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Posts tagged school counseling
December Coffee with the Counselor Event
05 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
This school year, I’m offering monthly Coffee with the Counselor events at my school on the first (or second!) Friday of each month. Coffee with the Counselor mornings will provide an informal opportunity for parents & caregivers to discuss issues related to child and adolescent development, mental health, social & emotional development, and general well-being. I’ll share interesting resources and recommend readings on selected topics, to inspire discussion within the group.
On December 6th, we’ll be focusing on stress & anxiety in young people. We’ll look at the brain-basics of why kids worry and discuss how to use our knowledge of the brain to counter the repetitive negative thoughts that can create worry and anxiety..
RECOMMENDED ONLINE ARTICLES
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RECOMMENDED BOOKS FOR ADULTS
Why Smart Kids Worry and What Parents Can Do to Help by Allison Edwards
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Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic & Worry by Catherine Pittman & Elizabeth Karle
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The Girls Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett & Gary Rubenstein
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Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak
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In January, we will welcome Dr. Christina Gorigoitia of West End Counseling & Wellness, LLC who will lead a discussion on the topic of Depression in Young People. Dr. Gorigoitia will talk about signs and symptoms of depression in young people, including what to watch for, how to support kids, and when to seek professional help.
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Coffee with the Counselor Resource List
05 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
This school year, I’ll be offering monthly Coffee with the Counselor events at my school on the first Friday of each month. Coffee with the Counselor mornings will provide an informal opportunity for parents & caregivers to discuss issues related to child and adolescent development, mental health, social & emotional development, and general well-being. I’ll share interesting resources and recommend readings on selected topics, to inspire discussion within the group.
To kick of the 2019-2020 year, here are some of the articles I hope can help all of us work together to build a caring community for children. Don’t be put off by the prevalence of the word “fail” in the titles below: these resources make a compelling case for cultivating the skills kids need to tolerate frustration, persist through uncomfortable emotional states, and pick themselves up whenever they fall…or fail. Looking forward to talking about these in October!
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ONLINE ARTICLES
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BOOKS
The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey
The Blessing of a B-: Raising Self-Reliant Children by Wendy Mogel
How Children Succeed by Paul Tough
End of the School Year Regulation Strategies
06 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
Hi everyone,
Here’s a great post by one of my favorite writer/educators with lots of easy, quick, EFFECTIVE, fun ways to help kids stay regulated and focused as we head into the final stretch of the year:
Click here:
Survival Kit for the Last Few Weeks of School
Or, cut and paste this link:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/survival-kit-last-few-weeks-school-lori-desautels/
What Does it Mean to “Hold Space?”
06 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
I recently encouraged a teacher to “hold the space” for a young student who was going through a very tough emotional period. When she looked at me with confused eyes, I realized this phrase often needs explanation. Here’s the best one I’ve seen:
Mindfulness and Deep Breathing Lesson for Students
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
For the last few weeks, I’ve been working with my students in PK, K and 1st grade on building Mindfulness skills to help our bodies get calm and ready to learn. Today, we made Mindfulness Beads to help us remember to take slow, deep calming breaths. The kids loved it! (I even had a few teachers and a middle school helper ask to make them for themselves!)
How to Help Students Navigate Conflicts
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
Recently, I was asked by Education Week’s Classroom Q&A with Larry Ferlazzo to weigh in on the question:
When two or more students are having a conflict, what are the most effective ways teachers can respond to the situation?
Here is my answer, along with the thoughtful responses of 5 other professionals:
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2018/02/response_ways_to_navigate_conflicts_restore_relationships_between_students.html
Teaching Growth Mindset with Wooden Blocks
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
This month, I am working with my 5th grade students on developing a Growth Mindset. They are learning the value of working through problems, persisting through mistakes, learning from failures, and demonstrating an open-mindedness toward lifelong learning and continuous improvement.
Today, we did a fun activity where the kids were challenged to build a tower with wooden blocks–using only chopsticks (no hands!). The task was intentionally difficult, but using teamwork and a growth mindset, the kids were challenged to persist until they completed the task. Initial failures happened, goals were ultimately achieved, hilarity ensued and a good time was had by all.
Be Known for Being Kind
08 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
I was walking through the halls of my school this morning when a 3rd grade student saw me and told me she had brought in a book from her local library because it made her think of me. When I asked what the book was called, she couldn’t remember the exact title, but said she knew I’d love it because it was about a girl who wanted to BE KNOWN FOR BEING KIND. (Heart swells.)
We walked to her cubby to get the book…and she was right…I love it! This title and author are new to me and I thought they might be new to you too. Do yourself a favor and check out Melissa Parkington’s Beautiful, Beautiful Hair by Pat Brisson.
