It was my privilege to work at an elementary school with Jay Leon for several years. He is a talented educator and compassionate person that strove to provide a safe haven for so many children who did not experience stability outside of school. His book ‘Through Another’s Eyes’ presents thoughtful ideas and simple solution-focused techniques for relating to children. Both parents and teachers will be able to relate to so much of Jay’s common-sense approach to child rearing and teaching.
The book also includes a path for each of us to feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually, as we can only meet the needs of children after we have addressed our own.

Janet Hund, LCSW
School Social Worker
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago, Illinois

With deceptively simple language, Jay Leon in ‘Through Another’s Eyes’ teaches complex and sophisticated lessons on how to lead by example. Relying on a lifetime of classroom experience, Mr. Leon takes us on a trip of self-discovery about how we continue to use losing strategies and yet wonder why we fail to connect with others. As a prior public school teacher myself, I wish that I had this wisdom to draw on when I was first starting out. Invaluable to teachers, parents and really anyone who wants to be part of the solution and not the problem, Mr. Leon’s book is a must read. In reading this book, I laughed, I cried, and I thanked God for Mr. Leon’s incredible insights of love and life. As Mr. Leon would say, ‘Do as I do, not as I say.’ Read this book now. You will not regret it, I promise.

Norman J Kreisman
Esq. Tax and Bankruptcy Attorney Woodland Hills, California

Jay Leon emphasizes the effect our words have on ourselves and the young people we are responsible for. He doesn’t just use his pages to tell you what to do, but rather he explains his philosophy, followed by examples throughout his life that back it up, and ends these experiences with his ‘Takeaways.’ He remains grounded as he gives personal experiences that are meant to help you by sharing wisdom from his most proud moments and moments from which he grew as a teacher and person.
As a former student of his, reading why Mr. Leon would do the things he did and his experiences as to why he would say the things he would say truly shows that he chose his words and actions deliberately to affect the outcomes he wanted for himself and the classroom.
As a current educator, I can truly appreciate the thought and time he put into creating a classroom environment where students could learn and be held accountable in appropriate ways. I believe every educator should read this book, especially when they are experiencing tough times within the profession, because it shows us that as an educator, to get your classroom performing the way you want, you have to understand that it’s a process and takes time.

Telly J. Lucio, Middle School Physical Education teacher in the Chicago Public Schools, Head Coach for Boys and Girls High School Wrestling (former student of Jay Leon for 7th and 8th grade)

I enjoyed reading it. It’s a great guide on how to deal with many difficult situations with young people. Educators should be interested in your experiences and coping techniques.

Leonard Dominguez
Former Deputy Mayor of Education, City of Chicago
Retired Principal, Chicago Public Schools

Through Another’s Eyes’is a fantastic read. What a great template for living life on life’s terms in a happy, joyous, and free manner. I recommend this book for all who seek a higher plane of existence.

Matthew Halperin, DC
Tampa, Florida

My first thought as I began to read Through Another’s Eyes by Jay Leon was what is empathy, and how we can instill that trait in both adults and children. The author begins with references to his own life experiences as he formed his approach to helping others develop empathy. He believes that he must model the concepts, tips and ideas that explain the what, why and how he developed his techniques.
His program of Pre-Determined Consequences (P.D.C.s) is used to help students develop responsibility in both their behavior and in interactions with others.
Mr. Leon taught at the school where I was Principal and I was able to observe many of the examples he cites. Parents, other staff, and the students themselves saw improvement in the behavior of students in his classroom and in their development of responsibility in the school community.
This book is an easy read, yet gives powerful examples to show how students can grow in responsibility and maturity to reach their full potential, both as students and as members of society.

Joyce Jager, Ed.D.
Retired Principal, Chicago Public Schools

Jay Leon boldly tackles a very important and difficult component of social interaction. In a personal and inviting manner, he presents a review of actions that can enhance an individual’s and a professional’s display and utilization of empathy. He clearly presents the value and importance of being vulnerable to another’s needs, ego, and social reality. He deftly delineates, through personal examples and clear instructions, how respect and individualization can strengthen one’s connection with others. He focuses his presentation on enhancing relationships with children and young adults, and offers examples which demonstrate that his approach has been effective. He emphasizes that his implementation of his techniques with young adults has often resulted in cooperation and self-development. I highly recommend this book on a personal and professional level.

Richard A. Polster, Associate Professor (retired)
Graduate School of Social Work
University of Texas at Arlington

The Talmud says: ‘Find yourself a teacher and acquire for yourself a friend’ (Avot 1:6). In Through Another’s Eyes, Jay Leon serves as both teacher and friend to the reader. In sharing poignant applications of personal habits and educational best practices from his decades as a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools, Mr. Leon models empathy and respect for his students, qualities desperately needed today, not just in school, but in our broader society.
Whether you’re a teacher or a general seeker of wisdom, after reading this book you will be like Mr. Leon’s classroom when his students tidy it up after a holiday party: better than you were before.
Reading this book forty years after I was a student in his eighth-grade homeroom, Mr. Leon is still my teacher.

Rabbi Ed Bernstein, BCC
Host of the “My Teacher” podcast, and of “NeshamaCast”, a podcast on Jewish spiritual care

Our fingerprints don’t fade from the lives we touch,’ said esteemed author Judy Blume. She could have been talking about veteran educator Jay Leon, who spent nearly 40 years influencing and motivating students in Chicago’s public school system.
His book, Through Another’s Eyes—The Power of Empathy recollects what worked and didn’t work throughout his career, and speaks with great warmth and insight into his relationships with some of his students.
Especially moving is his recounting of those decisive moments when students were able to improve their performance in class and connect to a world bigger than their own.
Students such as Henry, Keke, Bobby, Hector, and Shana are described in anecdotes that led them to personal growth and self-empowerment. And their teacher, likewise, describes similar experiences he had that enriched his performance in the classroom.
But few students of Leon’s moved me more than Mark and Tim, college graduates, who returned to visit their former teacher to thank and inform him that they became a teacher and professional because of his inspiring example.
Jay Leon’s superpower was seeing the world through his students’ eyes and recognizing their humanity.

Mark Gould
Author of the Public Relations Handbook for the American Library Association 30 years Director of Communications for several non-profit organizations

In ‘Through Another’s Eyes we learn how to listen with empathy, to speak with honesty, and to connect with others on a deeper level. This book fosters connection and mutual respect in our interactions with others.”

Dr. Andrew Mallon
Otolaryngologist

Through Another’s Eyes is a wonderfully written book that as a physician is particularly impactful. It highlights the importance of acceptance, patience, and understanding. It is critical to evaluate each personal interaction with the sensitivity of each side of the issue involved, as Mr. Leon’s book so beautifully teaches us.

Dr. Eric Diner

I wish I had had this book 30 years ago when I was raising my family! Jay’s blend of practicality, heart, and humor, along with his extensive teaching experience, provides a blueprint for parents, teachers, and leaders to understand and guide young people to be their best selves. And in the process of utilizing Jay’s advice, they, too, will become better people. As a human being, Jay is a living role model of all these attributes. I only wish my children could have had him for a teacher!

Barbara A. Glanz, Hall of Fame Speaker, Council of Peers Award of Excellence, and the author of “The Simple Truths of Service” with Ken Blanchard, “The Simple Truths of Appreciation” and “Care Packages for the Workplace”