The growth mindset and success

boy scientist

Growth Mindset is the Key to Success Which statement describes what you believe:? You can learn new things but you really can’t change your IQ very much.  Your IQ is something that is just part of your DNA. You can not only learn new things but substantially change how intelligent you are. In her book…

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One Word to Create Focus

family and one word

One Word and Focus Kids grow up so fast. The world changes even faster. What will your students be like in five years?  Ten years? Do they have a vision for the future?  Do they have an idea of the values and the principles that are their foundation? Stephen Covey  wrote extensively about the importance of…

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Three ways to tackle anxiety among children

unhappy-girl-

The Anxiety Epidemic There is no question that anxiety among children (and adults for that matter) is on the rise. When I first began school counseling over 20+ years ago it was rare to have a child referred for anxiety.  By the time I left the field five years ago, I was running a regular…

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Seven Secrets to Effective Teacher-Parent Communication

teacher parent conference

In a previous post, I identified ten ways that educators could establish effective communication with parents. Communication however, is a two way street.  Parents also have a responsibility and an opportunity to establish a relationship with their child’s teacher. Here are seven ways for parents to create open communication while empowering your child to be…

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What makes a great school counselor?

counselor with student

Characteristics of a Great Counselor I was recently at a luncheon talking with some elementary school principals about school counselors and an evaluation method they are required to complete yearly on school counselors.  The instrument was so complex that they had to attend special training  to learn to use it properly. The evaluation emphasized collecting data in order to  prove the impact…

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Teaching the Perfectionist

boy-solving-a-physics-formula

Personality Style and Perfectionism Is there a student in your class who is an over the top perfectionist? Does everything have to be just so? Do they fall apart when there is the slightest mistake? This is a student who may fall into the C personality style. According to the DISC personality program, there are…

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