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Back to School-Back to Connecting

8/3/2013

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You know me, I love a good Linky Party. So, when I heard about the get-together at School Counselor Space, I knew I had to stop by.

Franciene Sabens is our host and wants to know how we are gearing up for the new school year. Check out my responses below.

Want to see how other school counselors answered Franciene's questions? Then click here and scroll down.

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I am officially back on August 13th. Since I am moving to a new office, I definitely have my work cut out for me!
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This year, I'll have an intern for the first time, so my goal is to provide her with the best possible internship experience I can. I want her to leave feeling prepared and confident in her school counseling abilities.
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Top 3? Yikes! That's pretty difficult. I have my Top 10 video podcast (left), but I suppose I can narrow it down a little further. ;)

1. Tim, my puppet. He has been the most versatile school counseling tool I've ever had. He is truly part of our school family.

2. Whoonu. I use it ALL THE TIME.

3. Pixar Shorts. Seriously, these short films are PERFECT discussion starters and lend themselves to follow-up activities.
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I like to change it up every year so things stay interesting. Check out some of my ideas here.
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I think direct contact is best. I started calling and/or emailing parents more with updates. They definitely appreciate this information and helps me develop a stronger bond with them. To reach a larger group, I write an article in our school's monthly newsletter.
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Tip #1

I divide my direct counseling services into individual, small group, classroom-based, and school-wide programs. To get the most from my services, I use data (i.e. SWIS, feedback) and discuss students' needs at grade level or committee meetings.

Tip #2

Change things up! The longer you are at your building, the easier it is to fall into the trap of conducting the same old lessons with the same old materials. It's important to keep refreshing your material. If you have a great lesson, definitely keep using it, but keep it interesting. Otherwise, why would students pay attention? Students should be excited when they see you walk into the room because they know what's coming is going to be engaging and beneficial.

Tip #3

Don't be afraid to stand out! Make yourself visible by greeting students in the hallways, expressing yourself through unique fashion choices, and going out of your way to be helpful and welcoming to others.
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Here's my blog post on organization tips.
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ASCA 2013: Blogger Meet & Greet

6/12/2013

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Best and Brightest 2012-2013

6/10/2013

10 Comments

 
Last week, the elementary school counselors in my district organized a "Best and Brightest" event where each of us shared our favorite individual, small group, classroom, and school-wide counseling strategies from the 2012-2013 school year. Needless to say, it was AMAZING! We typed up our notes for our records and provided each other with hard copies and electronic copies of our resources. I highly encourage this event!

Due to the success of my own district's "Best and Brightest," I thought I'd host the same event with all of you! This time, I picked my 10 favorite tools from this year (not including my ultimate favorite, Tim...that's for another blog post!). Enjoy!

Get My "Top 10"

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Share Your Favorites

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To participate in the Linky Party:
Create a blog post titled "Best and Brightest 2012-2013"
Place the Linky Party logo (left) in your post.
Describe your favorite strategies from 2012-2013
Submit your blog post link (below). Be sure to link to the actual post, not your homepage.

If you do not have a blog, just share your strategies in the comment section.

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Pinterest Parties

12/10/2012

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You may remember a post from August 2012 that described a school counselor Pinterest Party I hosted. Well, my school decided to take it one step further and have an all staff Pinterest Party during one of our scheduled professional development times.

To learn more, click here.
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Healthy Eating Options at Schools

11/12/2012

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The following is a guest post by Sarah Fudin from USC Rossier Online. I was intrigued by this topic because, as a school counselor, I often work with students who struggle with their weight and those who depend on free or reduced school lunches. The two, of course, are not always related, nor do they have to be.

After reading Sarah's post, share your thoughts on school lunches.

Childhood obesity is a serious problem. According to an infographic produced by USC Rossier Online, one in three school-age children are obese or overweight. Despite this, only 18 percent of high school cafeterias offer fruits and vegetables to purchase, while 50 percent offer chocolate. For schools to help combat childhood obesity, which can lead to diabetes and other health complications, healthy eating needs to happen in school cafeterias. The following are some of the benefits of healthy eating for students:

Healthy Weights

Healthier food choices prevent unhealthy weight gain. According to Livestrong, many of the foods typically offered in school cafeterias, like pizza and fries, contain a lot of saturated fat and calories. These foods also make children sluggish, so they are less active. Lunches should be high in essential nutrients and incorporate fruits, vegetables and whole grains. This ensures that students will feel full, but not uncomfortably so, and they have more energy for recess and gym. Choose My Plate has information on the five food groups and portion recommendations. 
 
Positive Behavior Effects
Good Morning America reports that Appleton Central High School, an alternative school is Wisconsin, had major behavioral issues and a high dropout rate. After taking the soda out of vending machines and replacing them with juice and water, as well as replacing standard cafeteria fare of pizza and fries with fruit, vegetables and whole grains, disciplinary issues decreased dramatically. Teachers credited the lunch program with the major behavior improvements, and students reported that their concentration levels increased and that they had more energy. When children eat well, they simply feel better and are more alert.

Brain Food

Livestrong again states that healthy food feeds the brain. As previously mentioned, fatty foods make children sluggish and healthy foods make them more alert and active. This translates to increased concentration and motivation in the classroom. When a child feels alert and well, he is more receptive to learning new information and participating in lessons. After all, you cannot learn if you are asleep. 

Long-Term Results
Establishing healthy menus at school and encouraging healthy choices through the curriculum leads to healthier habits later in life. If eating healthy is obviously valued at school, children will more likely promote good eating habits at home. They will make better choices as adults, decreasing their likelihood of being overweight and developing serious health problems. The infographic cited above reports that children that are obese have an increased likelihood of having high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, trouble breathing and joint issues. These are very serious issues that could not only take away from quality of life and self-esteem — they can kill. Thus, promoting healthy habits now can lead to longer, more successful and happier lives tomorrow.

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Sarah Fudin currently works in community relations for the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education’s online Master’s programs, which provides current and aspiring teachers the opportunity to earn a Masters  in Education or Masters in Special Education online. Outside of work Sarah enjoys running, reading and Pinkberry frozen yogurt.

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School Counseling Across the Pond

10/29/2012

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I recently stumbled upon a new blog called School Counseling Across the Pond: Collecting & Sharing Ideas from a Distance. Blog author, Lauren Seaberg, writes about her work as a school counselor at ACS Hillingdon  International School, located in the UK.
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While I was reading her first two posts, I have to admit that I was a little jealous. I have always had a strange obsession with historic buildings and the idea of working in one seems surreal; it's like a set for Masterpiece Classic.
If, like me, you are intrigued, check out the video below to learn more about ACS International Schools.

Still want more information? Well, you're in luck!

Lauren was willing to conduct an interview over Skype to share her experiences, including the application process, her day-to-day responsibilities, and how school counseling in an international school differs from the U.S.
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Pinterest Party

8/17/2012

16 Comments

 
On Thursday, August 16th, all 8 elementary school counselors in my district got together for a Pinterest Party! Each school counselor brought materials for at least one project. It was unbelievably fun and energizing! I thought I'd share some of the projects we made, with links to the actual Pinterest activities. Also, two of my brave colleagues agreed to explain a couple of their ideas on camera. Enjoy!
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Tear-Off Posters
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The "What Can I Do?" Can
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Pool Noodle Stress Balls
Positive Reinforcement Buttons
Stephanie Moore
Rumors (Glitter Hand Sanitizer)
Renee Stack
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Staff Morale Tear-Off Poster
Stephanie made one for each of us!
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Quiet Spray
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Flower Pens
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Back to School

8/13/2012

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I went back to school today and let's be honest, I was a little nervous about my summer vacation officially ending. While I feel more confident with each passing year, I am still a bit apprehensive about jumping back into the countless demands placed on a school counselor's shoulders.
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Ready or not, I started the day with a district meeting. As I walked through the doors, I saw my fellow school counselors. Everyone was excitedly talking about new ideas, plans for the year, and other fun updates to their programs. Then, one of my colleagues handed me a beautiful picture (left); she made one for each elementary school counselor. Talk about a fabulous way to start a new school year!

I love having a close group of school counselors to bounce ideas off of and to lean on when things get rough. We have been through a lot together - I am lucky to have such a great group of friends.
To top it off, we decided to have a Pinterest craft party this Thursday. We'll be making some of our favorite Pinterest projects together so we are ready to start the year. In order to keep my lovely web followers in the loop, I'll be taking some video of the party so you can see how everything turns out. I hope we don't end up with items suitable for "Pinterest Projects Gone Wrong." Stay tuned!
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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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