Guidance Lesson Plan: Elementary Education Grades 3,4,5

Decreasing Anxiety and Stress

The following guidance lesson will instruct students in elementary school (grades 3-5) on how to manage stress and develop positive strategies to eradicate their anxiety. Students will be equipped with mechanisms and holistic (mind and body) outlets to handle stress and anxiety. Students will perform skits and role-playing to demonstrate their understanding of lesson plans. Counselors or teachers will be equipped with typical scenarios that students may deal with on a daily basis and reenact them with their class. Some examples of learning techniques will include:
 Affirmation (positive reinforcements)
 Visualization (imagining a peaceful place – happy place)
 Controlled breathing (om)
 Muscle relaxation (verbal direction)
 Calming Glitter (Pinterest activity)

After implementing our guidance lesson we hope students will have a toolbox of strategies they may execute when anxiety or stress arise. These strategies are not confined to any particular stress or anxiety but are practical to any variety of situations.

In order to achieve these goals as counselors we need to provide a suitable environment for students. For example when performing the holistic practices a preferred environment would be open and spacious for students. If practicing in a classroom, creating an open space for students is preferable. The calming glitter activity would be well accepted in a “quiet corner” in order for students to refocus their energy and center themselves.

Counselors can only teach so much, for students to really understand we would have them act out scenarios and role-play the different strategies. This is an opportunity also for students to see each type of technique being performed so they may in the future choose a technique that is suitable for them.

Objectives: 
 Students will understand that stress is universal and comes in a variety of different scenarios 
 Students will be equipped with an array of techniques to manage stressful situations
 Students will have a go-to strategy to use when feelings of stress occur  

Lesson Plan: Decrease Stress

To begin our lesson we will gather children around and discuss what stress and anxiety are. How they are relatable them?

Step 1: Teacher

Comes in disheveled out of place (different shoe on each foot) demonstrate to children stress and anxiety. A visual and physical look to it then discuss the feelings that come with it. A group discussion about what could cause these feelings. For students and teacher. Engage students in describing what anxiety and stress feel like? Ex: yell, throw, cry, anger, sadness, stomach pain, scared

Step 2: Glitter Calmer

Students will be introduced to the glitter bottle first. This technique will be a visually engaging way to keep the momentum going. Students will create their own version of a glitter bottle that will be theirs solely. Counselors will explain the rules of the bottle. Each bottle is a clear soda pop bottle filled with water and glitter. Student who is under pressure or is anxious will shake the bottle. This action is very important as it release physical tension. (Keep bottle sealed very tightly) After shaking bottle student will set it down and calmly watch the glitter fall. The goal of this activity is to have the student focus on the glitter falling while their nerves/emotions settle. It is important that the student retain focus so that they may feel a calming sensation.


Step 3: Stress Management Techniques

Students will learn stress management techniques that they can practically apply to every day situations. Counselors will explain and model each technique and allow students to try them for themselves.

These techniques include:

• Positive Reinforcements: Students will think of a mantra to calm them, such as “I am calm. I am relaxed. I am happy.” They will then write their mantra on a provided note card. They can look at the mantra on their note card or think of it when they become stressed.
• Visualizations: Students will think of a calming place to mentally escape to when they feel stress coming on. This could be anything from walking on a beach to riding on a cloud.
• Controlled Breathing: Students will learn to calm themselves through paying attention to the rate of their breathing.  Students will breathe in as the counselor counts to 4 and breath out on a count of 4.
• Muscle Relaxation: Students will calm themselves through paying attention to muscle tension. Counselors will start by telling students to relax their feet, and then progress to knees, back, shoulders and neck.

Step 4: What did we teach you?

Today we taught you strategies in decreasing stress and anxiety using holistic techniques and glitter calmer.

Step 5: Assess & Measure

After we have gone over in detail the previous steps students can go through in preventing stress and anxiety we will ask the students to act in skits. These skits will be pre thought out as typical stressful situations students may encounter in school or at home. Some examples of skits include: arguments with friends, pre-test anxiety and angry with siblings. We will ask students to act out and portray the techniques they were taught to show deep understanding, first as a class, then in partners. As a class, two volunteers will be asked to act out a skit and afterwards, the counselors will ask the class which technique they would use to calm themselves. In pairs, students will be given scenarios and will act them out. Counselors will walk around and monitor students to ensure they are on-task. Working in pairs will help shyer students to engage with the material.

Step 6: Closing and Follow-up

Students who come to the counseling office feeling stressed will be asked whether they used their chosen technique yet. If they have not, they will then be encouraged to use their technique to distress. If they have, counselors will work with the student to find a new technique that fits them better.

Teachers will have a go-to place for students to deescalate and use their glitter calmers.

Resources: 

http://www.stressfreekids.com/resources-2/children-stress-anxiety/techniques-for-reducing-stress-in-kids 

http://www.giftofcuriosity.com/glittery-calm-down-bottles/#_a5y_p=2566913  

http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/beaches/images/Malibu_Sunset_1.jpg

http://sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i/keep-calm-i-am-awesome.png

http://beherenowyoga108.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/kids-yoga-be-here-now-yoga.png

School Counselor of the Year Award

It is always an exciting event when a member of the Gonzaga University School Counseling Program family recieves recognition for their work, whether on a departmental, regional, or national level. Every year the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) honors one school counselor from around the country with the title of "School Counselor of the Year" who ASCA descrbes as being:

"(t)he best of the best- school counselors who are running a top-notch comprehensive school counseling program at either the elementary, middle, or high school level."

Nominees and finalists are judged by a panel on the follwing criteria: creative school counseling innovations, effective counseling programs, leadership skills, and contributions to student enhancement. The winner is selected from up to 10 finalists who travel to Washington, D.C. and participate in celebratory events during National School Counseling Week in February.

On behalf of the Counselor Education Department at Gonzaga University we would like to congratulate our alumnus Cory Notestine on being selected as one of the  2015 ASCA School Counselor of the Year Finalists!

Guidance Lesson: Resilience (9th & 10th grade)

The transition from middle to high school can be overwhelming for many students. Adolescents are entering a particularly stressful time in their social and academic life. This guidance lesson is directed at the social/emotional aspect of student development. Our goal for this lesson is for students to become aware of their own resilience in hopes that they will see themselves as worthy and unique individuals and increase their self-efficacy. Building self-awareness and developing a positive view of self is a crucial aspect of this goal.

The theme of the lesson is that rain (adversity) falls on everyone but we each have umbrellas (resilience traits) that help us stay dry. The PowerPoint has been created to go with this theme: the background looks as if it is raining on it.

By helping students see that they are resilient and that they are viewed by others as resilient, school counselors are helping students develop the following competencies.

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

PS:A1.10 identify personal strengths and assets

PS:A2.3  recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual differences

PS:B1.4  develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems

PS:C1.10  learn techniques for managing stress and conflict

PS:C1.11 learn coping skills for managing life events

Materials:

·         Construction paper

·         Markers/color crayons/color pencils

·         PowerPoint

“Into every life, some rain must fall.”
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1842

Presentation:

Resilience is an abstract idea and can be difficult for adolescents to grasp; connecting the definition with a concrete idea – the rain and umbrella analogy – is used to help illustrate resilience. In the PowerPoint, the definition of resilience is presented. Examples of resilience traits are divided into categories; social, emotional, academic, and physical. Having a visual while you explain the analogy goes a long way in helping cement the idea.

When starting the presentation, ask students if anyone knows what resilience is or if they have heard the term before. They might not know, but it is a good way to gauge where the students are. Once the definition is given and you feel that students understand, ask students who believe they are resilient to raise their hands – this question is important for assessing whether or not student have gained personal awareness

Once you begin going through the examples of resilience traits, keep students engaged by asking them for specific examples. Not only will it keep them engaged, but asking them to come up with their own examples will get their minds working for the activity.

Activity:

1.    Students will draw themselves under a large umbrella.  The umbrella should be big enough to write in. They should write their names on the corner of their paper.

2.    Give students a few moments to write down resilience traits (in the umbrella) they have identified within themselves.

3.    When you feel students have had enough time, have them all stand in front of their desks with a writing utensil in their hands. (They leave their drawings on their desks)

4.    Next, students are going to go around the room and write down a resilience trait on each of their classmates’ drawings. (This should have a speed-dating feel to it, with everyone rotating in the same direction at the same time.)

5.    When they return to their original seats, give students a moment to read and reflect on the resiliency others have identified in them as well the traits they identified in others during the activity.

Discussion:

·         What traits did you see? Were there some common ones, did any stand out?

o   Discuss similarities, maybe talk about how some students can be born with a trait versus another student having to learn to develop the trait.

·         What did you notice when looking at the traits you wrote for yourself versus what others wrote for you?

o   Talk about differences, emphasizing that resilience doesn’t have to look the same for everyone.

·         How many of you would say that you are resilient?

o   Here you can comment about the increase in number of hands, and how their awareness has increased

Conclusion:

Remind students that every person is resilient. Resilience can be learned and/or enhanced.

Reflection

Counselors play a key role in students' lives in school by providing resources and guidance during tumultuous times. They help all students in the areas of academic achievement, personal/social development and career development, ensuring today's students become the productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow. School counselors are an important part of the educational leadership team and provide valuable assistance to students regardless of whether they work in an elementary, middle school, high school or beyond. 

My thoughts…

What I have noticed so far that is truly inspiring are how school counselors are willing to go the distance. What I have experienced so far are the small gestures that make huge differences in children's lives. If a child needs shoes they find them shoes, if they are hungry the counselor puts them in a food program.  Being a school counselor is so much more than just making sure that the student is in the right class or that they will graduate on time.


My favorite part as a future school counselor is that we get to run groups on issues such as bullying I want to really help reach the students. For example, in elementary schools I may do a fun game, for middle or high school I may incorporate food into my bullying lesson along with a great team building activity. A school counselor is about looking around at the needs of the students at your school and doing whatever it takes to help meet those needs and ultimately putting your student first. 

Guidance Lesson: Taking Advantage of Opportunities (10th grade)

Every year of high school brings new challenges and different expectations than the year before, but most importantly, students are introduced to an increasingly wide range of opportunities. These opportunities are both academic and non-academic, shaping students not only as learners, but as individuals soon to be immersed into society as adults. Therefore, the role of educators very importantly includes instilling knowledge as well as teaching life skills within the classroom. Because of this, it is important that students are encouraged to challenge themselves on both an academic and personal level as they approach the conclusion of their required education and move on to the post high school stage of their life.  

Motivating students to challenge themselves entering their junior year

A shift occurs between the sophomore and junior year of high school. With two years of high school completed, a stronger emphasis is placed on preparing for the future come post-graduation. Students often begin to have an increased amount of choices within their core classes, as well as the opportunity to enroll in more rigorous courses (depending on the classes offered at each school).  However, these considerably rigorous courses and expanded involvement can be intimidating for students. Therefore it is important to encourage students to challenge themselves as learners and as individuals. Not merely from the standpoint of how they will benefit in those specific activities, but how they will contribute their growth as a whole person and to a successful future. 

Activity: Sticky Note Sharing (Overview) 

- Students will be asked to share potential barriers they see for taking advantage of the challenging opportunities of the upcoming year. Responses will then be written on the white board separate from each other so that there is space between them. 

- Students will be given an assortment of colorful sticky-notes 

- After the list of barriers has been written on the whiteboard, students will be asked to respond to these barriers using their sticky-notes. Responses can vary from agreement, to encouragement, to potential solutions to overcome these barriers. 

- Students will be asked to generate at least 3 responses to ensure that everyone is participating and multiple ideas are shared. 

- Once they have created a response they will stick it on the board next to the specific barrier they are addressing. 

- During the process of responding and posting, students will be encouraged to carry around a notebook or use their same sticky-notes to write down any ideas shared by fellow class mates to overcome barriers. This will provide them with the ability to take away strategies that they can use in the future. 

*For a complete description of the entire lesson please see the Guidance Lesson Write-up 

Helpful Hints

- In larger classes, discussion can be done with "elbow partners" by having the student pair up with a peer that is close by. This will save more time than having discussion occur at the group level. 

- It is helpful to have a list of activities and opportunities specific to YOUR school and community so that students have ideas of where they can get involved and challenge themselves. 

- Along with activities and opportunities, provide students with resources they can receive that are also specific to your school and community so that they feel supported in their endeavors. 

- Be mindful of discussing the potential benefits of rigorous courses or opportunities beyond those that are academic. For example, acknowledge personal growth benefits!

Images retrieved from: 

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/your-high-school-record/what-you-do-in-high-school-matters

http://thehappycouponer.com/the-skys-the-limit-when-you-list-your-coupons-in-the-happy-couponer-marketplace.html

http://www.envisionexperience.com/plan-your-future/blog-articles/even-our-best-and-brightest-students-need-more-educational-opportunities

Guidance Lesson: Financial Aid (12th grade)

 

Audience: 12^th graders. Usually present in December or January

Rationale: The purpose of this presentation is to inform seniors on how to understand financial aid. The process can be intimidating to many and the hope is that this will give them a better understanding on how to receive financial aid for postsecondary education. While I we would love to have every individual fill out a FAFSA at school, it can be extremely difficult with the amount of information they need on hand (social security number, tax information, etc). The presentation will walk them through what they need for to fill out their FAFSA, how to find scholarships, and teach them the difference between types of financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study).

Materials Needed:

- Projector

- PowerPoint

Time Required: Roughly 30 minutes

 

Applicable Standards:

This activity satisfies many ASCA standards, key among them are:

A:B2.7 Identify post-secondary options consistent with interests, achievement, aptitude and abilities.

C:A1.1 Develop skills to locate, evaluate and interpret career information.

C:A1.7 Understand the importance of planning.

Assessment:

Pre-assessment: Before lesson begins. Students will be given a handout with 2 questions (see below) and asked to answer them. Collect them before conducting the lesson. 

1. What is financial aid?

2. How can you pay for college or technical school?

Post-assessment: After lesson concludes a new handout with the same 2 questions (see above) to will be given to the students to gage if their knowledge increased about financial aid.

Lesson: PowerPoint Presentation (Link included)

 

Talking points regarding specific slides are presented below:

Slide 1: Ask students what knowledge they have of financial aid before showing slide 2.

 

 

Slide 6: Students will most likely need their parents help to complete their FAFSA since it requires so many sensitive documents.

Slide 10: Selection criteria are listed clearly so students can determine quickly if they qualify for specific scholarships. Ensure students are not discouraged about scholarships simply because they do not have a high GPA. Some scholarships specifically select students in the GPA range of 2.0-2.99.

 

Helpful Hints:
Present around the time FAFSA applications are made available (January 1^st). Usually present in December before Winter break so students have time to get all of the documentation they need to fill out the FAFSA in January or in January after applications are available.

Ensure that students understand that you are a resource to help them find scholarships and can help students and their parents fill out FAFSA applications if they have questions.

Encourage students to send their FAFSA to colleges/universities even if they are unsure if they will apply.

A FAFSA Parent Night will be helpful. The process can be daunting and overwhelming for everyone. Access to a computer lab will allow parents and students to fill out their FAFSA on site while school counselors walk around and help answer questions they may have.

 

Picture Resources:

http://www.edlinesites.net/pages/East_Valley_High_School

http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=31

Pinterest: College Motivation

Clip Art in Word

The Personal and Professional Qualities that Encompass a Successful School Counselor

After interviewing a High School Counselor and a second grade teacher, I had an interesting comparison of the two perspectives.  They both did not hesitate to say that the greatest issues facing today’s youth are perceived problems from their home lives.  Some of these issues that they are witnessing in our schools are: divorce, no support from parents, a lack of motivation and trauma.  It was referred as by the second grade teacher, “The breakdown of the American family”. What can we do to help our students?  To make their lives safer and more secure?  In order to assist them we need to possess certain qualities.

The three most important qualities of a school counselor, according to both a qualified school counselor herself and an experienced teacher are:

1. The ability to build a trusting, safe relationship with students and parents.  To have a trusting relationship with both students and parents may take time.  In order to attain trust, we need to be available with both our time and our listening.  A school counselor has a variety of time consuming tasks.  However, our number one priority is the direct needs of our students.  In order to listen effectively, we need to have empathy.  We also need to view every student as an individual, with unique needs.
2. Efficient communication and collaboration among administrators, teachers, parents and community in regards to students.  Communication and collaboration are important qualities for school counselors to possess, as seen by both school counselors and teachers.  They both believe that it is crucial for students’ success to have everyone working together as a team.  If everyone that is involved with the student knows exactly what is happening in their lives, it will be much easier to assist them, assess their progress, and make accommodations/changes as needed. 
3. Self-care.  The duties of a school counselor can be both mentally and physically challenging.  Self-care has been emphasized by almost everyone that I have come into contact with in regards to the counseling profession. Taking time for you to regroup and retain strength and composer is essential in this active occupation. 

In my many interactions with professionals in the field, it occurs to me that these three qualities are extremely important to attain in the school-counseling role.  I’m sure there are others, and it will be enlightening and exciting to add the list!

Photos Provided By:

Holding hands - http://birdcagewalk.tublr.com/post/35500847

Communication - http://raw.abduzeedo.com/post/20011061204/a…

Self-care - Green Mountain at Fox Run  http://fitwoman.com