Happy National School Counseling Week! NSCW occurs every year during the first full week in February. This year it is being celebrated from February 4-8, 2019. This week is especially important because it gives school counselors a unique opportunity to promote the role we play in schools. School counselors have a huge impact on helping students achieve success in all areas: academically, socially, emotionally, and becoming career ready. This week is not to celebrate the individual school counselor, but for school counselors to promote our program!
If you were like me, I never really knew my school counselor throughout my school career. It wasn't until high school when I began planning for college that I actually needed to seek out the support of my guidance counselor. Over the past decade, the term "guidance counselor" has evolved into school counselor. The main role of these counselors were to "guide" students to higher education. Typical duties included assisting with course selection, writing letters of recommendation and sending transcripts to colleges. However, the role of a school counselor has become essential in education because school counselors work collaboratively with students, school administration, parents, and guardians on supporting students’ academic achievement, career planning, and social/emotional development. But what does a school counselor REALLLLLLY do? To be honest, when I enter my building each morning, I typically have a long list of things I'd like to get done for the day. Most things on my "to do" list get done, but I also know I need to be prepared for unexpected student needs. Many times when talking with parents about Kissel Hill or introducing new families to our building, we (principal, teaching staff, etc.) all recognize the importance of educating both the mind and hearts of students. The heart of students is and will always be my number one priority. Research has proven students develop greater resiliency when they have at least one adult in their daily lives that truly cares for and is invested in a meaningful relationship with him/her. That is exactly what a school counselor does - builds relationships. However, before relationships can be built, we must first meet the basic human needs of our students. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs indicates humans first need food, drink, shelter, clothing, a warm place to live, and rest. Without meeting these basic necessities for survival, children cannot learn or move onto higher levels of thinking. Next, humans need to feel safe and secure. Children need to have order and know what to expect throughout their day. After those physiological and safety needs have been fulfilled, the third human need is social and involves feelings of belongingness. The need for meaningful relationships motivates behavior. Students need to feel loved and cared for. My relationship with students varies among each child. At Kissel Hill, we have over 550 students and each one of their hearts is mine to care for. Some students I may never have the opportunity to support individually, but I still have a chance to let them know I care through classroom lessons, passing them in the hallway or cafeteria, through student council, or even just visiting classrooms throughout the day. Some hearts, though, need a little more care. We have students that have experienced trauma at such a young age that no adult may experience in their entire lifetime- abuse, neglect, incarcerated parents, mental health (diagnosed & undiagnosed), Children & Youth services, the list continues to grow each year. My job as the school counselor is to help connect these students and families with services to help meet their individual needs. I also help teachers understand the effects of early childhood traumas, and most importantly, create a learning environment that feels safe. A school where students are cared for (unconditionally), where relationships are built, and students succeed. I am a proud member of the WSD counseling team. Over the past few years, the elementary school counselors have developed an extensive school counseling curriculum that meets all academic, social/emotional, and career standards. As a K-12 counseling team, we have developed a comprehensive school counseling plan - outlining all the steps we take to ensure success for all students from the moment they enter as a kindergartener until they leave as a high school senior. Through ongoing collaboration with teachers, administrators, families, mental health professionals we are truly creating an environment that will allow our students to grow into life long learners and meaningful members of a greater society. P.S. Counselors, especially this one, run on coffee and chocolate :)
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Mrs. Mathin
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