by schoolcounselingbyheart | Mar 4, 2012 | bullying, classroom lessons, curriculum
Last week the counselors in my district were asked to present information on how bullying is addressed in each of our schools, and I thought it might be helpful to highlight some of what my counseling partner, Erica, and I shared.
We start from the premise that bullying, bystander, and target behaviors are often a result of lagging skills in the areas of empathy, problem solving, conflict resolution, social thinking, self-monitoring, and/or self-advocacy. To build kids’ skills, we teach a developmental, spiraling bullying prevention curriculum K-5. For each grade, bullying is defined in a way that is (more…)
by schoolcounselingbyheart | Mar 3, 2012 | individual counseling
A great way to help students identify the range of feelings that they are experiencing is to use post-it notes. (You could also use index cards or small pieces of paper, but there’s just something about the stickiness . . . ) I use this technique all the time, including yesterday, when working with a third grader who is clearly depressed and anxious, but reluctant to talk about how she is feeling.
I start by having the student choose (more…)
by schoolcounselingbyheart | Feb 22, 2012 | collegiality, counseling jobs
Hiring season for the next school year will soon be upon us! If you’re looking for your first counseling job or making a move from your current position, I’m sure you’ve already done your research about the job search, resume and cover letter writing, references, and interviewing in general. Follow all this advice! If you haven’t already, be sure to check out ASCA’s job search and interview tips and School Counselor Blog’s interview tips. Let me also give you an interviewer’s inside view. (more…)
by schoolcounselingbyheart | Feb 20, 2012 | group counseling, planning, social thinking
I am just as happy as the next person to be completely prepared well in advance of all groups, classes, individual sessions, presentations, meetings, etc., with copies made, technology tested, and materials arranged. However, the reality of school counseling means that sometimes planning and prep have to happen on the fly. Perhaps an issue has arisen in a particular classroom or grade, and you have to go in to address it on a minute’s notice. Or you find out that an assembly was scheduled without you knowing it and you have to move a class or group to an earlier time. Or a kid is on her way after being asked to leave class because of some behavior that is getting in the way of others’ learning. Yikes! This calls for Guerilla Planning! Guerilla????
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by schoolcounselingbyheart | Feb 20, 2012 | collegiality, technology
I have so appreciated the camaraderie and exchange of ideas made possible by the blogs and websites shared by our school counseling colleagues around the country. With the encouragement of some of them, and with gratitude for the spirit of generosity that exists within our profession, School Counseling by Heart will offer some of my techniques, lessons, materials, insights, experiences, humor, and struggles. I have been a school counselor for 16 years and regularly supervise graduate student interns and mentor new counselors. (more…)
