On Literacy for Life

May 5, 2009 by maureen.ulrich.

So here I am in Saskatoon at the Fourth Annual Literacy for Life Conference – along with Deborah Ellis, Wally Edwards, John Lunn, Norman Leach, Bev Brenna, and others.

Tomorrow I will present to approximately 600 Grade 6-8 students. On Wednesday I will present to the same number in Grades 3 – 5.

Eight sessions in total.

I used to teach around seven of these in a day – besides meetings, extra cur, and supervision. Still, I know I’ll be exhausted by tomorrow night!

It’s another one of those “pinch me” moments. How can this still be happening nearly three years after I sent off my manuscript to Coteau?

Two weeks ago at the World Author Day in Regina, writers told me, “What a great year you’ve had.” I don’t think I even KNOW what a great year I’ve had. And let’s qualify that statement. It’s Power Plays that’s had the great year – not me. This book has a life of its own.

After listening to Deborah Ellis’ keynote today, I’m having second thoughts about the way I’ve been doing presentations. Maybe they’re too slick – too well prepared. Deborah just got up and talked – talked from the heart about her visits to refugee camps in Afghanistan and prisons in Uganda. Her encounters with boy prisoners and child brides.

This conference is about so much more than the opportunity to promote my book.

It’s not an ego trip.

One audience member asked Deborah what we can do, as Canadians, to help promote global literacy. She urged us to focus on our own backyard – to encourage young people to hone the ability to make good decisions.

And that is what I will try to do tomorrow. I will focus more on the values of respect and tolerance and forgiveness – and less on salesmanship.

Wish me luck.

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