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 […]
Into your office stomps an obviously upset fourth grader: his fists are clenched, his face is as red as his shirt, and his body is trembling. What do you say? Here are some ideas for you. Behavior is communication, and it’s not uncommon for kids who have trouble handling emotions to lose control. Just like […]
I’ll never forget the phone call from my best friend, my precious student DeShawn’s kindergarten teacher. She explained, through tears, that DeShawn and his sweet older sister Deja had ridden the bus home from school like they did every day, expecting to see their mom waiting for them at the bus stop. When she wasn’t […]
