The Way We Play

A Minnesota medical student has published a book, “The Way We Play” to help combat competence.

The kangaroo easily hops onto the jump rope, but the hippo stumbles and falls. The giraffe tries to hide behind a bush during hide and seek, but the pelican flies up and spots it. The seal swims easily in the bay, but the chimpanzee struggles.

“I’m not a great swimmer, but I’m trying my best!” chimp says happily.

Whether glowing or wobbling, the animals keep smiling during “The Way We Play,” a children’s picture book by Hugh Burke, a medical student at the University of Minnesota, and Kylie Donohue, a student in Chicago.

“Each animal brings different skill sets and weaknesses to the table,” said Burke, a 25-year-old Eden Prairie native and second-year medical student.

The book is about accepting and appreciating diversity, in this case not primarily ethnic or racial diversity but diversity of skills. The book’s young animals—who represent human children at play—observe without judging the varying levels of abilities of their classmates.

Burke said, “We see the hippo falling and getting up and he’s kind of laughing and modeling a light-hearted spirit.” “He’s realizing, ‘It might not be my thing but it’s okay.'”

It’s okay to be bad at some things, the book tells us, a comforting thought for anyone who feels like failing a test or being picked last for a game of pickup softball.

The kangaroo easily hops onto the jump rope, but the hippo stumbles and falls. The giraffe tries to hide behind a bush during hide and seek, but the pelican flies up and spots it. The seal swims easily in the bay, but the chimpanzee struggles.

“I’m not a great swimmer, but I’m trying my best!” chimp says happily.

Whether glowing or wobbling, the animals keep smiling during “The Way We Play,” a children’s picture book by Hugh Burke, a medical student at the University of Minnesota, and Kylie Donohue, a student in Chicago.

“Each animal brings different skill sets and weaknesses to the table,” said Burke, a 25-year-old Eden Prairie native and second-year medical student.

The book is about accepting and appreciating diversity, in this case not primarily ethnic or racial diversity but diversity of skills. The book’s young animals—who represent human children at play—observe without judging the varying levels of abilities of their classmates.

Burke said, “We see the hippo falling and getting up and he’s kind of laughing and modeling a light-hearted spirit.” “He’s realizing, ‘It might not be my thing but it’s okay.'”

It’s okay to be bad at some things, the book tells us, a comforting thought for anyone who feels like failing a test or being picked last for a game of pickup softball.

“The most important thing is that you can learn not only from your specific faults and strengths but also from others and those around you,” Burke said.

Or as the book’s teacher, Ms. Owl, says when she invites the class back inside after recess, “We are special and different in what we can do, and with each of our friends, we learn something new. No matter how long or how fast or how slow, when we play with each other we find ways to grow.”

Competing ability

Burke, who wants to become a pediatric or adolescent psychiatrist someday, hopes the book will forge a connection with her future patients, whose skills may differ due to neurodivergent conditions like autism.

His book can serve as a lesson to children who may be tempted to treat others differently because of their abilities. Research shows that children with autism are more likely to be bullied.

But Burke wants to combat ableism, or a lack of sensitivity towards people with disabilities, at every level. He belongs to a club in which medical students practice working with neurodiverse youth, which emphasizes the needs of individual children rather than seeking to conform to others’ expectations.

“I think there are a lot of components of enablement in our society, particularly in medicine,” he said. “There are so many ways that health care can improve the way that treatment is tailored to an individual’s needs.”

Combination of science and art

When he got the idea to write the book, Burke discussed it with Dr. Vaubechet Ayneu, a cardiologist at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Ayenew thought it was a great idea.

Hugh Burke
Hugh Burke

To cover the cost of hiring an illustrator and self-publishing the book, Burke secured a $1,500 grant from the university’s Fish Art of Medicine Student Awards, founded by the late Robert Fish of Minneapolis, a prominent physician and artist. Did it.

News Source – startribune

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