Sometimes, we wear our emotions. When we aren’t feeling good, our bodies show it. Strum, who is the main character in Strum and The Wild Turkeys (written by me and illustrated by Alana McCarthy), was trying to hide a part of himself that made him feel awkward and othered. Then, something changed to help Strum feel better about just being who he is. Through the power of a sense of belonging, and the music that helped him march to his own beat, our main character transforms. You see it on him, and you feel it when you read the book.
I’ve learned so much about belonging in the past few years. I think that I started to create projects for students where there was choice and voice, before that was something more prevalent, was because that’s what I really needed when I was in school. When my teachers let me find my way into a project or assignment, I excelled. While I was generally a good student, I felt confined when there was only one way of doing, knowing, or showing something. I not only struggled in those instances, but my self esteem was deeply impacted. I am fighting some of those learning scars even now. Whenever I felt disconnected or I felt like I didn’t belong, I would create my own thing or go my own unique way. I would tell myself that I build outside the blocks but that can still feel lonely sometimes.
In Braving the Wilderness, Brené Brown wrote that, “Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn't require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are.” Throughout my career in education, I have tried to create spaces to help students discover and be who they are. My Building Outside the Blocks (BOB) approach, projects, and initiatives are all personalizing as opposed to personalized. Personalizing learning puts the onus on the learner and not the teacher to bring their whole selves into the learning equation. They are invitations that, when responded to, allow students to be and see themselves in their school experiences. I, of course, want my students to feel a sense of belonging to my class community. More importantly, though, I want to use my time with students to help them develop a sense of belonging to themselves. Our sense of belonging is deeply tied to self acceptance and love.
Strum and The Wild Turkeys celebrates what can happen when you experience that sense of belonging, especially when it’s for the first time. Strum goes from a peacock hiding his imperfections and showing his shame in how he walks, how he interacts with his siblings, and how he holds his plume to something more. After a pivotal experience, we find Strum, “... head high, looking a little brighter and bolder than anyone had seen before.” This is the road from survive to thrive. This is what happens when you feel like you belong.
I am looking forward to continuing to explore the themes of belonging, being yourself, and the life-affirming conduit that music can be through future Strum and The Wild Turkeys stories. For now, read the book and see all the ways you can integrate social emotional learning and conversations about belonging that span subjects and grade levels using Strum and The Wild Turkeys as a catalyst. You should also check out the For Grownups sections of the Strum and The Wild Turkeys website with lots of ideas to help you use the book in your classrooms with links to projects and activities that can help students discover and be their authentic selves. If you have an idea, please share it through ideas@strumandthewildturkeys.com. We are building a community around the book. We also have merch available for fun and because when you belong to something, it’s nice to get the t-shirt which say I’m with the band. It’s exciting to be able to use this book in the classroom to help students feel connected to themselves and each other. As Brené Browns aid, true belonging doesn't require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.
