Blog

Deciding how to invest in your learning environment is one of the most impactful decisions you can make. We all understand that a well-equipped, engaging, and supportive classroom enhances student learning and fosters a positive school culture. But turning that understanding into an every day reality can be challenging. So how and where should we invest in our classrooms to ensure ongoing, continuous success? Key areas to consider include…    Enhancing Classroom Resources Enhanc …

Part 3: How to build and sustain your personal self-care system Develop a self-care system that works best for you. Start small by making one change at a time. Eventually, this change will become second nature and more like a habit. Once one practice feels like a natural part of your routine, you can add another. Small, consistent changes to your daily routine can lead to big improvements in your well-being over time. Taking care of yourself is essential – especially if you’re a scho …

Welcome to this three-part blog series on self-care. In Part 1, we’ll explore why self-care is essential for counselors. Part 2 will take a deeper look at what self-care truly means by dividing it into eight key categories. And, finally, in Part 3, we’ll learn how to develop a personalized self-care system that will fit our own unique needs. Part 1: A Counselor's Need for Self-Care It's no secret that many of us are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. The field of education has evolve …

There’s something magical about giving power to students to resolve peer conflicts. No longer is it an adult who is steering the conversation, giving consequences, and perhaps even making judgements on a student’s decision-making ability. Instead, it’s a peer who is nonjudgmentally listening to both sides of a situation and helping to brainstorm solutions.  Peer mediation is like having good friends help two students work out a problem when they’re not getting along. …

Many people believe that autistic individuals lack empathy. This is not true. The reason this misconception never seems to get discarded may be due, in part, to its deep historical roots. Early descriptions of autism and autistic individuals, dating as far back as the 1930s, tended to emphasize the social and communication difficulties associated with the condition. This helped foster an assumption that autistic individuals lacked empathy. Even as recently as the early 2000s, research suggested …

Most of us can remember feeling dread in the moments before taking a test, and the fears, self-doubts, and what ifs that flourish in those moments: What if I get stuck on a question? What if I don’t know the answer? What if I freeze and forget everything? Today’s students have the same fears and doubts. But they also experience those emotions more frequently and sometimes more intensely. Why? Because in addition to their classroom tests, there has been a steady rise in the number …

When it comes to any type of counseling, the strength of the therapeutic relationship is the number one factor that contributes to positive counseling outcomes. Without establishing rapport and a solid working alliance with students, no intervention will ever really amount to much. Relationship-building is truly the bedrock of the school counseling profession. As we embark on 2025, here’s a handy little acrostic (KEEPERS) comprised of seven tips to help school counselors build stronger re …

“In order to get a friend, you have to be a friend. Be ready to be a friend.” This insightful quote from Maya Angelou highlights a valuable truism: The first step to having meaningful and rewarding friendships requires becoming a good friend and being friendly to others. With that in mind, what are the best strategies and tips we can share with our kids to help them be a better friend and enjoy healthier friendships? Here are several that can make a real difference: Use active list …