Skip to main content

SOLS: One Reason To Read This Book

Check out more Slice of Life Stories 



Thirteen Reasons WhyThirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


One reason to read this book: It was a great "listen"! Every time I got in my car, I listened. I made trips around town longer to listen. I sat in the school parking lot an additional 15 minutes to listen to the end this morning!  I had to listen.

First of all, I love how this book was written and how Jay Asher thought of the idea -- brilliant!

An issue like suicide is never simple or easy to understand. So many unanswered questions. So many unknowns. Reaching out for help. Subtle clues that can be missed because life is too busy. Everyone has a story to tell. And Hannah told her story. Just listen to the tapes.


This week I received this email and thought it was worth sharing. A simple, yet powerful example of how delicate we all are, especially our children:

A teacher in New York was teaching her class about bullying and gave them the following exercise to perform. She had the children take a piece of paper and told them to crumple it up, stomp on it and really mess it up, but do not rip it.

Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out and look at how scarred and dirty it was. She then told them to tell it they’re sorry. Now even though they said... they were sorry and tried to fix the paper, she pointed out all the scars they left behind. And that those scars will never go away no matter how hard they tried to fix it.

That is what happens when a child bully's another child, they may say they’re sorry but the scars are there forever. The looks on the faces of the children in the classroom told her the message hit home.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Linda BNovember 8, 2011 at 2:00 PM

    It's a marvelous, direct and simple way to show how powerful bullying is. I'm glad you shared Michelle, and about the book too. I have heard good things about it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Terje November 8, 2011 at 2:05 PM

    Thank you for the book recommendation and the example. It is not easy for the students to understand that the things said and done can not be taken back. I find that it is a difficult concept even for some adults.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Libby SchwadeNovember 8, 2011 at 3:10 PM

    This is an amazing book. Amazing. Students love it. They connect with it. It's powerful. Thank you for reminding me of its power and message!

    ReplyDelete
  4. JenniferMNovember 8, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    Wow, thanks for sharing about the activity with the piece of paper. What a powerful visualization of how bullying affects someone!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Deb DayNovember 8, 2011 at 9:44 PM

    Love this book. I recommend it to students all year long. It is extremely powerful. Jay Asher has a great blog to if you care to check it out http://jayasher.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Popular posts from this blog

{40 reasons} #sol15

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. _____________________________________________________ Today my husband celebrates a big, BIG birthday -- and I'm so lucky and thankful to have spent  the last sixteen years learning about everything that he loves the last (almost) twelve years learning about everything that I love about him the last (almost) five years learning with my daughters why we love our Daddy. Created at canva.com _____________________________________________________ Happy, happy 40th birthday Jon!
12 comments
Read more

{#sol15} deeper than beauty 8/31

The March Slice of Life Story Challenge hosted  at the  Two Writing Teachers Join us for a month of writing! I have twin four and a half -- almost five! -- year old daughters.  I try to be consciously aware of what I say and do in regards to my body image and self-esteem and also with their body image and self-esteem. First of all, because I don't want them to believe everything that society says is true.  Even if they don't fully understand it today.  In addition, because they are fraternal twin sisters, I want them to understand they are individuals with unique and different bodies that God created for each of them.   However, society -- including my loving family and friends -- tell a different story and harmlessly create a comparison war.   My girls constantly hear how beautiful, adorable, cute, fill-i...
35 comments
Read more

sols: a gift of words

Slice of Life  hosted  at the  Two Writing Teachers . Join in and share a slice of your life. One of the best gifts I give myself is time to write Monday evenings for the Tuesday Slice of Life.  That writing time allows me the opportunity to think about the little moments in my life.  Sometimes those moments are big and important.  Other times it's a funny moment that made me laugh.  Or a celebration, a word, a poem about the ordinary life.  I'm still amazed that I have been writing each week for over three years! Yet, there is another gift . . . My mom and dad have published my writing.  Just this past Christmas, I received volume five of my blog writing.  Yes, I have five books f...
20 comments
Read more