Bibliotherapy, BTS and An Afternoon with Librarians of Brent International School Manila

This pandemic challenged and inspired me to develop modules and training programs for teachers, librarians and parents on Bibliotherapy. I had several online sessions last year with teachers of Saint Pedro Poveda College, students and scholars of the De La Salle Greenhills and with the online learning community of The Learning Revolution. 

Early this year, I had the pleasure of doing a new program with teachers of the Create Learning Paths, a progressive school in Merville, Paranaque. The program, Finding Grace in Everyday (FGE) focus on catharsis and companionship. In May, Teacher Ani Almario invited me to her Children's Literature Class to run a pocket workshop on Bibliotherapy to her class of undergraduate students. The post reading activity with the students can be viewed and read in this link. 

Last month, the library staff of Brent International School Manila and I had an afternoon of sharing life stories. Using the FGE once more, I had an afternoon of reflection and introspection on life during the pandemic with friends and colleagues. What made it different this time is my facilitation of the session using one of BTS' songs, Awake, a solo by Kim Seokjin.

Through a music map activity, participants listened to the song (in Korean) and while doing so, they drew, doodled and write on their journals. When the song was over, we all listened to the song again, but this time, I made them watch the video that has the English translation. 

 

 The song's message is that of resilience and perseverance at a time of doubts and fears. The afternoon ended with an acceptance of how things are at the moment and hanging on to hope for better days to come.