Counseling Free-Write

Throught this practicum experience I have come to fully realize just how much responsibility school counselors truly have. I have also come to understand how people who are not counselors understand so little about the job description yet think the know ~everything~. For instance, a couple weeks ago a situation came up where immediate actions had to be taken and authorities became involved. It is impossible to bring people in our school without the whole school community becoming in the know at what is ging on, or at lest what they think might be going on. People that I rarely see came up talking about what happened and had their story and was trying to explain what they thought should have been done to handle the situation. I made absolutely no response to their conversation and in my mind I cracked up at just how much people think they know compared to what they really know about a situation. In a way I was aggravated too. We deal with people from young to old, but nonetheless, people. I was aggitated to think how quickly some people dismiss that idea that people are people regardless. 

I have also had peole come up tp me and want to know when I will become a school counselor. I just reply to them that I don't know and will have to wait and see. Then the response I get is "well I hope you learned how to put a video in and let the class watch it, since that all you will have to do around here..." Again, I chuckle in my mind because statements like this come from the people who have no idea what a school counselor truly does.

So the metaphor in counseling for me, I link it back to my background of growing up on a farm, Counselors are cultivators. You work through challenges sometimes slowly and always with purpose and the outcome will be more productive, stronger, and able to stand on it's own.

Ice Breaker

Just a quick note about an effective ice breaker that can get a group engaged in conversation:
Fact or Fib

This ice breaker game is also commonly known as "two truths and a lie." Have everyone in the group sit in a small circle facing each other. Players then take turns telling the rest of the group three facts about themselves, including two truths, or facts, and one lie, or fib. Begin with yourself to give an example. Try to come up with two true facts that might seem unrealistic, such as "I have swum with sharks" or "I was an extra in a movie." Add a third fib, such as "I have three brothers." See if the group can guess which fact is a fib. Then continue the game, with each player reciting three facts, and the group guessing which fact is the fib.

Read more: Ice Breaker Games for Small Groups | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6079729_ice-breaker-games-small-groups.html#ixzz2BJCv6lni

 

This is an ice breaker that doesn't recquire a lot of props or anything special that you would need to purchase!

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying

Cyber bullying is an issue that school counselors have to deal with on a daily basis it seems. Cyber bullying is a real problem that cannot be taken lightly. Cyber bullying has also changed how a school counselor has to think about bullying in general. School counselors have to educate students what cyber bullying is and what can happen legally as a result of cyber bullying. I don’t think that most students (or their parents for that matter) are aware of the implications that can come from cyber bullying. If I was given the task of addressing cyberbullying to my school I would start in the beginning of the year and work to educate teachers what examples of cyber bullying are and to make them aware of what could be happening online. Next, I would work with each grade level of students and design age appropriate activities and lessons that would let kids know about cyberbullying and the signs and what to do if a situation occurs. I think that the older students need to have a clear understanding of what can happen if they are the cyber bully as well. This may mean having to include a visit from a student resource officer or state police. Cyber bullying cannot be depicted as an unimportant idea that happens in other places and not here or led to be a cartoonish idea. There needs to be a clear understanding of online etiquette, and a foundation of knowledge of what can happen to cyber bullies and victims, and a route to report instances of cyberbullying.

Continued Learning as a Professional

Once this practicum course has ending I will continue to learn as a professional. Learning as a professional to me means that I will work to gain more knowledge and insight to school c counseling. Ways that I can gain more knowledge is to utilize the resources that I currently have. I have gotten to know some of the other counselors in my district and their experience is much greater than mine and I know that I still have a lot to learn from my professional peers. I think that it is important for me to belong to professional organizations like Kentucky School Counselors Association and the American Counseling Association. These organizations will serve as a reliable resource to new studies and research and current information. I will also need to seek out Professional Development as well. Professional developments will provide me with opportunities to meet knowledgeable peers in the field and provide interactions with other counselors that I might not otherwise have. As a lifelong learner I will also work independently to stay up to date on research, studies, and information that will benefit me in the counseling line of work. I have to maintain a vigilance to learn on my own and not solely depend on organizations and pd’s for my continued learning.

Guidance Lesson: "Fishing for Feelings"

For K-2 students

Overview of the Activity “Fishing for Feelings.”

This activity is designed to help students acquire attitudes, knowledge, and skills that will contribute to effective learning in school and throughout the students’ lives. This activity will also help students understand the relationship of academics to the world of work, life at home, and within the community. Fishing for Feelings activity will also help students gain understanding with interpersonal skills and respecting themselves and others. A major outcome of this lesson is to identify and express feelings.

MATERIALS/RESOURCES: (prep time 15 minutes)

The book, A to Z Do You Ever Feel Like Me? By Bonnie Hausman and Sandi Fellman. (You could do this lesson without the book.)

Envelope or glass fish bowl.

Pre cut cards with one feeling word on each card.

ACTIVITY: (20-25 minutes)

If you use the book, each page has a letter of the alphabet with a story. At the end of each story it says I feel so __________. Students guess

the word that fits in the blank. There is a picture that expresses the feeling word. If you don’t have the book, use pictures from magazines, draw them or use patterns from the internet. The A to Z words are in the back of the book, but the following is a feeling word for each letter of the alphabet. The feeling words: angry, brave, confused, delighted, embarrassed, friendly, greedy, happy, impatient, jealous, kind, lonely, mischievous, nervous, overwhelmed, proud, queasy, rambunctious, scared, terrific, upset, vain, worried, exhausted, yucky, and zany.

Next, using a fish bowl or envelope with cards or cards shaped like fish. Have each student pick one word. Have students work in pairs to make their own story using a personal situation about one or more of the feeling words they drew. They may draw the story, write or do both. Have students volunteer to share their words and stories with the whole class.

Information/Comments/Follow- To extend vocabulary have students think, write and say other words that begin with each letter of the alphabet

 If things don’t go as well as planned: School counselor may need to further engage students in a role playing activity if the students are unable to connect with the initial lesson. Sometimes students do have a difficult time identifying the word with an expressed feeling. Relate the feelings to things that have happened in the child’s life. Acting out the emotions could be a way to engage and connect those kinesthetic learners.

Follow up activities for the class: Have students to cut out pictures of people’s faces that show an emotion and make a collage of faces with identified emotions. *old magazines/newspapers would be needed for this portion*

Magic Wand

If I had a magic wand and could change only one thing in/for my school I wish that each child had responsible and competent parents. If the kids in my school had good role models at home, I think that a lot of behavior problems could be alleviated but there are such a large number of students who have no positive example of what exemplary should look like from anyone but school staff. We also have a great amount of kids being raised by grandparents, and grandparents have a difficult time it seems filling in the role of parent. In most instances that grandparents are raising their grandkids is because the moms and dads are in jail or not allowed to have custody because of a variety of reasons, most usually relating back to drugs or DUI’s, and even some domestic violence charges.  If each child did have a positive home life, there would be more literate students coming to school, students would be engaged in appropriate settings and surroundings at home, and not be as aware of sex, drugs, and other things that fifth grade students and under should not know about yet. If I could wave my magic wand I would be able to increase the likelihood that students could have a fighting chance without struggle from where they come from to succeed in life.

First Tape Review

The first peer review assignment that I completed was a classroom guidance lesson about bullying. I did feel fairly confident in my lesson because from a ‘teacher’ standpoint I thought this would be the type of counseling situation that I would be the most familiar with. I do feel confident in my abilities to guide and lead a classroom of kids to talk and learn about specific issues.

I know that I need to continue to work on my questioning styles, I sometimes like to over talk things as I had mentioned in a previous blog. I am consciously aware and trying to be careful in that manner.

I will know that my counseling abilities have improved when I am able to validate my efforts against a well seasoned counselor and when I reflect about my progress I will be able to monitor where I have grown and recognize where I still need growth.

I will continue to work to improve my counseling skills by adding to my experience and seeking knowledge that will be beneficial to me. I will also work with my supervising counselor at my school to gain insight on techniques and applications that will be useful to me.

While we are in class it helps me to hear about what has worked for my classmates and just as much what some may have tried and it did not work. I do like to hear examples as well as non-examples, sometimes hearing what wasn’t successful helps me gain more of an insight and perspective about situations.