# data[].attributes.body
Teachers and parents are at a loss for the lack of support for elementary students exhibiting behavior and social/emotional discrepancies. One teacher states that the current system is failing 10% of their students that desperately need the support (Cederlog, 2019). Disciplinary issues with a few elementary students is affecting all students. Teachers do not want to go to work and students do not feel safe at school (Cederlog, 2019).
*Image source: Room To Discover, n.d.

# data[].attributes.body
Discipline has to start in the classroom but also needs to have consistency from parents and  teachers alike (Alsubaie, 2015). The need to get a handle on disciplinary referrals is at a all time high to prevent future issues and disciplinary actions for these specific students. According to Cederlog (2019), there is a fear that if students do not understand there are consequences for their actions they will end up in prison later in life. Removing students from the classroom has become the go to action for most teachers but according to Boudreau (2019),  students that are removed from the classroom are 15-20% more likely to be arrested or incarcerated as adults. It is imperative that these students receive support at an early age to help understand and manage their behavior to be successful now and later in life.

# data[].attributes.body
Alsubaie, Merfat Ayesh. (2015). Educational leadership and common discipline issues of elementary school children and how to deal with them. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(13). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1080448.pdf

Boudreau, Emily. (2019, September, 16). Harvard Graduate School of Education. School discipline linked to later consequences: Study finds clear and long-lasting negative effects for students attending high-suspension schools — particularly minority boys. Retrieved from, https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/19/09/school-discipline-linked-later-consequences

Cederlog, Calley. 2019, March 9. Visalia Times Delta: Visalia schools face 'crisis' as students rage without discipline. Retrieved from, https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/2019/03/08/visalia-schools-face-crisis-as-students-rage-under-pbis-without-discipline/3098350002/

Room To Discover. (n.d.). Are Teachers To Blame for Poor Student Behavior? Retrieved on January, 8, 2021 from, https://roomtodiscover.com/student-behavior/

# data[].attributes.body
Administrators - support program and collaborate with other stakeholders for the success of the program
Teachers - participate in program, surveys and referrals to school counselors. Provide positive reinforcement
School Counselors - collaboration to make program successful and disseminate information. Provide group and individual counseling, along with referrals when necessary
Librarian - story and book referrals
School Psychologist - long term counseling and referrals to proper agencies
Parents - awareness and participation in parent groups and behavior modification
Community - guest speakers and/or demonstrations
Data Team - collect and analyze data from surveys and discipline referrals
*Image source: Adefioye, 2018

# data[].attributes.body
B-LS 1 - Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions

B-LS 2 - Demonstrate creativity

B-LS 4 - Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning

B-LS 7 - Identify long and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals

# data[].attributes.body
B-SMS - Demonstrate ability to assume responsibility

B-SMS 2 - Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control

B-SMS 4 - Demonstrate ability to delay immediate gratification for long-term rewards

B-SMS 7 - Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem

B-SMS 9 Demonstrate personal safety skills

B-SMS 10 - Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities

# data[].attributes.body
B-SS 1 - Use effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills

B-SS 2 - Create positive and supportive relationships with other students

B-SS 3 - Create relationships with adults that support success

B-SS 4 Demonstrate empathy

B-SS 5 Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility

B-SS 6 - Use effective collaboration and cooperation skills

B-SS 8 - Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary

B-SS 9 - Demonstrate social maturity and behaviors appropriate to the situation and environment

# data[].attributes.body
M 1 - Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional, and physical well-being

M 3 - Sense of belonging in the school environment

M 6 - Positive attitude toward work and learning

# data[].attributes.body
American School Counselor Association. (2019). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs. (4th ed.). Alexandria, Va: Author

# data[].attributes.body
American School Counselor Association. (2019). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs. (4th ed.). Alexandria, Va: Author

# data[].attributes.body
By May 10, 2021, the number of disciplinary referrals for 3rd-graders will decrease by 25%, from total referrals first semester to total referrals second semester.

# data[].attributes.body
As a school counselor I have an ethical responsibility to provide services to all students. According to the ASCA (2019), school counseling programs are based on needs of the students as determined through the review of school data.  Therefore the first thing we must do is review the disciplinary referral data for the first semester for third graders. This will allow us to determine exactly which population to focus on and if the program is a success.
*Image source: Medved, 2019

# data[].attributes.body
For any program to be successful, collaboration is a must, no one can do it all on their own. Supplemental information will be collected from teachers and students to help focus the program. Teachers will be asked to complete a survey surrounding when unacceptable behavior is likely to occur and what is the action taken. Students will be asked to complete a survey regarding identifying how they express their feelings.
*Image source: Teachers Pay Teachers, n.d.

# data[].attributes.body
By incorporating the data received from the above referenced surveys school counselors will be able to implement an action plan to support the needs of all students (ASCA, 2019).
Collaboration with the school librarian will allow for story books to be available to the classrooms that reflect feelings and coping skills (Hansen, 2019). This will assist teachers in the classroom to help support all students that are being affected by disciplinary and social/emotional issues.
Next school counselors will provide small group and individual counseling to those students that are receiving disciplinary referrals. Students will be referred to school counselors for individual counseling when being removed from the classroom. Small group sessions will be held before and after school to help disciplinary students relate and to learn to demonstrate discipline and self control along with demonstrating effective coping skills when faced with a problem (ASCA, 2019).
When necessary school counselors will make referrals to the school psychologies to further the support for students that need it. Communication with parents will remain open and involved. Parent groups will be available before and/or after school for those that wish to attend. This will allow the program to be continued and consistent throughout the students' lives.
When available the community will be involved to help support the students by providing story time or age appropriate demonstrations.
While implementing the action plan and according to ASCA (2013), data will be collected throughout the process to ensure proper analysis of the results to determine the impact and the need for modifications.
*Image source: Teachers Pay Teachers, n.d.

# data[].attributes.body
Adefioye, Temidayo. (2018, May 25). Easiest way to collaborate with your design team using figma. Retrieved from, https://medium.com/@temidjoy/easiest-way-to-collaborate-with-your-design-team-using-figma-9e906b7723ec

# data[].attributes.body
American School Counselor Association. (2019). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs. (4th ed.). Alexandria, Va: Author

American School Counselor Association. (2013). School counselor leadership: The essential practice (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

Medved, Michelle. (2019, November). New model and news of nicotine. Retrieved from, https://www.schoolcounselor.org/newsletters/november-2019/new-model-and-news-on-nicotine?st=NM

Hanson, K. (2019, March 1). A bibliocounseling dream team. Retrieved from, http://www.ascaschoolcounselor-digital.org/ascaschoolcounselor/march_april_2019/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1468451#articleId1468451

Teachers Pay Teachers. (n.d.). Coping skills assessment. Retrieved on Janyary 8, 2021 from, https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Search:coping%20skills%20assessment

Teachers Pay Teachers. (n.d.). Emotion identification and behavior control Communication and self regulation. Retrieved on January 8, 2021 from, https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Emotion-identification-and-behavior-control-Communication-and-self-regulation-4604921

# data[].attributes.body
According to the data collected from the total amount of disciplinary referrals for 3rd grade, there is a need for a reduction in disciplinary referrals. Teachers and parents have supported this need in statements from students about not feeling safe at school (Cedarlog, 2019). The action plan will face challenges with time for small student counseling groups and parent groups. There may also be cultural related discrepancies to overcome. At this time students are being sent to the office when disciplinary needs are necessary. With the incorporation of school counselors, administration will be assisted with this step. School counselors will be able to provide individual counseling for the immediate disciplinary referral and will provide small student counseling groups. School counselors will also provide support for teachers by helping them incorporate interventions in the classroom, like this example from Coping Skills for kids (n.d.).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Inside: Kid-friendly coping skills used to help manage anger, including safe ways to express anger, books to read and videos that can help. This post contains affiliate links. Learn more.
It's starting again, as usual, right after your son gets off the school bus. He is frustrated from things that happened during the day, and now he's yelling and stomping around the house. You're feeling overwhelmed and don't know what to do next.
How do you help an angry child?
Here's a collection of the best tools and tips to teach children how to manage their anger in safe and healthy ways. Let's start with some quick, safe ways to help kids express those feelings.

Looking for more quick ideas to help kids express their anger?
Stop sensory meltdowns by hanging upside down 5 simple ways to help children calm angry feelings 10 more ways to help kids manage anger A Different Way to Respond When Your Child is Aggressive
We need to help our kids understand and expect that they will experience a variety of feelings as they go through life, including anger. It's normal to feel angry at times. It's what you do with those feelings that matter.

Here's a great reminder from Imperfect Families that anger is a feeling too.

When a child is in fight, flight or freeze mode, they can't process information as well as when their body is in rest and digest mode. This is not a teachable moment, and they can't take in a lecture at this point. Your goal is to get them through this rough moment. It's best to keep talking to a minimum. When you do speak, make sure you use a neutral, calm, and quiet tone. Keep it short and repeat the same phrase. Repeating it is helpful because they aren't processing information and words as they usually would. Repetition makes it more likely that they'll hear what you are saying.

Phrases that you can say at that moment:

"I'm here for you."

"I love you."

"I want to help you."

"Let me know when you're ready."

"You are mad; I get it."

"I understand."

Looking for some more inspiration for phrases to say? Check this out:
26 Phrases to Calm and Angry Child
When some kids get big feelings, they destroy items around them - rip books, throw toys, etc. If that's the case for your child, it may be helpful for you to set up a safe spot where kids can go when they are angry. In that space, take everything out that can be destroyed or thrown that might injure someone or damage property. If you have more than one floor, set up a safe spot on each level of your home.

If you aren't in the safe spot when your child is dealing with big feelings, move harmful objects out of the way and try to get them to that safe place.

It may make sense to set up their room as a safe place too. We found this helpful when our son was dealing with a lot of angry feelings. We moved his toys and his bookshelf to a different room in the house so he could still play with them. The items that stayed in his room were those things that wouldn't hurt him or us. We did this to keep everyone, including him, safe. And as time went on, and he had better control of his emotions, we were able to add things back to his room.

How to Make a Calm Down Spot at home
Calm Space in Schools
One of the best things you can do is work on teaching coping skills kids can use before things escalate to epic proportions. The trick is practicing when they are in a calm and relaxed mood, not in the moment when they are angry.

Identify Triggers

Start by talking about what's making them angry. Help them identify those triggers, so you both know for the next time. Is it a particular school subject that makes them frustrated? Perhaps being hungry or thirsty? Are their specific noises or locations that are frustrating?

help kids identify where they feel angry in their body

Sometimes, kids don't know they're angry until after the explosion has happened. Help them identify the signs their body gives them that they are feeling angry. Over time, they'll start to recognize that feeling and ideally use a coping skill before things get too overwhelming.

Explore what other emotions they may be feeling

When kids are angry, there are usually other feelings that they are experiencing too. But anger is easy to see and often hides different feelings that lie below the surface. It's sometimes referred to as the "Anger Iceberg." It takes a bit of time to figure it out, but when your child is in a calm place, talk about what other feelings may be hiding underneath their anger.

Read more about the anger iceberg here.

Identify and practice coping skills

Now that they know what causes those big feelings and how to identify them, help them figure out ways to deal with those feelings in safe and healthy ways. Go through the coping skills checklist and have kids check off the skills that work for them, cross off the ones that don't and circle the ones they want to try.

Identify one coping skill your child would like to try. Take a few minutes during the week and have them practice a coping skill they may be able to use next time. For example, if they are going to try using shapes for deep breathing, have them practice before, so they know how it feels. The idea is to have them practice, so they know what it feels like to do it when they are calm.

Using coping skills to deal with big feelings will not go perfectly every time. Learning to manage anger is a work in progress. Little by little, with practice and time, kids will get better at it. Encourage them when they make safe and healthy choices. When they don't, continue to work with them to figure out better steps they can take the next time.

Use a Feelings Thermometer

Using a feelings thermometer can help kids make the connection between their feelings and their coping skills. Here's how you can make an anger thermometer.

How to Make an Anger Thermometer:

Have the child pick out three colors, one for each section of the thermometer and color it in. Then talk about each section.

Ask what it looks like when they are just a little angry, at the bottom of the thermometer. Do they sigh loudly, growl, etc.?

Then move on to the middle section of the thermometer. If they are medium-sized angry, what does that look like? Does their voice get louder? Do they stomp their feet, etc.?

Finally, talk about what it looks like when they are experiencing big anger at the top of the thermometer. What does that look like? Is it yelling, throwing things, etc.?

It isn't always easy for kids to do this. If they are having a hard time identifying what the behaviors were, I tell them what I noticed the last time I saw them get angry. Or, if I haven't seen them angry, I'll give them a prompt to help them, like "When some kids get angry, they yell, is that something you do?"

Once we go through and identify behaviors on the thermometer, then we work on identifying coping skills they can use to calm down. Some examples include getting a drink of water, taking deep breaths, shredding paper, or taking a break.

Make sure they have coping skills that will help them at each level of anger. It's essential to have a variety of coping skills for each level because not all coping skills will work all the time. For some kids, taking a drink of water can help calm them down when they are just slightly angry. However, when they are furious, getting a drink of water won't help. They need to do something different at that point, like take a break.

When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang Poor Sophie has a hard time managing her anger when she has to share gorilla with her sister. It's a visually appealing book to show how big her feelings get and how it looks when she calms down again.

When I Feel Angry by Cornelia Maude Spelman This is part of "The Way I Feel" series. It explains how different things can make you angry, and that feeling angry is an expected part of life, but it's what you do when you're feeling that way that matters.

Cool Down and Work Through Anger by Cheri J. Meiners M.Ed. Another great book that talks about how anger affects your body and suggesting safe ways to express yourself.

Angry Octopus by Lori Lite and Max Stasuyk A great book that actually is a progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing script for kids. It's wonderful!

Don't Rant and Rave on Wednesdays by Adolph Moser It mentions the consequences of having unchecked anger, and acknowledges that adults struggle with this too. A large part of the book explains different strategies kids can use to express anger in a safe way, which I think is fantastic.

How to Take The Grrrr Out of Anger by Elizabeth Verdick and Marjorie Lisovskis I love using this book for kids who are having a hard time managing being angry. I typically read one chapter at a time with the kids and work on some of the strategies listed in the book.

What to Do When Your Temper Flares by Dawn Huebner This book has lovely illustrations and goes through "anger dousing" methods.

Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands by Tamara Levitt. This is a beautifully illustrated book all about growth mindset and resilience. Leela wants to do headstands and is getting frustrated, and believes the only way she can be happy is if she does headstands. With the help of a friend, she shifts her focus from what she can't do to what she can and focuses on the journey, not the singular goal is doing a headstand.

The Secret to Clara's Calm by Tamara Levitt. This is another beautifully illustrated book that demonstrates the power of mindfulness in managing big feelings. Clara has a bad temper and has big reactions to small problems, but then that leads to kids not wanting to be around her anymore. She works on learning how to be mindful and manage her big feelings with the help of a bird named Brodhi.

Chillax!: How Ernie Learns to Chill Out, Relax and Take Charge of His Anger by Marcella Marino Craver This is a graphic novel, perfect for the tween set.

It's common for parents to struggle with staying calm when their child is angry. As a mom, I know that's tough, especially when your child is having a difficult time. But it's important to learn to do it. You have to get yourself calm before you can help your child. One of the best ways to help your child is to make sure you stay calm yourself.

Use Self-Talk

Here are some phrases that may help you as you are working with your angry kid:

They're having a hard time, not giving me a hard time.

Share my calm, don't join their chaos.

I am in charge of staying calm, no matter how my child is acting and behaving.

All feelings are OK. My job is to help my kid manage them.

I can remain calm, and be a good example for my child.

Be the thermostat, not the thermometer.

TAKE Deep Breaths

If you're getting upset and about to blow up, try deep breathing. I know, it sounds hokey, but it makes a difference. When you are feeling overwhelmed, your body can go into fight, flight, or freeze mode, but in situations like these, you want to stay in rest and digest mode. By taking deep breaths, you're signaling your body to go back to rest and digest mode. Expand your belly as you inhale, and contract your belly as you exhale. Try taking several deep breaths before you take steps to intervene.

Use a grounding technique

If you're overwhelmed, sometimes it helps to do a grounding exercise to calm yourself down.

FIND your support system

Know that you are not alone. Read what this mom has to say about parenting an angry child. If you don't have a support system, then it's time to find one. Here are some ideas for both in person and online support groups to help you.
In Person Support:
There are lots of places you can get support in person. One resource I love is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They offer Family Support Groups, which meet regularly. They also offer a 12 week class for parents by parents, called Family to Family Support. Search for your local NAMI chapter here.

Having support for your child outside of your family can be a lifesaver. Talk to the school, teachers and coaches to help support your child during a difficult time. Sharing knowledge about what strategies work, and how you child responds in different environments is invaluable information.

You can also seek help from a licensed therapist to help support you. It's great to have someone to talk through the tough situations you are experiencing. If scheduling an in-person meeting is tough, you can see therapists online at sites like betterhelp.com. Some kids also benefit from seeing their own therapist. Read this to get a little more information about when you should seek outside help for your child.
Facebook Groups:
Did you know you can search for groups on Facebook to find others who are struggling with similar issues to yours? Here are some active Facebook Groups that have been helpful for families.
Note: You may need to apply to some of these groups in order to be added.
Support for Sensory Needs

Raising Poppies

Happy Sensitive Kids Community

Modern Parenting

The Neighborhood, Imperfect Families

The World's Okayest Parents
Coping Skills for Kids Group
As your son continues to stomp and growl, you take a few deep breaths and say to yourself "Be the thermostat, not the thermometer." Then, in a calm voice, you say to your son "I'm here to help. I love you."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Inside: Kid-friendly coping skills used to help manage anger, including safe ways to express anger, books to read and videos that can help. This post contains affiliate links. Learn more. It's starting again, as usual, right after your son gets off the school bus.

# data[].attributes.body
Cederlog, Calley. 2019, March 9. Visalia Times Delta: Visalia schools face 'crisis' as students rage without discipline. Retrieved from https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/2019/03/08/visalia-schools-face-crisis-as-students-rage-under-pbis-without-discipline/3098350002/

Coping Skills for Kids. (n.d.). Managing anger. Retrieved on January 9, 2021, from https://copingskillsforkids.com/managing-anger