National School Counseling Week: The Whole Child

I hope that all of you have had a wonderful National School Counseling Week, and that you have been celebrated and appreciated within your school communities for the tireless work that you do on behalf of students and families.

How do we continue to educate our communities about the change in our role since our students' parents were in school?  How do we share that we strive to work with all students versus a select few?  How can we communicate that we use data to develop programming to prevent issues of concern before they ever begin?  Click on the video below to see one example of how school counselors across the country are getting the word out:

National School Counseling Week: Advocacy

What would happen if there were fewer school counselors available to work with students?

Sadly, we have first hand knowledge of what happens.  Philadelphia is a prime example, having cut school counseling positions prior to the start of this school year.  As recently as last month, there have been discussions about how this has disenfranchised students as it relates to the college and post-secondary process.

As school counselors who work tirelessly advocating for students' academic success, social-emotional well-being, and college and career readiness skills, we know that without our services being offered at reasonable ratios, it is the students who stand to lose the most.  There is much work to be done at the state and national level with regards to education about our role in student achievement and how that role is vital in supporting the whole child, the family, and the community.  However, the real work begins at the local level.  Schools are primarily funded and guided by the communities that they serve.  Thus, I was impressed when I came across the video series below (many thanks to the Virginia School Counselor Association for sharing this via social-media), as it is a prime example of a local community examining the loss of school counseling positions and how that directly impacts students and schools.  Yes, they interchangeably use the term "guidance" and "school" counselor, and they refer to ASCA as the "American Counseling Association" (a fine organization of which I am a member, but not the organization to which they are referring in these news segments).  What I find particularly amazing is that in this community, the loss of school counselors was seen as a story of such importance that it was given two nights, not just one.  Take a look at the segments below:

Part 1: Guidance Counselor Crisis: Growing Ratios in Michigan and Indiana

Part 2: Guidance Counselor Crisis: The Stress of a Heavy Workload

National School Counseling Week 2013: Friday

I work with new school counselors in my district, and last night was our monthly class.  One of the topics we covered was self-care, something I have  previously written about.  It's February, and this can be an overwhelming time of year.   Semester grades have recently been posted, causing both joy but also angst and frustration.  It's dark and cold, and mental-health issues can begin to pop up with more frequency on our case-loads. Further, college acceptances are beginning to trickle in, application deadlines are wrapping up, and the anxiety over financial aid and scholarships has begun.  Academic advising season is upon us, and kids and parents are wondering what classes to take for next year that will help them meet post-secondary goals.  For many of our students and families, things are occurring that may be beyond their control, and they look to us to help steady and reassure them.  It is in these times that it is most important to check in with ourselves and our lives to make sure that we taking care of our most important client: ourselves.

I hope that students and staff have taken time this week to thank you for all that you do.  Ideally, you have also been able to share with your communities our role, preparation, and the impact that school counselors are able to have on students.  This weekend, have your own personal celebration by finding time to engage with your families and friends, get some exercise, grab a massage, or just veg on the couch with some excellent bad-television.  Recharge--it's the most important gift you can give to yourself.
 

National School Counseling Week 2013: Thursday

Many schools have class rocks, a rock that each class paints and repaints each year to show their school spirit.  At my school, we really only have one rock that serves as part billboard, part spirit-builder, and part emotional outlet.  If we have school plays coming up, the rock will magically be painted overnight by little elves to promote the latest theatrical production.  If one of our sports teams makes it to a playoff, the dawn arrives and announce to all that we need to show our support.  What always catches me, though, is when the inevitable events that transpire in life leave our community unable to find the words to express how we feel, the rock becomes a reflection of our grief, our despair, our inability to make sense of things that are senseless.  Ironically, in these moments, this inanimate rock of stone embodies our humanity.  This is what it currently shares:

This week allows us to take time to celebrate our work with our schools and communities, as well as sharing with our stakeholders the value of the job that we undertake on a daily basis.  I was extremely moved today by this video from California.  California has some of the highest ratios of students to counselors, 1016 students to 1 counselor according to the American School Counselor Association.  You can see how your state stacks up here.  We are highly trained and can have a strong effect on schools' academic achievement, personal/social education, and post-secondary outcomes.  However, we must have realistic and manageable caseloads in order to bring about systemic changes that directly impact students, families, communities, and society at large.  The students here bring home the power of our profession:

As we draw into the final day of National School Counseling Week, my hope is that you have been offered moments of thanks from your own students.  We have become a data-driven, focused profession that measures our impact through student outcomes, but it is nice to receive those warm-fuzzies from time to time...as well as some cake.

National School Counseling Week 2013: Wednesday

I love flowers.  These were given to me this morning by one of my students as I walked into school.  Since there is no natural light in our offices, they really helped to brighten the place up:

This whole week, students create posters, decorate our offices, bake sugary treats, design watercolor cards with poems, and bring us small tokens of their appreciation, such as these flowers, to celebrate National School Counseling Week.  I often think about the fact that there are so many negative news stories and perceptions out there of youth.  It concerns me, because this is not what I see every day in my work.  I am privileged to see young people do positive things on a daily basis.  Some are large, like our Student Government Association partnering with us to implement a week-long anti-bullying campaign.  Some are small, such as the other day when a student of mine was kind enough to give a new student a tour of the school to make him feel welcome.  More often than not, though, in moments that really count, I see kids taking care of each other, being compassionate, overcoming obstacles, thinking through deep life questions, and engaging with the world in a positive manner.

At one of our opening in-services, this video was shown.  As school counselors, I believe we see the children and adolescents of today not as empty shells, but rather as full of hope and promise:

National School Counseling Week 2013: Tuesday

Dear readers, if I could conceivably share these muffins, coffee-cake, and lemon-bread that a student of mine baked for me to celebrate National School Counseling Week, I would.  My hope is that you can smell them through the computer/tablet/phone screen.

In my post yesterday, I included some photos of the decorations outside and inside of my office.  The students, families, administration, and staff at my school treat us extremely well, not only during this particular week, but all year long.  In response to that post, Marty Stevens over at This Counselor's Journey responded on Twitter that I must be "filled with humility."  Indeed, I am.

To be a school counselor is to dedicate yourself to a life of service.  We give of ourselves on a daily basis through our time and through our emotional energy.  We provide what so many people in this non-stop, on-the-go world are looking for--someone to simply listen and acknowledge their thoughts and feelings.  We are constantly giving of ourselves to our students, their families, the school community, and to the community-at-large.  Not everyone can do this work.  So often when we talk about our careers in education with others the response is, "I could never do that."  Yet, fellow school counselors, we can.  Somewhere, we are hard-wired to advocate for those who need extra help, to provide an ear when no one else will seem to listen, and to believe in the ability of kids to succeed even if the faith of others has faltered.  This mission to lend aid, to better humanity, to level the playing field, to bring joy and comfort and hope is what drives me to walk that free-reduced lunch paperwork down to the cafeteria directly versus having the student put it in the mail because I know it will go through faster.  It is why I attend that IEP meeting to lend my voice to a student who needs more services.  It is why I find peer-tutoring for a first-generation college-bound student so that they can have the support they need to be academically successful and meet that dream of attending a university.

I am humbled every day by my job, and I work very hard not to forget the place of privilege that I possess in our culture.  I will never be a millionaire, but I have had the emotional and financial support of a loving family, vast educational and artistic experiences, and professional opportunities that have never left me wondering where my next meal will come from, where I will sleep at night, whether anyone in this world loves me, and whether I will be able to achieve my dreams.  My hope, and the hope of school counselors everywhere, is that through our efforts we can help others find the same security, sense of belonging, and wings for their dreams.

We do not do this work with any expectation of thanks.  Still, it is really nice to hear on occasion.  However, just in case no one else has said it to you thus far this week...

 

National School Counseling Week 2013: Monday

Happy National School Counselor Week!  This was what I walked into this morning:

It is wonderful to be appreciated!

School counselors, we work hard.  Okay, we work really hard.  Somedays, we work until we just about fall over. This week is for us to celebrate all that we do that has an impact upon our students' academic and personal well-being.  However,  it is also a week to help educate our stakeholders in our schools, our school systems, and our communities about what our training has taught us to do and the role that we have in schools.  If we do not, we run the risk of having others define our role for us.

Looking for inspiration?  ASCA and other bloggers have posted wonderful resources and ideas about ways to celebrate this week. Whether you have planned out activities for the week or just have the time and space to plan something for a day, they have something for you--just click the buttons below:

In the meantime, here are some students sharing the impact of their school counselors on their lives, classes, and future plans: