Stressing the Test

According to Teachers College at Columbia University, American students take more than 100 million standardized tests every year!  These test results are taken seriously by educators, parents, students, and local officials.  Standardized tests are stressful because of the way they are administrated and the high stakes nature.  Standardized tests are timed, include complex directions and ridged rules.  On top of that, students are not allowed to ask questions or obtain help from their teachers.  This pressure impacts both students and teachers. Stress around the test can impact both well prepared students and seasoned teachers. 

Here are some ways I help teachers, parents, and students stress less:

• At the beginning of the third quarter, I collaborated with the clinical team to write a newsletter to help teachers recognize and manage their own stress. 
• To help parents, we spend time at the PTA meeting talking about the upcoming test and how parents can support their children during the stressful season.  I raffled off Testing Survival Toolkits and the families loved them!

• During Parent Teacher Conferences, I set up a letter writing station where family members can write encouraging notes to their student to pump them up on testing mornings!

• Last but not least, I work with students in small groups to help recognize stress and learn stress reduction techniques.  Here are some examples of resources that I use in small groups.  While they are written for elementary aged students, there are important messages and fun activities that I have adapted to use with students in 7th and 8th grade as well.  The books pictured are: Wilma Jean the Worry Machine  by Julia Cook, Wilma Jean the Worry Machine Activity and Idea Book by Julia Cook, and The Big Test by Julie Danneberg.  I highly recommend adding all three of these to your library!

When all stakeholders have the strategies to beat testing stress, students will be able to show their full potential.  These stress reduction techniques are not only important for testing situations, but can also be applied in other high stress situations.  I hope this helps you to stress less!

Organization and Orange Juice

When I was in high school, I came home and told my mom that I lost my coat at school and needed a new one. We looked everywhere for that coat, but it had just disappeared and my mom bought me a new coat.  When I cleaned out my locker in June, I found the coat (along with many other "missing" items).

 I know how important organization skills are in high school, college, and the world of work.  I am lucky enough to work with a group of 6th grade students on Monday mornings to develop organization habits early so that they are set up for success.  In order to make it fun, I serve orange juice and give out organization supplies as prizes for surprise data points, like punctuality or homework completion.

Here is an overview of how I make it fun and effective.

Week 1: In the initial session, students learn the purpose, discuss the ground rules, complete a pretest, and play Name That School Supply!  Having all of the necessary supplies is the first step in getting organized.  I wrapped various school supplies and taped a hint to the outside.  For example, mechanical pencils were wrapped with this hint on the outside: Make sure you are always prepared and stay sharp. When you're sharp and focused, you'll be able to show your Brain Power and do your best. 

Week 2: In the second session, students hear from older students in the school about why organization is important in the seventh and eight grade and as they prepare for high school.  The older students had great tips about taking the time to put papers in the correct place at the end of class or when homework has been completed.  Students then work on a check list or binder reminder to help them keep their binders organized.

Week 3: In this session, students put a laminated copy of the binder reminder in the front of their binders.  They have an opportunity to practice using the binder reminder to toss out old papers and put papers in the appropriate tab or folder. To add some joy factor, we shake organized binders to make sure nothing falls out!  Half of the students earned a prize this week for improving their homework percentages.

Week 4: Students have more organization time during this session and also discuss how to use close out time (the end of class) efficiently and effectively.  Throughout the week, I visit classroom to help students apply the skills that they learned in the group and maintain organization throughout the week.

Week 5: As we prepare to terminate the group, students have 5 minutes of individual organization time and learn how to stay organized outside of school.  We know that a clean, quiet place at home is essential for students to complete homework, study, and stay organized.  We also know that students have different living situations that make this a challenge.  Students work with a partner to determine how they can create a space at home that helps them get and stay organized.

Week 6: This is the week of the post test and celebration!  Orange juice is accompanied by other delicious breakfast foods.

Here is a before and after shot of one of my newly organized students!  Let's hope his binder stays that way!

Loom Bands and Counseling

 

Loom Bands are the new craze and students are wearing them as bracelets, belts, headbands, necklaces, suspenders, and lanyards.  I was inspired by the students' creativity and thought about how I could use these in my counseling work with students.  Here are some of the ways I have been using Loom Bands lately:

 

• Grief Counseling: I allow the student to pick out a color that represents them, a color that represents their loved one, and a charm that reminds them of their loved one.  While the student is making their Loom Band, we talk about their special person.  Once the bracelet is complete, we talk about how the bracelet can be a way to honor and remember their loved one.
• Friendship Groups:  A fun way to wrap up a small group on friendship and social skills is by having the students make bracelets for one another.  This is a way to celebrate the work and serves as a reminder of the skills that were taught in the group.
• Helping students with Impulse Control: One strategy I often use with students who are struggling with impulse control is "Stop, Think, Choose".  A Loom Band with red, yellow, and green can be made and worn as a reminder to stop and think before acting.
• Termination: I have had a few students ask if they can create a Loom Band in their final counseling sessions.  We create Loom Bands while we process the termination.  At the end, the student has a Loom Band that they can take with them that will remind them of the work they did in counseling.

I make sure to talk with students about appropriate use of the Loom Bands in class so they do not become a distraction.  So far, all of the students have loved making them and there have not been any problems with them becoming distractions.  YouTube is full of videos to teach you how to make these and I think I'm ready to start learning the intermediate level designs!

You can buy your Loom Band Kit on Amazon and learn how to make the fishtail Loom Band on YouTube.



National School Counseling Week

When I tell people that I am a school counselor, many will ask me what I do each day.  I used National School Counseling Week as an opportunity to help teachers better understand the role of the school counselor. 

Here are some of the highlights from the week:

 

• Lego Challenge: I piqued the interest of teachers by putting a vase filled with Legos in the teacher's lounge.  Teachers were asked to estimate the number of Legos in the vase.  A sign above the display said, "School Counselors connect with stakeholders to support student success."  The winning teacher won a $10 Starbucks gift card.
• Counseling Resource Open House: While my office door is almost always open, I extended a special invitation to teachers to visit my office one day this week.  I had books and games arranged by topic and on display for teachers to browse. This helped teachers to see the various topics that I address with students.  I had treats, ASCA bookmarks, and copies of my resource inventory for teachers to take.  I encouraged teachers to reach out to me if they ever want to borrow any of the resources! 
• Thank you for making the School Counseling Program BLOOM: On the final day of National School Counseling Week, I had ordered an Edible Arrangement for the teacher's lounge.  I left a note for the teachers thanking them for their support and for making the school counseling program BLOOM.  This was certainly a big hit!

Before leaving work on Friday, one of the teachers said, "Thank you so much for the fruit and for everything this week.  I enjoyed it and learned something new."  I'm going to count that one as a success and look forward to activities that reach students and parents next year!