Can you teach me how to make a book?

 Let's begin June with a question from a young reader, Ryannah. She loves books and from my observations, her taste and reading choices are varied and diverse!

😊 Start with a character. Do you have a character in mind?

Describe your character. What does he/she/it look like? What does your character love and hate? It’s a strong word, but we need to be real sometimes.

😕What is your character’s problem?

How did your character solve the problem? Did he/she/it get help from someone? If yes, how did your character get the help he/she/it needed?

😁Give your character an ending he/she/it deserves.

Lastly, who are you writing this story for? It’s OK to say that you are writing it for yourself. All authors begin that way.

You can draw pictures for your story if you wish. So, write. Right now! 

Read your story to someone who can give you honest feedback. Make it better and write it again so that you can create a book for your story.

That would be another adventure!

Have fun 

DepEd Antipolo Teachers Make Mini-Books

Teachers love big books!

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.