Book Project Teaches Important Skills on Teasing and Friendship
“We jumped at the chance.”
That’s how principal Mark Ziebarth describes his school community’s reaction after learning about PeaceMaker Minnesota’s book project.
Isanti Intermediate & School for All Seasons was one of 24 schools in 15 cities across Minnesota that received “Ease the Tease” or “Make a Friend, Be a Friend” with your support. Over 2,500 books were provided to individual students in 1st through 3rd grade to keep, read, and discuss with their teachers and classmates.
“One of the things we noticed was an increase in the difficulty some students were having with friendships and teasing,” explains Mark. “We decided that reading a book and having classroom discussions about the topic would be a great way to help us with an issue we identified as needing to be addressed.”
Students at Isanti Intermediate and School for All Season read “Ease the Tease”
While Mark says all the teachers reported productive conversations with students because of the project, the conversations didn’t stay confined to the classroom. One teacher, he points out, sent him this note: “I had a conference tonight where the mom told me that she has re-read the Ease the Tease book with her daughter at least 2 or 3 times since she brought it home. She said they love the book, and it has led to some really great conversations at home about how to get along with peers when teasing is involved.”
“Thank you so much for the ‘Make a Friend, Be a Friend book.’ I learned that the secret ingredient is empathy.”
For Kayla Silverberg, Social Emotional Learning and PL Coordinator at Stride Academy in St. Cloud, the project was an opportunity for students to learn specific social-emotional skills. “I have seen the students interact with one another and use the language that was talked about in the book in different ways,” she describes. “When two friends are fighting, the other one can now acknowledge that it is okay for friends to fight and that giving them space is a good solution. Just because they fight doesn’t mean that they aren’t friends anymore.”
Students at Brookview Elementary in Woodbury
To facilitate the project, PeaceMaker Minnesota relied on the generosity of donors, like you, and volunteer, Nancy Fahrenkrug, to coordinate book requests and shipment to schools. “The idea of bringing the books to so many children is what inspired me,” she says. “The project is a great way to connect to many schools across the Twin Cities and the State. I am hopeful this will lead to less bullying in our schools and more peacemaking.”
“I learned to ignore bullies, compliments you can give to the teaser, and to make a joke out of the tease. I will use these skills next time I get teased.”
Teacher and students involved in book discussion at Dayton Elementary
Mark agrees: “The partnership allows for us to make a difference in the lives of our students by creating a community where all students feel valued and respected. We value the many ways PeaceMaker helps our school get even better.”
Classroom with their “Make a Friend, Be a Friend” books at Andersen Elementary in Stillwater