Elementary Counseling
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Welcome to Gehlen Elementary Counseling!
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Jessica Bradyjbradygehlencatholic.orgPreK-6 School Counselor
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Here are some of the things a professional school counselor does:
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Work with individuals and groups
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Help identify needs of students (personal/social, academic, and career)
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Encourage better interpersonal relationships
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Promote positive attitudes and choices
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Assist teachers and parents/guardians in helping students
- Assist in making use of community resources
- Coordinate referrals to outside agencies
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Assist students with the process of growing up
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Develop and deliver in-classroom guidance lessons
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Provide preventative services
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Maintain confidentiality
What are some reasons a student might see the school counselor?
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"I'm getting picked on when riding the bus and I don't know what to do about it."
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"My best friend isn't talking to me and it's making me feel sad."
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"I just want to talk to someone who won't laugh at me."
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"I had a problem at recess with my friends and we need help to work it out."
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"I get really angry when I play with my friends at recess or when I work with them in the classroom. Can you help me find ways to deal with this?"
How does your child experience school counseling?
Individual Counseling - The school counselor works with a student in a safe, positive, and confidential setting to address issues that 'get in the way' of school achievement. Topics are based on the needs of the student and may include: understanding feelings, changing families/divorce, grief, stress, social skills, academics, bullying, self-control, problem-solving, and decision-making.Small Group Counseling - A process where students sharing similar issues or concerns work together in a small group environment with peers. Topics are based on the needs of the students and may include divorce or changing families, grief and loss, friendship and social skills, study skills, conflict resolution, anger management, self-esteem, and stress management.Classroom Counseling Lessons - The School Counselor develops and implements PK-6 classroom curriculum driven by national school counseling outcomes. Classroom lessons are regularly scheduled and address personal, social, academic, and career-related needs at the child's developmental level. Topics may include self-esteem, conflict resolution, study skills, anger management, career awareness, tattling/reporting, friendship/social skills, responsibility, respect, teasing/bullying, feelings, time management, goal setting/decision-making, and organizational skills.
Students in grades Preschool through 6th grade are learning about Stop, Walk, Talk. These are the steps students can follow if someone is picking on them or bothering them. The purpose of Stop, Walk, Talk is that students try to handle conflict on their own first before going directly to a teacher. This eliminates a lot of "tattling" and helps students to communicate directly with their peers. Encourage your child to teach you about STOP, WALK, TALK. This is a strategy that they can use anywhere, not just at school! -
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Getting Back Into a Routine
Coming back to school after having the summer off can be a stressful time for students. Sometimes transitioning into a school routine is hard, and other times having a new teacher/classmates is difficult.
One of the hardest things for children coming back to school after a long summer break is getting back into the school routine. Routine can be hard for children in the middle of the school year, let alone right after having the summer off. During the summer often times bedtime routine and morning routines are thrown right out the window. It's summer! I get it! Children are busy with vacations, play dates, sports, visiting family members, and so much more. If you haven't had a chance to get back into that school routine yet, or are having a hard time making that transition, read further to see if there is anything else you could be trying with your kids. Remember, every family is different and YOU know your child best! Take whatever tips can be helpful and ignore the rest ;Night Time Routine
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ages 3-5 years get 10-13 hours of sleep a day, including naps. Children ages 6-12 years should be getting 9-12 hours, and children ages 13-18 should be getting 8-10 hours of sleep. If you have been struggling with getting your child to bed at their normal "school bed time", try to move that bedtime forward in small increments.
Children thrive off of consistency. Try to develop a bedtime routine. Make your child responsible for what they need to get done before bed. Have your child pick out their clothes and pack their bookbag for the following day, take a bath/shower, put on their pajamas, and brush their teeth. Try to pick calming activities that you can do with your child before bed. Turn down the bedroom lights and read a story, ask them about how their day was, talk about what is on the schedule for the following day, or say bedtime prayers. If your child is still having a hard time winding down, think about how much screen time your child is getting. Try to have your child turn off all electronics at least 30-60 minutes before bedtime.Morning Routine
If your child doesn't already have an alarm clock, consider getting them one. Give your child the responsibility of setting it themselves and getting up by themselves. There will still be times you need to nudge them awake, but putting the responsibility on them is a good thing. Until your child is used to their "school routine" it's a good idea to give them extra time to get ready in the morning. After they have the routine down, they can always move their alarm clock back and give themselves some extra minutes of sleep. Just like with bedtime routine, give your child the responsibility to get themselves ready in the morning with brushing their teeth, getting dressed, doing their hair, and eating breakfast
After School Routine
After school routines are different for every family depending on after school activities and parents' jobs. Find a routine that works best for your own family. Despite what your family's schedule looks like, consider prioritizing homework first. Even if your child doesn't have homework, they should be reading a little bit every night. Your child may need a break as soon as they get home from school, but try to avoid having them turn on the electronics as soon as they get home. Electronics can be a big time waster and children have a hard time remembering to do homework later. Instead of an electronic break, opt for an after school snack instead or maybe they have household chores that they could be doing before they jump into more school work. To help with your routine, consider having a visual schedule for your child, whether it is for morning routine, bedtime routine, or after school routine. For younger children, you may want to consider having a picture visual. This visual list will help hold them accountable and give them the responsibility to do it on their own.
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Screeners
Sabers:
Sabers is a universal screener for social-emotional health. The assessment is completed by teachers with observations and interactions they have made during the school year. These results are only one small snapshot of your child. The screener is used to identify potential red flags and to use it in conjunction with other assessments, observations, and parent communication. We use this screener to start discussions and look deeper into where we may need to offer support to grade levels, small groups, and individuals.
BELONGING SURVEY:
