The Answer to the Question: What Should I Teach Today?
School is starting SOON!! Wonder what lessons you should teach? What if you had nine lesson plans each with a pretest/post-test, and a word search. What if you had coloring sheets and a fun activity to go along with each lesson? And what if each lesson taught a meaningful skill like cooperation, friendship or teamwork?…
Teach Kids Not to Give Up
Do you have a student who gives up easily? Is her philosophy that if she can’t succeed right away, then there’s no point in trying? Does he always anticipate failure when faced with an obstacle? We all face challenges and difficulty from time to time. What makes the difference between someone who persists in the…
Teach Kids to Be On Time
Are your kids always running late? Are your students always looking for books, backpacks or homework? Do they tell the teacher that the dog ate their homework… and they don’t even have a dog? Developing organizational skills takes practice but it is worth it. Being organized creates success not only in academics but in life…
What to do when your interventions aren’t working
What to do when your interventions aren’t working A recent post from a school counselor went something like this, ” I’m feeling discouraged and defeated. So often I work with students on behavior issues, especially aggression, and we really connect, have a great session and they go back into the classroom and immediately repeat the…
Small Group Resource to Help Kids Develop Courage, Compassion and Connection
Looking for a resource for your small group this school year? Check out The Whole Hearted Living Journal for Kids. Great for 3rd grade and up. More than ever kids need to develop courage, compassion and connection and this journal, based on Brene Brown’s work, has prompts, intentions, space for writing, drawing and just dreaming.
Create a Positive Back to School Mindset
foxtale1Tackling Those Back to School Blues…
It’s back to school and there is excitement in the air! As the school counselor in an elementary school, the beginning of school was always a mixed bag of smiles and tears. I frequently spent lots of time comforting crying children who missed mom, dad, brother, sister or their second cousin once removed. It was always interesting to me that I didn’t often have crying children on the first day but for the next week or so, I usually had several. What’s going on? Why cry on the second day but not the first?
Anger and What to To About It
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…
How do you change a child’s behavior?
Changing a Child’s Behavior Educators wonder how to get children to apply themselves and care about learning the prescribed curriculum. School counselors wonder how to get children to change negative behaviors into positive ones that serve the both the child and their peers. Parents wonder how to do all of the above while managing to…
7 Questions to Measure Success
Here’s a quick survey for you: Being an elementary school counselor can be Exciting Fun Fulfilling Lonely Frustrating Overwhelming All of the above Other: My guess is that on any given day you could answer: All of the Above. As employees of a school system, we of course have yearly evaluations regarding our success at…
What People Say About The Wyatt Books
kind words from educators, parents, and kids!
"Going to kindergarten is a milestone for everyone and the beginning of the year is usually filled with excitement and angst. Wyatt the Wonder Dog addresses the typical concerns that most children have in a sweet and relatable way. Kindergarten really is fun!"
"Wyatt the Wonder Dog Learns about Teamwork is another great example of helping kids improve their social skills. It teaches kids the power of working together and how much better we are when we work as a community"
"[Wyatt the Wonder Dog Learns about Mindset] This book is funny! It's dogs doing things that only people do! I learned to try new things."
Wyatt the Wonder Dog Learns about Giving is a delightful book that teaches kids (and reminds adults, as well) that generosity is possible no matter how old, young, rich or poor we are. This is a powerful message and an engaging story that every child will love.
~Jen McDonough, author of Living Beyond Rich
Wyatt the Wonder Dog Learns about Friendship teaches not only friendship and making connections, but also how to become successful at problem solving. Great for school counselors, teachers and families. Bravo!
Sharissa Shatten~ School Counselor
Feeling left out? Need help getting along with friends? Wyatt the Wonder Dog Learns about Cooperation weaves important life skills into engaging story telling. Join Wyatt as he learns how to be the superhero in his group of friends by using cooperation and compromise.
~MaryFrances Gonzalez MACCCSLP
Have you ever had a friend that did some things that you disagreed with? Wyatt does and he doesn't know what to do about it. Join Wyatt as he learns that being honest with his friend is the best and only way to solve the problem. A great story!
~Lynn Hughes M.Ed. school counselor
If you've ever lost your lunch money or misplaced your favorite toy, you can relate to Wyatt the Wonder Dog. This adorable story offers simple, helpful ideas that kids and parents can use to make life less stressful and more fun!
~Erin K. Casey, author