School Librarian in Action: September 2021

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) awards this year’s PBBY-Salanga Grand Prize to Iza Maria Reyes for her story, Ang Tahanang Hindi Tumatahan. It is a poignant piece about the pain and hardship a family goes through in the middle of a separation, beautifully told through a metaphor of a crying house.

Reyes is a teacher who is currently taking her master’s in Malikhaing Pagsulat at the University of the Philippines Diliman. She was a fellow for Creative Nonfiction at Palihang Rogelio Sicat 10 and the 1st PUP Multi-Genre Workshop, and has won awards for her essays in Filipino. This is her first PBBY-Salanga Prize.

And now, for her interview.

Ano ang kahulugan para sa iyo ng paglikha, lalo na sa konteksto ng kuwentong pambata?

Simula pagkabata, outlet para sa akin ang pagsusulat. Mahilig ako noon mag-diary, at binabalikan ko ang mga naisulat ko sa paglipas ng mga taon. Nakita ko na sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulat, mas naunawaan ko ang sarili, at mas naproseso [ang] mga nararamdaman. Sa paglaki, ito rin ang naging gampanin ng mga kuwentong natutunghayan ko, naririnig man, pinapanood, o binabasa. Dahil sa mga kuwento, nauunawaan ko ang sarili at ang ibang tao. Nauunawaan ko ang mga karanasan na naranasan ko at hindi naintindihan noong una, pati mga karanasan na hindi ko pa nararanasan o mararanasan ko pa lamang.

Ito ang kahulugan at kahalagahan ng paglikha para sa akin, lalo na ng mga kuwentong pambata. Maraming komplikadong mga sitwasyon at emosyon ang maaaring pagdaanan ng isang bata, dahil komplikado ang buhay at ang pagiging tao. Patuloy akong nagkukuwento at lumilikha dahil umaasa akong magsisilbing kaibigan at kasama ang mga akda ko sa mga mambabasa, ano man ang edad, tulad kung paano ako dinamayan ng mga kuwentong nabasa ko.

Sino ang iyong role model o influences sa pagsusulat ng kuwentong pambata?

Ang pinakamalaking impluwensya ko sa pagsusulat ay si Rene Villanueva, sa personal na sanaysay at kuwentong pambata. Sa kuwentong pambata, sa kaniya ko natutuhan na ang kuwentong pambata ay higit ano man, isang kuwento. Mahalagang nauunawaan at naa-appreciate ito hindi lamang ng mga bata, kung hindi ng kahit mas matatandang mambabasa. Mahalagang may kahulugang makukuha rito ang batang mambabasa, at ang mga mas nakatatandang mambabasa. Sa kaniya ko rin natutuhan na kailangang sinusuri at sinasama sa kuwento ang konteksto ng bata bilang Filipino, at ng lipunang kinabibilangan niya.

Ano ang aklat pambata na sana ay ikaw ang nakapagsulat?

Paborito ko ngayon ang "Nemo, Ang Batang Papel" ni Rene Villanueva dahil tinatalakay nito ang malaki at mahalagang isyung panlipunan sa paraang mauunawaan ng iba't ibang mga edad. Mabigat ang kuwento ngunit malikhain ang pagkakakuwento. Mabigat ang kuwento subalit kailangang maikuwento, kaya isinulat. Ito sana ang hiling kong palagi kong magawa bilang isang manunulat.

5 recommended books for aspiring writers of children’s stories?

- Nemo, Ang Batang Papel ni Rene Villanueva
- Papel de Liha ni Ompong Remigio
- Sandosenang Sapatos ni Luis Gatmaitan
- Ang Bonggang-bonggang Batang Beki ni Rhandee Garlitos
- Ang Ikaklit sa Aming Hardin ni Bernadette Villanueva Neri

Watch the online awards ceremony of the National Children's Book Day 2021.

Saturday, September 11, 2021

Book Review: Pitong Tsinelas

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Isang post na ibinahagi ni Zarah Gagatiga (@zarah815)

Friday, September 10, 2021

Book Review: BTS Art Revolution

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Isang post na ibinahagi ni Zarah Gagatiga (@zarah815)

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Teaching and Learning Research Skills: Philo Book Bingo Activity

One of the library services I am always excited to work on every academic year is the preparation and the design of Pathfinders and/or a virtual classroom library for specific subject areas. Even before the lockdown, library work for me consisted of working closely with subject teachers to support them with resources essential in extending learning and deepening the appreciation of curiosity, opening opportunities for skills building along the way.

Having met our Philosophy teacher at the onset of the school year, I designed a reading bingo card for her class. I was overwhelmed by the coverage of the content. My co-teacher's openness to show me her unit plan and learning goals set me on the path to focus and funnel the skills and topics into a bingo card that can be played during asynchronous sessions.

I thought about combining the concept of a Pathfinder and incorporating basic research skills into the Philo Book Bingo card.

As you can see, the bingo card has a link to World Book Online and the library's OPAC. I also included access to the EBSCO ebook high school collection and the Philosophy Resource Center of World Book Online.

I selected links to podcasts, picked a video on Crash Course, included reading into writing activities and incorporated doodling and drawings as ways to study and remember concepts learned in online class. I had fun making this!

As of writing, I have yet to hear from my co-teacher of the plans and instructions she set up for class. Definitely, I wish to hear feedback from her soon!

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

The Lighthouse Diary #33: What We Tell Ourselves During Tough Times

I am back to wearing the Adviser's Hat this academic year. One month into the term, I am still adjusting. How I wish it was like riding a bike again after a long while. Ah, the value of muscle memory. It is not the same with teaching children and students, or with trainig people in general.

What keeps my spirit up is the support of colleagues and co-advisers, as well as the honesty and diligence of my students. How admirable that they all could manage to show up and do the work as best as they can. This energy is evident in the online environment too. I discovered, it is not less real or inauthentic. There are signs to watch out for. Cues and clues to catch the sincerity from engaging with people online.

Suffice it to say that we are learning and adapting to this new normal. If anything, this change can bring about new ways to relate with people. What remains is the eagerness and the need to connect, to communicate and to create.

This self-care/self talk poster I made for my advisory class is aimed to remind my students that they are not alone in online distance learning. The quotes written on each block are words they wish to hear from me and from themselves during tough times.

At the start of the academic year, when we had our first group advisory session, I told them that the Diploma Program is rigorous. So, before we identified personal goals, we accepted that there are difficulties to face, eventually. Fleshing these out can come in later or in mid-term when submission of requirements and deadlines are pilling up on top of the other. So, I asked my advisees what they want to hear from me when things get really tough. What will they tell themselves?

The poster is evidence of their resilience, empathy and grit.