8 Super Charged Resources for School Counselor Week

Happy National School Counselor Week

February 1 - 5, 2016

 

 

There are tons of activities and things to do to get the word out about your comprehensive school counseling program this week.  The internet and social media keep making it easier to find great ideas and tweak them to fit your school or population.  Look for ideas on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and at the ASCA website.  Check out and click the links below.  

 

#1

 Check out National School Counselor Week activities and ideas on Pinterest!  

Click here. 

#2

Activities from ASCA.  Click here.

 

 

#3

At my school we are using the morning announcements that ASCA has already written!  How easy is that!  We tweaked it for our own purposes and our principal is reading them out loud after the Pledge of Allegiance.  The announcements reflect the theme of "Recipe for Success" for the week.  

Click here to get the ASCA announcements for your School Counseling Week. 

#4

Create Your Own Special T-Shirt 

 

Some counselors are creating their own t-shirts for National School Counselor Week 

and the 100th Day of School.  

Here are some simple steps to help you create your very own t-shirt with your computer. 

I have created some of my own T-shirts using designs made on word or publisher.  

It is really easy!

 

 Follow the steps here:

1)  Create your own design or find a picture in the free domain or purchase one on Pinterest.  There is probably a lot of free clip art right on your computer!

2) Use a lot of bright color and make it big.  Kids like bright colors and big designs, plus they will stand out better on a t-shirt.

3) Purchase a t-shirt at the fabric store.  I have found yellow t-shirts at bargain prices during Christmas time when everyone wants green, red, and white.  In fact, I was able to purchase 8 yellow t-shirts for 25 cents each in adult sizes.  Many times new t-shirts can be found at 3 or 4 for a $1.00.  Be sure to wash your shirt before you apply your design.

4) Purchase Fabric Transfers.  I use Avery 8.5" x 11" Light Fabric Transfers.  You get six sheets in a package.

5) After you have created or downloaded your design, print it out on regular paper in color to see if it is the correct size and color(s) you want.

6) If all is OK, print your design on the fabric transfer sheet.  Follow the directions - it's easy.  Instead of paper, simply print on the fabric sheet which you load right into your own printer!

7) Follow the instructions on the fabric sheet package.  Get your iron hot and ready and GO!

8)  You have now created a great t-shirt.  Wear it with a smile!

#5

Here is a special offer for you from Counselor Games!

Check out the Play Therapy Workshop Special.  Learn play therapy techniques using everyday games to teach anger control, stress management, decision making, relationship building, making friends, communication skills and much more.  It is hands-on curriculum at your fingertips!

Visual, Auditory, Hands-On
Ages 3 - 93
Everyone Loves Games

 

#6

Find ideas on facebook at Counselor Games.

LIKE Counselor Games on Facebook

#7

Free Giant Pick-Up Sticks with your Play Pack order for National School Counselor Week. 

Offer expires February 8, 2016. 

The Play Pack has everything you need to get started using and implementing play therapy.  

It includes demonstrations and the games.  

 

 

 

#8

Awesome ideas for the 100th Day of School.  Our Day 100 is February 4th. 

100+ Activities for the 100th Day of School

Counselor Games Blog

 Some of these ideas are great to let others know about your counseling program. 

 

   Grace Wilhelm is a National Board Certified Counselor with experience inn mental health and school counseling.  She enthusiastically presents to counselors, teachers, youth workers, and parents on anger, stress, crises intervention, communication, data, counseling programs, play sessions, and more.

Contact us at info @counselorgames.com 

Meet the Counselor Game

Another Great Article by Jeannie Maddox

 

Meet the Counselor with Jenga!

Looking for a quick and easy "Welcome Back- What is a School Counselor lesson?"  Well, you've found one!  We've been playing School Counselor Jenga and the kids love it.  Actually, kids just love Jenga!   I had no idea how much until I bought a set of Jenga blocks for my School Counselor intro lesson. When I mentioned Jenga they got all excited. They stayed engaged the entire lesson and were very careful not to knock over the Jenga tower so everyone in their class could have a turn.
This was truly one of the easiest, simplest and most engaging lessons I have ever done. Seriously!

Lesson Prep
1. Buy Jenga blocks
2. Make and print a numbered list of questions
3. Number your blocks
4. Play School Counselor Jenga!

Make a numbered list of questions that reflect all the information you want your students to know about you, your job, procedures for seeing you, school rules, behavioral expectations or whatever is unique to you, your school, and your school counseling program. I came up with 42 questions for my lesson. You can see my list HERE to give you some ideas of what you might ask. Some of my questions are generic and can be used by all School Counselors, but since our schools, programs and procedures are different, your list will need to reflect the things that are special to your population and your school.  Next, get your Jenga blocks and using a black permanent marker, number the blocks to match your list of questions. You can number them on the top or on the end.  I chose to number mine on the end, no special reason.  I had about a dozen blank blocks left over, but that was okay, I had to rack my brain for the 42 questions on my list!

Playtime
After a brief introduction of new students, a reminder about procedures and my expectations for classroom behavior we got down to Jenga Time!  I explained I was not going to tell them about my job this year because they had been hearing from me for years.  This year, I was going have them tell me and each other what a School Counselor does.  I had the blocks set up on a table in the front of the room and told them we would take turns coming up and removing a block.  They would tell me the number and I would give them a School Counselor question.  If they couldn't answer it, they were allowed to call on a friend to help. I used the number of the day they were born to determine the order in which they would come up to take their turn. When I had 3 students born on the 18th, we went in order of which month came first.  The students had a great time, cheered, clapped and encouraged each other. Twenty-five missing blocks later our tower was still standing and my students had shown me how much they knew about what a School Counselor does and had taught our new students too.

Insights
As we played School Counselor Jenga, as I decided to call it, I had two thoughts.  First, I became aware of the things about my job the students struggled with or did not understand.  I  learned I have some re-teaching to do. Secondly, I began to realize my numbered Jenga blocks could be used in this same fun way to review a lesson or skills and assess how well my students understood the concepts of that lesson or unit.  How fun would that be?

The Inspiration
I was inspired to use Jenga after attending an ASCA session this summer on using games in your School Counseling program. I saw presenter Grace Wilhelm  demonstrate how she uses Jenga to get to know her students at the beginning of the school year. This got my brain thinking about how I could use games to introduce the School Counselor.  Thanks Grace!  To learn more about how to use all sorts of games in your counseling program, visit Grace at her blog Counselor Games.

Thanks for stopping by!  Here's to fun and engaging Meet the Counselor lessons!




Learn more about Jeannie's blog here: Exploring School Counseling.

Professional Development:  Learn Play Therapy Techniques
Two DVDs with demonstrations to show you how to integrate play therapy into everyday games to teach students about anger control, stress management, study skills, test taking, making friends and more.  Get your professional development now at Counselor Games.

  

Be a Contributor in a Book

Would you like to be a contributor in a quote book for students?

We are collaborating with counselors and teachers on a book of motivational and inspiring quotes for students to achieve academic and personal success.  If you have a favorite quote you would like to share, simply send your quote and the originator to us.

Here are four ways to share your quote:

1) Send your quote to  info @ counselorgames.com .

2) You can also share your quote in the comments below this blog.

3)  Share your quote on Facebook at Counselor Games.

4)  Share your quote on Twitter @counselorgames

If we use your quote, you could be named as a contributor in the book.

The book will be offered as a FREE eBook for your parents, faculty and students.  Wouldn't that be nice with your name in it!


A paperback book may be available at a low cost.

You Can Learn Play Therapy Techniques

Play Therapy is Creative, Engaging and Fun!

Too often I hear schools counselors say "I wish I learned play therapy".  Today professional development is expensive and hard to come by for specific areas.  Here is an easy solution: Get your professional development sent to you. 

Play Therapy allows you to use everyday games to teach counseling strategies.
What would your small groups or individual sessions look like if you did this:  

Teach anger control with Jenga. 
Teach stress management with Don't Break the Ice. 
Learn how to make friends with Tumble. 

Learn the importance of being organized with Perfection!

and more................... 

It is easy-peasy.  We make it simple and fun.  We give you demonstrations on DVD.  Watch them over at your leisure.  Get the ideas and RUN with them.  Get your creative juices going!  

Right now check out the BOGO: purchase one DVD, get one FREE!  at counselorgames.com 


And there is more.  There is the Play Pack which has everything you need to get started fast.    *   Two DVDs of play therapy techniques with everyday games
*   Topple
*   Tumble
*   Jumpin' Monkeys 
*  Two booklets with ideas and lists of strategies for students 
*  FREE Giant Pick-Up Sticks - automatically shipped with all orders by July 31, 2015.

It is easy!  We show you how!

Get started today.  

Have lessons that are  Creative, Engaging and Fun!

 

info @ counselorgames.com 

 

Fabulous Teacher Ideas for the New School Year 15-16

Oscar Staton

 Have You Heard of Teacher Talk Live?

Oscar Staton is the creator and host of a new teacher on-line show called Teacher Talk Live.  His website is Teachcow.com.  You can watch past shows on the website.  You can join him on twitter at #teachertalklive or @teachcow.  Oscar's interests have been in student achievement, filmmaking, social media and marketing.  He combines all of this at Teachcow and Teacher Talk Live!


Last week I participated as a guest panelist on "Get a Fresh Start".  This episode is about getting ready for the new school year.  Counselors are an enormous support to teachers to help them know their students before they arrive on the first day.  The panel discussion is lively and facilitated by Dr. Goins. 



 Click to view
                                                                                                                     
You may be interested in being a guest on the show.  Simply visit the website and complete the application for the topic/show you are interested in.  Counselors do great things for educators and students.  Reach higher now!


You can also join Counselor Games on FB where a daily quote is shared to help motivate and inspire students, faculty, and parents.  Be sure to "Like" and follow!
Counselor Games is Play Therapy for Schools. 

4 Internal Factors of Anger that Affect Kids

 Anger can come from internal or external factors. 

People have different dispositions.  This means that some people are easy-going and carefree, while others feel stressed out by little things.  Besides having different dispositions, people also have different ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.  Some of these ways have been learned since they were a baby.  They are learned both individually and culturally.  These internal factors affect how a person deals with anger.

Some internal factors contribute to anger

1.  Poor Thinking.  Having bad thoughts and high expectations are examples of poor thinking.  Another example is talking bad about yourself.  Self-talk is when we talk to ourselves.  Everyone does this and it is very normal.  However, it is not normal or healthy to use negative self-talk.  This happens when we say, “I am so stupid.”  “If I did it this way, that would not have happened.”  “What a jerk I am.”  “Who could ever like me?”  “No one cares about me.”  Sometimes we say these things so much that we start to believe them, even though at the beginning when we started to say them we knew they were not true.

2.      Personal Appraisal.  When something is very important to us it has a high value or appraisal.  Another way to appraise things highly is by taking too personally what happens to us.  We may feel bad or get angry about a referral we received at school, but losing sleep because of a poor decision is caused by high appraisal or wanting to be perfect.

3.      Tension.  Tension is accumulated stress.  When a lot of stress builds up in our life, we need to find a way to release the stress.  Stress that is not released causes anger.

4.      Ill humor.  Being moody, cross, or crabby gets us in the mood for anger.

What are some external causes of anger?

Name some internal factors of anger:

Join the Counselor Tribe at counselorgames.com  Be a part of the Counselor Tribe to help me with feedback and suggestions for my new book: Play Therapy for Schools.   I need your help!  

Simply join the mailing list at the website.  

Need more help with anger for your students.   Check out Anger and Me, a workbook for kids on anger control and management.  It is reproducible, so make as many copies as you need!

 Anger and Me

Questions?  Suggestions?  Contact me: grace@counselorgames.com 

10 Easy Sentences to Help Kids Name Feelings

 How to Help Kids Name Different Feelings

Students often get stuck naming different feelings.  Use this simple activity to help kids identify with the way they feel.  This helps victims, bullies, ADHD, relationships and communication skills. 

Reproducible: 

Complete the following sentences using a feeling.  Try to use a different feeling for each sentence.

When someone is rude to me I feel 

____________________________________________________

When someone is kind to me I feel

 ____________________________________________________

If I were given a surprise party I would feel

 ____________________________________________________

When I say something stupid I feel

 _____________________________________________________

If someone bullied me on-line I would feel

 ____________________________________________________

When all of my friends are out of town I feel

 ____________________________________________________

Just before test grades are passed out, I feel

____________________________________________________

When I talk to someone I really like I feel

____________________________________________________

When I am criticized I feel 

____________________________________________________

When I win at a sport I feel

 ____________________________________________________

Can you name different feelings?  Did you think of some of these?

            Angry, mad, sad, depressed, annoyed, happy, elated, terrified, worried, distraught, confused, lonely, excited, stressed, fatigued, anxious, nervous, belittled, surprised, relaxed, frustrated, degraded

Add your own sentences.  What will you add?  Can you think of themes to create sentence completions?  

Teacher Appreciation Week:  

Purchase the Play Pack in the month of April and get Giant Pick-Up Sticks FREE. 

I need your help!  If you are on my mailing list you are in my special tribe to receive my new book free when you contribute or give feedback.  It will contain lesson plan, games, worksheets and more with content to teach students about stress management, anger control, communication skills, study skills and games integrated in each counseling strategy.   The new title is Play Therapy for Schools.  Join the mailing list today on http://counselorgames.com  Join the Counselor Tribe!

Contact grace@counselorgames.com  with your ideas or feedback.  

Check out this anger control and management workbook for kids.  It is reproducible so make as many copies as you need.    Anger and Me 

 Is there a book in you?  Do you need help getting it published?  We can help.  Contact grace@counselorgames.com or info@counselorgames.com

Best Teacher Appreciation Gift

Teachers love new and fresh ideas!  Make sure your teacher has the best and freshest ideas to help students learn.  Get the Play Pack.  

 What's included in the Play Pack?
* Topple
 * Tumble
 * Jumpin' Monkeys
 * Games and Play DVD Volume I
 * Games and Play DVD Volume II
 * FREE Giant Pick-Up Sticks

DVD include demonstrations on how to use everyday games with play therapy techniques.

It's EASY!  

We show you how to integrate play therapy into your lessons.  Use games to teach students how to make friends, study and organizational skills, how to control anger, reduce bullying, get better grades and more!

Creative, Engaging and FUN!

You know how frustrating it is to pick a game or activity from a catalog?   Oh, no, the game arrives  and it has so many pieces and rules that it is difficult to learn how to play the game.

What's better?  We show you how to use games you already have, simple everyday games like playing cards, Barrel of Monkeys, and pick-up sticks.

It's right here. 
Purchase the Play Pack at counselorgames.com

Purchase for Teacher Appreciation or End of the Year Gift and receive Giant Pick-Up Sticks FREE!

This offer is good until May 31, 2015. 

order now at counselorgames.com

Giant Pick-up Sticks will automatically come with Play Pack orders in  May.  

"These games are very tangible and visual for students.  They are easy to understand. They help the students to really SEE!"
Johanna Lawson
Special Education Teacher


"I have observed Grace as she worked with middle school students with the games. What I noticed was their genuine engagement in the process and the "aha’s" when they were able to understand a concept that related to a life skill! What better way to effectively learn how to manage emotions, get along with others, and the importance of choices than through having fun!!"
Barbara Pepper, PhD, LMHC
National Board Certified Counselor

Questions? Contact info@counselorgames.com

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More Great Ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week

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