I've got the MAGIC in me...........

I know we have a few more days before National School Counseling Week officially starts, but I feel like CELEBRATING early! It's a snow day in NC, which doesn't happen very often, and we actually got a decent accumulation. So, as I sit by my fireplace and write about school counselor's week, I want to celebrate you!!!  Next week, I hope people give you big high fives and write you notes telling you how great you are.  I hope kids draw you pictures and you get special treats. I hope your principal buys you lunch! However, even if no one else acknowledges you  (I speak from previous experience), know that you ARE making a difference and planting the seeds of change for many students.  Each time you greet someone with a smile during arrival, give a crying child a hug, or help a student solve a problem, you are making your school a happier, more caring place for kids.  So, think about how you want to highlight the great work you are doing and ponder these tips if you are still planning for School Counseling Week 2014.


1. Include students in your celebration.  Last year I handed out puzzle pieces to each of my classrooms and asked them to draw or write a picture of something they had learned from the school counselors. I got so many GREAT pictures back and then put the puzzle back together on a bulletin board. This year I am doing something similar so that everyone is included, but my individual pieces are going to create a different type of image. Just wait and see................

2.  Thank your teachers for being part of your SUCCESS as a school counselor!  It is very difficult to be a great school counselor unless you have good relationships with your teachers.  They are the rock stars who are on the front lines every day noticing the subtle changes in their students, seeing who walks in without a coat, alerting you if grades suddenly drop or if a child has a mark on his or her cheek.  Sure, we notice these things too, but we can't lay our eyes on every child every day like 40+ teachers can.  Good relationships with teachers also make planning your classroom guidance lessons, small group sessions, and individual counseling meetings SO.MUCH.EASIER. I appreciate my teachers who say "sure, take them" each time I ask for a student more than they know. So, thank them.  My co-counselor and I have been busy making preparations so we can host a small breakfast celebration the first day of School Counselor's Week. It is nothing fancy, but I hope my teachers know it is done with much love. Picture to come.......

3.  Have a theme!!! Let's just put it out there....themes are fun and get people excited. So, pick a theme. You can go with the ASCA theme ---- School Counselors: Building Magical Futures (hence the title of this post), borrow an idea from someone else, or come up with your own!! I piggybacked on the "magic" part of ASCA's theme this year but put my own spin on it.  You can DRESS UP to go with your theme (yes, I will be, of course!), use it to make something cutesy to put in your teachers' boxes, or simply incorporate it into a bulletin board. It can be simple! ASCA has some ideas here and you can join the ASCA SCENE discussion even if you are not an ASCA member.  Of course Pinterest has tons of ideas, too, so get pinning!

4. Say "Thank You."  Next week, if people tell you how great you are as a school counselor, just say "thank you" and smile. Sometimes school counselors don't own their "magic."  We would rather fly under the radar and just keep giving like we do every day. Resist the temptation to downplay yourself next week. Let your bucket be filled and enjoy it!

And just in case you need anything else to pump you up for next week.............
Happy Counseling! ~ Angela