Counselor's Corner

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Counselor's Corner

Written by Angel Werner

Wednesday, 02 December 2009 20:42

Updated: August 1, 2010

Welcome to the Counselor Corner!

What is Mrs. Werner doing around school?

Welcome back to school! We will start the school year with a new student party to be held in the NEW School Counselor's office --room 27 for all new students. Details will go home prior to party date. The first enrichment lesson will be bullying prevention. Everyone will review the STOP method. Learn how to deal with someone being mean to them and who to go to for help. Our Bullying policy will be sent home to be signed by the student and their parents. KEEP A LOOK OUT. Please review the STOP method and Bullying policy with your child(ren).

Here you can find out about the school counseling program, parenting tips, anxiety tests, homework help, behavior charts, self esteem, counseling program updates, notes from Mrs. Werner and much more. Have fun!

Please see the counselor's weblinks for:

Self esteem

Test anxiety quiz

Positive Behavior charts

School safety tips

Standardized testing tips

Goal setting

Free reproducibles ---math facts: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and more

What does the School Counselor do?

Counsels with children

Consults with adults

Acts as a voice for Students-“Student Advocate”

Functions as a member of the Advisory Board

Coordinator of the In-Service program-Student Special needs

Acts as a liaison between student, parents, and faculty

Participates in program evaluation

Coordinates school and community services

Conducts small group guidance/support groups

Conducts classroom guidance lessons

What are the Qualifications of the School Counselor?

Your Child’s School Counselor

It’s a new school year, a new set of opportunities and challenges, and a good time to learn more about one of the more important resources offered by your child’s school The School Counselor(Mrs. Angel Werner)

I have a Masters of Education in Counseling from the University of New Orleans. I am a

Nationally Certified Counselor(NCC), Louisiana State certified School Counselor and community counselor, a Licensed Professional Counselor(LPC) and a Registered Play Therapist(RPT).

In order to become a LPC Intern one must graduate from a Council for the Accreditation of

Counseling and Related Educational Programs(CACREP) Accredited Masters Program, pass the

Louisiana State Board Exam for Counselors(National Counselor Exam-NCE). Upon graduating a masters program and passing the NCE one is granted National Certified Counselor Certification

and applicant status for LPC Licensure. An applicant then request LPC Intern status where one must be supervised by an LPC Supervisor for 3,000 Clinical (Counseling) hours. Upon

completion of 3,000 hours The LPC Intern is granted a License to be recognized as a License Professional Counselor(LPC).

While I know and understand your primary focus is on classroom teachers, I can play as an ongoing, vital role in the education of your children. I am educated and trained to work with students in terms of Personal and social development, career exploration, and futurist choices i.e. High school/college. I can also serve as a liaison between adults, students, faculty, and administration. I understand both the educational process and the developmental stages children go through.

I am able to recognize the barriers that may come between a child and the education process. While many of these barriers may seem insignificant in adult terms, they are very real for the child facing them.

There are also significant self-concept development issues around the age of puberty and early adolescence. As children begin to develop an identity of their own, apart from that of their parents, peers become more important. A middle school student is more likely to

confide in friends than any adult, including parents. This stage of development requires special patience and understanding, along with a great deal of skill on the part of the

parent. I can as the School Counselor help both children and parents get through such often trying times.

As the School Counselor, I will not tell a child what to think but rather assist him or her in learning how to think on thier own. In addition, I will help students develop the skills necessary to make decisions and solve problems in a responsible way.

Counseling Benefits for Students, Parents, and Faculty.

STUDENTS:

The elementary school counselor works directly with students in individual and group counseling sessions as well as in classroom guidance lessons so students may:

Be successful in school.
Establish effective study skills.
Adjust to a new school.
Develop positive feelings about work, family, and society.
Build positive feelings towards self and others.
Develop skills in interacting and communicating with others.
Prevent Bulling and Promote kindliness
Identify and accept their own and others' strengths and weaknesses.
Recognize the causes and effects of their actions.
Come responsible for their behavior.
Receive crisis intervention when necessary.
Encourage students to become motivated learners and encourages them to discuss concerns with their parents.
When students work through their social and emotional issues, with the help of their parents and the counselor, they are able to devote attention and energy to the intellectual tasks at school.

Parent The elementary school guidance counselor works with parents through individual consultation, joint consultation with the children's teachers, and parent discussion groups. In these ways the counselor assists parents to:

Understand their children's progress in school.
Select strategies to motivate their children.
Develop realistic goals with their children.
Become actively involved in their children's school and social life.
Understand the educational program K-8.
The counselor may lead parent education and discussion groups and serve as a resource when parents study or discuss child-related issue.
The counselor consults with parents to identify students with special abilities and/or needs. In this capacity the counselor helps parents understand the services available from other school staff such as the school psychologist, social worker, and resource teachers. The counselor helps parents find other professionals within the school system or within the larger community when extra support is needed.

Faculty The elementary school guidance counselor is an integral part of the total elementary school program. The counselor observes children; consults with teachers, psychologists, and social workers; gathers and provides resources; conducts classroom guidance lessons; collaborates on classroom intervention; conducts joint parent conferences; reviews and interprets school records; and serves on committees that plan for the individual needs of specific children. The elementary school guidance counselor helps teachers by:

Consulting with them concerning children.
Planning small group and classroom activities to meet specific needs of students
Gathering and sharing resources.
Observing children in the classroom or on the playground.
Conferencing with parents.
Reviewing student records and discussing their implications with the teachers and/or parents.
Coordinating staff efforts to work with individual students.
Promoting a positive school climate.
Explaining educational needs grades K-8.
The elementary school counselor is a vital resource for the school staff. He or she coordinates and helps implement the staff's efforts to meet the needs of students individually, in small groups of students, and in entire classrooms.

Program Mission Statement

The mission of St. Matthew the Apostle School Counseling Program is to enable all students to experience educational success by providing guidance through the greater glory of God in the areas of academic, career, and personal-social development; counseling to help students overcome challenges that interfere with learning; and advocacy for an environment that supports high achievement for all students. Through the school-counseling program, students become effective learners, responsible citizens, and productive members of a global workforce in God’s Kingdom here on earth and so merit eternal reward.

Program Beliefs

Early identification and intervention of children’s academic and personal/social needs is essential in removing barriers to learning and in promoting academic achievement. The knowledge, attitudes and skills that students acquire in the areas of academic, career and personal/social development during these elementary years serve as the foundation for future success.

Middle school is an exciting, yet challenging time for students, their parents and teachers. During this passage from childhood to adolescence, middle school students are

characterized by a need to explore a variety of interests, connecting their learning in the classroom to its practical application in life and work; high levels of activity coupled with frequent fatigue due to rapid growth; a search for their own unique identity as they begin turning more frequently to peers rather than parents for ideas and affirmation; extreme sensitivity to the comments from others; and heavy reliance on friends to provide comfort, understanding and approval. They are beginning to develop decision-making, communication and life skills, as well as and character values. It is also a time when students develop and acquire attitudes toward school self, peers, social groups and family.

Program Delivery System

School Guidance Curriculum

Individual Student Needs

Response Services

Systems Support

Program Rationale

Guidance Curriculum – The guidance curriculum component consists of structured developmental lessons designed to assist students in achieving the competencies and is presented systematically through classroom and group activities K-12. The purpose of the guidance curriculum is to provide every student with the knowledge and skills appropriate

for the developmental level.

Individual Student Planning– The individual planning component consists of school counselors coordinating ongoing systemic activities designed to assist individual students in establishing personal goals and developing future plans.

Responsive Services – The responsive services component consists of activities to meet the immediate need of students. These needs require counseling, consultation, referral, peer mediation or information.

Systems Support – Systems support consists of the administration and management activities that establish, maintain and enhance the total counseling program.

Guidance Curriculum Grade Level Expectations

Kindergarten Students will:

1. Explain the importance of using listening skills at all times in school
2. Follow spoken directions given in school.
3. Follow classroom rules and be able to explain what those rules mean
4. Identify similarities and differences of others.
5. Express feelings appropriately (ex. learning anger management skill
5. Recognize we are apart of God’s Creation. (SMA STANDARD 1:B)
6. Career Exploration, Students will explore different occupations for Men and Women
7. Learn responsibility of being a student as their job.
8. Seek information to help themselves at home and in the community ie. 911, poison control.

First Grade Students will:

1. Use effective communication skill.
2. Recognize the difference between appropriate and inappropriate physical contact
3. Explore what it means to respect oneself as well as others. (SMA Standard 2:C
4. Recognize their abilities and potential.
5. Use listening skills to follow directions.
6. Explain the importance of personal responsibility in following rules.
7. Learn what change is.
8. Show interest in learning.
9. Learn personal information, know the importance of knowing personal informationand be able to write it down.
10. Career exploration: Explore career occupations.

Second Grade Students will:

1. Recognize the importance of motivation and a strong work ethic (i.e., be on time, complete tasks, and cooperate with others
2. Work well with other students in the classroom and in other settings.
3. Demonstrate the knowledge of rules and the personal responsibility to follow rules.
3. Display compassion, kindness, and generosity.
4. Display respect for themselves and others
5. Recognize healthy coping skills (such as dealing with teasing, failure,conflict resolution etc.)
5. Learn love and acceptance (SMA Standard 3:B)
6. Recognize that all families are different. (SMA Standard 4:B)

Third Grade Students will:

1. Apply and practice problem-solving skills to make safe and healthy choices.
2. Identify sources of help in their community
3. Identify safety skills for protecting themselves in a variety of dangerous situations.
4. Use effective listening and speaking skills
5. Work cooperatively in a small group to solve problems.
6. Develop skills to work independently.
7. Follow both written and spoken directions.
8. Practice using time management and organizational skills
9. Identify strategies to cope effectively with classroom problems through use of appropriate resources.
10. Explore possible career opportunities
11. Explore effective strategies for reducing test anxiety
12. Explore individual differences
13. Review conflict resolution.
14. Identify the teachings of the church through scripture. (SMA standard 1:C)
15. Express basic understanding of the Catholic Faith. (SMA Standard 1:D)

Fourth Grade Students will:

1. Identify personal strengths and weaknesses
2. Utilize organizational tools and time management skills to complete school assignments. Demonstrate personal responsibility for behavior.
3. Identify strategies to cope effectively with personal and classroom difficulties.
4. Review and practice personal safety skills.
5. Identify coping strategies for dealing effectively with peers (including peer pressure).
6. Use conflict resolution skills to solve conflicts effectively
7. Explore how the development of hobbies and personal interests relate to career awareness.
8. Identify test-taking strategies (including the reduction of test anxiety).
9. Explore understand Family roles and their importance.
10. Recognize God’s presence in all creations. (SMA Standard 1:B)
11. Begin to model Christ-like behavior in their treatment of self and others. (SMA Standard 3:B)

Fifth Grade Students will:

1. Utilize study skills to help achieve goals and reduce test-taking anxiety.
2. Demonstrate and model skills needed to cope with challenges in daily life.
3. Demonstrate how to use time management and organizational skills to enhance personal and academic success
4. Demonstrate behaviors needed to interact with peers effectively.
5. Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate verbal, nonverbal, and physical interactions with others through cultural diversity.
6. Demonstrate the use of effective communication skills in a variety of school settings.
7. Career exploration through career decision making and applying personal abilities related to career choice.
8. Recognize self as a unique gift of God. (SMA standard 3:A)
9. Demonstrate an understanding of the Catholic value of Family life. (SMA standard 4:D)

Sixth Grade Students will:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of how feelings affect behaviors
Recognize the importance of expressing feelings honestly and appropriately.
3. Demonstrate respect for the diversity among people (ideas, cultures, abilities, religion, politics, age, health, opinions, etc.).
4. Explain the importance of thinking for oneself and demonstrate an understanding of how one can be influenced by peers.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of ways to deal with others who display bullying behaviors.
6. Identify things that are helpful and harmful to mental health (i.e., coping with stress, dealing with conflict, etc.)
7. Identify ways to say "NO" to someone or something without losing friends.
8. Identify skills needed for making and keeping friends.
9. Explain how to get along better with others (parents, teachers, peers, members of the opposite sex, etc>
10. Recognize the rights and responsibilities students have as citizens within the community, state, and country.
11. Explore the relationship between interests and talents through career exploration.
12. Set explicit short-term goals, which will include the virtues of a Catholic Life. (SMA Standard 6:A)
a) Investigate life vocation b) Explore variety of careers c) Development of personal and social growth

Seventh Grade Students will:

1. Identify ways to be fair in how one treats others.
2. Identify ways to develop self-confidence.
3. Recognize the importance of being responsible for one's actions.
4. Demonstrate ways to control emotions and behaviors (including ways to appropriately express anger and frustrations)
5. Demonstrate ways to mediate peacefully and settle conflicts.
6. Describe the importance of family relationships.
7. Identify the ways that verbal and nonverbal communication skills can help to solve problems and improve relationships.
8. Identify ways to improve study skills (including time management, goal setting, and organizational skills
9. Identify ways to take tests and how to control test anxiety.
10. Identify benefits of a positive work environment and how work ethics contribute to such responsibilities associated with a strong work ethic).
11. Identify ways to improve decision-making skills.
12. Identify ways to evaluate their progress toward a goal.
13. Identify ways to make plans to develop abilities needed in career interest areas incorporating academic majors.
14. Identify ways to recognize and respond to harassment including sexual harassment, abuse, and neglect.
15. Career exploration through cultural diversity and societal role based on gender.
16. Demonstrates the ability to take responsibility for their actions and decisions. (SMA Standard 2:A)

Eighth Grade Students will:

1. Describe what is expected of students in high school
2. Explain how choices made today affect the future.
3. Identify skills and behaviors, which will help one, be successful in the world of work.
4. Describe what employers expect of workers.
5. Recognize the ways certain groups (men, women, minorities, elderly, etc.) are stereotyped.
6. Develop a tentative schedule for ninth grade taking into consideration academic strengths, academic majors, and career interests and type of diploma sought
7. Identify ways to recognize and respond to harassment, including sexual harassment, abuse, and neglect.
8. Identify skills necessary for dealing with life changes.
9. Identify how their interests and talents relate to career choices.
10. Choose Christ-like behavior, as proclaimed in the gospels, in their treatment of self and others. (SMA Standard 3:B)

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