Ready to help

Can you use some inspiration, direction and/or support

I present to educators, parents, and to students, both in person and virtually. I have done numerous online presentations and would love to support you. Lately, most of the presentations are done from my “shack” in Victoria.

To book one or merely to ask questions, contact my agent Chris Patrick. Chris can be reached a bouchardbookings@shaw.ca or by phone at 604-202-6104

 

Testimonial Letter to David’s agent Chris Patrick

Dear Chris:

I wanted to make a special point of thanking you for your flexibility in offering us a teleconference with David Bouchard. The Superior-Greenstone District School Board is a small North-western Ontario School Board with ten communities spread over a geographic region approximately the size of France. We use both teleconference and videoconference for professional learning and to bridge the distance between our schools.

We are extremely excited to have a literacy teacher in each of our schools this year. Our commitment to literacy included sending teachers to our regional literacy conference this summer and organizing a special workshop for our principals and vice principals about the principal’s role in literacy. We were thrilled to be able to participate in a Keynote address by David Bouchard in Thunder Bay.

David’s passion and enthusiasm grabbed our attention immediately. He continued to draw the audience into his magical storytelling by speaking of things that were relevant to teachers, administrators and parents. He combined a mixture of humour and realism to force us to confront the fact that we could be doing a much better job of teaching students. His address was powerful and inspiring. I was amazed to see the impact David had on our principals and vice principals. Literacy has become a main priority in both the elementary and secondary panels. They are excited and they are buying books! They are celebrating literacy and supporting students who are late readers.

 The benefit of David’s address carries on. We are talking and reflecting about our practices and we are committed to making things better for kids. As we were planning our literacy teacher training day, we wondered how we could get David to inspire our teachers, just like he inspired our leaders. The timelines were short, so a trip to Marathon seemed impractical….but a teleconference? Would he agree? Would he think we were crazy? You can imagine our excitement when we found out it was going to happen! Thank you just doesn’t seem like enough, we have now had the benefit of having David inspire our leaders and our teachers!!!!!

I did wonder if David would be able to convey his message through the phone line the same as he did in person. I ensured that each of the teleconference participants had a copy of his book The Gift of Reading and had some time before the teleconference to read the book and think of questions to ask. 

The teleconference was magical. David’s voice pulled the listeners into his world where he challenged practice, celebrated children and shared stories. The participants leaned forward, not wanting to miss anything; the room was still and quiet, except for the rich voice coming from the phone. The listeners were engaged and the conversation became a free-flowing exchange of ideas and beliefs. I watched in amazement as a participant, moved to tears by David, explained her renewed understanding of the importance of parental involvement in the reading process. I feel so fortunate to have been involved in this process and would definitely do this again. The evaluation forms were filled with words of gratitude for David’s involvement, but beyond the forms, there was a sense of excitement and energy in the air. The teleconference set the tone for the rest of the day; often participants would quote David or remind us of one of his key messages. Most importantly, it set the tone for the role of the literacy teacher. This was an excellent way to start literacy training and I am looking forward to making arrangements for a teleconference for our secondary school literacy teachers.

 

Thank you again for your flexibility and commitment to children.

 

Sincerely,

Patti Pella

Superintendent of Education

Superior-Greenstone District School Board

How to get your school reading

We don't teach reading...

We don't teach walking. We don't teach talking. They happen naturally yet there are rules and timelines. 

If Maria Montessori is right (I'm betting that she is) reading is as natural as walking and talking. She found that children needed three things to become readers and if these are provided, children become readers. 

Three things are required:

1. Time

2. A hero - a gift giver

3. Books

From a lifetime of experience, a sure winner with kids of all ages is story - oral or written. 

Surround yourself with your favourites then share them. Don't wait to be invited, push your way in and get sharing. 

What? An example you say? Sure. Try this treasure with middle/high school. 

Charles Dicken's classic Oliver Twist through the eyes of Fagan.  Fagin the Thief: A Novel

And if you really want to be ambitious, listen to it through Audible.co.    WOW!!! 

For younger friends, there are countless to offer. Let me start with one of my (if not my all time favourite) favourites...

Enough for now? 

Group hug

School Opening 2025

 Mission Statement:

Our school is a sanctuary for students, staff and parents. 

Our focus: 

Our school is focussed on reading. Parents, staff and students are committed to reading and literacy. 

Why? 

·         Cognitive Development: 

Reading stimulates brain development, particularly in early childhood, strengthening language skills, literacy, and social-emotional development. 

·         Imagination and Creativity: 

Books transport children to different worlds and scenarios, encouraging them to imagine possibilities and explore their creativity. 

·         Emotional Intelligence: 

Stories help children understand emotions, develop empathy, and learn to navigate social situations. 

·         Academic Success: 

Reading is fundamental to academic achievement across all subjects, improving vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills. 

·         Lifelong Learning: 

Encouraging a love of reading from a young age fosters a lifelong habit of learning and exploration. 

·         Strengthens Relationships: 

Shared reading time creates special bonding moments and strengthens the relationship between children and adults. 

·         Reduces Screen Time: 

Reading offers a healthy alternative to excessive screen time, helping children develop focus and reduce mindlessness. 

·         Cultural Literacy: 

Reading exposes children to diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences, promoting understanding and tolerance. 

I remain as committed to reading today as I did back then, before the gray hair and a couple tattoos. The biggest change in me is that I am now more experienced and over many exciting years, have gathered numerous effective strategies that I am happy to share when asked. This I will do over the course of the next few days/weeks. 

Enough already, let's do this thing!

Yesterday, today and tomorrow

Yesterday, today and tomorrow

Another picture for what will be another conference. 

This conference will be uniquely exciting: Bahrain. In a little over a year, I will share  my learnings with a predominately Muslim audience from across the Gulf Region. My eyes and ears (and my heart) will be wide open to their beliefs and experiences. I hope to inspire as much I hope to be inspired. I will add to this as it approaches. 

For now - COVID.  I would have never thought that my life on road would survive COVID. Not only was flying and hotels a  huge road block as to how I lived my working life but one on one with audiences of students, educators and parents was clearly no longer happening. Yet, here I am in 2025 having been to Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ohio...next week in Kelowna and Kamloops...and I am hearing from my agent that he has events being planned in Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and... 

All  that to say that tomorrow is hard to foresee. Come to think of it, yesterday is almost as hard to recall. 

Enough. Back to you soon.

Group hug

David 

 

Reading

A unique and proven perspective

Was Maria Montessori right in her understanding about what it takes to become a reader? And if she was, what does that say about our current methods of teaching reading?

Has reading become big business worth billions of dollars – a business that has taken on a life of its own in spite of obvious shortcomings. New, exciting curriculum, new courses, programmes, tests and evaluation tools…books on reading, books guaranteed to create readers, leveled reading programmes…

Montessori’s understanding of human nature and her philosophy toward teaching of reading has not escaped the attention of numerous academics in the US however over time, these have been quieted. There was a movement that reflected Montessori’s philosophy; whole language. It had a world wide following. I had the honour of being the Master of Ceremonies at a Whole  Language Conference in Winnipeg Manitoba a few years ago. Thousands from the world over attended to hear our keynote speaker, Bill Martin Jr. Manitoba was the heart of the common sense approach to reading a philosophy that also flourished in the Northern US. 

The movement however was short lived. Money speaks today. Money spoke then. Things reverted to where they had been. Get to children early (the earlier the better). Seek out a curriculum that is guaranteed succeed. Test them. Test them early and test them often. Use the results to build on. Reading is a science. Anyone can be taught to read given the right curriculum and the appropriate tools. 

But what if Maria was right? 

Maria Montessori believed that reading was a humanity and not a science - it was as natural a process as walking and talking. She taught that it took three things to become a reader:  

Time - a child will walk when they are ready - not when you tell them to.

A hero - they need someone to give them the gift of reading - a hero

Books - To read, books are necessary...books that included readers and books that are accessible to these readers. 

For the basics about Whole Language and Montessori's philosophy on reading, seek out and read Marlene Barron's "I Learn to Read and Write the Way I Learn to Talk". Barron served as President of the Board of the American Montessori Society. She was on the faculty of New York University. As a principal, I bought a copy of this small treasure for each of our school's employees as well as for our parent school council. 

I might be wrong in this but I don't think I am. I have spent years using Montessori's philosophy. It is tried and proven. 

 

April - time to write

Home to write..

I'm back on the road, in person...and it feels good. I have done school visitations and conference work for over 26 years now and I like it. 

I'm home from a week in Kelowna and Kamloops where I spoke with students and teachers. I shared stories and I spoke of residential schools, the need to recognize and embrace our unique gifts and as I always do, I spoke about mental health. 

I spoke with grade 11 and 12 students at Rutland Senior Secondary. The Indigenous program students gifted me a bundle from their own garden, tea, tobacco and a herb based salve. In Kamloops, I was able to present in French which is always a treat for me as I don't get to use my language as often as I did since the death of my Father,

Getting home (Kamloops to Victoria) took ten hours. Crazy, I know. I arrived home after midnight and woke early to do a keynote presentation on Zoom to teachers in Sooke. And that was a real pleasure. I am always happy to present on-line even though that can be a little challenging. (I have new respect for Cory Booker who spoke to the house for 25 hours). Speaking into a camera with no visible audience is...challenging. 

And now, my books- 

I have a couple books "out there". These are written, illustrated and well....out there. I trust my publishers but they can sometimes use a wee poke as a reminder that time passes. 

The Talking Stick is a book I have been talking about for some time now...and it IS coming - any day now. 

Dreamcatcher, the sequel to We Learn from the Sun, with Kristy Cameron and also published by Medicine Wheel Education is also done and "out there". 

And I have new dreams/projects. 

1.I have long been troubled by the status of rez dogs whose existence is not their fault yet who are often shot simply because they were born with no one who wanted them - with no one who cared. They are killed as part of a mass killing known as a cull. I have witnessed a cull  first hand and have to believe that there is a better way. These poor dogs have no voice but that of people like me and Donna the Strange with whom I am working to matter for them.

2. I remained committed to supporting the seal hunt and the people of Canada's north. Canadians have to become educated as to the state of affairs in our North. My part in this will be a book that outlines some of my learnings after having spent significant time there, among them. 

Home from my Prairie

 Home from my Prairie

What a wonderful week!

The highlight of my tour home was being able to share my learnings with thousands of students and teachers. 

I am in a position and of the age where I  can be open and honest. For our world to become what it should be, our youth will have to be given the tools they need to make it so. 

1. Residential schools were right there - all around me when I was a boy. Had the adults in my world had the foresight and the courage to tell me the truth about what was going on, I would have had a chance to make a difference.

Not a word about residential schools. Was it that no one knew about the hurt and abuse that was taking place in those schools? I think not. I don't believe that my parents and my teachers were anywhere near as aware as we are today, but many knew and they remained  silent. 

The Truth and Reconciliation Recommendations are clear in telling us that we MUST tell our children what happened. Are we? Before teachers tell the truth, they must feel that they are supported - they must trust the system they work within. This is where we are struggling. I hope that our board and administrators are leading in this effort.

2. Canada's Chinese Canadian youth deserve to know the truth of how Canadians treated the Chinese after inviting them to Canada to work on our new railroad.  Chinese youth deserve to know as does every other student. Why do our students not know that Chinese workers had to pay their voyage even after we invited them, needing their
help...that they were paid half what a white worker was paid...that they had tarps for shelter while their white counterparts were housed in shacks that provided much better protection from the elements and also that they would be responsible for all the hard and dangerous work. Should they not be informed that one Chinese worker died for every mile of railroad laid between Calgary and Vancouver? 

3. Canada's North - The lives of thousands of Northern Canadians would be so much fuller and much more gentle if our youth learned the truth about how these Northerners live and why. The seal hunt was decimated by people who knew nothing about the Inuit, the Innu or the Gwich'in. A movement was started to ban the seal hunt, the traditional way of life of these proud Canadians. Brigitte Bardot started a movement. a movement that ended with the banning of seal fur. She/they spoke of small white calves being cruelly bludgeoned to death on the open ice. They had pictures of men with clubs slaughtering these small white animals. This is NOT how seals were hunted. Yet, we Canadians did not stand up for our Northern family. We let them down then and continue to do so today. I have seen them hunt. They love and respect the seal. They share the last breath of the seal as it dies. If Canadian youth were taught the truth of  the hunt and of life in the North, they could make Canada a better Canada.

4. Our schools - We continue, and fueled by social media, to have our youth believe that success is defined by the clothes they wear, the cars they drive and the size of the houses they live in. Study hard. Master the curriculum and the academic world, and you are well on your way to success. We must tell students that they are being misled...that the key to success is not building their lives around ego or money but rather around the gifts that each has within. That is hard to do when our schools focus solely on the curriculum and not on the individuals under our care.