As teachers, we are charged with the well-being of all of our students. In order to ensure this well-being, we are always looking for ways to protect our students from bullying. The memoir Please Stop Laughing at Me: One Woman’s Inspirational Story by Jodee Blanco, gives us one more reason to renew our efforts. In her book, the author painstakingly describes her personal experiences as the kid who was bullied all throughout her school years.
This powerful memoir describes how one child was mentally and physically abused by her classmates. It offers a bold picture of what it means to be an outcast, how even the most loving parents can get it all wrong, why schools are often unable to prevent the behavior, and how bullying has been misunderstood and mishandled by the mental health community. Her story shines a spotlight on the harsh realities and long-term consequences of bullying, and how all of us can make a difference in the lives of kids.
Within 48 hours of its release, Blanco’s memoir hit the New York Times Best-Seller List. The volume is now required reading and summer reading in hundreds of middle schools, high schools, colleges, and universities, and has become part of the curriculum in many schools.
The book was published in 2003 by Adams Media Corporation in Avon, Massachusetts. It can easily be found on amazon.com at the following link: Please Stop Laughing At Me.
