College and Career Readiness is one of my favorite job responsibilities as a school counselor. I love the evolution of career preferences that occur as students learn more about themselves and the world around them. Even in elementary school I get to see a growth in career selection. In kindergarten students may report they want to be a princess, but by the time they reach 5th grade they begin to take into account realistic reasoning and make career choices based on their strengths and weaknesses, their likes and dislikes, and even job outlook. I always encourage students to continue to learn and grow, make reflections, and research. It is appropriate, normal, and expected for a student's career aspirations to change all through out their high school (and college) careers.
In our elementary school college and career awareness is truly a year long initiative that culminates into larger end of school year activities. Between September and April I focus on two career clusters each month via a Career Cafe program. I invite parent and community speakers to visit our school during 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade lunches to present on their careers. Each career cafe participation is through invitation. About 25-30 students are invited to every cafe, allowing invited students to feel special and hopefully ask lots of interesting questions!
At the end of the school year the 4th and 5th grade students participate in college and career awareness field trips. For the past 4 years students in the 4th grade visited Geneva College located in Beaver Falls, PA in the morning of their field trip, and the Community of College of Beaver County's Aviation School in the afternoon. During each location visit, students participated in a detailed tour, while also receiving hands-on experience on some of the institutions' instructional tools. At Geneva College, our 4th grade students sat in on an age appropriate chemistry lesson, and also experimented with CCBC Aviation School's plane simulation equipment. Both venues offered valuable experiences for our students. It was my goal for these field trips to provide tangible connections between current school work and future success. I want students to place value in working hard now so that they are better able and prepared to reach their future college and career goals.
The 5th grade students traveled to Robert Morris University (Moon, PA) during the morning of their field trip, and the Beaver County Career and Technical Center in the afternoon. Like the 4th grade field trips, students were able to tour the campuses and receive an overview of the educational fields of study that could be provided at each location. The 5th grade class also participates in a Career Day. The Career Day is a half day event that enables parent and community speakers to present on their career experiences.
Funding for the field trips have varied. For a few years a Target Field Trip grant has provided the necessary funds. This year I was unable to procure the grant, and needed some assistance from our school's PTO to make the trip feasible.
Depending on time restraints, I also like to complete classroom college and career based lessons in all of my pre K through 5th grade classrooms. These lessons can be found under the "pages" section of this blog.
Helping students achieve at their best ability!
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Friday, May 6, 2016
April: Diversity/Tolerance
Empathy is a concept that can be developmentally difficult for elementary students to fully understand as their thinking is predominately egocentric. This is especially true for the primary grade-levels when students are definitively in Piaget's Preoperational stage of development. While challenging, working on understanding empathy is key to solving many peer conflicts.
When talking with students who are in the midst of an argument or disagreement, I often allow each child to describe the conflict situation from their point of view. For some students, it is incredibly difficult for them to simply listen, as they consistently want to defend their own perspective. When students truly listen and understand how each other feels or did feel, it is easier for both sides to move past problems and develop solutions for the future.
Stand in My Shoes: Kids Learning About Empathy by Bob Sornson has been helpful in teaching kids what empathy is and how it is useful. The story follows a young girl throughout her day, and reviews several scenarios where family members, peers, and her teacher could have benefited from a little empathy.
When talking with students who are in the midst of an argument or disagreement, I often allow each child to describe the conflict situation from their point of view. For some students, it is incredibly difficult for them to simply listen, as they consistently want to defend their own perspective. When students truly listen and understand how each other feels or did feel, it is easier for both sides to move past problems and develop solutions for the future.
Stand in My Shoes: Kids Learning About Empathy by Bob Sornson has been helpful in teaching kids what empathy is and how it is useful. The story follows a young girl throughout her day, and reviews several scenarios where family members, peers, and her teacher could have benefited from a little empathy.
I have also found that our local Women's Shelter has a wonderful prevention education department and are willing to conduct classroom lessons free of charge. In year's past the Women's Shelter taught empathy lessons to our 4th and 5th grade students. The presenter brought in a basket of children's shoes with life stories attached. The stories touched on such topics as separated/divorced families, poverty, and discrimination. What really moved our students was when the presenters confirmed all the stories attached to the shoes were factual, and from local county children. Every child and family faces their own struggles and hardships. It is important for students to stop personalizing problems and recognize that underneath another student's anger, frustration, mean behaviors and tears, could just be a child struggling with uncontrollable life situations.
March: Study Skills
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| March's Bulletin Board |
Music was a great match to this lesson because there are so many times during studying when creating rhythms, beats, and rhymes with the study material truly helped with memorization and retention of concepts.
The lesson reviewed the definition and examples of several study techniques, including acronyms, mnemonic devices, and poems. At the end of the lesson, we allowed students to create their own song with the English content they were learning in their classrooms. Utilizing the different study techniques in the lesson was helpful for not only auditory learners, but visual and kinesthetic as well.
Lesson Plan Link for Study Skills Music Lesson
PowerPoint Link for Study Skills Music Lesson
Lesson Plan Link for Study Skills Music Lesson
PowerPoint Link for Study Skills Music Lesson
Thursday, May 5, 2016
February: Healthy Relationships
One way I try to foster healthy relationships is to involve students in special groups. I run a year-long group entitled TLC Kids. The TLC stands for Tender, Love, and Care. The students referred to this group could benefit from extra attention, and exposure to fun activities and lessons. The elementary school I work in has students from Pre K through 5th grade, although I only select about 20 students between 2nd and 5th grade so the age gap when they are together is not as vast.
Over the years I have also learned to include some high school helpers. The middle and high schools are located on the same campus, so it is easy for students to walk from building to building. I usually ask for referrals from the high school counselor to find students who are a good fit. It is a win-win situation, as I could use the help, and the experience can be a resume builder for students planning on pursuing a career working with children.
The TLC Kids meetings are monthly. The activities are typically based around holidays or parent speaker specialties. Over the course of this year, we have had speakers present on dog grooming and safety, as well as American Sign Language. I have also had the students color and create cards to give family and friends for Christmas and Valentine's Day. For the month of May, I plan on having the students decorate thank-you cards to send to the military for Memorial Day.
Depending on my budget, I also enjoy taking the TLC Kids on an end of year field trip. In the past, we have visited a local horse farm. Animals are such a great source of love, and students always seem to have a great time, especially when they have the opportunity to ride the horses!
Over the years I have also learned to include some high school helpers. The middle and high schools are located on the same campus, so it is easy for students to walk from building to building. I usually ask for referrals from the high school counselor to find students who are a good fit. It is a win-win situation, as I could use the help, and the experience can be a resume builder for students planning on pursuing a career working with children.
The TLC Kids meetings are monthly. The activities are typically based around holidays or parent speaker specialties. Over the course of this year, we have had speakers present on dog grooming and safety, as well as American Sign Language. I have also had the students color and create cards to give family and friends for Christmas and Valentine's Day. For the month of May, I plan on having the students decorate thank-you cards to send to the military for Memorial Day.
Depending on my budget, I also enjoy taking the TLC Kids on an end of year field trip. In the past, we have visited a local horse farm. Animals are such a great source of love, and students always seem to have a great time, especially when they have the opportunity to ride the horses!
January: Bullying
Throughout the month of January I visit every grade-level and classroom to conduct bullying prevention lessons. Bullying is such an important topic in school, especially during the elementary years when students are forming social behaviors that can last a lifetime. The problem with bullying is that the term is often used incorrectly by students.
Almost every day I witness students confusing peer conflict scenarios with bullying situations. As a result the main talking point in each of my lessons is defining the word bullying. I like to focus on three points that truly describe bullying; there is an imbalance of power, the mean behaviors occur more than once, and the person doing the harm is intentionally trying to hurt. I also like to review the key players in a bullying situation, the bully, the victim, and the bystanders. Each of these roles can play a key part in stopping the cycle of hurt.
I love using books to format my lessons! One of my favorite authors is Julia Cook, and as a result most of my lessons are based off of her stories. I also use collaborative teaching to help schedule my lessons. I have found that working with special teachers is a great way to enhance lessons and reach whole grade-levels in an efficient manner. My pre K through 3rd grade lessons are completed in student classrooms, while my 4th and 5th grade lessons are conducted during each classroom's library special time.
Pre-K Bullying Prevention Lesson:
Book: Words are Not for Hurting by Elizabeth Verdick
Lesson Plan Link
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| Activity (Closed) |
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| Activity (Open |
Kindergarten Bullying Prevention Lesson:
Book: Lucy and the Bully by Claire Alexander
Lesson Plan Link
Activity: I distribute 1/2 sheets of construction paper to every student that represents each of their feelings and emotions. I then explain that each time we talk or play with someone we can make them feel happy or sad depending on how they handle their emotions. To give the students a tangible example of this concept, the students swap their construction paper with another student. (I also switch.) I then start saying mean things while crinkling and ripping the paper. Once I am done saying the mean words I start apologizing and attempt to return the paper to its original form. The students are able to recognize that words like "I'm sorry," or "It was an accident" may help a little, but it does not erase the damage that was done. The students then are able to try out what I demonstrated. We end the lesson with a discussion on how we should 'stop' and 'think' before we do or say anything so that we do not physically or emotionally hurt others.
1st Grade Bully Prevention Lesson:
Book: Tease Monster: A Book About Teasing vs. Bullying by Julia Cook
Lesson Plan Link
Activity: The students are given a coloring sheet at the end of the lesson to review the difference between teasing vs. bullying.
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| Teasing vs. Bullying Color Page |
Teachers Pay Teachers Link to Color Page
2nd Grade Bullying Prevention Lesson:
Book: A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue by Julia Cook
Lesson Plan Link
Activity: Students are given a coloring sheet at the end of the lesson that reviews the "Tattle Rules" from the story. I also print out copies of the "Tattle Rules" for each teacher.
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| Student Coloring Page |
Teachers Pay Teachers Link:
1. Coloring Pages
2. Teacher Hand-Outs
3. Pre and Post Test
3rd Grade Bullying Prevention Lesson:
Book: Bully B.E.A.N.S by Julia Cook
Lesson Plan Link
Pre and Post Test Link
Activity: I utilize Julia Cook's Activity and Idea book. The students are told that they are members of the Bystander Club and need to color t-shirts that teach others how to stop bullying. Once complete, the t-shirts are collected and displayed in the school for other students to view.
4th Grade Bullying Prevention Lesson:
Book: Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna
Lesson Plan Link
Pre and Post Test Link
Activity: The class is split into teams, and asked to stand around tables. I then choose one person for each team and place glitter in their hand. The purpose of the game is to move the glitter to each team member until it is returned to the original holder. The catch is the students cannot drop one piece of glitter when they move it from person to person. The team who is able to complete the task in the shortest amount of time, wins! What the students quickly learn is this task is impossible.
The glitter represents rumors. Like glitter, rumors go everywhere, they are 'sticky,' they are spread quickly and uncontrollably, and like glitter- rumors can be 'shiny and sparkly,' very temping and appealing.
Resource Used: Girls in Real Life Situations:Group Counseling Activities for Enhancing Social and Emotional Development by Shannon Trice-Black and Julia Taylor
Lesson Plan Link
"My Suit of Armor Link"
Pre and Post Test Link
Activity: Student are taught how to create their own "Self-Esteem Suit of Armor." Each piece of the armor represents a source of protection. For example the helmet protects their positive thoughts, and the breast plate protects their positive feelings.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
December: Kindness
The month of December is traditionally challenging for counseling programming. Not only do we have limited school days because of Christmas break, the days we are in school are also jam packed with holiday activities. A stand out need for the students in December was a discussion on relational aggression. My office seemed consistently filled with 5th grade girl drama.
My principal, as well as the entire 5th grade teaching team agreed that a grade-level, girl only lesson would be helpful. I immediately started looking through my office library and on-line resources to help in developing a lesson. I knew I wanted to utilize movie clips to display my message, as I needed something culturally relevant to catch the attention of my audience. The movie Mean Girls seemed ideal!
I found some great informational websites to help with content:
1. www.opheliaproject.org
2. www.relationalaggression.com
3. www.youthlight.com
The powerpoint I created reviewed the definition of Relational Aggression (RA), how students use RA to ruin relationships, and why RA is used on one another. The next section of the PowerPoint described the social structures of unhealthy girl relationships. Roles such as the queen, the sidekick, the gossip, the floater, the bystander, the wannabee, and the target were all discussed. I then showed the girls two video clips from Mean Girls the movie. The clips were followed by a discussion, which raised the question, "Do these clips remind you of your own friendship experiences?" This question lead to a conversation on how to stop RA in a peer group or how remove yourself from unhealthy situations. The lesson ended with a comparison between cliques and friendship groups.
The final thought was a picture of the acronym 'think.' This tool asks questions that can prompt kids to make better choices.
T ~ Is it True?
H ~ Is it Helpful?
I ~ Is it Inspiring?
N ~ Is it Helpful?
K ~ Is it Kind?
I wanted students to leave with the notion that they are in-charge of every decision they make, and because of this they have to be prepared for the consequences, whether they are positive or negative. The choices they make now will impact their futures.
The Relational Aggression Powerpoint
My principal, as well as the entire 5th grade teaching team agreed that a grade-level, girl only lesson would be helpful. I immediately started looking through my office library and on-line resources to help in developing a lesson. I knew I wanted to utilize movie clips to display my message, as I needed something culturally relevant to catch the attention of my audience. The movie Mean Girls seemed ideal!
I found some great informational websites to help with content:
1. www.opheliaproject.org
2. www.relationalaggression.com
3. www.youthlight.com
The powerpoint I created reviewed the definition of Relational Aggression (RA), how students use RA to ruin relationships, and why RA is used on one another. The next section of the PowerPoint described the social structures of unhealthy girl relationships. Roles such as the queen, the sidekick, the gossip, the floater, the bystander, the wannabee, and the target were all discussed. I then showed the girls two video clips from Mean Girls the movie. The clips were followed by a discussion, which raised the question, "Do these clips remind you of your own friendship experiences?" This question lead to a conversation on how to stop RA in a peer group or how remove yourself from unhealthy situations. The lesson ended with a comparison between cliques and friendship groups.
The final thought was a picture of the acronym 'think.' This tool asks questions that can prompt kids to make better choices.
T ~ Is it True?
H ~ Is it Helpful?
I ~ Is it Inspiring?
N ~ Is it Helpful?
K ~ Is it Kind?
I wanted students to leave with the notion that they are in-charge of every decision they make, and because of this they have to be prepared for the consequences, whether they are positive or negative. The choices they make now will impact their futures.
The Relational Aggression Powerpoint
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