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Tag: Middle School

Making Friends in School: Helping Students Connect With Their Peers in Meaningful Ways

Making Friends in School: Helping Students Connect With Their Peers in Meaningful Ways

I have recently started to see a trend of greater numbers of students coming to me to share their hopes and desires of developing more (or better) friendships. Not only do I really applaud and admire students vulnerably sharing this important heart-wish, or drive, to make more deeper and meaningful connections with their peers, but it is also one of my most favorite areas to try to help my students. Making friends can be scary—especially, for brand-new students; students who…

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Email Etiquette Tips and How-Tos in Education

Email Etiquette Tips and How-Tos in Education

Whether educators; caregivers; or students may like it or not, email is ubiquitous—it’s one of the essential forms of communication used in schools; by schools; and for schools to share-out information and to read or respond to updates; questions; or requests by other staff members and students and families alike. These days, many of us are writing far fewer handwritten notes and letters to others, so, perhaps, those traditional letter-writing skills; rules; and expectations that were historically-taught to students—many of…

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While Graduate School Taught Me a Lot, Some Things Just Had to Be Learned On the Job

While Graduate School Taught Me a Lot, Some Things Just Had to Be Learned On the Job

I want to spend some time looking at seven different things that I did not know as a student in graduate school. While I will be eternally grateful for all that I learned in my studies and from my professors and fellow students (and believe my program–and university–did a great job of preparing me for what I needed to know—and do—in order to have the best chance at success in the field of Education), some things may just have to…

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Study Tips For Students: How to Build Your Own System for Success

Study Tips For Students: How to Build Your Own System for Success

When it comes to studying and preparing for school, there are no shortage of tips and strategies out there for attempting to improve student outcomes and successes. I realize the following tips and strategies may only be adding to the abundance of circulating advice, but these are my top tips I routinely share with my own students. Please feel welcome to peruse through this list and see if something or another might be worth trying or incorporating into your study…

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Helping Students Find Their Success: Three Tips For Keeping It Simple and Meaningful

Helping Students Find Their Success: Three Tips For Keeping It Simple and Meaningful

Students, do you ever find yourself having a difficult time getting excited about school? Do you ever wonder what’s the point of school anyway? Caregivers and adults, does this sound like anyone you know? If so, I want to share three simple tips for helping each and every student get the most out of school—and to help students find their why and their passion, along the way. 1. Get Involved Early—and Get Off to a Good Start: Whether it is…

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Why Educators Should Learn (and Use) Student Names as Quickly as Possible

Why Educators Should Learn (and Use) Student Names as Quickly as Possible

Each year, educators–including teachers; school counselors; administrators—and anyone else working in a school—will interact with and–in varying degrees—be responsible for teaching; serving; and protecting dozens, hundreds, or thousands of students each and every day. What is more, each of these students has an individual name; story; skillset; and mix of differing talents, abilities, resources, dreams and desires, and, potentially, challenges in their daily lives. Speaking as a school counselor, most folks in this role usually have anywhere from two or…

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Jobs in Education: Tips for Acing Your Interview (Part 1 of 3: What to Do Before the Interview)

Jobs in Education: Tips for Acing Your Interview (Part 1 of 3: What to Do Before the Interview)

Whether you are applying for a position as a teacher; school counselor; other support staff–or even administrative role, it’s true that there are perhaps some common tips–or things to take into consideration–when preparing for an upcoming interview. What is more, whether this is your very first interview, or the thirtieth interview you are getting ready for, the following five tips can help get you ready for your big day. Likewise, for brand-new educators fresh out of college or college students…

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Five Reasons School Counselors (and Educators) Should Play Music for Students

Five Reasons School Counselors (and Educators) Should Play Music for Students

Music is one of those things that means different things to different people. Our preferred musical choices can take us back in time to certain important moments in our lives or even act as the on-going soundtrack of our lives. Music can help us through tough times; it can inspire us; and it can teach us a lot of different things in life. It should come as no surprise that many of our students and young people also like music…

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Ten Great Ideas for This Upcoming Summer

Ten Great Ideas for This Upcoming Summer

I love summers. I know what you may be thinking: “Yes, you and most other people.” Yet, whether you are a student; teacher; administrator; or school counselor, you likely agree. Everybody loves summer (well, maybe caregivers don’t always feel that way). But, safe to say, summers are definitely loved by many in education. Summers can be the perfect time for growth and rejuvenation. I tell people all the time that summers are the time–if you are involved in any way…

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