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ClassDojo

4/23/2017

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When I want to keep track of specific behaviors during my group sessions, I use ClassDojo (previous Website of the Month). You can use it K-6, but it may need to look differently at each grade level. Not only does ClassDojo keep excellent data for me, it also helps my students set goals and identify the target behaviors they are demonstrating in each session.
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With ClassDojo, I can organize all of my groups and archive them at the end of each school year. I love being able to look back at how individual students and groups performed, because I can use that information to better facilitate future small groups.

Another great ClassDojo feature is that each group can focus on customizable target behaviors. Since the focus is on the positive behaviors, I don't include many negatives (where students lose "Dojo points"). The only negative I use is "disrespectful to others" because I want to show that I will not tolerate hurtful words or actions in our group sessions. I've never had to use it, but the students know it's there. I think it's important to show that in order for our group to be successful, we MUST be kind to one another; our group needs to be a safe space to communicate our thoughts and feelings.

I am lucky enough to have a SMARTboard in my room, so I project the ClassDojo screen and add points through that board. It helps students to see their progress throughout the session. Then, I reset the points at the end of the group (which doesn't delete the data) so that we can start fresh the next group time. If you don't have a SMARTboard, you can use your desktop computer, a tablet, or smart phone.
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ClassDojo also added some AMAZING video tools too! In their Big Ideas section, you can watch mini-series about growth mindset, perseverance, empathy, and gratitude. You can check out the first episodes on ClassDojo's YouTube channel, but if you create a free account on their main page, you can watch all of them.
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Peer Support

3/26/2017

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New Program Added!

I just uploaded information about my school's peer support program called Wolf Pack.

When school life gets stressful, this program re-energizes me! It's been amazing!

For more information, click here.
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Mind Yeti

3/14/2017

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I heard about Mind Yeti a little over a year ago when one of my colleagues tried it out. Her K-2 students loved it, so I thought I'd learn more. Once I began exploring the features, I was hooked!

For school counselors, this resource can be used individually, in small groups, during classroom lessons, and for the moments you need to close your door and "reboot" after a rough school moment. That's the beauty of Mind Yeti!
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Mind Yeti provides both a free resource and paid premium service. Through Mind Yeti, you get guided mindfulness sessions to help kids calm down, focus their attention, and transition to new activities. As I'm sure you've heard, mindfulness in the classroom can help create a happy, calm and positive culture. When you have a tool like Mind Yeti, it's easy to integrate mindfulness strategies into your day.

Session categories include: Calm Down, Focus, Get Along, Reset, Create, and Go to Sleep.
I've used Mind Yeti in a variety of settings, but my favorite has been during a 6th Grade classroom lesson. I have a "Relaxation Experiment" for the students and I incorporated Mind Yeti sessions. The students love the calming voices, soothing music, and overall content of the sessions.

Share How You Would Use Mind Yeti!

I'd love to hear about it in the
comment section below!
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Recent Additions

2/21/2015

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Over the past few days, I've posted a bunch of new resources on the website portion of my site. Here are the recent additions:

1.

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This is a classroom lesson for early elementary that discusses what it means to be excellent. I used the book Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great, which is hilarious! I HIGHLY recommend it! After reading the book together, students filled out cupcakes with their strengths, which went on a class poster (left).

You can find the full explanation of this lesson here.

2.

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This lesson is geared toward middle to upper elementary and allows for a lot of whole group and small group discussions about anger and bullying. The angry bird theme is a great way to grab your students' attention, creating a buzz of excitement that you need for a lesson that involves so much reflection.

The full lesson can be found here.

3.

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LEGOs and following directions go so well together - why didn't I see this before?!

I created a lesson for a third grade class to help them practice giving and receiving directions, while also emphasizing WHY it's important to do those things well.

The lesson, which can be found here, includes a PowerPoint (with a short video) and interactive worksheet (left).

4.

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The Best Teacher Ever is a great way to discuss "gratitude," especially in a school setting.

For this classroom lesson, we read the book, then created cards and a special video message for the classroom teachers. It's a feel-good lesson that, as a bonus, boosts staff morale.

For more details, click here.

5.

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This is a great opportunity to help students self-reflect. The idea of an iceberg came from a popular Challenge Day exercise where students think about what it means to live "above the water line," and stop hiding who they really are. We want to be comfortable in our own skin, because that is where we can feel true peace and happiness.

On this paper, students write what other people see (top of the iceberg) and what they hide (bottom of the iceberg). This can be an emotional activity, so be prepared for a longer session, if needed. You could also use this paper with small groups or classrooms.

For more ideas like this, click here.

6.

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Need a creative way to recognize your students' positive behaviors? Then try a photo booth! You can make a customized backdrop quickly, easily, and inexpensively.

For more information about my school's photo booth project, click here.
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Hero vs. Villain

2/16/2015

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I loved this lesson! I used it with a 3rd grade classroom, but it could definitely work 3rd-6th.

I went through the PowerPoint (below), which involves students thinking about why we look up to heroes and what those heroes have to overcome to make the right choices. Also, the students must participate in an interactive "choose your own adventure" part of the presentation, where they must choose the correct response to a difficult school-based situation. Typically, students know the best choice, so for fun, I go through the negative responses to show that side as well. 

I ended the lesson with a self-reflection paper (left).
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You could also use the self-reflection paper in an individual or small group setting. When students understand their behaviors, they are more likely to control them, rather than be controlled by them.
PowerPoint
File Size: 1918 kb
File Type: pptx
Download File

Reflection Paper (PDF)
File Size: 119 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Reflection Paper (WORD)
File Size: 55 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

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What it Means to be "Bad"

4/18/2014

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A few weeks ago, I was listening to a This American Life episode called "Bad Baby," which discussed some cases of extreme behaviors in children, the prognosis for overcoming those behaviors, and why the "badness" started in the first place.

I only have my 5 years of school counseling experience to draw on, but I've seen many students exhibit intense behaviors (i.e. biting, hitting, running, swearing, threatening, etc.). I have some interventions in my back pocket and some that I make up on the fly out of necessity, but it can be difficult to discern what those students truly need. We observe, experiment with behavior plans, track and analyze data, attempt to determine the function of certain behaviors...but sometimes, our efforts just don't work. It can be frustrating for a school building to work so hard for seemingly no results. Parents feel helpless because they are often dealing with the same behaviors (perhaps even more intense versions of them) at home. Other students may be scared. So...how can we help a student in crisis? I wish the answer was as simple as finding the last remaining puzzle piece and putting it into place.

Unfortunately, I offer no answers in this post, just questions. I encourage you to listen to this episode - SERIOUSLY, you won't regret it.

Post your thoughts about extreme student behaviors in the comment section. Have great tips? Please post those too! :)
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Product Review: Bouncy Bands

3/6/2014

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We've all been there. We've had students who fidget, who rock in their seats, who fall out of their seats...

Sometimes it can be a bit daunting to come up with a support plan that fits their specific needs because frankly, hyperactivity and other sensory needs are not easy fixes. Medicine can be a helpful addition, but it's not the only answer and it's not always an option for our families and students. So, what do you do with a kid who is painfully wiggly, almost like they are ready to crawl out of their skin?

Well, Bouncy Bands may be for you.
Bouncy Bands slide onto the legs of a desk, allowing the student to bounce his/her feet and apply pressure without making noise or disturbing the learning process. They are safe, effective, and affordable. The best part, as explained in the Bouncy Bands FAQ section, you can use the Bouncy Bands template to make your own. This means that even more students can benefit from a product like this one.

At my school, we are lucky to have support from students, staff, and parents regarding sensory breaks and classroom-based supports. We have students using a variety of sensory aids, so these "extras" are not seen as weird and typically do not draw negative attention. My students love the tension and release that a band provides; it helps them focus when focusing is usually a struggle.

If you are at a school with few sensory supports, I still think Bouncy Bands could be introduced quite easily. They are inexpensive and simple enough to have larger sets (and therefore, fewer "that's weird" or "that's different" reactions). They are quiet, which is a major selling feature. They are also easy to remove and reuse.

Want to try out Bouncy Bands for yourself? Simply visit the order page of the Bouncy Bands website for more information.

Do you have a product that you would like me to review on my blog? If so, contact me at marissa@elementaryschoolcounseling.org. I'd be happy to check out your work and spread the word to my readers.
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Updates

2/6/2014

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For the past few weeks, I've been adding content to my website. In case you've missed the new additions, here's a list of all of the new material. Just click on the numbers to visit each page.
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6th Grade Classroom Lessons

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Staff Appreciation Ideas
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Website of the Month (Interview with Jeff Ream)
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Individual Counseling (Reorganization of Page)
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Popcorn Good Behavior Competition

4/27/2013

6 Comments

 
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You may remember a school-wide program we implemented at my school that involved grade levels earning ice cream scoops for showing respect in the cafeteria. Well, that program was a success, so we decided to try another good behavior competition using a popcorn theme.

The big difference, other than the visual, is that grades can earn their reward much quicker (2 school weeks).

For more information about our good behavior competitions, check out this page.
6 Comments

Snow Day!

2/22/2013

2 Comments

 
It's the first snow day I've had in 2 years, so I'm excited for the unexpected opportunity to relax...and my definition of relaxing is movies, theatre, and blogging.

Movies

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These are some of the movies I've been digging lately. All 3 deal with tough topics and can certainly help school counselors reflect on the challenges their students experience. While there are inappropriate parts in each film, there are brilliant clips that students could benefit from as well. For additional movie suggestions, visit my Amazon store.
I know many of you have watched Shane Koyczan's powerful visual poem about bullying. When I saw it for the first time, I couldn't help but cry - I became a school counselor because I want to help students who feel broken become whole again. This is the kind of thing that stirs the helper and healer inside of me.

But...the poem also made me think about my own childhood. I had trouble in school, I was made fun of...but...did I inflict pain on others in order to fit in? Did I say something I thought was funny, but really damaged someone's self-worth? The thought haunts me sometimes, because I may never know how I'm truly perceived through another person's lense.
I discuss this with my students, because not only do I not want students to feel bullied, I also don't want students to live with regret. I don't want anyone to be the villain in someone else's memory. I, like most of us, will never know the extent to which my kindness and my cruelty (intentional or not) have impacted others. My hope is that we all take a step back and reflect on our actions, good or bad. Then, and only then, can we become better people.

Theatre

Right now, I'm preparing for The Laramie Project and The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later, my 4th and 5th shows of the season. These plays discuss the aftermath of Matthew Shepard's murder in Laramie, Wyoming. We have a company of 13 actors who are dividing up over 100 roles, which are, in actuality, real people who were interviewed in Laramie.
I first read The Laramie Project my freshman year at Bowling Green State University, because it was the Honors Program's "community read." It broke my heart as I discovered more about Matthew Shepard and the town he lived in. Matthew was gay. One night, he was tied to a fence and savagely beaten by two Laramie men. When he was found, Matthew was barely breathing and days later, died in a Poudre Valley hospital.

Members of Tectonic Theater Project interviewed the people of Laramie and created a moving play based on those interviews. Ten years later, they came back to see how things had or had not changed. "The original will move you, the follow-up will shock you." More on these productions will be posted soon!

Blogging

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I recently added a new school-wide program to my website. It's a friendly, good behavior competition my school started to improve cafeteria behavior. For more information on this program, click here.
In other news, Elementary School Counseling.org was featured in the January/February issue of ASCA School Counselor! The article, Get on the Blogging Bandwagon, was written by Darrell Sampson, the founder of From the Counselor's Office blog.

Check it out!
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    My name is Marissa Rex and I am a 1st Grade teacher and an elementary school counselor from Ohio. I hope you enjoy my site!

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