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Counselors play a key role in students' lives in school by providing resources and guidance during tumultuous times. They help all students in the areas of academic achievement, personal/social development and career development, ensuring today's students become the productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow. School counselors are an important part of the educational leadership team and provide valuable assistance to students regardless of whether they work in an elementary, middle school, high school or beyond.  My thoughts… What I have noticed so far that is truly inspiring are how school counselors are willing to go the distance. What I have experienced so far are the small gestures that make huge differences in children's lives. If a child needs shoes they find them shoes, if they are hungry the counselor puts them in a food program.  Being a school counselor is so much more than just making sure that the student is in the right class or that they will graduate on tim...

Every year of high school brings new challenges and different expectations than the year before, but most importantly, students are introduced to an increasingly wide range of opportunities. These opportunities are both academic and non-academic, shaping students not only as learners, but as individuals soon to be immersed into society as adults. Therefore, the role of educators very importantly includes instilling knowledge as well as teaching life skills within the classroom. Because of this, it is important that students are encouraged to challenge themselves on both an academic and personal level as they approach the conclusion of their required education and move on to the post high school stage of their life.   Motivating students to challenge themselves entering their junior year A shift occurs between the sophomore and junior year of high school. With two years of high school completed, a stronger emphasis is placed on preparing for the future come post-graduation. Stu...

  Audience: 12 th graders. Usually present in December or January Rationale: The purpose of this presentation is to inform seniors on how to understand financial aid. The process can be intimidating to many and the hope is that this will give them a better understanding on how to receive financial aid for postsecondary education. While I we would love to have every individual fill out a FAFSA at school, it can be extremely difficult with the amount of information they need on hand (social security number, tax information, etc). The presentation will walk them through what they need for to fill out their FAFSA, how to find scholarships, and teach them the difference between types of financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study). Materials Needed: - Projector - PowerPoint Time Required: Roughly 30 minutes   Applicable Standards: This activity satisfies many ASCA standards, key among them are: A:B2.7 Identify post-secondary options consistent with interests, achi...

After interviewing a High School Counselor and a second grade teacher, I had an interesting comparison of the two perspectives.  They both did not hesitate to say that the greatest issues facing today’s youth are perceived problems from their home lives.  Some of these issues that they are witnessing in our schools are: divorce, no support from parents, a lack of motivation and trauma.  It was referred as by the second grade teacher, “The breakdown of the American family”. What can we do to help our students?  To make their lives safer and more secure?  In order to assist them we need to possess certain qualities. The three most important qualities of a school counselor, according to both a qualified school counselor herself and an experienced teacher are: The ability to build a trusting, safe relationship with students and parents.  To have a trusting relationship with both students and parents may take time.  In order to attain trust, we need to be a...

Managing Stress in the Road of Life Adolescents have many stressors in their everyday lives: school demands and frustrations, negative self-image, body changes, problems with peers, relationship problems, tensions with family, unsafe living environments, death of a loved one, moving, parental divorce, financial struggles, participating in too many activities, and more. Unfortunately, many teenagers have not been trained on how to adequately deal with these stressors which can then lead to an overload of stress. “ When it happens, inadequately managed stress can lead to anxiety, withdrawal, aggression, physical illness, or poor coping skills such as drug and/or alcohol use,” (AACAP, 2013). Therefore, adolescents need to learn how to handle their stress in a healthy way. This lesson is particularly designed for AP students who often take on heavy course and activity loads.   These students are often left under the radar in schools because they do fine academically. Because of this, t...

Guidance Lesson: Career Planning:   What does it cost?   Grade Level:   9 – 10 The Start of Career Planning By the time students enter high school, they have a general sense of what a career and/or job is. They are also aware that there is a difference in earnings between different occupations. This lesson will build on previous observations/knowledge and will add a more concrete understanding of what different levels of education entail. The first part of the lesson focuses on different levels of education and their potential earnings, typically. The second part of the lesson is using the board game Life® as a fun way to help cement the idea that education level will have By using a monthly budget where the student to calculate how much money is left over at the end of the month, students will gain a more tangible understanding of how their occupation, and education level, will impact their future. Lesson Plan 1: Setting up Materials Needed: PowerPoint , Handout For t...

Jackie Kennedy is quoted as saying, “If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do matters very much.” We are becoming the next school counselors to serve our community. Counselors know that nothing else matters and nothing is more important than supporting children of all ages through their educational experience.  In retrospect, we are in a sense helping raise them. Certainly, bungling it is not an option! While walking through the halls of schools and sitting in school counselors’ offices, I observed and heard many things.  Tangible pieces of advice to study up on and what it takes to be a school counselor in this day and age. Additionally, my interview with a 20-year veteran of an elementary school has reinforced my belief that nothing is more important than helping a child feel good about themselves and good about the world around them. You have to care a great deal. No amount of rigorous coursework or exams can teach someone to care. If we care,...