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. |
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. 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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Recently, I have been receiving a lot of questions from my readers regarding the start of the school year. Whether you are getting ready for your very first year as a school counselor or are just starting at a new building, it can feel overwhelming. Where do you begin? What should you focus on? Well, here are a few of my ideas: Building RelationshipsWithout positive relationships with your students, staff, and parents, you will not be able to accomplish much. School counselors are a resource for EVERYONE. Your school family must feel comfortable coming to you with their concerns and should look to you for support.
Organizing Counseling MaterialsI have found it helpful to have a routine, especially with my individual and small group counseling sessions. Students know the expectations, but have some freedom to choose how they wish to express themselves. Here are a few of my favorite and most used materials:
Documentation PrepDocumenting can be one of the most stressful parts of the job, simply because we often must push it aside to handle more pressing concerns. Then, we may let it go until there is a huge pile of paperwork to manage.
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AuthorMy name is Marissa Rex and I am a 1st Grade teacher and an elementary school counselor from Ohio. I hope you enjoy my site! Archives
June 2017
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