Hello everyone!
The NCEA Convention & Expo is almost here! Every year I look forward to reuniting with old friends as well as making new ones. The annual NCEA convention is one of those rare events in which you can feel the commitment to youth, and it’s palpable.
Some of you may already know me from my books, Please Stop Laughing At Me…., Please Stop Laughing At Us…., or meeting me at past NCEA conventions. I’m a survivor of school bullying turned author and speaker, and I travel to schools worldwide, telling my story to motivate change. Perhaps I’ve spoken at one of your schools? If we haven’t met, I’m honored to have an opportunity to get to know some of you in St. Louis!
I believe that the best way to inspire and motivate, whether it’s energizing an auditorium full of educators or guiding a gym full of students to a place of deeper self-reflection, is to lead with truth and compassion. Those two words govern everything I do and will play an even more vital role in my NCEA presentation this year.
Sometimes, and I’m guessing this has happened to you too… when I’m dealing with a troubled student, I catch myself thinking like an adult, imposing my grown-up logic upon them, and expecting them to not only understand what I’m trying to say, but to agree with it. The challenge is that I assume we both see things the same way, that we both share the same truth about whatever the situation might be. Being able to truly feel something from the child’s point of view is the secret to deciphering their pain and finding healing solutions together.
When it comes to bullying, nowhere is this skill more needed. Whether you’re working with the bully, the victim or the bystander, if you can get inside that student’s head and genuinely feel what he or she is feeling in the moment, it can mean the difference between getting shut out, or being the one adult that child finally lets in.
I hope you’ll come to my talk this year because that’s what my whole focus will be—to take you inside the heart and mind of the student struggling with bullying and help you see the world through their lens. I’ll share my story and some of the stories of students I’ve met in my anti-bullying work, whose truth and compassion deepened my faith in every child’s capacity for love, even those you may have thought unreachable.
I look forward to seeing all of you on Wednesday, April 19 at 10:45am for my session, It’s NOT Just joking Around! Understanding School Bullying Through the Eyes of A Survivor.
Survivor turned activist Jodee Blanco is the author of four books on bullying, including the seminal New York Times bestseller Please Stop Laughing At Me…, required reading in middle and high schools across the country. She travels to schools, sharing her story to save lives, and has spoken to over a half-million people worldwide.
For books, seminars and additional information, please visit jodeeblanco.com.
