Category:

Mix it Up Model School Award

4/12/2014

My school was just named a Mix it Up Model School through Teaching Tolerance! Want to host your own Mix it Up at Lunch Day and try for the 2015 Model School honor? Then check out the video podcast below and my Mix it Up page to learn how I run my program.

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Video Podcast: "How to Run a School-Wide Program"

3/13/2014

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For more information about school-wide programs, click here.

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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.

I am officially back on August 13th. Since I am moving to a new office, I definitely have my work cut out for me!

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.

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.

I like to change it up every year so things stay interesting. Check out some of my ideas here.

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.

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.

Here's my blog post on organization tips.

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ASCA 2013: Video Log #2

7/2/2013

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ASCA 2013: Video Log #1

7/1/2013

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Best and Brightest 2012-2013

6/10/2013

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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"

Share Your Favorites

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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Video Podcast: "Mix it Up at Lunch Day"

3/14/2013

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For more information, visit my Mix it Up at Lunch Day page.

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Video Podcast: "A Day in the Life of a School Counselor"

1/21/2013

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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!

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Pixar Week: Small Fry

1/11/2013

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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!

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Video Podcast: "The Color Quiz"

11/28/2012

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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.