All of them senior students chose a book last Tuesday, read it, and reported it in class yesterday.
The books ranged from inspirational and self-improvement, business, success tips for leaders/managers, scientific, religious and many other areas — deemed valuable in nursing education.
The cost of the books ranged from P100 to P1,320 or $30.00 (bought from Barnes and Noble during one of my trips to the US).
The students all arrived at the appointed time — 7:30am. Most were dressed to the nines, while some opted for the smart casual look. An emcee (there were a total of seven) was hastily appointed (who gladly accepted it), and the program rolled on.
What unfolded before me and the rest of the members of the class was unbelievable — as each one shared what they have read. The first reporter, opened it with a book (Do Not Go Naked to Your Next Presentation by R. Hoff) which was fully laden with valuable advice for them.
Some gave their reports seriously while others did it candidly. The second reporter made strong curricular connections with the books they had read by referring to this activity as important in their transition from students to professional nurses later, and their achieving success now and later in their lives.
Another student was not able prevent her tears from falling, as she related the story of Dolores (from A Cup of Comfort for Nurses, edited by C. Sell), a student nurse who had cancer but accepted the demands brought upon her as a student, a wife, and mother of four teenage sons — without complaining. Dolores did not miss her classes nor clinical duty, and graduated. But she died a few months after graduation.
A male student surprised everyone — he paced the front of the room and shouted: “Groceries, books, cars, shoes, and others… “ while holding the book Be CentsAble by C. Pate and K. McKee. He continued by telling his classmates that the authors are advising them to keep their money in order; to save more by buying in bulk during a sale, being flexible, and scheduling trips when the cost is low.
The second to the last book reporter injected humor by relating that he thought he was expected to be a “farmer” when he saw the title of the book: Grow Your Own Carrot by B. Griffiths & C. Kaday. He then sheepishly told his classmates: “Don’t judge a book by its cover!” The authors discussed about motivational carrots and the acronym GROW which stands for Goal, Reality, Obstacles, Options, and Way Forward. The GROW process has been used by life coaches, counselors, and consultants to evoke change for more than two decades now.
For five hours, my students were transported to the world of books as they listened to their classmates, as they laughed and cried, as they learned the intricacies of life in the workplace, and as they learned how to navigate the road less traveled.
In addition, a gentle reminder of their roles as Christian nurses and future nurse leaders/managers was also embodied in many of those books.
Yes, I “flipped” my classroom and “stretched” my students yesterday, and the result was awesome. For after all has been said and done: “You are what you read, just as you are what you eat!”
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Author’s email: nenita.tayko@foundationU.com
