NSCW '14: The Future of School Counseling Event

National School Counseling Week is a few short days away! And, of course, there are a whole bunch of really great events coming up to honor it!

First, I'm looking forward to posting my National School Counseling Week idea that goes with my theme of "You Rock." I will be giving my staff a little something and I will be doing some morning announcements again this year. Nothing big - simple - but I'll share with all of you soon! I will be adding the idea to the School Counselor Blog National School Counseling Week Link Party! Can't wait to see how creative everyone is! Thanks Danielle for gathering all of our ideas in one place -- makes it easy for us to go back, in coming years, when we need a quick idea or two! 

 You can participate too! Click on the link below to find out how!

Next, Dr. Erin Mason recently asked me to participate in the upcoming Hangout on Air Event: The Future of School Counseling! I almost fell off my home-office chair when I read the email from her -- asking me to be one of the "invited professionals." I'm so honored and excited about being a part of this National School Counseling Week Event!

Read all about it below. Mark your calendar now and join us!

                                                                                   

Spoonful of Sweetness

It is my pleasure to be a part of Maria Dismondy's Blog Tour as I share with all of you her latest book title: Spoonful of Sweetness and Other Delicious Manners!

This darling little board book has the perfect little message for little boys and girls! Maria focuses on the following civilities: Kindness, Friendship, Responsibility, Empathy, Respect, and Courage. As an elementary school counselor, I feel these behaviors are the backbone of pro-social skills and the necessary building blocks for a life filled with healthy relationships. These traits are taught and fostered at a very, very young age and this is a perfect book to help parents do just that.

Besides the spot-on choice of skills and the most adorable illustrations, my favorite part of this book is how the illustrations "demonstrate" what each of the qualities "looks like." Children of all ages learn from what is modeled for them; they do what they see and hear! I'm sure every parent (aunt, uncle, grandma, grandpa, etc.) realizes this very thing when, for the first time, his/her little one tells the whole grocery store check-out line a family faux-pas. As parents read this book to their kiddos, they can also act-out these social skills with their kiddos. How fun is that!

My nieces and nephews will get a kick out of this book the next time they visit! I think this book would also be perfect for our pre-school aged children and our youngest elementary aged students who have some learning and behavioral challenges. There are few words, a clear message, and the illustrations show those students "how" to do those skills.

Visit Maria Dismondy's Website and Maria's Be The Difference Blog to find more amazing, amazing resources that Make a Difference. I own all of her books and use them on a regular basis with my elementary students - individually, in small group, and in classroom core curriculum. In fact, visit Maria's Website and view the video on the home page. Recognize those "BE Yourself" theme words??? They were created by me!! You can get them for free by visiting my blog post: Beginning of the Year Theme: Be Yourself!

Enjoy Spoonful of Sweetness....it's as "sweet" as it gets!

                                                          

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