The Living Library at Moscrop!
This Friday students from several classes are invited to visit the Moscrop Library that will be transformed into a Living Library for the first time. What does this mean? Courageous and interested volunteers from the surrounding community will be here "on the shelves" as "Living Books", each person with a title that reflects some aspect of his or her identity or life experience, an aspect where there exists some element of stereotyping or prejudice of within our culture and society. Admittedly, it is difficult to grow up without internalizing at least some of the misinformation or generalizing we see and hear about people who belong to one group or another. Media often distorts, confusions go unchallenged. On this day students and staff are invited to check out a "living book", to "take out a prejudice", "face a stereotype", or simply learn about another by exchanging curiosity and discussion.
Each one of these courageous Books lives the title they have presented. They are not actors or "posers" pretending to be someone they are not. Each title is a part of the self. A story with chapters and often a "work in progress".
Here is your sneak preview of the titles that will be visiting:
Young Male Pursuing a Major in Women Studies
German
American
Woman / Mother
Spiritual Leader
Aboriginal Woman
Young Adult Gay Man
Lesbian
Ex Gang Member / Ex Prisoner
Constable
Big and Beautiful Formerly Size 5 and Bulimic
Iraqi Refugee
Artist
Construction Worker
Former National Figure Skater
Trans gendered Person
Person with a Disability
Rock and Roll Drummer
Magician
Farmer
Croatian
Black Woman
Man with Long Hair
Feminist
Highly Sensitive Male
Father of a Gay Son
Jewish Person
Please Post Your Comments!
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
e. e. cummings
Comments
I was so impressed with the atmosphere that Leanne sourced... It calls forth one of the foundations of my work/ and life: "No one can HEAL another. Similarly, no one can TEACH anybody anything... the most one can do is create an ENVIRONMENT conducive to HEALING, and LEARNING."
Leanne, with her brilliant mix of 'professionalism-with-heart' -- succeeded in bringing forth from the assistants, the other books, and the school staff, an atmosphere of open hearted, respectful, inquisitive, sensitive, enjoyable and natural dialogue and interaction. The assistants were angels with laser focus on their responsibilities, yet relaxed enough and engaged enough to participate as well in the interviewing of the books, and generally taking care of the 'environment' so that healing and learning could take place. The students were sincere, attentive and genuine... There were many students who had more to say and more to ask, who simply didn't manage to overcome their "shyness". Perhaps a drill in 'the principals of the interview' might help... ie 1. identify your personal interest in the topic/book
2. write out a few questions.
3. practice asking model books those questions.
4. learn the principals of letting one question lead to another one... free flow conversation ie "fleshing out the subtleties and variations of a theme".
I could imagine -- especialy for the shy students -- that each have at least one question prepared before they sit down, and at least one follow up question depending on the answer. It could also be useful in the prep before Library day, to formally acknowledge that some otherwise 'cool' students can feel shy in this type of situation.
Small groups taking out the same book worked well. Books interviewing other books worked well.
Filling out the questionaire at the end was distracting, and I felt i wanted more time to integrate the experience before commenting on it.
Did I say how magnificent the assistants were? ... insightful, curious, genuine, fun to hang out with... each with their own fascinating story... especially given that every continent of the planet, and many of the world's religions and cultures, skin colours, and traditions, were represented
And did I mention how Leanne mixes professionalism and open heartedness the way a poet mixes silence with words, an alchemist mystery with science, and a parent responsibilities with freedoms?
from my heart, with gratitude and appreciation
Philip
ps chocolate at the front door!?!?!? I'm left speechless. :-)