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.