Posts by Lynne Watts
Growing Generous Hearts: How Elementary Counselors Can Teach Giving and Kindness
Elementary school counselors play an important role in shaping the social and emotional growth of students. One essential character trait to nurture is generosity—the ability and willingness to give time, energy, resources, or kindness to others without expecting anything in return. Teaching generosity helps students build empathy, strengthen relationships, and create a more positive school…
Read MoreWork Smarter, Not Harder: Teaching Students How to Learn Effectively
As elementary school counselors, part of our role is helping students build not just social-emotional skills but also strong learning habits. When students learn how to learn, they become more confident, engaged, and resilient in the classroom. Below are six key strategies counselors can teach—and practical ways to integrate them into small groups, classroom lessons,…
Read MoreFrom Big Feelings to Healthy Choices: Guiding Students Through Emotions
Body Language and Feelings A standard lesson that I taught every year as an elementary school counselor was recognizing feelings. It was a fun lesson. I’d bring in large cut outs of children showing mad, sad, happy or scared feelings and ask kids to guess how the child was feeling. We’d talk about body language…
Read MoreUnlocking Motivation: Helping Students Choose Success
In today’s educational environment, we are more aware than ever that student motivation and engagement is essential for lasting learning. I can’t tell you how many times as a school counselor, I had discussions with teachers, parents and kids about being motivated. However, I’m afraid we rarely discussed how important intrinsic motivation is vs. extrinsic…
Read MoreFriendship Troubles: Helping Students Navigate Tricky Friend Situations
Handling challenging situations. Knowing when to move on… What do you do when a friend wants to do something that is unkind, thoughtless, or involves breaking the rules? What do you do when a friend is bossy, self-centered and treats you unkindly? If a friend treats you badly, is it okay to treat them the…
Read More“That’s Not Fair!” and Other Ploys: Turning Student Pushback Into Positive Growth
As elementary school counselors, we often encounter familiar phrases that students use as emotional shields, attempts to avoid accountability, or ways to test boundaries. These “ploys” may seem like resistance, but they’re actually great teaching moments. Here’s how to respond to five common student ploys with empathy, clarity, and growth-focused strategies. “It’s Not Fair.” What…
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