taught in the Winnipeg School Division since 2008 and is currently employed as an Early Years Literacy/Numeracy Support Teacher.

Katya is one of the outstanding educators in our province working alongside people who wish to be more responsive to our indigenous peoples. Katya’s thesis, “Power in Places, Policies and Pedagogies: One Teacher’s Critical Inquiry into Reconciliation” has had an enormous impact on educators. Katya has spoken on topics related to her research at the ILA conference in Boston in 2016, the Reading for the Love of it conference in Toronto this year, and at the recent University of Manitoba Grad Research Symposium. Katya provides a perspective her listeners can appreciate and is helping many make progress towards the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation process.

Since 2012 Katya has also used her knowledge to weave theory and research into practical resources for teachers. As a teacher-writer for Portage and Main/High Water Press she has authored teachers’ guides for the Seven Teachings Stories book series by Katherena Vermette and Tales from Big Spirit graphic novel series by David A. Robertson.

Katya is passionate about teaching, learning and creating high-quality and equitable learning opportunities and environments for all. RCGW is thrilled to recognize Katya with a Certificate of Merit award.

​Barb deserves to be recognized for her hard work, dedication and love of literacy. She embodies dedication to the profession and gives of herself to her students, families and colleagues. 
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Barb began her teaching career 35 years ago at Wellingham School teaching grade one, but for the past 24 years she has taught at St. Gerard School. Barb knows her students’ strengths and weaknesses and works with each child to help them feel secure in their learning. An avid reader, Barb models her love of literacy and brings it into the classroom.

Perhaps Barb’s most substantial contribution to the students at St. Gerard School is her phonological awareness program. She created a phonological test to assess each student and get a benchmark before the sessions begin. After that, training and information sessions are presented to parents to increase their understanding of phonological awareness. This not only helps the program run smoothly, but helps develop understanding of the reading process and the importance of fostering the love of reading at home. She encourages families to visit the library and to read to their children in their first language if English is not the family’s primary language.  

When the 12-session program begins in January Barb organizes home sewn bags filled with activities that are delivered by highly trained Kindergarten parent volunteers. Her focus on alliteration, rhyme, segmentation and letter recognition come alive with a class mascot named Marty Moose who delivers a large envelope every week with a new letter sound. The sessions are fun, educational and memorable. From phonics phones to letter bags filled with the letter of the week, Barb uses objects to provide tactile experiences and the result is smiling and giggling students who love learning about phonics.
Barb’s program is exquisitely planned and implemented.  She demonstrates her love of literacy and her sense of community by giving the children and families a wealth of knowledge to bring home.
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RCGW is pleased to present Barb with a Certificate of Merit Award for her hard work and dedication to literacy throughout her career. 

Terry Phillips was described in her nomination as a “gifted educator who finds a way to reach each child.” She is a dedicated teacher whose career in the River East Transcona School Division has spanned over 20 years.
 
For the past five years, Terry has taught grade two at Joseph Teres School. Terry begins every day by personally helping students find and sign out books for home reading. She has a genuine love of books and has worked hard to build an extensive classroom library. This year she partnered with other teachers to improve her students’ reading ability through mixing of classes, creative use of time, and her extensive knowledge of guided reading, Daily 5, CAFÉ, Regie Routman and Guided Reading. Over the years Terry has found a way to take the best parts of all these programs to create her own best practice. Terry genuinely cares and makes sure her students have the tools and time necessary to grow. Her students’ attitudes toward reading and confidence in their literacy skills have blossomed. 
 
Terry is retiring in June but her ongoing legacy to her students and co-workers is the gift of reading and high-quality instruction. She is always one of the first to step up to make I Love to Read Month and other committees successful. The teaming that she has done with her co-workers has been very important through her career. One of her biggest contributions to Joseph Teres School is a refreshed Literacy Lab, which she helped develop by moving, cataloguing and re-ordering materials. This took many hours to complete in both grade group and school teams. Her leadership during this school project was invaluable.
 
Another legacy Terry leaves behind is her dedication to charity work as part of a joint project with the Women’s Canadian Club of Winnipeg to send used books to Nunavut. Terry collected, assessed, sorted, counted and helped get the books ready for distribution and involved the grade two classes at Joseph Teres in reading, sorting, counting and packaging the materials. Terry truly believes that access to good quality reading materials is important for all children regardless of geography.
 
RCGW is pleased to present Terry Phillips with a Certificate of Merit Award for her many years of outstanding teaching and dedication to literacy.

Katelin is a student at the University of Winnipeg. She is currently enrolled in the Faculty of Education and has completed her certification year four. Katelin is in the Early/Middle Years stream and is passionate about teaching the future leaders of Manitoba.

Over the past five years Katelin has volunteered and worked in Winnipeg One School Division. She worked for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg to help combat summer learning loss. Katelin spent her time working for the Community Schools Investigation Summer Program with inner-city students. She strongly believes that children should have the opportunity to continue learning and practicing their literacy skills over the summer.

Katelin is committed to the students she works with and loves being a part of their success. She believes that literacy is a vital part of everyday life and a key element in a child’s learning. She understands that every classroom is diverse and every student should have an equal learning experience.

Katelin recognizes the need for students to be exposed to literacy in all subject areas. During her practicum Katelin would find short articles related to her teachings so that the students were constantly exercising their reading abilities. She also began reading books to the class at the beginning of every social studies period and gave students time to discuss what they heard. She also gave students opportunities to write short pieces about what they learned, following models done by the teacher and shared writing with the class. Katelin uses great cross-curricular literacy practices and follows Regie Routman’s optimal learning model.

Reference letters from a professor and a cooperating teacher describe her as determined, driven, organized and committed to literacy. Katelin is a worthy recipient as she is passionate about sharing her love for literacy with her future students.
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The Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg extends our congratulations to Katelin as a 2018 Anniversary Scholarship recipient and wishes her the best as she completes her studies in Education. 

Larissa Chubenko is an education student at the University of Winnipeg currently finishing her first year Early/Middle Years of the After Degree Education Program.
 
In her cover letter, Larissa emphasized her desire to empower those living in lower socio-economic conditions through education. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies from Menno Simmons College, completed her practicum placement at King Edward School, and was involved in social justice and development outreach programs. Larissa’s academic and personal interests are embedded in wanting to provide rich literacy opportunities for all.

Larissa’s practicum experience this year in a grade one classroom included being involved in rich literacy programs such as “Read to Me” and “Lucy Calkins” writing. Larissa was able to connect with students in small group instruction and build upon students’ literacy at a pace that was reflective of their unique and individualized learning needs.

Larissa formed and implemented the student group “CODE on Campus UW” which is affiliated with Canadian Organization for Development through Education. The main framework and mission statement of CODE is to ensure that children and youth globally have access to an education, by means of being exposed to literature. As the founder and president of CODE, Larissa embraces CODE’s philosophy and commitment to literacy as a means of acquiring an education. Larissa spearheaded many fundraising opportunities with CODE and donations were made to “Margibi All Girls School” in Liberia as well as locally to the N.E.E.D.S. program in Winnipeg.
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Cooperating teacher and professor reference letters note her high degree of professionalism, commitment, self-motivation and positive attitude. Larissa’s ability to take new professional learning, past experiences, and current philosophy and meld these into empowering literacy ideas is a very noteworthy skill. As you can see, Larissa’s many achievements and her commitment to literacy education in Manitoba make her a worthy recipient of this year’s RCGW Anniversary Scholarship. Congratulations Larissa from the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg. 

WRITTEN BY SHANNON MORIN

Over the 2017-2018 year, the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg has worked to support its members through an array of programming, the sharing of important findings and techniques on social media, and our blog.

Throughout the year, we have gained membership by offering professional development programming to members and non-members. We offered an incentive discount to encourage new memberships.

We have celebrated many successes within our community over the last year. My tenure began with an immersion in the International Literacy Association (ILA) conference in Orlando, FL, where I had the opportunity to learn from world-wide literacy leaders. In October, we had another successful Manitoba Teachers’ Society Professional Development day with Dr. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. We also hosted an evening program with Monica Wiebe in January. In February, for I Love to Read Month, we were able to donate books and craft supplies to the children's clinic at Cancer Care. In May, we celebrated our Annual Awards evening and were able to provide several scholarships to university students. On top of it all, we made a $500.00 donation to Lubov SSMI Foundation’s Home of Hope in Ukraine. Lubov SSMI Foundation is a part of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, an international congregation of sisters for the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

The RCGW continues to use many different social media platforms to reach a wide audience within our local community to advertise professional development and to share research and practical information for literacy programming.
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None of this could be accomplished without the hard work of many fine educators from our community. I would like to formally thank everyone who has worked diligently to support the teachers of the greater Winnipeg area, and I hope they know the impact they make on their students and a whole community of students each and every day because of these efforts.

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The end of the year always brings preparations for the next, and we are excited to invite you to our MTS PD Day event, October 19, 2018 , with John Schumacher! Mr. Schu will deliver a full-day program at the CanadInns Destination Center Fort Garry (in Celebrations) – 1824 Pembina Hwy. Every day is a giant book party for this teacher-librarian! John blogs daily at MrSchuReads.com. He also hosts the Scholastic Book Fairs web series "Mr. Schu Goes to the Book Fair" and co-edits the "Reader Leader" blog.
John Schumacher is a blogger, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic Book Fairs. He served on the 2014 Newbery committee and on ALSC’s Children and Technology committee, AASL’s Best Websites for Teachers and Learning, two readers’ choice award committees, the School Library Month Planning Committee, and the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature selection committee.

Registration details coming VERY soon!


About the Author - Shannon Morin is the Past President of the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg. She is currently a Grade 4 and 5 teacher at Wayoata School in the River East Transcona School Division. Her passion is connecting children with good books and fostering a love of reading in her students that extends well beyond their year in her classroom.