(Richmond Hill) - Looking at
the faceless blue doll called "Nobody", it's hard
to imagine the difference he's been making.
As part of an innovative literacy program
called "Who is Nobody?", the doll has become an
increasingly important part of a unique approach
to teaching in York schools.
Members of the Richmond Hill and York Region
rotary clubs made it all possible raising more
than $3,500 to buy kits.
Each kit is $365 and each workshop is $85.
They were presented to the schools at a
ceremony last month in Thornhill.
Seven schools, from Thornhill to Keswick, have
bought kits, which include a doll, scrapbook, film
and information for teachers and students.
After receiving the package, students work to
discover their own interests and create their own
way of being kind to living things. It can be
anything from picking up litter in the local park
to donating clothes to Goodwill or teaching about
another culture.
Each student takes the doll home for a week and
adds something representative of their lesson.
They then present the doll to the class along with
their own story and a picture.
By the end of the year, the doll is infused
with the spirit of the students' character and
covered with mementos of their explorations -- no
longer a "Nobody".
All their work is compiled in a scrapbook and
the doll becomes the class mascot.
"I was teaching and I saw a void in the
classroom," said project creator Kelly Clark, who
took three years to assemble the project.
"Public school is really a time to explore,
make mistakes and find out what you're good at,"
rather than being forced to conform, she said.
She designed the project to meet curriculum
requirements in areas such as literacy while
allowing students to develop their individuality
and think of others.
Some of the local schools making use of Nobody
include Beverly Acres and Charles Howell public
schools.
The program fit perfectly with the ideals of
the service club in terms of teaching literacy,
encouraging children to do things for others and
performing "service above self", said Bill Harris,
president of the Richmond Hill Rotary Club.
"It's a remarkable tool that encourages young
people to get involved in good causes. At the same
time, it nurtures their self esteem and enhances
their academic performance," he said.
"We were so impressed by the presentation she
did on the unit, we purchased five to distribute
to schools."
This year, the project's sixth, will see about
100 projects taking place across Ontario. It's the
first year Who is Nobody? has gone beyond Toronto
and York Region and it's now in 14 boards across
the province.
Ms Clark said she hopes school boards will soon
take it on en masse but, in the meantime, local
schools and Rotary groups have helped by buying
the kits. The Printing House has also helped by
donating materials.
Venture Park Public School teacher Wendy Herman
can't wait to break the little guy out of his box.
"Nobody is up and running in my classroom. I am
going to have the first presentation today and the
kids are ultra excited," she said last week.
Angelica Karchevskaya, a Grade 3 teacher at
Beverly Acres Public School, said her students
jockeyed to see who would take the doll home
first.
Already three children have taken Nobody, doing
everything from learning about the Ontario Humane
Society to teaching little children ice skating.
"They can see that by doing something for
others they can help themselves," she said.
Moreover, the fact they have to write in
Nobody's scrapbook and do an oral presentation is
helping their literacy skills and attitudes.
"They all want to take it and create a mascot
and create somebody from Nobody," she said.
