Original writings by MSU students to aid area counseling agency

Contact: Maridith Geuder

A Mississippi State University summer class is turning personal stories about life issues into a series of books that can be used to help counsel children.

Students in a graduate course on literacy taught by Diane Greene are providing individually bound, one-of-a-kind volumes to Community Counseling Services of Columbus.

Titled "Changing Lives through Books," the class service project includes the works of more than 20 students. With topics ranging from death to drug abuse, the stories are drawn from research and the students' life experiences.

Their accounts can be used in bibliotherapy--the process of using books to help facilitate discussion and problem solving.

"Bibliotherapy is based on the theory that children experiencing trauma in their lives can find peaceful ways to resolve their conflicts through age-appropriate literature," said Greene, an associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the College of Education.

She and Francis J. Baird, Lowndes County administrator of the counseling agency, collaborated on the initiative.

Greene, who routinely requires her classes to undertake public service projects, said the students were encouraged to visit Community Counseling offices as part of their research.

Among the student stories is "Who Will Look After Me Now?" in which a 10-year-old girl struggles to accept the death of her mother. In another titled "The Monster in My House," a child comes to terms with dealing with an alcoholic parent.

"Through stories such as these, students are able to apply the literacy principles they learn in class while providing resources to let children know they aren't alone in suffering through many adolescent situations," Greene said.

"I believe students should embrace the concept of service learning as an active part of their professional growth," she explained. "Also, both students and professors should immerse themselves in their communities, identify common areas of need and work together on those needs.

"That is the essence of lifelong learning."