Conference Sketches

By David Clemens

OSCA ’99
Annual Conference of the Ontario School Counsellors’ Association

With 460 delegates and 90 presenters conducting 60 workshops and 19 carousels, OSCA ’99 – Living the New Millennium, held in Toronto on November 18 – 20, 1999 was a huge success!

This annual conference, which brings together teacher-counsellors from all corners of the province, was buzzing with activity and information. Dr. David Foot gave the opening address, putting a demographics twist to trends in the world of work in the new millennium. Foot was quick to point out that “I’m here because of my school counsellor: I was good in Math but poor in Physics; my counsellor suggested Economics; I’d never heard of it.” He noted that “Demographics is based on a key assumption: every year we get a year older” and stated that “The future of our students is incredibly rosy”. Doon Wilkins provided an entertaining closing address on What It Takes to Make it in the New Millennium: “…live with purpose/perspective/reflection; acknowledge imperfection; uniqueness creates lightness; gauge your stress; keep your sense of humour.”

The conference included a wide range of workshops and carousels focussed on practical applications of Guidance and Career Education to assist in implementing Ontario’s new curriculum. Janis Foord Kirk’s keynote address focussed on Survivability: Career Strategies for the New World of Work. She stated, “We need a new mindset; a new definition of success…We live in revolutionary times – one of the most significant periods in industrial history.”

In his video based address on Growing Up Digital, Don Tapscott pointed out that “Our current students are the first generation to be bathed in bits – the net generation; this is the first generation when kids are an authority (on the net technology)”.

Having been informed, inspired, and equipped with many excellent resources and strategies to help our students and ourselves live the new millennium, we leave behind the last OSCA conference for this millenium, and move ahead in anticipation of OSCA 2000.

David Clemens
Co-Chair, OSCA ’99
President, Clemens & Associates
Formerly Co-ordinator of Guidance & Counselling Services, Toronto Board of Education