Have you tried GoNoodle in your home yet? Now's the time! It's free and fun. Your kids participate in GoNoodle activities at school, and they love it! Go to the website, sign up for free, and start GoNoodle-ing. Select a video, watch it together, and follow along. https://www.gonoodle.com/
Great article from the American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
Rita Somers-Flanagan, Ph.D., and John Somers-Flana, September, 2005 School counseling just isn't what it used to be. Over the past several years, we've asked college students and adults, ranging in age from 20 to 65 about their experiences with school counselors. The main question asked was: "What do you remember about your school counselors in elementary school, middle school or high school?" Here's a smattering of what we've heard: "Nothing. I didn't have one. There was no guidance counselor in my high school." "The term guidance counselor was used for the older man stuffed in a closet under the stairs in my high school. He was not what I would think the role of the school counselor could be." "My school counselor was great. She helped me figure out which colleges to apply to and gave me career tests or something. I really liked talking with her." "I think there was a school counselor, but I don't know what she did, and I know I never met with her individually." "We had a really cool counselor in my middle school. We could just drop by any time. We'd skip classes, drop by to talk with her, and she'd give us excuses." "It was the '60s. You won't believe this, but my guidance counselor used to smoke pot with us after school. Looking back, it was pretty weird." "The whole reason I decided to become a school counselor is because of my high school counselor. Sometimes he came into class to teach, and I went to see him when my parents got divorced. He was also the assistant track coach. He was amazing." Overall, we've heard two main themes about school counseling through the years. The first theme is inconsistency. It seems there were hardly two school counselors who were alike. The second common, but negative memory, especially among 35-60 year olds, is of having a school counselor who said something like, "You're not college material."ÂÂ Interestingly, virtually every adult who talked about receiving this discouraging message ended up going to college and succeeding. This leads us to suspect that many of the school counselors from the 1960s to the early 1980s were either terribly poor judges of academic potential -- or over-trained in using reverse psychology. Either way, many students viewer these school counselors as discouraging. In 2003, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) took a bold step forward. Perhaps in response to the inconsistent delivery of school counseling, the association published "The ASCA National Model: A Foundation for School Counseling Programs." This model professionalized school counseling and ensured greater consistency in services across the United States. Additionally, ASCA has been publishing ethical standards for school counselors since 1984 and most recently revised these standards in 2004. The ASCA National Model® describes school counselors' roles and functions. No longer is the school counselor an undisciplined maverick lurking on the fringe of the school community. Instead, the ASCA National Model affirms that school counselors and school counseling programs are dedicated to promoting and facilitating learning and academic success in all students. School counselors don't focus their time on special-needs students or college-bound students or any particular group; they're academic facilitators for everyone. Additionally, the school counselor is now a manager of a comprehensive school counseling program, and that program ensures that school counseling services are delivered more consistently and requires school counselors to help students make progress in the following specific areas: Academic development: School counselors help students obtain and maintain the attitudes, knowledge and skills needed for academic success in the present and for the future. Career development: School counselors help students understand their personal skills and talents in ways that allow them to acquire skills for exploring the world of work and for making informed career decisions. Personal/social development: School counselors engage students in activities to promote positive interpersonal knowledge, attitudes and skills. These assets are central to helping students make healthy decisions, set reasonable personal goals, cope with difficult and stressful situations and consider their personal safety inside and outside the school setting. In contrast to the school counselors of our generation, contemporary school counselors are central players in the education of all students. They are consistently positive, encouraging and supportive of students, teachers and school administration. If you go to your child's school, you'll find the school counselors not only provide individual and small-group counseling but that they also make regular appearances in the classroom to teach larger groups of students about career decision-making, conflict-resolution skills, test-taking strategies and much more. In addition, with the frequency of high-pressure standardized testing in schools, it's usually the school counselor who supports teachers and students as they prepare to go through the stressful testing process. School counselors also function as community liaisons, meaning that if you want to contact someone at the school to discuss your child, the school counselor is often your first point of contact. Even more importantly, if you're the sort of person who sometimes gets nervous about calling your child's school, the school counselor is a professional who, by definition, is trained to help you feel comfortable, to welcome your input and to streamline your access into the school. Put another way, the school counselor is the friendly face and listening ear that makes your job of being a concerned parent easier. As Jayna Lutz, former school counselor at Oakland High School in Dayton, Ohio, says, "One of the best services school counselors provide is open access between parents and the school. When we maintain open communication with parents, it helps everybody concerned." John and Rita Sommers-Flanagan are both counselor educators at the University of Montana. Their latest book is "Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories in Context and Practice" (John Wiley & Sons, 2004). As part of my personal New Year's resolution, I've decided to add engage more with mindfulness techniques. Sure, we've all been there - with having excitement about a new resolution and dreams of carrying on with them for the rest of our lives... and then two weeks later, we say to ourselves: "what resolution?" I felt the same way on December 31st but had the expectation that it wouldn't last long. But so far things are different this year, I'm proud to say that I haven't given up! I'd like to share some of my app research with you based on recommendations given to me:
I haven't looked into every app listed here yet. I do plan to though. My personal favorite so far is Stop, Think, and Breathe. On the opening screen, it asks "How are you?" and you can check in with yourself mentally and physically. Then you can add emotions describing how you feel. From your answers, it selects a couple of meditations that would be helpful for you at that moment. Most of the meditations are relatively short, (3-8 minutes each). You can choose to listen to a woman's voice or a man's voice. After the meditation you can check in with yourself again with the same process, if you'd like. It charts your check-ins so you can begin to look for patterns if needed. For engaging in this app, it "rewards" you as you have a chance to earn "stickers". On the surface, this may sound childish to "earn stickers," but it can be motivating for the competitive side of you. If you have no experience with meditation, don't worry, this app has a whole section on "getting started" to help you through the beginning challenges. The app recently added a blog section to the app for daily inspirations and suggestions. Stop, Think, and Breathe is not really designed with children in mind. However, they created a spin-off version for kids, called Stop, Think, and Breathe Kids. You can download this app for free but you can also pay for a subscription to the unlimited meditation library. But this children's version runs similar to the original with the feelings check ins and selection of a meditation. The meditations are more child-focused, in which there is a story and animated illustration for the child to follow along with. This helps keeps the attention and focus of a child much better. Is there a meditation app you absolutely love? If so, please share your experience with me ([email protected]) so I can pass these suggestions along to others! Happy Meditating! The days are getting shorter and the holiday hustle & bustle is in full-swing. Wouldn't it be great if there was a cheap, easy way to manage stress anytime, anywhere? There is! And the good news is that the whole family can participate in mindfulness exercises. The simple definition of mindfulness is "focusing on one thing at a time". This can be hard to do, but I tell students that much like playing sports or a musical instrument, it takes practice to become better at these skills. I'd like to share with you two websites that I use quite frequently in working with students.
Have a wonderful (and relaxing) holiday season. It's the week of parent-teacher conferences! What a great opportunity for parents and teachers to connect about the common interest of student's learning and well-being. A common question parents have during conferences is: what can I do for my child at home? Easy things written in the below image is a great step in the right direction!
It's hard to believe that the holiday season is coming up soon! From the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation: The October Kindness Guide. What a great way to kick-off the season of giving and kindness... in October! Check out their website for more ideas. I really like to check out their blog from time to time to get some fresh ideas to incorporate during the KCR Block. These ideas can also be used at home with your children. Make a goal to do one idea with your family once per month. I'd love to hear your ideas and feedback!
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a hot topic in schools. Our Second Step Curriculum is an example of a research-based SEL program. Many of you may be wondering: "What is SEL?" Here is a quick, easy-to-understand pic to explain.
It's hard to believe that summer vacation is over, and another school is has begun! From the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) here are some tips for parents as your children return to school:
Connecting with Your Child’s School Counselor for a Successful School Year Understand the expertise and responsibilities of your child’s school counselor. School counselors make a measurable impact in every student’s life, assisting with academic, career and personal/social development. Professional school counselors are trained in both educating and counseling, allowing them to function as a facilitator between parents, teachers and the student in matters concerning the student’s goals, abilities and any areas needing improvement. School counselors provide services not only to students in need, but to all students. Discuss your child’s challenges and concerns with the school counselor. As a parent, you know your child best. However, the school counselor can help you better understand your child as a student. It’s important to encourage your child’s expression of needs, hopes and frustrations. School counselors are trained to help your children. Learn about your child’s school and social connections from the school counselor. When you need information or assistance, your child’s school counselor can help you get in touch with the appropriate school officials; learn about school policies on behavior, attendance, and dress; know the school calendar of important dates and stay connected with the school in many other ways. The school counselor can also help you locate resources in the community when you need them. Work with the school counselor to identify resources and find solutions to problems. If your child is having a problem at school, it is important to work with your child’s school counselor to find solutions. Discuss resources available within and outside of the school, and get information on how such programs can benefit your child. Your school counselor can be a valuable partner in your child’s education and preparation for life beyond school. Suggested Web Sites Kids Health: Going back to school for kids Firstgov.gov: Back to School |
Mrs. Hicks, School CounselorSchool Counselor of H. P. Clough Elementary School Archives
April 2018
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