Book details

  • Genre:education
  • Sub-genre:Leadership
  • Language:English
  • Pages:100
  • eBook ISBN:9798317842864

Invisible

Don’t Forget the Kids in the Back

By Jordan Toma

Overview


Jordan Toma has traveled across the United States speaking inside hundreds of schools and connecting with over 100,000 students, giving him a rare and powerful perspective into the hidden emotional lives of young people. In this deeply personal and inspiring book, Jordan shares unforgettable stories, lessons, and moments from classrooms, hallways, and auditoriums that reveal what students are truly carrying beneath the surface. Through chapters like *The Smart One*, *The Strong One*, *The Goofy One*, and *The Story Behind the Student*, readers are challenged to look beyond labels, behavior, and grades to see the real human being underneath. Written for educators, parents, counselors, coaches, mentors, and anyone who works with young people, this book explores the power of connection, empathy, and showing up for someone at the exact moment they need it most. More than a book about education, this is a book about human connection and the life-changing impact one person can have when they choose to truly see someone. Because sometimes, being the one who listens, notices, and cares… can change everything.
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Description


What if the most important thing a student carries into school each day is the one thing no one can see? Jordan Toma has spent years traveling across the United States speaking inside hundreds of schools and connecting with over 100,000 students. From packed auditoriums in major cities to small-town school districts, he has gained a rare perspective into the hidden emotional lives of students—one built not through research papers or statistics, but through real conversations, real tears, and real moments shared behind closed auditorium doors, in crowded hallways, and after assemblies when students finally feel safe enough to speak. In this powerful and deeply personal book, Jordan invites readers into those moments. Through unforgettable stories and emotional reflections from his own struggles growing up, Jordan reveals the truth behind the labels students are often given. The "smart one." The "goofy one." The "strong one." The student who acts out. The student who stays quiet. The student who looks perfectly fine on the outside while silently fighting battles no one knows about. This book challenges readers to stop seeing behavior at surface level and start understanding the story underneath it. Written for educators, counselors, administrators, coaches, parents, mentors, and anyone who works with or cares about young people, this book explores themes of mental health, identity, emotional resilience, human connection, belonging, and the life-changing impact one caring adult can have on a student's future. Jordan shares powerful insights about what students are truly searching for: someone who notices them, listens to them, believes in them, and refuses to let them feel invisible. Throughout the book, readers are reminded that connection doesn't always solve someone's problems—but it can completely change how heavy those problems feel. More than a book about schools, this is a book about people. It is a reminder that every student is carrying a story, that every interaction matters, and that one small moment of compassion can become a turning point in someone's life. Jordan's storytelling style is raw, honest, emotional, and relatable, making readers feel as though they are standing beside him in the schools, hearing the stories firsthand. This book is for anyone who has ever wanted to better understand students, build deeper connections, or become the person who helps someone believe in themselves again. It is for those who know there is more behind the behavior, more behind the silence, and more behind the smile. Most importantly, it is a reminder that you do not have to have all the answers to change a life. Sometimes, you just have to be the one who sees them.
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About The Author


Jordan Toma is a nationally recognized motivational speaker, bestselling author, and founder of the viral movement *I'm Just a Kid with an IEP*. But long before he was speaking on stages across the country or inspiring millions online, Jordan was the kid sitting in the back of the classroom convinced he would never measure up. Growing up with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and learning challenges that made school feel impossible, Jordan spent years believing he would never be successful. He struggled academically, battled self-doubt, and constantly felt misunderstood by teachers, peers, and even himself. School became a place filled with frustration, embarrassment, and labels that made him question his worth. Everything began to change because someone believed in him before he fully believed in himself. For Jordan, that person was his mom. But through his journey, he realized that for many people, it can be anyone — a parent, teacher, coach, counselor, mentor, friend, or even one person who simply chooses to see potential in you when you cannot see it yourself. That belief can change everything. Through years of failure, rejection, setbacks, and hard lessons, Jordan slowly realized something that now defines his entire message: **Your struggle will become your strength if you keep going through it instead of letting it define you.** That realization changed the trajectory of his life. After years of being told what he *couldn't* do, Jordan went on to build a successful career in business and finance before ultimately discovering his true purpose — helping students, parents, educators, and adults understand that learning differently does not mean being less capable. Jordan self-published his first book, *I'm Just a Kid with an IEP*, after facing rejection and doubt from traditional publishing routes. The book became a powerful voice for students who often feel unseen, unheard, or underestimated. Since then, his message has resonated with millions through social media and hundreds of live events at schools, conferences, and organizations across the country. Known for his raw honesty, humor, high energy, and deeply personal storytelling, Jordan speaks openly about mental health, self-worth, resilience, failure, and overcoming adversity. His ability to connect with audiences comes from the fact that he isn't speaking *at* people — he is speaking from lived experience. Jordan's work is about more than motivation. It is about changing the way people see themselves. Whether he is talking to a struggling student, a burned-out teacher, a parent fighting for their child, or an adult still carrying the weight of labels placed on them years ago, Jordan's mission remains the same: To help people realize they are not broken, behind, or incapable — they simply have a different story to write. His second book continues that mission on an even deeper level, exploring identity, mental health, resilience, self-belief, and the emotional battles so many people silently face every day. Through vulnerability, humor, and hard-earned lessons, Jordan hopes his books help readers feel understood, empowered, and reminded that their hardest moments do not define their future. Today, Jordan Toma travels nationwide delivering powerful keynote presentations to schools, educators, corporations, and communities while continuing to build one of the most impactful motivational platforms focused on students, mental health, and overcoming adversity. Because to Jordan, this was never just about books. It was about becoming the person he once desperately needed when he was growing up. — Jordan Toma is the author of *I'm Just a Kid with an IEP*, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and advocate for mental health and learning differences. He has inspired millions through social media and live speaking events with his message that struggles do not define you — they can become your greatest strength.
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