Hello everyone! How are we already at the end of July this week?? Summer flew, and I am partially dreading the reality of going back to work on Thursday. I am also excited though, can that happen? Every year it does, so I am just going to roll with it! Have you ever been presented with a task that you were unsure about? And no, I am not talking about the regular school stuff that happens; we all know new. tasks are a given for school counselors. This year I have been given the task of leading a book study for a group of teachers.......yikes! Even after eight years, this task sounds scary to me. I mean, asking a colleague to read a book during the school year??? Even this sounds a little difficult, and I am the one leading the book study!! Nevertheless, I am going to do this, and I am determined to do it well! Even though I have not yet started this book study, here are some things that I feel are going to set me and my colleagues up for success: 1. Choose a short book. We are all educators, and I am almost positive that most colleagues are going to be less than thrilled to lear they are going to have to do something extra for work. To ease the pain, I suggest choosing a short, easy read book with a big message. Need some help choosing a book? Jon Gordon has many short, great reads. Other great books are Todd Whitaker books or Teach Like a Pirate. If you do not have a say in the book that is chosen, that is ok too! If it is a longer book, I would suggest highlighting the important parts of the book and have the group read those portions. People will appreciate the time-saving action while still getting something out of the book. 2. Read the book first, duh! I know this sounds like a given, but sometimes tasks are sprung on us and we do not have time. As much as possible, try to read the book before you start the group, or at least a good portion. Remember, its hard to ask someone to do something that you have not done yourself. Plus, it will allow you to be prepared to answer questions and lead the discussions in the right way. If you do complete the book before the book study happens, I also suggest rereading as you go, so that you can experience the book in the book study setting. Lots of work, I know! But I feel like it will be worth it, and will provide a positive experience with your colleagues. 3. Change up the discussion setting. Let's be honest: coming together and sitting in a circle and talking about personal stuff can be intimidating for those of us who are not counselors. Even though I am the type of person who thrives on sharing, not everyone shares that same joy. So, we have to improvise. In order to make it not seem like a chore, change it up every week. Nothing works better than applying some cooperative learning strategies teachers can take back to their own classrooms and use with their students. Need some ideas? check out the Kagan books, they are perfect for classroom cooperative learning! Do not be afraid to put your colleagues on the spot; try assigning a chapter to each person and they are in charge of teaching the group the content of the chapter. Remember, use what works for the group, and always read your participants. 4. Expect silence. As any good counselor knows, we should embrace the silence in any session. This strategy applies in a group discussion, no matter how painful. You would think a group of teachers who expect students to participate and answer questions would be chomping at the bit to talk, right? Well, any of you who have ever presented or trained a group of education professionals know that it doesn't exactly go that way. In fact, some may start to embody some of the behaviors of their students! Not to worry though, you have to expect some pushback. Expect the silence, and unfortunately, expect the eye rolls. If you do encounter some heavy pushback, do your best to redirect the conversation and move on from the topic. Movement in the discussion is key in a positive book study, so keep things moving! 5. Apply the book to your own experiences.
This is always easier said than done. First, remember what your goal for the group is, and then share how you will implement this in your own professional practice. For example, the book we are using in our book study is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The goal for the group is to learn about the seven habits and how they can incorporate them into their classrooms. During the book study, I am planning on sharing on how I can form these habits in my classroom so I can teach these habits to my students through action. Does this sound difficult? Yes! I am still going to give it a try though! Even though I am on the front end of my book study journey, I am hopeful that I will get to share a helpful book with my colleagues and. they can take something away from it. Stay tuned to see how it goes!
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Happy Monday all! I hope many of you are able to extend this weekend until Tuesday! I totally get it if you can't, so hopefully today will go quick for you and you are able to enjoy tomorrow with your family and friends! I have been busy prepping my calendar and schedule for next year, and I thought I would share with you some important dates that I put on my calendar and plan some school-wide event around them. No school counselor can plan an event around every week or month (trust me, I have given it a good shot and usually fail miserably) I hope that you find these useful, or you can find one to bring into your school counseling program that will put your program on your school's professional map. Here are some of my favorite weeks to highlight during the year: Red Ribbon Week Red Ribbon Week is a national week that is celebrated during the last week and half in October. It is a perfect time to bring awareness to how important it is for students to make good choices and keep their bodies safe and drug-free. Each year they have a different theme; check out the National Red Ribbon Week site here to see what the theme is for 2017! I will be honest, I am super pumped about this one! Whatever you do, have fun and get creative! National School Counseling Week I have the MOST fun with this week! Some people feel that it is a week for people to thank the school counselor, but I feel that it is a week to thank everyone in my building for all they do to support me and also to really focus on my students. Where do you start if you have never planned a School Counseling week? First, go to the American School Counselor Association website for start-up ideas and some awesome FREE resources! Second, talk with your administrator to make sure any school-wide things you would like to do are approved by them. Third, HAVE FUN! It does seem like extra work, but it is well worth getting your name and program promoted in the building. Check out some fun things I did this past year for National School Counseling week in this post. Pinterest, Instagram, and TpT are also great resources to help you think of some ideas. National Bullying Prevention Month National Bullying Awareness month is held in October every year. This month is a great time to discuss this hot topic across our country. As educators, this word can be scary to us; but I feel that is why it is even more important to help our students and parents understand what it is, how do sea with it, and what steps we can take as a whole to combat the issue. I use this month to focus on conflict resolution and bullying awareness lessons in my classroom, as well as send home information in my monthly newsletter to parents. See the list of following websites that have some information and resources available to educators: Boss's Day/Principal's Day It may seem weird that I highlight this one, but I feel that these days are super important to remember! These are the two positions that help me out the most in my building, so I am eternally grateful for the wonderful people that fill these spots. Teachers are just as important, but it seems that PTOs and PTAs tend to do a good job honoring our teachers. If no one has taken it upon themselves to organize something for these positions, do it! No matter what, every person works harder when they feel appreciated, and that includes these two people! SW-PBS Spirit Week This week is somewhat specialized to our building, but the concept can be adapted to any school! We have a "Spirit Week" during some of our tougher weeks; right before Thanksgiving, spring break, or any other week where times can be tough for teachers and students. We hold this week twice a year, and every time it is a huge hit! We highlight good behavior by students, and also do a few "extra"things for teachers to let them know we care about them. Check out my post to see how we have done spirit weeks in our building. ANY School Events
No matter what it is: Parent/Teacher Conferences, PTO meetings, Family Nights, sporting events, concerts, etc, try your best to make an appearance at one at least once a month! This not only helps show you are committed to your job, but it also helps students see you in a different light. Plus, you may become involved in a different way that you never thought you would be able to help! It also helps you to get to know parents and the community members. You don't have to make EVERY one, just one event once in awhile. Check out my Parent/Teacher Conference post to see how I utilize this night to connect with parents! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday week and enjoy the start of July! |
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