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So why not make the process FUN ?  Inspired by a conference breakout session on pairing  learning with fun , our program has begun a shift towards adding more elements of fun into individual assignments, group projects, and in-class activities.  Presentations on Behavior Management were the first assignment to undergo this transition. Designed by groups of students in the program, these PowerPoint presentations were initially set to be shared with the class in a traditional presentation-style manner. Instead, the groups were asked to recite the information they had compiled to the tune of a classic nursery rhyme and then perform their creation to the class. Prepare to experience both learning and joy simultaneously as you hear about the elements of Behavior Management to one of your favorite  childhood songs.  Behavior Management in the Elementary School Setting (To the tune of John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt )  Learning behavior management You can do it t...

Decreasing Anxiety and Stress The following guidance lesson will instruct students in elementary school (grades 3-5) on how to manage stress and develop positive strategies to eradicate their anxiety. Students will be equipped with mechanisms and holistic (mind and body) outlets to handle stress and anxiety. Students will perform skits and role-playing to demonstrate their understanding of lesson plans. Counselors or teachers will be equipped with typical scenarios that students may deal with on a daily basis and reenact them with their class. Some examples of learning techniques will include:  Affirmation (positive reinforcements)  Visualization (imagining a peaceful place – happy place)  Controlled breathing (om)  Muscle relaxation (verbal direction)  Calming Glitter (Pinterest activity) After implementing our guidance lesson we hope students will have a toolbox of strategies they may execute when anxiety or stress arise. These strategies are not confined to any particular ...

It is always an exciting event when a member of the Gonzaga University School Counseling Program family recieves recognition for their work, whether on a departmental, regional, or national level. Every year the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) honors one school counselor from around the country with the title of "School Counselor of the Year" who ASCA descrbes as being: "(t)he best of the best- school counselors who are running a top-notch comprehensive school counseling program at either the elementary, middle, or high school level." Nominees and finalists are judged by a panel on the follwing criteria: creative school counseling innovations, effective counseling programs, leadership skills, and contributions to student enhancement. The winner is selected from up to 10 finalists who travel to Washington, D.C. and participate in celebratory events during National School Counseling Week in February. On behalf of the Counselor Education Department at Go...

The transition from middle to high school can be overwhelming for many students. Adolescents are entering a particularly stressful time in their social and academic life. This guidance lesson is directed at the social/emotional aspect of student development. Our goal for this lesson is for students to become aware of their own resilience in hopes that they will see themselves as worthy and unique individuals and increase their self-efficacy. Building self-awareness and developing a positive view of self is a crucial aspect of this goal. The theme of the lesson is that rain (adversity) falls on everyone but we each have umbrellas (resilience traits) that help us stay dry. The PowerPoint has been created to go with this theme: the background looks as if it is raining on it. By helping students see that they are resilient and that they are viewed by others as resilient, school counselors are helping students develop the following competencies. PS:A1.1   develop positive attitudes tow...