Lunch duty. Recess duty. Car rider duty. Test coordination. Substitute teaching. School counselors, you know the drill. All of those “little” responsibilities that are totally unrelated to our training or profession, but add up to occupy a LOT of our time. What if there was a way to advocate for our role as school counselors, […]
Has a student or teacher ever asked you, “So, what do you really do all day?” If they have, you are not alone! Students see first-hand the work their classroom teachers do each and every day, but the school counselor’s role can be a bit more mysterious. Many counselors are the only mental health professionals […]
A few years ago, a 4th-grade student I had worked with regularly since kindergarten sulked into my office. Her head was down and her arms were crossed. I could tell she had been crying. She had just created a memory book with her classroom teacher when it suddenly hit her: elementary school was really over. […]
Picture this…you’re 11-years-old and have been happy as a clam at your elementary school for as long as you can remember. But, your small, safe world is about to be turned upside down with a big move to the middle school down the street! Your mind is FLOODED with questions and worries: “How do I […]
I was a first-year school counselor standing at the front door greeting students as they walked into school for the day. A new second grader approached me and asked for a snack. I noticed right away that she looked unkempt – her clothes were dirty and her hair was matted. I had some treats in […]
An overwhelmed, exhausted, and overworked 3rd grade teacher walked into my office. It was April – standardized testing season. With panic in her voice, she shared that she was up all night worrying about whether she had prepared her students well enough for THE TEST. Had she done enough intervention with Sally, or had she […]
