"He's bullying me!" As educators, this is something that we hear all.of.the.time, but how often is the behavior actually bullying? This word is thrown around so casually, and so frequently, that one-time, mean choices are often labeled as "bullying." My fear here is that real bullying behaviors may go unnoticed or undetected, while educators and parents overwhelm themselves with small, no-big-deal issues that children can solve themselves. This can have very serious, even life-threatening, ... VIEW POST
Bullying Prevention Story Books
Helping Children Cope with Anger
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 adults, kids experience big emotions as they navigate through life, one of the strongest of which is anger. Anger is one of our most basic emotions and although it is often seen as a negative ... VIEW POST
Grief & Loss Series PART 1: Introduction to Grief and Loss in Students
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 there, they walked home and knocked on the front door. No one answered. They decided to go to their next-door neighbor’s house, who kept a key to their home in case of emergency. ... VIEW POST
Winter Ideas for Counseling & SEL
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Family time, cozy fires, hot chocolate, gingerbread houses, sledding...I'm here for all of it! Y’all know that I LOVE incorporating a seasonal flair into my counseling sessions and classroom lessons, and find that it leads to increased student engagement, buy-in, and fun! Just like us, our students are excited about the winter season and love when we use winter-themed stories, games, and activities with them. In this post, I'll share my winter favorites, ... VIEW POST
Fall Ideas for Counseling & SEL
After a long, hot, and buggy summer here in Nashville, we welcome the fall season with open arms! Y’all know that I LOVE incorporating a seasonal flair into my counseling sessions and classroom lessons, and find that it leads to increased student engagement, buy-in, and fun! Just like us, our students are excited about the fall season and love when we used autumn-themed stories, games, and activities with them. In this post, I'll share with you some of my fall-themed favorites, and be sure not ... VIEW POST
