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Category: School Counselors & Educators

Five Reasons Why School Counselors Should Consider Keeping School Supplies and Food in Their Offices

Five Reasons Why School Counselors Should Consider Keeping School Supplies and Food in Their Offices

When I got my (first and current) school counseling job, one of the first things I decided to do was keep a designated space in my office for students to gather-up needed (free) school supplies or to grab a quick snack. Sure, this ends up costing several hundred dollars a year (probably similar to what a lot of teachers spend to stock their classrooms), but the pay-off is more than worth it in my mind. If you are a savvy…

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Super-Charging Your Student Loan Repayments: How to Pay Back Loans Quicker and Save Substantial Money (Part II of II)

Super-Charging Your Student Loan Repayments: How to Pay Back Loans Quicker and Save Substantial Money (Part II of II)

In continuing our discussions on paying back student loans (Super-Charging Your Student Loan Repayments: How to Pay Back Loans Quicker and Save Substantial Money) from last month, here are the final six tips, strategies, and things to perhaps consider: 7. Make Small, Incremental Increases (Whenever Possible): Maybe the best way to start-off our list is with an example: Once I decided to more aggressively pay back my student loans (if you remember from last month’s article, that was about three…

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Super-Charging Your Student Loan Repayments: How to Pay Back Loans Quicker and Save Substantial Money (Part I of II)

Super-Charging Your Student Loan Repayments: How to Pay Back Loans Quicker and Save Substantial Money (Part I of II)

Seemingly plastered over the news these days, it’s little secret that student loan debt is a big deal to a lot of people in 2021. With outstanding debt loads that can rival, or beat, many car notes–or even approach some mortgage payments–it’s a burden that is certainly felt strongly by many tens of millions of Americans. I, too, have felt that burden. However, recently, I was able to pay off my student loans in six years and three months’ time–shaving…

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My School Counselor Decision-Making Process

My School Counselor Decision-Making Process

As a school counselor–as with many other jobs–hundreds of decisions are typically made in each workday. Big decisions; little decisions; largely inconsequential decisions; and consequential decisions–and everything in-between. How can a school counselor approach the decision-making process? In this article I will talk about the approach that I like to take for myself, offering some tips and things to think about, along the way. When it comes to making decisions, I like to funnel things through four different categories: What’s…

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Book Review: I Wish for Change: Unleashing the Power of Kids to Make a Difference

Book Review: I Wish for Change: Unleashing the Power of Kids to Make a Difference

I cannot seem to remember the last time that I actually wrote a book review. Was it middle school? Elementary school? However long ago that it was, here I am again: Deciding to dust-off my book review skills for the first time since kids still rocked snap bracelets; fanny packs (back in fashion now, I may add) and ate Dunkaroos after school. I really did not set out to write a book review this month, to be honest, but by…

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My Belief Statements and Own Original Quote

My Belief Statements and Own Original Quote

10 Belief Statements:  I Believe…. 1. I believe that the work I do everyday matters (and is important). 2. I believe that my students push–and inspire–me to be a better version of myself each and every day. 3. I believe in never putting a damper on a student’s dream–no matter how large or small. 4. I believe that labels are limiting and students own the right to change, grow, and evolve as they see fit. 5. I believe in fostering–and…

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My Mission & Vision Statements

My Mission & Vision Statements

Recently, I took some time to craft a Mission Statement and Vision Statement for my career as a school counselor (my Mission Statement), and, more holistically, for all aspects of my life (in the form of a Vision Statement). You can see them below. It is my hope that you, too, may also be inspired and emboldened to create your own statements, that will serve to encourage and motivate you in areas both inside and outside of your career. Mission…

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Tapping-Into the Power of Thank-You Notes

Tapping-Into the Power of Thank-You Notes

In today’s digital age, anything hand-written on paper almost seems like a nod to times long past; an ancient relic of a previous era and time. To be sure, today’s technologies have ushered in many small and larger conveniences for people gradually over time, but maybe that makes a tangible note of thanks and gratitude all that much more potentially-impactful. With that, let’s take a look at ten reasons why thank-you notes should be an often-used resource in your toolbox–and…

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Building a Brand: A Blue-Collar Counselor’s Journey From the Beginning

Building a Brand: A Blue-Collar Counselor’s Journey From the Beginning

In this first of a two-part series on branding, I take a look at the Blue-Collar Counselor moniker, while also taking a trip down memory lane. The Blue-Collar Counselor Goes to School: It seems that I have always been interested in people and places. Maybe it goes back to elementary school, where, every year, I expeditiously leafed through my Social Studies books looking for all the colorful graphs, charts, maps, and pictures to study that could be contained within the…

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Fifteen Tips for New(er) Counselors: How to Jump-Start Your Career and Maximize Your Impact From the Start

Fifteen Tips for New(er) Counselors: How to Jump-Start Your Career and Maximize Your Impact From the Start

As a brand-new counselor, the so-called learning curve can often be steep—I know it was for me. Many days can leave a new counselor wondering when they will ever get the full hang of this job; if they are truly being effective for their students; or even if they have chosen the right profession, altogether. Doubt; feelings of inadequacy; and imposter syndrome tendencies can often rear their ugly heads on a seemingly daily basis, so it’s important to know what…

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