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References:  McCormac, M. E., & Snyder, S. (2019). Districtwide Initiative to Improve Tier 1 With Evidence-Based Classroom Lessons. Professional School Counseling, 22(1)https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X19834438

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References:  McCormac, M. E., & Snyder, S. (2019). Districtwide Initiative to Improve Tier 1 With Evidence-Based Classroom Lessons. Professional School Counseling, 22(1)https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X19834438

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School Counselor Competency Assessment results:

My first reaction to this assessment was feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information.  Overall, I agreed with most topics and understood the position of a school counselor.  I struggled with the mindset topic of what school counselors believe.  I wholeheartedly believe and want every student to have the opportunity to be academically successful and have a bright future.  In reality, I am aware and understand that outside factors influence students' behaviors and outcomes.  As a school counselor, I agree with all aspects that I am bound to be a competent and proactive advocate for students.

The area I found I will need to improve on is my mindset and how I believe, as a school counselor, regarding the treatment plans and outcomes of students.  I might improve in this specific mindset area by accepting that, as a school counselor, I cannot fix or save all students from their home environment and the path they choose after receiving services in a school setting and outside resources.  An example of how to cope and understand this about my students would be to talk with colleagues and fellow school counselors.  I have a huge heart and empathy, and this will be my biggest challenge.  However, I know I am capable and will turn this mindset around and be professional and content with knowing the staff and I are doing our best to help students be healthy and academically successful.

I think I did well in all other areas.  A school counselor’s position requires that you be honest, kind, respectful, compassionate, competent, and work well with others.  I have these character traits that will help me and my co-workers to do my very best.  In a school setting, school counselors and staff participate in meetings and collaborate to ensure we all do our part to reach the same goal.  That is making sure our students are academically focused and emotionally healthy.  I think the only way to improve areas and strengthen areas we are confident in is to be open-minded, work hard, ask questions, and do my due diligence as a school counselor.

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The entire Student body at Dennis Elementary will be provided with tools and skills to prepare for life after high school.  Students will be encouraged and inspired to reach their full potential to thrive through their academic journey and	beyond school years.  Students will be challenged and motivated to do their best to engage with what they bring to a school setting.  Students will be taught how to achieve emotional well-being and academic success in school and life as respectful and kind members of society.  

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The entire Student body at Dennis Elementary will be provided with tools and skills to prepare for life after high school.  Students will be encouraged and inspired to reach their full potential to thrive through their academic journey and	beyond school years.  Students will be challenged and motivated to do their best to engage with what they bring to a school setting.  Students will be taught how to achieve emotional well-being and academic success in school and life as respectful and kind members of society.  

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https://lovefortheelementarycounselor.home.blog/2020/03/18/individuality-fingerprint-art-therapy/

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Lesson Title: Individuality - Fingerprint Art Therapy

Grade(s): K-5

ASCA Standards:

PS:A1.1 Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person

PS:A1.2 Identify values, attitudes and beliefs

PS:A1.10 Identify personal strengths and assets

Learning Objectives:

Students gain insight into the benefits of art therapy

Students partake in the therapeutic experience of engaging in expression through art

Students explore different dynamics of their lives and components of their sense of self

Students identify ways to express themselves and how they be beneficial or harmful

Materials:

Fingerprint template (Page 5 of this downloaded lesson plan below)

Blank piece of paper

Variety of crayons, colored pencils, and/or markers

Lesson:

1. Introduce the concept of art therapy and how it can be used as a tool of self expression. Art therapy is a form of therapy/counseling that helps people to express themselves, especially when it's hard to explain how one feels using words alone. In art therapy, you might draw, paint, use pictures to make a collage, color, or sculpt to show your feelings using art. When you are happy, your art might show lots of bright colors and make others who look at it feel happy. If you feel angry you might use your paint brush to draw bold, dark illustrations and you may paint what has made you feel upset or you may use colors to show how you feel inside. When you use art therapy, it helps others to understand how you feel in order to help you and can also be used as a coping skill since using art or being around art can help you to feel a little better and to better manage your emotions.

2. Explore good/bad ways to express oneself. Therapy/counseling is an important way to remain/become healthy and to seek help in becoming the best person that we can be. Counselors often help people discover different ways of expressing oneself in ways that are healthy. Expressing yourself is important because it helps us to become confident, to share who we are, to find others that we can relate to because they have something in common, to celebrate differences and appreciate one another, and to learn to love ourselves. Expressing ourselves is healthy and important, but only if we express ourselves in the right ways. I am going to name several ways of expressing oneself and I want you to stand up if it is healthy and sit down if it's unhealthy.
Fashion and/or Clothing Grafitti (on another person's property) Blogging/Vlogging Social media Acts of Service Vandalism (damaging other people's property) Protests (peaceful) Cyber Bullying/arguing with other people online Design (graphic, interior, etc.) Video games Do you think that healthy expression can becoming unhealthy (playing video games too much or playing video games that are violent or make us feel scared or uncomfortable)? Why is it important that we express ourselves?
3. Explore the topic of individuality and the different pieces that make us unique individuals. Every single person has a unique fingerprint. That means that no one has the exact same fingerprint as any other person in the world! Just like our fingerprint, we are all unique and diverse individuals that differ in many ways. I want you to take out a piece of paper and start making a list of things that make you unique or special. This doesn't have to be things that are unique only to you that aren't true for many others and they don't even have to necessarily be good things. Remember that we are all a work in progress and that we are on a journey to becoming the best people that we can be. For example, I can be quite loud and dramatic. I would prefer to be a little quieter and more observant of others instead but I am working on that. Still, that is part of who I am as a person so I should include that!
I am going to give you a list of subjects to think about so that you can start to build your list of what makes you unique: Traditions Favorite subjects, movies, teams, shows, music, etc. Dream career Family members Likes & Dislikes Biggest accomplishments Attitude/demeaner (outgoing, loud, sensitive, positive/optimistic) Things/causes that are important to you Dreams/wishes/hopes
4. Provide an example of a fingerprint with your own information on it that share how you are unique. Explain how students can use their list to share information about them that makes them unique. Students will write on the fingerprint lines and can include pictures (preferably in colored pencil or crayon so that you can still see the words). If time allows, let students share their work. Consider playing a relaxing playlist for students to listen to while they work to encourage creativity.

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Lesson Title: Individuality - Fingerprint Art Therapy Grade(s): K-5 ASCA Standards: PS:A1.1 Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy personPS:A1.2 Identify values, attitudes and beliefsPS:A1.10 Identify personal strengths and assets Learning Objectives: Students gain insight into the benefits of art therapyStudents partake in the therapeutic experience of engaging in expression through artStudents...

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(GENDER-CAREER) During the Implicit Association Test (IAT) you just completed:

Your responses suggested a moderate automatic association for Male with Career and Female with Family.

My results are kind of what I expected. I understand how I associate Male-Career and Female-Family. I was raised mostly by my Mom and her Mom (my Nana). My Father was a truck driver, so his schedule was hectic. When he was home, we had quality time. My parents both worked full-time, and I was fortunate to have my Grandmother help raise me. I have a nearly 13-year-old daughter. Her deceased Father was active duty military in the Navy. I was a stay-at-home, due to our decision to have me home and his schedule was consistently inconsistent. Deployments, duty days, and training exercises. All of my friends during that time were stay-at-home moms too. Currently, most of my friends work and are raising their kids. It seems once our kids got older we moms decided to achieve higher education or entered the workplace again.

(RACE) During the Implicit Association Test (IAT) you just completed:

Your responses suggested a slight automatic preference for European Americans over African Americans.

I am bothered by the above results. I think I need to evaluate why I feel this way and why the results are what they are. This is something that will take self-assessment and reflection. I think the way I was raised and my parent's beliefs and values affect the way I view race. They were born in 1925 and 1932. Societal views and cultural differences and expectations played a role in their thought process, values, and beliefs, unfortunately.