Posts by Lynne Watts
Change Happens: Teaching Elementary Students How to Adapt With Confidence
Change is a natural and unavoidable part of life—and for elementary students, change happens more often than adults realize. New classrooms, shifting friendships, family changes, and growing responsibilities can feel overwhelming without guidance. Elementary school counselors play a critical role in helping students understand that change is not something to fear, but something they can…
Read MoreTeaching Integrity in Elementary School: How Reflective Questions Build Critical Thinking and Strong Character
Integrity is one of the most important — and most teachable — social-emotional skills in elementary school. For young students, integrity is not about being perfect. It is about learning how to pause, think, and make choices that align with their values, even when situations feel uncomfortable or confusing. Elementary school counselors play a critical…
Read MoreGrowing Hopeful Minds: How to Teach Optimism and Resilience
Optimism is a powerful life skill that helps children face challenges with confidence and persistence. For elementary school counselors, teaching optimism is not about encouraging constant positivity—it is about helping students believe that challenges can be managed. What Is Optimism? Optimism is the ability to expect positive outcomes while recognizing that challenges and setbacks are…
Read MoreFrom “I Can’t” to “I’ll Try Again”: Growing Perseverance and Resilience
Perseverance is the engine that drives resilience. When elementary students learn to keep going when something is hard, confusing, or doesn’t work the first time, they are building lifelong skills that extend far beyond academics. As elementary school counselors, you are uniquely positioned to teach, model, and reinforce perseverance as part of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)…
Read MoreUnlocking Resilience: How Curiosity Builds Stronger, Braver Elementary Students
For elementary school counselors, teaching resilience isn’t just about bouncing back from setbacks. It’s about equipping students with the skills that make problem-solving possible. One of the most overlooked components of resilience is curiosity. What Is Curiosity? Curiosity is a mindset of wanting to know, explore, and understand. It’s the drive to ask questions, investigate…
Read MoreAnger Has a Message: Learning to Listen
Why is it that some kids just seem angry all the time? And what is the best way to handle the emotion of anger? It is first important to understand what anger is and why as humans we may have developed it. One theory is that anger is one of the basic six emotions that…
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