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Captain Grumpy
- In the Mailbag - |
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In the Mailbag
Dear Innovative Resources,
My name is Dianne Stevens. I am the Chaplain at Haileybury College, Berwick. I work with children between Prep and Year 9. My role includes teaching religious education, leading chapels and providing pastoral care in small group situations and to individuals. I have enjoyed using The Wrong Stone and Captain Grumpy in my role as chaplain.
The Wrong Stone is a great story about the need for us to find ways to make everyone feel as if they are part of the class and the school. I re-wrote the story to present as a play at a Middle School Chapel (Year 5-8). Everyone participated and had at least one line to say. As the students presented the story, I turned the pages of the book.
The book helped students realise that everyone sometimes feels like they are the wrong stone when in fact they are part of a community that cares about them. The book also highlighted the need for the students to look out for other students who might be feeling that they are the wrong stone and to find ways to make them feel included.
Captain Grumpy is a fantastic story. The illustrations really bring the book alive. I have used this book a number of times looking at the theme of friendship. I used the book during a session with Grade Twos. I read the book and then got the students, in groups of four, to discuss how they are a good friend, how they could be a better friend and three things friends like about them. They then divided into pairs and had to do a role play about how you could help turn someone from being grumpy into being happy again. The students came up with a variety of ideas including being a clown, asking them to join in with a group and asking them what they would like to play. The students responded well to the story and shared lots of ideas about ways they can help people to be happy.
I look forward to continuing to use these books in a variety of situations-the power of a story, at any age, can never be underestimated!
Dianne Stevens, Chaplain Haileybury College, Berwick |
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Captain Grumpy's Journey
Come aboard, me hearties!
This book is part of an emerging genre that is becoming known as the 'therapeutic picture book'. It will have an important place in the tool kits of counsellors, teachers, social workers and any other environments where reflection and growth are valued. As a therapeutic tool, this book may just constitute a 'tipping point'-a small but mighty prompt for change and hope. Reading this book with young children is a great way for parents and carers to offer an important (and fun) message of strength and self-esteem to children.
Captain Grumpy is a 32-page book and was written by Russell Deal-publisher, educator, social worker and part time pirate in schools. This embossed softcover book has vibrantly energetic, full-colour illustrations by former Bendigo artist, Sue Jenkins. Sue has an eye for the great heroic sweep of the ocean-and the drama of the emotions-as Captain Grumpy journeys towards his discovery of his true self. Together, the story and the illustrations create a place on the page for each of the pirates to express their unique flair and personality.
About the story Perhaps the story is a bit like that of someone you know? Captain Grumpy didn't want to be a pirate. He wanted to be an artist. But a pirate he became-and he was good at it because he was good at being grumpy. But you can have too much of a good thing and grumpiness soon became the boss of Captain Grumpy's life. The result? Mutiny by the crew-the whole wild and woolly, rabble-rousing, fun-loving band of 'em-tats, outrageous boots, stripy tee shirts 'n all. What about Captain Grumpy? Well, it's desertion on a desert island and the discovery of a very special treasure for him!
Captain Grumpy's journey of discovery holds out an invitation for all of us to use our curiosity and creativity to 're-story' our lives. This book celebrates the fact that each person has a unique way of expressing who they are and that true treasure is not measured in dollars and cents or in glittering gold but is found from within. It has important messages for children and adults about priorities, about how we can manage our own anger; and about how anger can sometimes be a strength and sometimes a burden.
Russell Deal was not born a pirate nor did his mum and dad pressure him into a life on the high seas. But every now and again he dons his pirate costume and actually resembles his hero 'Captain Grumpy'. He has even been sighted in schools talking about his own battles with grumpiness. As well as being a pirate, Russell can also be a social worker, teacher, and publisher; a husband, father and 'Grumpa' to his granddaughter, Sunny. Most of his sailing these days is on an airbed on his dam at Castlemaine in Central Victoria.
The IllustratorSue Jenkins is a Queensland based author/illustrator whose infatuation with children's books led to the publication of her young adult novel, Call of the Dolphin. From designing promotional posters and a lifelong love of painting, Sue plunged into the world of sea spray and pirates with Captain Grumpy. When not chasing characters across her drawing board, Sue heads for the Hinterland bush or Gold Coast beaches because-you never know what you might find. |
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Using Captain Grumpy
Captain Grumpy
Captain Grumpy is a pirate-who just happens to bear a striking resemblance to the Managing Director of Innovative Resources.
Captain Grumpy's story is a cautionary tale of tragedy and redemption. Steered into piracy by parents who wanted him to find treasure, Captain Grumpy discovered that he was good at being a pirate because he was so grumpy. 'Many people believe a grumpy pirate is a good pirate'. But eventually it was grumpiness that took control and became the boss of Captain Grumpy's life.
His crew mutinied and all appeared lost until Captain Grumpy discovered his first love: art.
This 32 page full colour picture book contains many possible messages making it a therapeutic tool that children and adults alike will enjoy. Firstly it can work as an anger management tool. We all get pushed around at times by grumpiness or anger.
The book also talks about how we deal with the expectations of our parents.
Sometimes our inability to fulfil our parents' expectations can haunt us into adulthood.
Finally, Captain Grumpy discovers that he is an artist after all. He recognises it is his art that is his real treasure and he learns that treasure is meant to be shared.
Captain Grumpy is a picture book full of fun and meaning that can be used as a prompt for a range of creative activities. Create lists of what makes you grumpy and what makes you happy.
Draw a dialogue between you and 'grumpiness'.
Paint what you imagine the sail on Captain Grumpy's ship would look like. What would the sail on your ship look like?
Captain Grumpy-An Invitation to Re-storying Lives
Was Captain Grumpy born a grump? We don't know anything about his temperament as a baby. And neither do we know if he had a happy or a troubled childhood. What we do know is that his grumpiness emerged during his journey towards independence.
Was it the conflict of expectations with his parents that fuelled a disposition towards grumpiness? In any event, Captain Grumpy was very good at grumpiness-so good that for quite a while it worked as a strength and he was rewarded for it.
Could it be that many characteristics we usually regard as deficits can, at times, also work as strengths? Perhaps grumpiness is a secret weapon we can use when confronted by examples of unfairness, bullying or tyranny.
Perhaps Captain Grumpy used grumpiness in this way, at least initially before grumpiness took control. Captain Grumpy learned that grumpiness, like any strength, is a good servant but a bad master. It was his overusing and misusing of grumpiness that hurt others-and himself.
Captain Grumpy didn't want to be a pirate. He probably didn't want to be a grump either. But with grumpiness as boss it took a mutiny and an enforced period of reflection for Captain Grumpy to discover that he was more than his grumpiness.
Hidden deeply beneath his well-rehearsed façade was a spark of curiosity and creativity that, once given a chance to flourish, awoke a range of other strengths. And they made him happy.
Captain Grumpy's journey of discovery of his long dormant strengths holds out an invitation for all of us to use our curiosity and creativity to re-story our lives.
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