School counseling activities high school

A summer program helps San Francisco high school students get back on track academically – and gives them an introduction to higher education and jobs. “What I took from this program is confidence,” one student said. “If you really want something, there should be no reason you can’t go out and get it.”

The best "icebreaker" activity for high school students (who hate icebreaker activities). Get a jump start on creating a bond with your students.

Empathy is a critical skill for kids to develop and one of the hallmarks of emotional healing as detailed in the Grand Feelings Exit Plan (Signs of Emotional Health). The Empathy Map is a great way to get kids thinking about and understanding empathy for others. It is adapted from a business setting where it is used to understand clients but works great with kids.Here's What You Need A large sheet of paper or a board. Markers. Sticky notes. Pen/PencilHere's How To Set Up the Empathy Map (as…

This post provides tips and tricks on how we can better prepare our students for life after high school. Whether it be life skills or post-secondary education.

Use these 35 professional development books for school counselors to learn and grow in your practice. They are great for school counselors looking for summer reading, interested in learning more, or even starting a school book club with colleagues. These 35 books cover topics like trauma, mental hea

Quick, fun, no-prep SEL lesson activities that are perfect for before and after breaks or any time you need an extra fun guidance lesson

One of my biggest strengths (and weaknesses) is that I’m outspoken. There’s not much in the realm of school counseling that I don’t have a strong opinion about. That means there’s some things that are commonplace among other counselors that I don’t do – because they just aren’t in the best interest of my students. […]

Create a culture of empathy at your school by showing empathy to students. Modeling empathy in this way is a great way to build relationships with students and show them the importance of this social skill. Read more about why showing empathy to your students matters and how you can do it.

For the last few years, I would say that the majority of my faculty on fully on board with the importance of social emotional learning for their students, and support my role and work. That said, it wasn’t always like that. When I first started, the teachers had some strong and incorrect ideas about what […]

Morning meetings (a.k.a. tutor time / form time / advisory period - it has many names!) is an extremely powerful way to start the school day with your students. It sets your students off on the right foot. It gives them a routine that is safe and predict