I've received a lot of emails from my readers, asking me to describe how I spend my time and why I love my job.

Instead of writing a long post about this topic, I decided to make a VERY LONG (nearly 30 minute) podcast, which you'll find on the left.

In this video, I explain how I organize my schedule. I also reveal the pros and cons of the school counseling profession, as I see them. If you're able to watch the whole video, you'll hear about one of my recent success stories that may help you in your own school counseling journey.

Enjoy!

Pixar Week is almost over, but I still have a lot of excellent resources for you.

Today's short film has a funny group counseling scene. I know many students have questions about what small groups are like and frankly, many school counselors (like myself) wonder how to implement them in the best possible way.

I created a video podcast (right) to help answer some of your questions. Please post additional questions in the comments section below so that everyone can benefit from the discussion.

Pixar's short film, Small Fry (left), could be a fun way to reflect on our expectations of small group counseling.

Some of your students may think that a group is all about sitting in a circle and crying. Some may think it's a punishment or a negative reflection of their character. It's important to start a group with a clear purpose, so that everyone feels comfortable and prepared for the sessions ahead.

For more information about small groups, check out my small group page. You will find documents, activities, and more!

You may remember learning about my Career Cafe (right) last month. I spoke about my personality inventory called "The Color Quiz," which is how I organize my students into groups for our guest speakers.

I decided to create another video to focus specifically on the quiz to help explain how it works. For more information, go to this classroom-based counseling link.

Also, this year, my colleagues took the survey during our staff meeting and then met as grade level teams to review the results in greater detail. It's been a fun, but educational way to look at how we function as a team.

One of my favorite games to revamp is How to Train Your Dragon: Dragon Training 101. The board is VERY simple, so you can create your own questions for students to answer. I use it to discuss anger (the "dragon" that needs to be trained).

I ask students questions based on the issues they are currently experiencing. This allows for even greater game play flexibility.

You could use this game with students in both individual and small group counseling settings.

A few months ago, I posted a video (right) about creating your own games. This is an inexpensive, yet effective, way to help your students.

Yikes! Horrible, unwelcoming screenshot! Please ignore. :)

We tell our students not to judge a book by its cover, but we can't ignore our natural impulse to do so. Watch my video podcast to learn how to make your clothing work for you!

All dressed up for "Mismatch Day"

Stickers Coming Soon!