The Invisible Boy And The Need To Be Appreciated And Accepted

Trudy Ludwig. 

She is a Hero of mine. 

There was a time when I admired athletes, movie stars, and musicians.  Not anymore.  Now I most admire KidLit authors and illustrators.  Trudy is probably on my Mount Rushmore of children's authors.

She has a new book, The Invisible Boy.  You should read it.  If you are a parent it should be on your bookshelf. If you are an Educator of any kind-- Teacher, Librarian, School Counselor--you must have access to it at your school. It needs to be in your hands and the hands of your students.

 

Every young person needs to experience a true sense of belonging. Every young person needs to feel valued. Every young person needs to BE appreciated and accepted for who they are. No. Matter. What.  Trudy's book addresses these important issues of Being.

 

So, what's the book about?  Read about it here.  And here.  Here, too.

This activity guide from Peace First may further help to foster a more complete understanding:  Inclusion/Exclusion.

There are lots of adults out there who are like the character in The Invisible Boy.  A book by Susan Cain may enhance your awareness-- Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.

The invisible boy and others like him are easy to overlook or dismiss or disregard.  Please do not do that.  Start by reading The Invisible Boy.  It will move you to make a difference in someone's life.

 

School Counseling Linky Party

 

I am a bit late to this, but here I am nonetheless.  Marissa Rex has an ever resourceful counseling blog, Elementary School Counseling.  Only go there when you have plenty of time as there is alot of stuff you'll want to use in your own work with young people.

She is hosting a Linky Party, where anyone gets to reflect on their own blog from the past year. It is a fun way to reflect on 2012 and gear up for 2013.


 





My best feature is Set Your Intentions.  Simply stated, it is quotes which inspire me.  I put them out there to share with you with hopes that they provide motivation for you. Here is my very first one- Watering Your Dreams.




For me, this post encapsulates so much of what I value-- a growth mindset, the process of change, and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable-- Learning is a Leap of Faith.  The girl in this video is awesome!


 

Most of what I write evolves over a lengthy period of time.  This post, however, was written in a matter of minutes-- Advocate.  Erin Mason from SCOPE tweeted a question and it turned into this post.


 

You want a kid lit book to work on just about anything? This is the place to find it-- Books That Heal Kids
               


She is connected to the things that matter most-- The Principal's Posts



I wish I wrote like him-- Mountains Out of Molehills

If you are stuck in a rut and need your thinking stretched, this is a place to go--Blogging Through the Fourth Dimension.

If Education is your passion and you think there is such a thing as compassionate leadership then make a habit of checking this blog regularly-- Life of an Educator.

 

Summer Reading Bundle for Educators: Keep Reading, Continue Learning

It has been quite a while since my last bundle of books.  So, with Summer upon us here are the latest books to get you reading.

My Professional Choice is Raising a Sensory Smart Child by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske. If you are a school counselor then this is a must read.  Sensory Processing Disorder can vary so much from person to person.  Proprioceptive.  Vestibular. Sensory Registration.  Sensory Defensiveness.  And on and on.  These kids are in every school and it has been my experience that we are not proactively accommodating and advocating for them with fidelity.  It is my opinion that the school counselor is the go-to person for this type of information and needs to have a strong reservoir of knowledge from which to draw and collaborate effectively with the school community.  This book is a wonderful resource and will make a significant difference in enhancing your awareness and understanding.  (And this book, too-- The Out of Sync Child-- Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder  by Carol Kranowitz).

Every summer I make an effort to read authors that I probably should have read, but never got around to it.  With the recent death of Ray Bradbury, I decided for my Personal Choice to read a couple of his--Dandelion Wine and Fahrenheit 451.  I just started Dandelion Wine and it is a magically wonderful tribute to childhood summers.  Read this and it will set your mind right for the entire summer.

My Kid Lit pick this time around is This Plus That: Life's Little Equations by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.  This author looks at things we see each and every day and turns them into something fresh and vibrant.  And always with a little bit wonder and a smidgen of whimsy. Click here for a book trailer.   I read this book as part of a classroom lesson and then asked the students to create their own equations.  Here are a few:  Problem + School Counselor = Solution, Good Book + Free Time = Great Adventure, and Hard Work + Determination = Goal Accomplished. Give it a try with your students.  I guarantee you will be showered with creativity and original thinking.

As always, over to the left are the links to these books-- Books To Inspire.

Enjoy. Keep reading.  Keep learning.

More Books To Inspire

This next bundle of books in my Books to Inspire link are about Acceptance.

My personal pick is Acceptance:  Embracing Life's Experience by Wallace J. Kahn.  Acceptance is something I contiually try to better hone.  I think, for me at least, it is a life's work.  I've referenced Dr. Kahn in some of my blog posts.  Simply stated, if there was a Mount Rushmore for those who have left an imprint on me, he would be there.  Check out this book.

Willow is my KidLit pick.  It is written by Denise Brennan-Nelson and Rosemarie Brennan.  It's got a geat site for enrichment activities.  Click here to check it out.

My Professional selection for this bundle is Lost at School:  Why Our Kids with Behavioral Challenges Are Falling Through the Cracks and How We Can Help Them by Ross W. Greene.  Quite a few folks from my PLN have read this and have given it rave reviews.  I have only just started reading, but it is certainly leading me to a significant paradigm shift.

 Be sure to visit the Books To Inspire link over to the left to discover more about these selections.

Summer Reading for Educators

This next bundle of books in my Books to Inspire link are for summer reading.

Nurture Shock is my professional selection.  It really challenges the way we go about teaching and rearing children.  By way of extensive research and case studies on intelligence, kindness, aggression, peer pressure, etc... the authors convey that we have mistaken good intentions for good ideas.  It is a compelling must-read for parents and educators.

My personal pick is Drive:  The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.  I think you will come away with personal insights as to what motivates you.  There is even a tool kit with strategies for you to put to practice.

If I Never Forever Endeavor is my choice for Kid Lit.  The message is one to keep close to your heart:  believe in yourself, nestle close to encouragement, give your best effort!

What is on your summer reading list?

Books That Inspire Me

Check out my Books To Inspire link over to the left.  In it I include three books that serve to motivate me, keep me current professionally, and nurture me on This Counselor's Journey.  One will be for Professional Development, another a KidLit, and one will be a Personal favorite. 


With Pitchers and Catchers reporting to Spring Training how could I not include a baseball book as my personal choice.  Besides, you can never go wrong with David Halberstam.  For KidLit, One is a must-have for your bookshelf.  It is illustrated in a simple, yet brilliant style and the message is spot on for young people.  Laslty, all I can say about Malcom Gladwell is that I always learn new stuff through his writing and he leaves me pondering long afer I finish his books.  If you have not done so, you must read Outliers.


I hope you find Books To Inspire to be worthy and that it helps you to help others.


Please know this is a place to share, so do pass along any books you find especially inspiring.  Play ball!