During the days leading up to the holiday season, consider having students keep a Gratitude Journal. Whether you are a teacher or counselor at the elementary, middle, or high school level, this is something that is free, beneficial, quick, and easy that you can do with your students! On the…
Category: School Counselor
A NEW TAKE ON AN OLD SONG–A Counseling Strategy
“If you want to be happy and you know it, clap your hands!” Clap. Clap. “If you want to be happy and you know it, clap your hands!” Clap. Clap. “If you want to be happy and you know it then make sure your face will show it, If you…
COUNSELING NOTES: What Did I Do Yesterday?
Any counselor that works in an educational setting—elementary, middle, or high, private or public—and has worked for more than one day knows that a schedule should be written in pencil. There will be interruptions. There will be unexpected crises. The one constant is that the day’s scheduled events will change….
STUDENT RECORDS: Yours, Mine or Ours?
I work daily with a great team of seven guidance counselors and four school psychologists. Each is highly skilled. It is not unusual for us to discuss, or even debate, a variety of counseling issues. One that resurfaces on a fairly routine basis is the issue of student records, particularly…
Counseling CHATS
Over the years, one thing I’ve learned is that a friendly chat, a few words of encouragement, or a five-minute “touching base with” conversation can go a LONG way with students. It is rewarding to see the appreciation in students’ faces when you take a little time to intentionally talk…