Counselor corner
Tex Hill Middle School-APRIL 2017
Welcome to the Tex Hill Counseling Office!
From our Data Processor-Janie Medrano Murray
Parents,
As the end of the school year approaches, we are making plans for the 2017-18 school year. Please let us know if your child will not be returning to Tex Hill M.S. or attending 9th grade at Johnson H.S. You can contact our Data Processor, Janie Medrano-Murray at 210-356-8031 or the Counseling Office at 210-356-8030. There will also be a form sent home with student progress report. Thank you.
MAY EOC AND STAAR TESTING-SPRING 2017
GOOD LUCK ON MAY STAAR TESTING!!
May 8th- 6th and 7th grade Math & 8th Math 2nd Administration
May 9th- 6th and 7th grade Reading & 8th Reading 2nd Administration
May 10th- 8th Science
May 11th- 8th Social Studies
Students will need to place ALL personal belongings in their locker that morning.
No cell phone or smart watch use is permitted in the testing rooms. Cell phones/smart watches need to be turned on silent in the student's locker or turned in to their test administrator until testing is complete.
Pencils and scratch paper will be provided.
Students will only be allowed one book in the testing room. The book must stay with the test administrator in the front of the room during testing. Students may read their book once their test is turned in.
Please see Tiffany Johnson, Campus Test Coordinator for any questions.
We are looking forward to testing success with the May STAAR administration . Thank you!
The Center of Excellence for Math and Science at St. Philip's College-2017 STEM summer progams
The Center of Excellence for Math and Science at St. Philip’s College is accepting applications for their 2017 summer STEM programs.
Program levels range from children in 4th to 12th grades. Please forward to students and parents for application awareness. For more information visit their websites below.
TEST TAKING TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS
- Analyze how you did on a similar test in the past.
Review your previous tests and sample tests provided by your teacher.
Each test you take prepares you for the next one! Arrive early for tests.
List what you need beforehand to avoid panic.
Good preparation prepares you for the task at hand.Be comfortable but alert.
Choose a comfortable location with space enough that you need
Don't slouch; maintain good posture.Stay relaxed and confident.
Keep a good attitude and remind yourself that you are going to do your best.
If you find yourself panicking, take a few deep breaths
Don't talk to other students right before: stress can be contagious.Read directions carefully!
and avoid careless errors.If there is time, quickly look through the test for an overview.
Scan for keywords. If permitted, jot any notes that come to mind.Answer questions in a strategic order:
Easy questions first to build confidence.
Then those with the most point value.
On objective tests, eliminate obvious incorrect answers.
On essay tests, broadly outline your answer and sequence of points.Review! if you have time.
Resist the urge to leave when you complete the exam--
check if you have answered all the questions,
and not made any errors or mis-marked any answers.Change answers to questions if you erred, or misread the question!
You may also find information in the test that will correct a previous answer.Decide on and adopt study strategies that work best for you.
Review where you succeed and where you are challenged.
Check out your academic support center or a trusted teacher for advice.
6 Ways to Become More Positive Today-Psychology Today
“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” ― Lao Tzu
Each of us has a set of messages that play over and over in our minds. This internal dialogue, or personal commentary, influences our words, actions, habits, relationships and ultimately, in the words of Lao Tzu, the destiny of our lives.
Too often the pattern of self-talk we’ve developed is negative. This internal seed of negativity causes a dark ripple that extends to all corners of our daily lives. We walk around with a dark cloud hovering close-by, and view all glasses as half-empty. Our conversations always revert to all that is wrong with the world, and we’re constantly expecting the worst.
This negative approach to life can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Concepts such as the law of attraction, “you reap what you sow,” and “birds of a feather flock together,” speak to the magnetic power of our thoughts. Many studies (link is external) confirm the correlation between positive thinking and success.
So how can we begin to brighten our view of the world, and infuse more positivity into our thought patterns? Although quite simple, these six steps can make a profound impact on your approach to life, and ultimately create a more positive outcome.
- Practice Gratitude.
One of the quickest ways to shift your focus away from negativity, judgment, and disappointment is to list the things in your life for which you are grateful. Be grateful to be gainfully employed, to sleep in a bed each night, for the sun that comes up each morning, for the waiter who greets you with a smile, for the people that love and care for you, and for a body that lets you experience life each day. Practicing gratefulness can cause almost an immediate shift in your perspective. Keeping a daily gratitude journal, even digitally (link is external), can help remind you to keep life’s blessings at the forefront of your mind. Another strategy is to have a gratitude partner—someone who can support you in your journey to positive thinking. Each day, text, email or tell each other three things for which you are grateful. Think of this person as your accountability partner for your path to healthy thinking. - Two Steps Forward.
Initially, it might be hard to stop the negative flow of thoughts. This shift takes time. Be patient with yourself, and first just try to observe your thought patterns. See if you can catch yourself judging others, focusing on failures, complaining about work, or criticizing yourself or your body. When you observe these thoughts, take a moment to counter each negative thought with two positive observations or gratitudes. Think of it as taking two steps forward after your one step back. - Positive Posture.
The mind and the body have an intrinsic connection—each has a profound impact on the other (link is external). If you are struggling to move your mind into a more positive perspective, try moving your body there first. Try standing up straight, shoulders back, chin held high, stretching your arms out as wide as they can go. Feel powerful. Feel positive. Carrying yourself with “positive posture” will encourage your mind to feel more positive as well. - Smile.
Another way for your body to “trick” your mind into being more positive is through smiling. The simple act of smiling, even if you don’t necessarily have anything to smile about, can instantly change the way you feel internally. Whether you are sitting at your desk, driving in your car, or walking down the street, smile. You will be amazed how your mind reacts. Even better, try smiling at a co-worker or stranger you pass in the hallway or on the sidewalk. Did they smile back? - Ditch the Crabs.
If you put a crab in a bucket, it will easily climb out. But if you put a second crab in the bucket, neither of them will escape. Once one starts to escape, the other will pull it back down into the bucket. In other words, surround yourself with positive people. It's hard to maintain a positive perspective if you are constantly pulled down by the negativity of friends, family, or co-workers. If you get trapped in a negative conversation, gracefully try to change the subject to something more positive. However, if you are surrounded by a bucketful of negative crabs, it may be time to reevaluate your circle of friends in an effort to be surrounded by uplifting individuals. - Do Something Kind.
It’s easy to get absorbed by our own world of misfortune and to forget about the people around us. Stepping outside of your daily routine to help someone else can provide amazing perspective and fill you with positivity. Strive to do one nice thing for someone else each day. Call a family member or friend in need of a kind word, compliment a stranger, go out of your way to help a co-worker complete a task, or join the thousands of caffeinated people “paying it forward (link is external)” in the Starbucks line.
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Life is not always easy, and sometimes we get handed a bushel of lemons. However, it is our own perspective that ultimately determines if we will drudge through life puckered and sour, or skip along with a glass of sweet lemonade.
Gregory L. Jantz (link is external), PhD is the founder of The Center • A Place of HOPE (link is external) and an internationally recognized best selling author (link is external) of 28 books related to mental wellness and holistic recovery treatment.
Counseling Office contact information
Mrs. Lesley Reichert-6th M-Z and 7th grade Counselor lreich@neisd.net 210-356-8033
Mrs. Jane Murray-Data Processor jmedra1@neisd.net 210-356-8031
Mrs. Debbie Ferrer-Counseling Clerk/Registrar dferre@neisd.net 210-356-8030