Calm in the Chaos: Strategies for Supporting an Upset Student

mom and son

Whether it’s a playground conflict, academic frustration, or something happening at home, elementary students can get upset for many reasons—and those emotions often show up suddenly and intensely. As a school counselor, your approach in those fragile moments can make all the difference. With the right strategies, you can build trust, de-escalate big feelings, and…

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Teach Girls Bravery not Perfection

girl with ice skates

Reshma Saujani is a woman with a mission.  She is on a campaign to change the way that we socialize young girls. Her premise is this: girls are taught to be perfect, while boys are taught to be brave.   How does this happen?  In her effort to challenge more young women to tackle careers…

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Resilience: Helping Students Thrive Through Challenges

tug of war

What does a student do when faced with a challenging situation? Give Up Find an adult to fix the problem Attempt to solve the problem Resilience is the ability to bounce back from challenges, adapt to difficult situations, and keep going in the face of adversity. For elementary-aged students, resilience might look like staying calm…

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Building Self Esteem the Growth Mindset Way

happy kids

Back in the day when I was a kid, (which I admit was long, long ago), no one worried about kids developing self-esteem.  I’m not even sure the concept of self-esteem existed.  What did parents worry about?  Well, other normal stuff; kids behaving, kids being successful in school, kids getting along with each other.  Then…

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