Boredom Busters: Bibliotherapy and Beyond!

Some outtakes from my Bibliotherapy Talk and Workshop with Love Education PH and Reading Buddies Baguio.

Can bibliotherapy help address or serve as a guide in discussing difficult topics to the readers?

Yes. There are research and studies that prove this assumption and answer your question. One study was done by college students who tested the benefits of Bibliotherapy in raising the confidence of abandoned children. It works.

How would you select books which are appropriate in tackling those kind of topics?

Selection of books would come from a knowledge of students and their issues, as well as the existing literature about their issues written for them. Rules number 2 and 3 yan ni Ranganathan every reader his/her book. every book its reader it's been an indisputable law of Library Science.

It is therefore our role to do Developmental Bibliotherapy.

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Kuwentong Bangtan: Mono and Me

I love Mono for its sophisticated sound and wholeness. It has seven tracks that are sonically distinct from each other but with one musical theme tying the songs together. The bass and down beats tug at the heartstrings so it is best to listen to the mixtape on headphones. Despite the moody and gloomy tones, there is the sharpness of light permeating in each song. Hope, yes. And the acceptance of realities that no one else can change. This too is light, emanating in the darkness.

It is what it is. Live with it. But also, make the most of it. This is Mono’s message to me and it has comforted me many times especially on days when sanity hangs by a thread. The Bangtan creativity is not lost in Mono. Because, while RM sings of his own pain, struggles and beliefs, he also sings to me; to us who care enough to listen to his stories. Offering encouragement and companionship as he goes.

Needless to say, Mono is a journey in which RM sings and raps away his feelings and anxieties of a future yet to come. It is a quiet and soothing reflection about change, isolation and the unending quest for meaning. Deeply introspective and beautifully poetic, Mono is by far, RM’s definitive work as a solo performer and artist.

This is RM in 2018. Who is the Kim Namjoon we are to meet in Indigo? My insides are tittering with excitement!

I leave you with the MV of ‘forever rain’ and a painting of rain falling softly on monochromatic green mountains and gray skies by Christabel Annelle Sevilla. How it reminds me that, as I walk through midlife and menopause, in this phase of empty nesting and claiming autonomy of self, I am not alone. I am never alone.

The painting is her response and personal take on RM’s painting in ITS season 2. What precious gifts these are that have been given to me. I am forever grateful.

Team Kuwentista on Family Feud PH

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Mga Sagot sa Katanungan Ukol sa Paglikha ng Kuwentong Pambata

 1. Ms Mailin at Ms Zarah, ano ang inspirasyon sa istilo ng pagsulat mo?

Ms. Z: Inspirasyon ko ang pamilya at mga mag-aaral; ang bata at kabataan.

2. Paano ayusin ang pagsulat mo kung mas kalat?

Ms. Z: Makalat talaga ang paglikha. Kailangan maunawaan ang proseso. Kailangan ito pagtuunan ng panahon. Sa pagsunod sa proseso, maaring maiayos ang kalat. Tanda mo pa ba ang mga hakbang sa proseso ng pagsusulat? Ibinahagi ko ito nung una nating pagkikita.

3. Yung mga kuwentong sinulat mo na parang alamat, paano ka nag-isip nito? Halimbawa sa kuwentong "How the Moon and Stars Came to Be" paano ka nag-isip na yung necklace ay naging mga bituin.

4. Ano ang una sa paggawa ng kuwento? Yung guhit o yung sulat?

Ms. Z: Sa proseso ng pagsusulat, may tinatawag na pre-writing o paghahanda. Dito nangyayari ang pagbuo ng kuwento gamit ang framework o balangkas at ang pag-iisip ng mga katangian ng tauhan. Ang mga tauhan ay madalas may problema at nagahhanap ito/sila ng solusyon. Makakatulong kung gagawan ang manunulat ng graphic organizers para dito. Sa ganitong paraan, maaring mag-drawing ang manunulat.

Ito ay gawain ko rin. Nahirapan akong bumuo ng kuwento ng isang alamat, Ang alamat ng ni Mariang Makiling. Kaya, nag-drawing muna ako at bumuo ng framework gamit ang SIMULA-GITNA-WAKAS/KATAPUSAN. Handa na akong magsulat. Matapos nito, may manuscript na ako o draft ng kuwento. Atsaka na ako magdo-drawing o makikipag-usap sa ilustrador ng kuwento.

5. Ano ang iyong mga inspirasyon sa pagsusulat? Nagsusulat ka ba at pagkatapos ay paikliin ang iyong mga talata o naisulat na ito na pinaikli?

6. Ano ang pinakamahirap na bahagi sa pagsulat ng kwento? At saan mo nakukuha ang mga ideya ng kwento?

Ms. Z: Pinakamahirap ang mag-revise at mag-edit. Nasagot ko na ang follow up question sa number 1.

7. Paano gawin organizado ang kwento na gusto no sumulat?

Ms. Z: Balikan nag sagot ko sa number 2 at 4.

8. Paano mo magsulat ng kwento kung wala kang ideya kung anong gusto mo sumulat?

Ms. Z: Meron akong journals. Doon ako nakakakuha ng ideya. Ang mga iniisip nating ideya, mga panaginip at hiraya ay nakalutang na parang ulap. Nawawala ito. Kung hindi isusulat, mas mahirap makabuo ng kuwento. Kaya, ang mga manunulat ay may paraan na ilatag o alalahanin ang mg ideya. Journaling ang gamit ko para dito. Ganun din ang blog ko at mga socmed sites or accounts.

9. Bakit gusto (mo) ang kuwento ng "Ang Leon at Ang Daga", para sa mga bata? Ano ang mensahe na nasa kuwento, na gusto mo kumalat?

10. Sino ang target audience para sa iyong mga kwento?

Ms. Z: Ang target audience ko ay mga bata sa Kinder hangang Grade 2.

11. Paano mo iniisip ang mga ideya? Gaano katagal bago magsulat ng kwento?

Ms. Z: Nakakapagsulat ako ng manuscript sa loob ng isang lingo kung yun lang ang gagawin ko. Madalas, inaabot ako ng buwan at taon.

The Binan City Museum and Studies Centre

The last time I visited the Binan Public Library was in 2015. It was housed in the old municipal hall where it shares space with the museum. What change can seven years make! 

The public library is now called a study centre. 

I was at the Binan City Museum and Studies Centre last Monday, November 21 for a visit on its exhibition of books and historical manuscripts. The edifice in itself is an artifact; a heritage site! Across from it is the Alberto Mansion. Another heritage site.

Housed in the historic municipal hall of Spanish design and architecture, the museum and studies centre is a place that must be visited by every Binanense. Local knowledge and its documentation must have a physical space of remembrance and restoration.  

 Sharing these photos from my visit.

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Slide Deck: Day 1 It Takes a Village to Build a Book Nook

Slide Deck: Day 2 It Takes a Village to Build a Book Nook

Takeaways from a Custodian of the Book Nook Project

KWL: It Takes a Village to Build A Book Nook

 

Priming Activity: It Takes A Village to Build a Book Nook

This activity is to prime participants to the workshop tomorrow. We will begin with a discussion on books and libraries.

It Takes a Village to Build a Book Nook

Team Kwekkwek 2022

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Mga Katanungan sa Paglikha ng Aklat Pambata

1. Ms Mailin at Ms Zarah, ano ang inspirasyon sa istilo ng pagsulat mo?

2. Paano ayusin ang pagsulat mo kung mas kalat?

3. Yung mga kuwentong sinulat mo na parang alamat, paano ka nag-isip nito? Halimbawa sa kuwentong "How the Moon and Stars Came to Be" paano ka nag-isip na yung necklace ay naging mga bituin.

4. Ano ang una sa paggawa ng kuwento? Yung guhit o yung sulat?

5. Ano ang iyong mga inspirasyon sa pagsusulat? Nagsusulat ka ba at pagkatapos ay paikliin ang iyong mga talata o naisulat na ito na pinaikli?

6. Ano ang pinakamahirap na bahagi sa pagsulat ng kwento? At saan mo nakukuha ang mga ideya ng kwento?

7. Paano gawin organizado ang kwento na gusto no sumulat?

8. Paano mo magsulat ng kwento kung wala kang ideya kung anong gusto mo sumulat?

9. Bakit gusto (mo) ang kuwento ng "Ang Leon at Ang Daga", para sa mga bata? Ano ang mensahe na nasa kuwento, na gusto mo kumalat?

10. Sino ang target audience para sa iyong mga kwento?

11. Paano mo iniisip ang mga ideya? Gaano katagal bago magsulat ng kwento

Guhit at Kuwento: Pagsasanay sa Pagguhit at Pagsulat ng mga Kuwentong Pambata

 

Library and Information Science Month: Author Visit

 

Author Visit: Ms. ZarahG by ZarahG

Mga Katanungan ng Mga Batang Paslit

Ang mga piling mag-aaral ng UP Integrated School na nasa ikalawang baitang ay may mga katanungan tungkol sa aking buhay manunulat. Abangan ang mga sagot.

1) Hi Teacher Zarah! Paano po namin kayo maiinspire na magsulat ng marami pang kuwento? 

2) Hello Teacher Zarah! Gaano katagal mong naisulat ang isang kuwento? Sa iyong mga kuwento, alin ang mas mabilis mong naisulat? Alin ang pinakamatagal mong naisulat? 

3) What's your favorite thing about being a writer?

4) Teacher Zarah, anong paborito n'yo pong gawin kapag walang pasok?

5) Kailan po kayo nagsusulat ng mga kuwento?

6) Bakit po kuwentong pambata ang naisip mong isulat? Sino po ang inspirasyon mo sa pagsusulat ng kuwento?

7) Ilan na po ang nagawa ninyong libro at may tumutulong ba sa'yo gumawa ng libro? 

8) Hi Teacher Zarah! Ano ang paborito mong basahing libro?

Freedom of Information Summit 2022

32nd LIS Month: "𝐌𝐠𝐚 𝐀𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧: 𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐥".

Holding On to Hope and Optimism at the 10th International Conference on Children's and Young Adults' Librarianship

The 10th International Conference on Children's and Young Adults' Librarianship (ICCYAL) closed out with the awarding of the Children's Librarian of the Year Award and The Outstanding Children's and Young Adult Library Services. Congratulations to Mr. Troy Lacsamana for being conferred as the Children's Librarian of the Year and to the Imus Public Library and Laguna Provincial Library for conducting services of the outstanding qualities for children and young adults.

These are wonderful news to usher in November being Library and Information Services Month. As the ICCYAL celebrated the past, present and future of Philippine Children's and Young Adult Librarianship the work for school librarians and public librarians serving children and young people is cut out for us. As one of the speakers, I am honored to have lent a report on the status of children's and young adult librarianship.  Conducted online, the recorded video can be watched via the National Library's Facebook Page. If you missed it, just click the link and catch up on all the fun.

So. My general takeaway is this: 

The Philippines is lacking on many things that will catapult public and school libraries to reach its potentials but it is not wanting in human resources. Storytelling, a phenomenon that is replete with the richness of human capacity building, has become a force used by many librarians and libraries to reach young people and open up access to the literature that is created for them. This is good. Very, very good.

But, we need to move past storytelling as a performative act. Storytelling has to move away from the teller towards the listener being able to partake in the experience of telling the story, before, during and after the telling. Young people must be engaged in this experience. If we can't develop the tech or run short of bringing it to our libraries, we can enable young people to be agents and advocates of themselves through storytelling.

More on this in future post.

For now, let us celebrate the winners of the awards and be positive in keeping our services for young people alive and kicking whatever the odds are.

Ghost: An Intergenerational Review

On Hallow's Eve, we decided to watch Ghost, the 1990 smash hit movie that defined my generation. A genXer, I was proud telling my kids about it. How it spawned the pixie haircut among girls my age because Demi Moore looked so androgynously charming. The soundtrack and the movie theme song marked an era too. Even the visual effects and the chemistry of the cast were points I bragged to my kids since it was perfect. 

I punctuated my story boasting of the Oscars that the movie snagged that year -- a Best Supporting Actress trophy for Whoopi Goldberg and a scriptwriting award for Bruce Joel Rubin.

While my children, ages 25 and 21 years old went "awww" and "oooh" at the romantic scenes, cringed at the right parts of the movie and laughed their hearts out at Whoopi Goldberg, the ending left them underwhelmed. 

Here is why.

Nico has this to say about the movie (25 years old). It was pretty good. Though it would have left an impact in me if it ended with an epilogue. Sam got his ending. But I want to know what happened to Molly and Oda Mae. It isn't just Sam's story. He is the "ghost" but, he haunted Molly and Oda Mae. What of Molly's grief and Oda Mae's new found skills?

And to this, Zoe, added. That movie is male-centric. Women characters were seen from the male gaze. Ugh. The gender politics (eyes rolling)! Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg are strong actors, visually and talent wise they deserve better than merely foils to Sam's character development. It does mark your generation, mom.

I couldn't agree more.