Musings

In the Deep Silence

Musings

Ephemeral as Fireflies

Another Thoughtful Student Letter

Munro, The Beech Nut, Alison, Al, Mike, Dean

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Dear Margaret Shaw-Mackinnon,

Hi, my name is R. and I’m from Scott Bateman Middle School in Mr. Popiel’s class. I’m writing you a letter to you because I wanted to thank you from coming into our class and teaching us a valuable lesson about bullying. Also I wanted to tell you that we finished The Beech Nut book!!!! I really liked it and what it’s about!

I really liked your visit with us because you read to us and gave us activities to do. I really liked how you taught us a valuable lesson on bullying and why we shouldn’t be a bully and I also really liked the Beech Nut book!! I really liked the book! It’s about friends lying to each other because they think they won’t accept them but they do accept them for who they are! My favorite character is Alison because when Munro bullied her, she just stuck up for herself. My favorite part of the book is around the end when everyone becomes friends with Alison and The Beech Nut.

I really liked how the book told me just to be myself, regardless of what other people think, and don’t be a bully. You shouldn’t hurt other people’s feeling just because your feelings are hurt by someone else. I was bullied before and it really hurt. They called me names and talked about me behind my back. Soon she stopped and apologized and we became good friends. So again, I just wanted to thank you for writing an awesome story and coming to our class.

Sincerely,
R.

December 11, 2012
Dear R.,

Thank you for your kind letter about my visit to Scott Bateman Middle School and about your enjoyment in reading The Beech Nut of Big Water Beach. I’m glad you liked being read to, and that you liked the activities.

Jane, Lisa, Becky, Jack, Mr. McLean, Nicholas, Mrs. McLean

I was so pleased that you liked Alison, and noticed how she stuck up for herself. She has a lot of courage! I like the ending too, where everyone becomes friends with the Beech Nut and Alison.

You really understood the book very well, that we shouldn’t bully and we should be ourselves. It is difficult not to try to hurt others when they hurt us, but you are right, if we don’t hurt anyone, then the pattern of bullying gets broken. Also, when we get help from caring adults, we can help the bully and the person who is getting bullied. I was so sorry to hear that you were bullied and called names behind your back. How wonderful that the girl who was bullying stopped and apologized and that you became good friends! If the bullying ever happens again, you know that it’s best to try to get help with it and keep trying, for the good of all!

All the best,
Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon

More Student Artwork

Another Super Creative Expertly Drawn Student Rendition of Jack of the Tarantulas and Cigarettes from The Beech Nut of Big Water Beach, by C.F. at R.B. Russell High School, Wpg., MB., Canada–Jack is a figure of Munro’s shadow self. In the anti-bullying study unit, students are empowered to use their terrific imaginations and skills to create such impressive visualizations of Munro’s wild shadow archetype–Jack! Note the channel changer that Jack uses to point at Munro to get him to change–for the worst. As viewers can see, Jack has a fairly bad smoking habit (as does his pet tarantula), not unlike Munro’s buddy Al who is determined to turn all his good friends into smokestacks (much to Munro’s chagrin).

The Beech Nut of Big Water Beach Novel Study and Anti-Bullying Guide in Action: Student Art and Letters

Jack of the Tarantulas and Cigarettes, by student C.J. at R.B. Russell High School

Dear Margaret Shaw Mackinnon,

Hello. I am R. F. from Scott Bateman Middle School. And I liked it when you came and visited and we got to become a character and [I got to] do the sheet on Al. I had fun reading the book.

I like the book because it was good and it taught me to not be future bully. I also liked when you came and visited us because we got to see the person that wrote the book. And [you] read to us in person. It was cool. I also liked the part when the kids all became friends and they didn’t bully each other. And the part where Munro met up with Jack and he was walking after him and Munro was trying to run away.

I feel like I liked the book because overall it is about trying to stop bullying. And to just be yourself and if [someone is] a friend to you, then don’t let someone else tell you they are not cool.

From R.F.

December 11, 2012

Dear R. F.,
Thank you for your wonderful letter! I was so pleased to know that you liked doing the character sheet on Al. He is a really good character to study, and I’m glad that you had the chance to get to know a character in depth.

You made me very happy when you told me that my book taught you not to be a future bully. The more we understand about bullying, the better our world will be! We can all be creative, not destructive, even if it’s difficult at times.

I like meeting authors who write books too! I know exactly what you mean about that! I’m so pleased that your class finished the whole book and that you liked the fact that the kids in the book stopped bullying and became friends. I had fun writing the part where Munro dreams that Jack is chasing him, so I’m glad you liked that part.

I felt that it was very special that you understood that we need to stop bullying, and to stand up for our friends.

Best wishes,
Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon

The Beech Nut of Big Water Beach Novel Study and Anti-Bullying Guide in Action: Enthusiastic Letters from Students with Author Responses

Short-Listed for the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award

In the next series of blog entries, my readers can peruse these lively grade six student letters I received from students in the classroom of teacher Nick Popiel after my return from teaching my anti-bullying unit in The Pas, MB, Canada.I will share these letters over the next couple of weeks to give teachers the idea of just how deep is the consciousness-raising impact of my anti-bullying novel study on students.

Also, the student responses are adorable, uncensored, serious-minded, and dedicated to understanding bullying. I smile and am moved when I read these letters, and I hope you’ll enjoy them too! (Of course, names have been changed to simple letters.)

November 19, 2012

Dear Margaret Shaw-Mackinnon

Hello and my name is D. and I read your book The Beech Nut at The Big Water Beach. I thought your book was awesome! By the way, I go to Scott Bateman Middle School and [am] in Mr. Popiel’s class and I love your book.

So my favorite character in the book is Alison only because I don’t think that she’s ugly. Maybe she actually is fattish in the story. My favorite part of the book is [near] the end [and] it was the part when Munro kissed Alison. I loved when you came for a visit to our classroom and [gave] my class a lesson on art and stuff.

I hope that you see this or my letter to you! So again, this is D. S. from Scott Batman Middle School saying I love your book!
Sincerely,
D. S.

Dear D. S.,

Thank you so much for your email regarding The Beech Nut of Big Water Beach! You are very kind to let me know that you thought the book was awesome and that you loved the book.

I agree with you that Alison isn’t ugly, even if she is a little overweight. I also agree that it’s a special part in the book when Munro and Alison kiss. They like each other for all the right reasons, because they really care about so many of the same things, and about each other.

I am pleased that you enjoyed the lessons on art and other things. Authors find it just wonderful to know that readers love their books, so thank you, D. S., for making my day! Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,
Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon

Students Visualize the Bullying Scenario

Munro is bullied by Roland

The Beech Nut of Big Water Beach Novel Study and Anti-Bullying Guide begins with a reading of the first chapter of the novel.

In this chapter, the main character, Munro McLean, a twelve year old boy, goes over three memories that he calls Bad Movie Number One, Two, and Three. In Bad Movie Number One, Munro is bullied by the Grade Five bully, Roland.

To start students’ immersions into the anti-bullying program, I draw a cartoon on the board of Munro being tossed around by Roland. In this photo, you can see the cartoon that I draw for students on the board that they can follow when they create their own illustrations of this scene. (This illustration is included in the Anti-Bullying Package for teachers). Some of the inventive titles students have thought up for this cartoon are: Roland’s Play Day; The Bully-Go-Round, Bully Ball; The Circle of the Day.

When students create their own drawings of Munro being thrown around by Roland while other class members laugh, they visualize and make concrete for themselves the terms bully, bullied, and bystander. Furthermore, many students have been present in such bullying scenarios, where the bully leads and others follow with varying degrees of involvement, from that of an active participant to just not wanting to get involved.

In the next blog entry, you can see what the students produced!

Beginning of series on teaching The Beech Nut of Big Water Beach Novel Study and Anti-Bullying Guide

Light Dancing on Shoreline Water

Clearwater Lake: Third Clearest Cleanest Lake in the World

Happy New Year, readers! I wish you a creative, transformative 2013!

In my next series of blogs, I will give you a sense of what can be done with The Beech Nut of Big Water Beach Novel Study and Anti-Bullying Guide that I have made available through my Teachers Pay Teachers store. As an arts educator who travels to different schools throughout the province of Manitoba, Canada, sometimes far north, my vision necessarily involves not only my teaching experiences, but my experiences working with great teachers in unique and often magnificently picturesque settings.

The images, musings, and student letters in this series are all from my residency with the Artists in the Schools Program at Scott Bateman Middle School in the Pas, Manitoba, Canada.

While I was there, I stayed at a cottage on Clearwater Lake, on the property of my wonderful host and hostess, guidance counsellor, Barb McLeod and her husband, Tim Williams. Clearwater Lake is the third clearest, cleanest lake in the world and is ethereally beautiful. Again, this blog series will not only show the results of the teaching experience, but will also share with you what I saw while I was there. I begin by showing you just how clear is Clearwater Lake!