I Work at a Low-Performing School. I Am Not a Low-Performing Teacher.

I work at an impoverished school.

I love my job, and my students.

My test scores come back.

I am an ineffective teacher.
 

One of my students is living in a motel.

They need extra food.

Six people living in one motel room.

I am an ineffective teacher.
 

One of my students is a newcomer.

They just arrived from El Salvador.

I greet them every morning with a hug.

I am an ineffective teacher.
 

One of my students stayed up late, real late.

Mom and dad were fighting again.

The police came and took dad away.

I am an ineffective teacher.
 

My students love being at school.

One student tells me they want to live with me.

When winter break arrives, some are saddened.

I am an ineffective teacher.
 

One of my students is little, but can't be little.

She helps takes care of the baby in the house.

She wakes up in the night to feed the baby.

I am an ineffective teacher.
 

 

I work at an impoverished school.

I love my job, and my students.

My test scores come back.

I am an ineffective teacher.

 

It is a new year and I move to teach at a new school.

The parents donate everything on my wish list, and more.

The students spent their summer at camps and museums.

Can I hide that I am an ineffective teacher?
 

I work at an affluent school.

I love my job, and my students.

My test scores come back.

I am an effective teacher.

Wait, I am the same teacher.

A new teacher takes my place at my old school.
The "effective" teachers don't want to work there.
The students wonder why their beloved teachers are gone.
She is a first year teacher.

She works at an impoverished school.
She loves her job, and her students.
Her test scores come back.
She is an ineffective teacher.



Kindness Month

Do you want to bring a positive focus to your school climate?

Do you want to empower kids to be "change makers"?

 

 

For the past two years, I have facilitated Kindness Month at my school.  Below are some of activities that have been included as part of this exciting time!

 

 

 

 

 

The Kindness Calendar

Kindness Calendars are posted throughout the school, including in each classroom. Students are challenged each day to fulfill the random act of kindness. I made my calendars bi-lingual (English on the front and Spanish on the back) so that teachers could copy and send home if desired.

 

 

Kindness Counts Spirit Week - A newsletter is sent home with all students informing students about Spirit Week.  In addition to the Spirit Days, information about bullying is included.

 

           Kindness Bucks - All staff are given Kindness Bucks. If a staff member "catches" a student being kind, they give the student a Kindness Buck.  Students write their name and their teacher's name on the Kindness Buck. In mid-February, students are allowed to use their Kindness Bucks to enter raffles to win prizes (e.g. soccer ball, puzzle, jump rope).

 
 
 
 
          The Raffle - In the morning before the bell rings, students can bring their Kindness Bucks to the main hallway and put it in a bowl of their choice for the item they want to win!  I have the table set up for two consecutive mornings in case a student is absent. I announce the winners over the morning announcements!

 

 

 



Step Out of the Quicksand

When we graduate college, we have only worked with "textbook" problems. We haven't yet experienced the complex multi-faceted real-life situations that will face us.

When I walked across the graduation stage in 2010, I set out to change the world.  I wasn't exactly sure how, but I felt destined. 

And then...reality hit. And what a crushing blow reality can be. 

First, there's bureaucracy - a system that creates barriers for those with less.
Then, there are the naysayers - the people who discount your dreams and tell you "how it really is."
And lastly, there are so many problems - how can I change the world when SO much is wrong?

There are so many wonderful quotes about optimism.

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."     Winston Churchill

 "Don't dig up in doubt what you planted in faith."     Elisabeth Elliot

"Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams."     Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Optimism has captured the attention of researchers.  They find that it may improve outcomes for health, lifespan, and life quality.  If this is true, then can't it surely improve outcomes for educators?  Yet, we as educators find ourselves drowning in the quicksand of pessimism. 

So where do I begin my journey of educational optimism?  It is a path riddled with bureaucracy, naysayers, and problems.  Here's are 3 points for a simple starting place.

1. Start with one daily affirmation.  Below are some choices.

• I am in charge of my happiness today.
• I will bring light and peace to others today.
• I will focus on what I can do today.
• I make mistakes and learn from them.

2. Start with one child.

• Choose a child that both pushes and pulls at you.  Here is what I mean...the child's behavior pushes you away but their emotional and/or social needs pull you in.  Focus on building a positive relationship with this one child.  Just one child.

3. Start with the 2 people closest to you at work.

• Share with them your goal to choose optimism.
• You need "wing men/women" to support you in your journey of educational optimism.

No, you're not too late to be optimistic.  You can start today.

Being optimistic doesn't mean you ignore the problems that poison society. It means you find happiness and joy in your choices in this journey of life.  You find peace and contentment in the light you bring to dark places. It means you intentionally remember your calling to be an educator and the greatness of that calling. 

Step out of the quicksand today. And step into optimism.

Winter Bulletin Board

There's "SNOW" many ways to be kind!

 

Using Multimedia to Advocate for the School Counseling Profession

Great way to use multimedia to advocate

for the school counseling profession!

 

5 Facts about 21st Century School Counselors

Using Jenga to Teach Impulse Control

As a counselor, we often see students who display hyperactive or impulsive behavior.  One of my roles with these students is to teach them the skills they may lack.  These skills might include delaying gratification, concentrating, and making choices.

Jenga is a great game to illustrate and practice all of these skills. 

Below are some great questions to ask while playing Jenga to help the student make real-life connections:

• How do you make a good choice about which block to pull?
• What would happen if you pull a block without thinking first?
• You have to think ahead about what will happen when playing Jenga. How do you think ahead when making a choice in class?
• What happens in class when you don't think first before making a choice?
• How do you make choices in class?

Jenga is also a great time to reinforce any positive skills you notice, such as...

• I noticed you really took your time deciding which block to pull.  Good job!
• You are really thinking about what will happen if you pull that block. 
• I like the way you think about each option before choosing which block to pull. 

Need Ready-Made Multimedia Lessons? Try Ted Ed!

Finding the Right TedEd Lesson

TedEd allows you to search for multimedia lessons by:

• Age of the student (elementary, middle, high)
• Duration of the lesson
• Content of the lesson.

What is a TedEd Lesson?

Each TedEd lesson generally follows this order...

1. Watch. (Students watch an engaging YouTube video.)
2. Think. (Students answer multiple choice or short answer questions.)
3. Dig Deeper. (Students read additional information and can access links to other pertinent articles or websites that may be of interest.)
4. Discuss. (Students read discussion questions and answer online. Students can also read other users' responses.)

You can even create your own lessons!

Why Does This Matter?

TedEd lessons are a great way to flip lessons or incorporate technology into classroom guidance! 

Check out links to 2 great TedEd lessons below!

3 Tips to Boost Your Self-Confidence TedEd Lesson
Overcoming Obstacles TedEd Lesson