Counselors Gazzette October 2014
By Denisha Forte & Carla Milano
What is happening @ Central?
Leader in Me (7 Habits of Happy Kids by F. Covey)
Counselors began teaching guidance lessons from The Leader in Me Program based The 7 Habits of Happy Kids by F. Covey. Our objective is to build confidence, self-esteem and empower students with the skills they need to be successful at school and life.
Concilio P.A.S.E. Program
Fall 2014: Morning session Mondays @ 8:30 & afternoon @ 6:00pm
Parents Advocating for Student Excellence/ The Concilio modules started last week. We had 260 parents in attendance and more are set to join our leadership series in November. Our campus goal is to empower families to become actively engaged in our school and become leaders in our community. A learning organization for parents translates to highly engaged students.
The Importance of Teacher-Parent Communication
Teachers strive to establish partnerships with parents to support student
learning. Strong communication is fundamental to this partnership and to
building a sense of community between home and school. In these changing
times, teachers must continue to develop and expand their skills in order to
maximize effective communication with parents. This article presents a range
of communication opportunities available to teachers, including the emerging
use of technology. Some of these practical suggestions may seem very basic
to those already actively promoting parental involvement, but unfortunately,
many teachers have not been trained in nor are they practicing proactive
communication with parents. Barriers to effective communication are
considered in conjunction with potential solutions. Read more
Stop Bullying on the Spot
When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time. There are simple steps adults can take to stop bullying on the spot and keep kids safe.
Do:
- Intervene immediately. It is ok to get another adult to help.
- Separate the kids involved.
- Make sure everyone is safe.
- Meet any immediate medical or mental health needs.
- Stay calm. Reassure the kids involved, including bystanders.
- Model respectful behavior when you intervene.
Avoid these common mistakes:
- Don’t ignore it. Don’t think kids can work it out without adult help.
- Don’t immediately try to sort out the facts.
- Don’t force other kids to say publicly what they saw.
- Don’t question the children involved in front of other kids.
- Don’t talk to the kids involved together, only separately.
- Don’t make the kids involved apologize or patch up relations on the spot.
Get police help or medical attention immediately if:
- A weapon is involved.
- There are threats of serious physical injury.
- There are threats of hate-motivated violence, such as racism or homophobia.
- There is serious bodily harm.
- There is sexual abuse.
- Anyone is accused of an illegal act, such as robbery or extortion—using force to get money, property, or services.