Category:

Back to School

8/13/2012

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.

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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Tips for New School Counselors

7/26/2012

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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 Relationships

Without 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.

I recently posted a video podcast (left) about building relationships. In the video, I share a few ways that I have formed strong bonds with my students, staff, and parents.

For additional ideas, check out the following links:

Bulletin Boards

Students of Character Club

Adventures with Tim

Organizing Counseling Materials

I 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:

1. Sandtray

2. Puppet(s)

3. Art Supplies

4. Happy/Sad Cups

5. Stress Balls

Documentation Prep

Documenting 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.

Just like with counseling materials, you should have a routine for your documentation. In June, I posted a video podcast (left) about how I record my session data.

For additional ways to document and promote your efforts, check out the following links: