Resource Center Dream

My biggest dream as a counselor is to establish a resource center in my school, and even extend this idea to nearby campuses, perhaps even a central district resource center that would become a hub of activity focused on supporting our students. Access my Resource Center Proposal here.

Book Club: A great way to teach children to share their feelings and care about others

This year, I started a book club which I initially opened to the fifth graders I taught, and eventually to the entire fifth grade. Whether you are are a teacher or counselor, I recommend utilizing this excellent way of getting kids to read and think deeply about the material they're reading.  A book club is a great vehicle for teaching and for counseling. It allows the instructor to access all levels of Bloom's, and is especially suited for highest levels of application and synthesis. For counselors, it goes beyond your typical "lunch bunch" and provides a thought-provoking lesson plan that simultaneously promotes achievement because the child is reading and making those important personal connections.

This year, our most powerful experience was through the reading of Sharon Draper's Out of My Mind. The story is about a child with severe disabilities who is off-the-charts brilliant but whose ability to communicate is so limited that she feels locked inside the prison of her body, unable to connect with other children at school, her teachers, even her family. Every child feels like this from time to time. Students involved in the club had many aha moments about their own personal limitations. They also developed a deep compassion for other children, and desired to reach out and experience more, while helping others. 

The culminating application exercise for our group was to attend and volunteer at a Buddy League game. Buddy League is a local organization that provides opportunities for children with disabilities to participate in the joy of playing and friendly competition of sports. 

I will be posting links to my lesson plans and forms I used for initiating Book Club in my school. I would like to make this a school-wide activity that students could choose to join, complete with membership privileges, t-shirts, etc. I find that many elementary school children are lacking opportunities to be a part of something and simply having this "club" to be a member of is in itself a healing force. You can find pictures and more information about this year's book club here.

College and Career Readiness

An important part of children’s development is their ability to apply themselves today because of their hopes for tomorrow. Many children grow up with parents who nurture this development by setting an example of a person who enjoys a fruitful career. Other parents did not have the benefit of going to college or pursuing their dreams themselves. A simple way to get children interested in their own futures, is to ask them what they want to be when they grow up. A counselor’s resource center could include a bin of costumes and puppets that children can use to role play. Guidance lessons encouraging exploration of the child's interests as linked to various careers may be excellent tools for intermediate children.

Having a career day on your campus can be an exciting way to involve your teachers, other staff members, parents, and community members in an exciting event that promotes lasting impact. During my studies at Dallas Baptist University, we developed a plan for a fabulous career day that could serve as a template for any school’s similar program. Click on the links below to access documents, timelines, and schedules which can be modified to suit your school’s needs.

·        Career Day Class Schedules

·        Career Day Long Range Planning Timeline

·        Career Day Master Schedule

·        Career Day Presenter Invite

·        Career Day Presenter Letter and Instruction

·        Career Presenter Thank You

·        Career Day Presenters and Expenditures

·        Career Day Press Release Promotion

·        Career Day Press Release Follow-up

·        Career Day Teacher Schedule and Instructions

·        Career Day Volunteer Invite

·        Career Day Promotional Poster

Behavior and Norms

Kids have to know what you expect of them, and this is best achieved by having a school-wide system of behavioral policies. I attended a CHAMPS training this summer and it got me really excited about promoting more success in my classroom this year by having good classroom management. When I am a counselor, I will definitely help teachers institute a campus-wide program so that kids will know what's expected in any classroom throughout the school This is the foundation of behavioral management -- conceptualizing and defining your expectations. Since I now teach bilingual, I refer to my class as Team "B," which I call Team Bravo because of my military background, and I used the letters of the title to make this mnemonic, which will be posted prominently.

Goals and Accountability

It is critical that a counselor sets specific goals for the year across the student population, ensuring each grade level and needs group is met. In planning for the year, I have done my best to anticipate the needs of the students in the school, and developed a statement of measurable goals and objectives with evaluation procedures.

Statement of Overall Goals and Evaluation Procedures

You and Your Learning Style

I often marvel at what an amazing world we live in, and our world is like that because of the many unique, wonderful people that fill it. Everyone is so different, and yet we all share many things in common that connect us and help us to learn and grow from each other and our relationships. The process of self-discovery begins at birth and continues forever, as long as we are willing to learn. Yet, sometimes, learning is a struggle. There are plenty of people who don't enjoy learning in the classroom because they would prefer to be outside learning from nature. Others need to move around in order to get their brain working, and yet others like to hear things in a song, or create a piece of artwork in order to help them understand the meaning of new concepts. Do you ever feel like teacher just do not understand you? Do you find yourself daydreaming about the outdoors when you are stuck inside at a desk? You  may be a naturalistic or musical learning style person. Click here to take a short assessment that can help you learn a little more about yourself and your learning style. Please print out your results and study them. Finally, talk to your teacher or counselor about helping you find some ways to enhance your retention and understanding of the things you are learning in your classroom every day. As educators, we are more than happy to help you, especially when you know what you need in order to be successful!

Teachers, click here for a guidance lesson for test anxiety that incorporates this learning style questionnaire and adapt it as needed for you classroom use.  

Responsive Services

Counselors must be available to respond to a variety of issues throughout the school day in order to address the needs of students and concerns of family members. Below you will find some of the useful forms needed for documenting your work in order to maintain accountability for your time and continue to be an advocate for yourself.

Use this form to help students set behavioral goals for success in the classroom and monitor their own progress:
Behavioral Goal Form

Teachers can print this form from their desktop and email it to me to allow the student confidentiality and anonymity:
Counselor Referral Form

Suicide prevention is real, even in elementary. In the sad case that you have a young student who seems capable of self-injury, use this form as part of your immediate response plan:
No Harm Contract

Here is a list of community agencies that provide counseling services. Please contact the various agencies for your health insurance provider to find the practitioner who is right for you and your family.
Referral Sources