Don't Laugh At Me

Main Message: This Project Cornerstone book of the month provides opportunities for conversations around caring, compassion and cooperation. Teaching social responsibility is at the core of this lesson. As a result of reading and discussing this book, students develop the convictions and skills to shape a safe, sustainable, democratic, and just world. This month’s book teaches kids tolerance and acceptance of others, conflict resolution, and the importance of creating a school where all children share a sense of belonging and safety.

Caring Counts - We ALL Count

It is possible to create a more just, caring, and safe world for our children. But changing the culture of your classroom, school, and community will take time, patience, support and sustained efforts. The activities in this lesson will provide opportunities to practice integrating social, emotional, and ethical behaviors into the culture of your school.

Don’t Laugh At Me talks about how people might look different on the outside but on the inside we are all the same. We are all human— with the same needs, wants and desires in life. The story tells a message to kids about empathy, compassion and caring: You don’t have to be my friend… but don’t laugh at me!

The goal of this month’s lesson is that students learned to express tolerance for others by practicingintentional acts of caring and peaceful conflict resolution, in order to create a school where every student feels accepted, valued and safe. Kids discussed what it feels like to be targeted by others because they don’t fit in. This helped them understand the hurtful effects of ridicule, name-calling, bullying, and intolerance.

We hope you will talk with your child about Don’t Laugh At Me. To reinforce the message at home:

• Brainstorm ideas to do intentional acts of caring for family, friends and neighbors. Choose one or two to do together.

• Role-play ways to de-escalate conversations using a calm tone of voice, positive words, and comforting body language.

For more information on Project Cornerstone please or the 41 defined Developmental Assets that help keep our kids not at-risk, visit www.projectcornerstone.org or www.search-institute.org