BIBLIOTHERAPY: A Teachers Alternative Way for dealing with Childrens Emotional ProblemsBy: Marjorie Ann Sheena D. Macarayo, RN

Thank you for giving teachers permission to assist students with emotional issues. While teachers are not guidance counselors, they are an integral part of the therapeutic team as often they are the people students will share their concerns with, and they can observe when something is troubling a student- Maich & Kean, 2004, p.26 -

The abstract of this journal provides a general framework on how the journal is presented to the reader, to wit:

This article explains a practical strategy for dealing with social emotional problems in the inclusive classroom environment. The potential need for bibliotherapy is introduced by discussing how role boundaries of teachers are changing and how teachers may take on a range of roles in their classrooms. An example of a social emotional scenario where bibliotherapy might be used in a classroom is presented, and the practice of bibliotherapy is defined. The setting, needed resources, story choice selection, lesson planning and potential benefits of bibliotherapy are explained in detail.[footnoteRef:1] [1: Maich, K. & Kean, S. (2004) Read two books and write me in the morning: Bibliotherapy for socialemotional intervention in the inclusive classroom. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 1(2) Article 5.Retrieved (date) from http://escholarship.bc.edu/education/tecplus/vol1/iss2/5]

Bibliotherapy is an expressive therapy that uses an individuals relationship to the content of the books and poetry and other written works as therapy[footnoteRef:2]. It is usually combined with writing therapy, and there are studies that suggest that its effects are long-lasting towards its constituents[footnoteRef:3]. Since education is starting to become more institutionalized and more professionals are tapped into collaborating with teachers to provide better learning environments[footnoteRef:4], it only makes sense that teachers should be well-equipped into applying the principles of bibliotherapy towards their students who will most benefit from such an intervention. It has been established that the first person who has the best chance of detecting any emotional disturbances from the students is usually the teacher, since he has the most opportunities in communicating with his students at any given time; hence, it is imperative that teachers should be given the necessary training and resources to be able to apply bibliotherapeutic techniques towards their students. [2: David Burns,Feeling GoodIntroduction, pxvi-xxxii, (1999)] [3: Sullivan, A. K. & Strang, H. R. (2002). Bibliotherapy in the classroom: Using literature to promote the development of emotional intelligence. Childhood Education, 79(2), 74-80.] [4: Mackey, S., & McQueen, J. (1998). Exploring the relationship between integrated therapy and inclusive education. British Journal of Special Education, 25(1), 22-27.]

Stories and its relevance towards the specific emotional challenges of the teachers students is the main concept behind the effectivity of bibliotherapy towards its constituents. Choosing a story is dependent on how best it will apply to a specific students emotional issue, and a list of apt questions provided in the journal definitely helps a teacher in his choice[footnoteRef:5]. Whether the story chosen by the teacher has an intended lesson or is implied in the story itself, it all boils down as to how the student appreciates the story and if the student was successfully able to grasp the essence of such story that the teacher was aiming for. There is no specific science to perfectly determine every applicable story for each students respective emotional problem, and that is why the teacher is given broader options in applying bibliotherapy and the tools available that the teacher can freely use to his advantage. [5: Carlson, R. (2001). Therapeutic use of story in therapy with children [Electronic version]. Guidance & Counseling, 16(3), 92-99.]

As the journal aptly points out, bibliotherapys greatest advantage comes from it being readily available since books are its primary therapeutic medium and most students are familiar with the purpose of books. Even with severely limited resources, a teacher can facilitate an effective learning environment with bibliotherapy by using appropriate stories and establishing trust & confidence with his students[footnoteRef:6]. Moreover, the availability of electronic applications that can aid bibliotherapeutic sessions for both teachers and students further enhances its applicability and feasibility in a global scale. Since our countrys population is one of the most well-versed in the English language, the application of bibliotherapy in all school settings is not only possible, but also a practical progression on our school systems options towards handling emotional problems of students. [6: Ibid.]

Books are often said to be doorways to so many fantastic worlds, and it has been found in the annals of history that books have often had a healing effect on its readers by simply being read[footnoteRef:7]. It would be foolhardy not to use the practicality of bibliotherapy in our classroom settings, because everyone is an avid reader at heart even when suffering from their own emotional crosses. In concurrence with the authors of the journal, bibliotherapys benefits are far and wide as long as it is followed religiously by both teachers and students, and such must be promoted and advocated if we are to advance our educational system beyond the four walls of our rigid classrooms! [7: Ibid.]