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Counselors Chatboard

What else can I do with a MS in School Counseling?

by StickAForkInMe

May 31

I've been working in NYC since 2005 as a HS guidance counselor. I'm starting to investigate other career options. What else can I do with a BA in English Lit and a Master's in School Counseling?

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Advice from working counselors

by BernR6

May 9

Hello, I'm looking to get advice from individuals already working as school counselors. I live in PA with my wife and 3 y/o daughter. My wife has been trying to get a school counselor job for the past 5 years, since obtaining her Master's. She has had no luck, except for a job fair she attended a month ago. She was offered an open contract for a sc...See MoreHello, I'm looking to get advice from individuals already working as school counselors. I live in PA with my wife and 3 y/o daughter. My wife has been trying to get a school counselor job for the past 5 years, since obtaining her Master's. She has had no luck, except for a job fair she attended a month ago. She was offered an open contract for a school counselor position in Jacksonville Florida.

We've tried to weigh the pros and cons. Making a move will take us from family, I'll need to find a new job, put off going back to school, etc. However, my wife will get her foot in the door. We live in the suburbs of Philly at the moment. Our area is flooded with colleges/school counselor programs and applicants. It feels that it's impossible for my wife to even get her resume looked at, despite the hundreds of applications a year she's been submitting. Is this the nature of the employment situation for this type of work? Is there any hope of obtaining a job, or is it all internal candidates?

The reason I ask, is because I'm willing leave PA so that my wife can pursue her dream. We just want to make sure we're making the best decision for her and our family. Would getting her foot in the door at a school in Florida, better her chances of getting another job if we moved back in the future? I understand no one will have a definite answer, but any advice would be helpful.

My wife was a teacher for 5 years, then has been working in psych. for the last 10 years, and currently a weekend director of a residential pscyh. program. She's an instructor of CPI (crisis prevention) for her company, as well as a certified DBT specialist. She's highly qualified (IMO) and would make a great counselor, but hasn't figured out how to even stand out. She also talked about getting other certifications to help herself be more marketable. It really comes down to picking up and moving to Florida (as this is her only offer), or stay here and hope something works out. Sorry for the long book. This decision has been stressing us out, as we are in the process of selling our house (originally to live with family so I could go back to school). Any advice on this dilemma would be greatly appreciated.

Bernie

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DUSO- Body Rights program

by NC Counselor

Jan 7, 2010

I recently acquired an old DUSO Body Rights program kit. Does anyone use this resource to teach body safety? If so, I would love to talk with you.

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Tammy On 1/07/10, NC Counselor wrote: > I recently acquired an old DUSO Body Rights program kit. > Does anyone use this resource to teach body safety? If so, > I would love to talk with you.

I have used this program in my preschool classroom for almost 20 years. I find it to be a wonderful prgram with a great approach to younger childre...See More

Feb 25, 2010

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DUSO On 1/29/10, Miss_Texas wrote: > I don't know of anyone who uses it but I know it's very old. > I'm in my 40's and I can remember my elementary counselor using > it with us in the 70's. > Don't know if this helps, but thought I'd let you know it's > really old and may be a bit dated. I'm a counselor too and I > look at resources an...See More

May 7

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Date Rape Discussion Lands Teacher in Hot Water

by Teachers.Net Gazette

Apr 5

Date Rape Discussion Lands Teacher in Hot Water {link to article is below]

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Personality/Career Tests

by Daniel

Mar 28

Hi,

I'm interested to know if anyone has used personality tests or career tests in the classroom or as a guidance counselor to help start/facilitate conversations with students? Have you found this a useful educational tool? If so which resources have you used?

Full disclosure: I am a product and software developer working with ...See More

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Making a career change from LCPC to High School Counselor

by Anna

Feb 22

I have been working part time as a licensed clinical professional counselor for 9 years in a private practice. I specialize in adolescents/teenagers issues: schooling, study techniques, school conducts, academic performance, school choices and applications, college applications, college selections, vocational and career counseling, and all of the m...See More

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Schedule Changes

by Owens

Dec 7, 2016

How do you deal with schedule changes at a large high school. I have only working in a small setting before, and need some help.

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Cal-Kid On 12/07/16, Owens wrote: > How do you deal with schedule changes at a large high > school. I have only working in a small setting before, and > need some help.

What is the school policy in the handbook?

Ask the head counselor

Ask the Principal

Ask the Vice Principal

Talk to the teachers invol...See More

Dec 8, 2016

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transition to middle school

by elementary students visiting middle school

Dec 1, 2016

I'm looking for ideas for helping ease the transition to middle school. I've been tasked with developing a "6th grader for a day" program in which 5th grade students will come to the middle school for one day. If you've done something like this I would like to know what you did and how it worked.

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Cal-Kid On 12/01/16, elementary students visiting middle school wrote: > I'm looking for ideas for helping ease the transition to > middle school. I've been tasked with developing a "6th > grader for a day" program in which 5th grade students > will come to the middle school for one day. If you've > done something like this I would...See More

Dec 8, 2016

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Note taking and scheduling

by Jordi Blanco

Oct 29, 2016

Hi there, I'm a school counselor and always struggle with scheduling, resource organization and note taking issues. Do you all struggle with the same thing? If so, what have you done to get around those problems?

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Cal-Kid On 10/29/16, Jordi Blanco wrote: > Hi there, I'm a school counselor and always struggle > with scheduling, resource organization and note taking > issues. Do you all struggle with the same thing? If so, > what have you done to get around those problems? >

Yes it could be overwhelming at times trying to keep up with the work...See MoreOn 10/29/16, Jordi Blanco wrote: > Hi there, I'm a school counselor and always struggle > with scheduling, resource organization and note taking > issues. Do you all struggle with the same thing? If so, > what have you done to get around those problems? >

Yes it could be overwhelming at times trying to keep up with the workload. I learned to write things down, even just a quick note, would jog the memory later. Later could be four months down the road.

Tip one. I keep a yellow legal pad next to the phone. I would write the name of the caller, the student involved and what the call was about (grades, problems with teacher, problems with another student) return phone number. Most phone calls did not require any notes and were just quick answers. But others required my attention, hence notes and fact finding by me. When the problem was solved I would put a check in the left margin. Months later I could look up the notes if needed. I did not always put the date but would date each day. I was that busy to not have time for writing the date.

Tip two. I was always enrolling new students as we had more than a 35&37; turn over. I used a composition notebook to enroll new students. First they visited the front office, second, principal, third health assistant (shot records), fourth bilingual office if needed, fifth counseling clerk who entered the information into the computer. Last was me who did any evaluation and testing for English and math placement.

I would write down the date on one line for the day. Then first the student ID number, name including AKA's, grade level, then test score results. Plus any information the parent might have given. Maybe some likes and dislikes for classes as electives subject matter. Then I would schedule the student, give them a copy, walk them around the school and show them rooms, gym, library, lunch room, rest rooms, classrooms. I would walk them to class and enter the teacher's room and introduce the new student to the teacher. Timing was everything about this, I would try to time this between classes if possible.

I also had a list of social services available in the area for parents. Between the IEP meetings, parent conferences, testing, more testing, master schedule development, scheduling, and the retention lists and behavior specialist outreach position I had back up help.

I always kept note books of past retentions, and those who went to summer school who needed to pass to be promoted. Amazing how many phone calls I received in August from other school districts about a new 9th grader who never passed 8th grade, did not attend summer school, and was retained, trying to "sneak" in high school. Much of this was needed as the computer system was not great for this info. Paper and pencil was faster.

Good luck!

Nov 8, 2016

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Professional development for teachers

by fitzh

Nov 6, 2016

The teachers at my school would like to have some PD to better understand the emotional and behavioral issues that some students may have in the classroom. I would like our school social worker to tackle that Prof. Dev request. I am interested to know how you may have offered PD to teahers in your school.

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