Big Books are perfect for read aloud sessions because it can hold the attention of a class of forty to sixty students. They are easy to make by a group of teachers who are working on instructional materials for the classroom. The process is a collaborative experience. This makes book making a lot of fun!
Mini-books, on the other hand are easier to do, as they are small. It can be a collaborative project also, but its nature is more personal in process and in the sharing of it. For K-3 teachers, mini-books are not only for instructional purposes, but also a student centered approach to teaching and learning how to create stories and construct knowledge.
When I received the invitation by the DepEd Antipolo to run a workshop on story writing, I turned to mini-book making as a final activity.
How easy it was for teachers to create their own mini-books! How proud they were! Their stories ranged from childhood memories of bullying, conquering one's fears, fleeing a land of conflict, eating nutritious food to folk stories in Antipolo.
Using the same materials as I have when I run Zine making workshops, teachers were able to write 2-3 mini-books. Here's hoping that they can carry the learning they gained from this activity to the classroom and in contests which the DepEd runs for regional story book making.
