Getting to know students can be overwhelming at the start of a new school year. You may have a large caseload or may be the only counselor at your school. How can you make individual student connections when this is your situation? Use Duty Assignments to Make Student Connections If you have an assigned duty […]
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Are you in charge of bulletin boards at your school? Me too! School counseling bulletin boards can be a great tool to share information with teachers, students, and parents. This year I wanted them to make them more engaging than just the “walk by and look.” Adding QR codes was a simple way to engage stakeholders […]
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Working with a co-counselor can be such a wonderful part of our jobs. We have someone who understands our job’s ups and downs, can brainstorm, and together we are better able to serve all students. That said, it’s not automatically a smooth relationship. Check out these tips from three Confident Counselors to help you establish […]
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We all strive to do the best we can by “our” kids, and I’ve noticed many requests for grief counseling resources for children recently. I’ve been deeply impacted by students who died and children who experienced the death of loved ones. As I write this, I picture you on the other side of the screen […]
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Social emotional learning in academic instruction is having its moment. While counselors have been supporting the whole child and taking a deep look at noncognitive skills, the bandwagon has now officially been joined. If not, here are some ways to increase buy-in. What a great time to be a counselor! In my state, schools are […]
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Parent buy-in for counseling services can be challenging in many communities. Some parents comes with preconceived ideas about counseling and what school counselors do. Our roles and the mental health field are constantly changing and it is our job to educate our school community about what it is we do and how we can help. […]
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Restorative practices are sweeping the education world and for very good reason. This approach to discipline focuses on repairing/restoring the hurt that has happened – instead of on punishing the wrong doing. I’m lucky to have worked in a school district that was an early adopter of some of these ideas. That doesn’t mean that […]
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Do you have a school counselor library? Children’s books can be so helpful to explain abstract or challenging concepts. Students connect with the characters and remember the message of the story. Check out what books Sara, Kate, and Ashley can’t live without. Trudy and Feelings I absolutely have to have Trudy Ludwig books on my […]
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Being a school counselor is a difficult job. Add in being split between different buildings and we really will need that fairy dust everyone thinks we have. It takes some clear communication, organization, and simplicity. Check out these tips from Counselor Keri and CounselorChelsey.Clear Communication & ExpectationsWhen I first moved to Hawaii, I was assigned […]
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We’ve all seen the research and know that mindfulness has a whole host of benefits for health and schools. So this raises the question: how can we create a schoolwide culture that values mindfulness? As with any culture shifts, all-staff buy-in and routines are key! Keep reading to find out more about how you can […]
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