Toni Blackington

Put Your Glasses on Toni Blackington

Fifth grader, Abbye, finds a pair of glasses at recess that allow her to see past the outward appearances and into the heart. This new ability causes her to befriend the class outcast and gives her the confidence to stand up to class bullies. The glasses cause the classroom atmosphere to change as the students have a paradigm shift. The students once judged and labeled each other based on skills, reading levels, athletic ability, or outward appearances. The glasses force them to judge each other based on what is in their hearts, their personalities and gifts. An anti-bullying program is only a set of rules or policy change if there is not a paradigm shift. "Put Your Glasses On" challenge students to see each other through a different lens. This book and the discussion questions encourage this shift by asking kids to look past labels, abilities, and appearances and to judge a person on things that matter. The book serves as a great spring board for conversations concerning choosing good friends, the value of a person, judging and labeling, encouragement vs. discouragement, and social responsibilities in a classroom setting. Let's join with our kids and let's all put our glasses on!