For Educators and Parents

Teaching and learning in our district has begun to settle into a new, if very odd, routine. There are some things I like (my commute is swift and I can go barefoot all day) and some things I miss (face to face interactions with students and colleagues and my morning Starbucks). Most days I am positive and upbeat but some days I find myself scared or sad or in tears. To self-regulate I go for a walk with my dog or garden or create something. I’ve had enough life experience to know how to calm myself. What about our students? Like the little sponges they are, they’re sure to be soaking up the emotions of the people around them.

That got me to thinking. What could I do to help kids think of ways to make themselves feel better? And, as usually happens in my brain, that got me to thinking of something I had learned from a friend and fellow teacher, Darcy McNee from Saanich School District. She introduced me to the book “Ishi: Simple Tips From a Solid Friend” by Akiko Yabuki. It’s a stellar book. Here’s Darcy reading it.

So I contacted Darcy. The conversation went something like this.

Me: “Hey Darcy, what do you think about using “Ishi” as a springboard to help kids learn how to cope with their feelings during this weird time?”

Darcy: “I’m in! Sounds great and I’ve already got some examples!”

We contacted the publisher (thank you Penguin Random House Canada) and spent the next several days texting and thinking and building and discussing. And now? We’re ready to launch…..#belikeishi.

The premise is simple. Read the book to kids (virtually, obvi!) You can share a link to this blog post or to our website, which also has the reading on it. Then challenge them to come up with their own “Ishi creation”. They can check out the examples on our website. How do they make themselves feel better when they are scared, angry, alone or stressed? Can they find a rock and take pictures to show what they do? Can they draw it out, or paint it? Can they build with Lego or other toys? Can they code their Ishi creation? Can they use the camera on their parents’ phone or on the family iPad to make a little video? Remind them, for safety reasons, not to put a picture of themselves on their creation and to only put their first name on it.

We’d love to share their creations with the world. With their parents’ help, kids can email their “Ishi creations” to belikeishi@gmail.com or post them to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #belikeishi. And hey, if you’re going to get your students to do this, why don’t you try it, too? How can you #belikeishi?

Let’s see if we can spread a little positivity while teaching our students (and ourselves) that how you view the world and how you deal with your emotions are important life lessons for us all! #belikeishi

Darcy and I have been inspired by Apple's Everyone Can Create campaign. Here's a link to their resources.

If you want your own copy of "Ishi: Simple Tips from a Solid Friend" by Akiko Yabuki, click here or here.