Do your students need to think about diversity and be accepting of others who they see as different?

I present a diversity presentation with an emphasis on the fact that we are all different, and it’s great to be unique. My overaching theme as an author and speaker is Be Weirdly Wonderful! Embrace your difference. I encourage the students who are labelled as ‘different’ to embrace who they are. My life is diversity and no one in my family fits the norm.

It takes guts to stand out from the crowd in a world that wants everyone to look a certain way and to fit into a round hole. This particularly helps the square pegs out there!

Have your students read the novel Wonder by RJ Palacio and you would like them to meet a person with a craniofacial syndrome?

In my To Be or Not To Be a Wonder presentation, I compare and contrast the novel Wonder by RJ Palacio, to my lived experience. I educate the students on what facial differences are, what it’s like being born with a craniofacial syndrome, and I share stories from my own experience and those of my children.

This is my most popular talk and is linked to the Australian curriculum.

Do your students need some education on bullying?

Having grown up with a craniofacial syndrome, from the moment I was born I was stared at, pointed at and made fun of. I was bullied all through my schooling. My children who also have my craniofacial syndrome have been bullied. My youngest daughter who has Down syndrome, has been bullied. As a classroom teacher I saw bullying. My heart is for the children who experience bullying.

Three of my novels, Ride High Pineapple, Brockwell the Brave, and Daniel Barker: By Power or Blight, have the theme of bullying in them. Thus, in my presentations and workshops I present bullying strategies as well as mental health activities.

Hi, I’m Jenny.

My path has led me to a life of teaching and coaching children and adults. Being born with a rare craniofacial syndrome and becoming visually impaired as a child, didn’t stop me from achieving what I really wanted. You may have noticed in the photo above that I use a white cane.

I have three children who have labels and don’t fit the norm.

My passion is writing stories that help children to revel in their uniquenss. I have 5 middle grade/YA novels and have been published in 6 anthologies. All my stories are based on my theme, Be Weirdly Wonderful! Embrace your difference.

I visit primary and high schools with my talks and workshops which are related to diversity, facial differences, bullying, mental health and being kind to others. I educate, advocate and share stories. My sessions are linked to the Australian curriculum, interactive and engaging.

Buddina State School – ‘We were very blessed to have Jenny come and share her story and that of others living with difference. Each lesson was created age appropriately and the children really enjoyed discovering and celebrating their own personal uniqueness and sameness. Staff were also provided with some very practical skills to work with children with disabilities and managing difference in their classrooms. I highly recommend Jenny’s inclusion story for all schools and their communities.’

Amelie, Year 5, Scarborough State School – ‘Thank you for visiting our school. Your talk inspired me to just judge people’s personality, not what they look like. My rating is 10 out of 10.’

Let me help your students to became more inclusive, empathetic and kind.

Book me now for 2020!

Click here to download my Author & Speaker One Sheet