Summer is ending. I am not in denial about this fact and actually feel like I have been able to enjoy it and get rejuvenated while also working on projects that I don't always have time for during the school year. So, here's what I have been doing:
Working on RAMP. Wow! I knew this project would be a bear, but I wasn't quite prepared for the brainpower it would require. Every time my co-counselor and I sit down for RAMP "work days" I feel like I have gone through a mental marathon by the time we are done, usually 8 hours later. With that being said, it has been a great opportunity of growth for me. I have had so many "aha" moments that are going to help me be a better counselor next year. The biggest one has to do with school counseling program goals, which I never really used before this year. A wonderful friend I met at ASCA shared this Smart Goals
worksheet with me, and it really helped me process the data I collect and apply it towards overarching program goals that could then be narrowed down into specific Closing the Gap action plans. I also have appreciated the guiding examples of exemplary RAMP components found
here on the ASCA website.
Thinking about my office decor. Last year, the NC legislature deemed that school counselors should not be responsible for test coordination. My phenomenal AP ended up with the task and took a huge testing cabinet out of my office towards the end of the year. There wasn't enough time to worry with filling the "hole" before school ended, but now I am captivated by the possibilities for my new corner. For some reason, I really want to put a tree there. Think "Giving Tree" or "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" like these examples (from Pinterest):
I am planning on enlisting my husband to help me with the design and stability factors (he doesn't know this yet), and I have promised my principal that I will do a "scaled-down" version so as to not upset the fire marshall and get a write-up. HA! BUT, I do hope to have my own tree picture to share with you very soon.
Thinking of new "Introduction" to the School Counselor lesson ideas. You may remember that I did a camp theme for several grade levels in my intro lessons last year. Check out my post
here. I am still going to use those lessons this year, but I wanted to add something new and exciting for some of the classes that had already experienced that lesson. So, I am going to introduce #FlatGroovyPoovey to my Kindergarten, second, and third grade students this year. I am still working out the lesson details, but after Internet searching and finding no Flat School Counselors or Teacher figures that would work for me, I made this worksheet. My plan is to teach my lesson and have students write in the lines the ways I can help them during the year (I will help K students). Then, I will send it home with a letter to introduce myself to parents. I am going to ask them to take me along on their family adventures this year, taking pictures of #FlatGroovyPoovey in different places. Then, I will post them on my school website and they or I can post it to Twitter using that hashtag. I also plan to include my teachers in the fun and will create a bulletin board entitled, "Where in the World is #FlatGroovyPoovey?" The most exciting adventures will be incorporated into my theme for School Counseling Week later in February. Fun, right??! The worksheet (with a line to fill in your own name) will be available on my Life on the Fly Store and is already up on TPT at my store
here.
Finally, I have been reading...YAY! I finished
Drive by Daniel H. Pink, which I already mentioned I was reading, and
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. They were both really interesting books, and it was nice to read something for myself in my downtime. Now, I am reading more for kids and my book clubs and have finally started the book
Crash by Jerry Spinelli. I got this title last year with my book club grant but haven't used it yet, and I'm thinking it may come in handy with some students that will be rising fifth graders this year. Also, I added two new book club activity packs,
Because of Mr. Terupt and
Origami Yoda, to my Life on the Fly Store and
TPT site if you are getting started with or continuing your own book clubs this year. They are great for upper elementary or middle school book club groups and are 25+ pages each. Check them out and email me if you have any questions!
Can't wait to get started in another school year with you! What exciting projects are you working on???
Happy Counseling! ~Angela
I got to teach my #FlatGroovyPoovey "Introduction to the School Counselor" lessons to second grade students this week, and it was SO FUN! They really enjoyed the Flat Stanley book, and I connected how Flat Stanley's feelings changed throughout the book just like ours will change throughout the year. I also compared the adventures we will have this school year to the amazing adventures that Flat Stanley had in the book. 
All in all, it was a blast to teach, and the kids got really excited when I gave them the parent letters explaining that I want them to take Flat Groovy Poovey on family adventures this year and email me pictures. It will certainly be a memorable way to introduce myself to families that may not know me yet. I am going to create a bulletin board that shares the family pictures I receive and will also Tweet them out. Check out the two I have already gotten- #FlatGroovyPoovey ziplining (my son's!) and having a sleepover with friends. My Smartboard lesson and the Flat School Counselor worksheet can both be found on my Life on the Fly TPT store. What fun "Introduction to the School Counselor" lessons have you been teaching???
