Reflecting on the School Year… A Vital Lesson
What was the most memorable and significant year of school for you? The first year you attended school? The year you starred in the class play? The year you won an award? The year you graduated? Research has shown that an important part of learning in any environment is reflecting on our experience, the information we learned and…
Read MoreSummer Reading List: What I’m Reading Now
Summer Reading List: What I’m Reading Now As you might imagine, I spend a lot of time reading books, listening to podcasts and watching videos, all in an effort to keep up with current thinking and new strategies for helping young children succeed in our challenging world. Summertime is often a great time to catch up…
Read MoreHow to Raise Responsible, Self-Reliant Children
Helping Kids Develop a Can Do Attitude I often hear teachers and parents alike lament that the students today have little intrinsic motivation and initiative. Certainly as a school counselor, I often presented lessons on being responsible. When asked what it means to be responsible, children usually have a good idea. They would identify tasks like…
Read MoreBe the hero in your story
How to be the hero in your own life In a school where I was doing some training, I found this quote on a classroom wall: “Be the hero in your own story.” I love the concept. In recent years the story arc has been incorporated into business and many other mediums where we might…
Read MoreEmpowering Kids to Be the Hero in Their Life Journey
What if instead of thinking of our lives as a random series of events, we thought of our lives as a story with each of us as the hero faced with challenges, triumphs and opportunities for growth? What if we not only shared this concept with students, but taught them the power of seeing themselves…
Read MoreThe Challenge of the Unmotivated Student (and 5 Things to Do About It)
It is a rare school counselor who hasn’t received at least one referral ( and probably lots more!) for an unmotivated student. Usually by the time you get the referral, the teacher is at his or her wits end and has tried everything they can think of to engage the student. Now it’s your turn……
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