School Counseling Office Updates
Getting my school counseling office situated has been a slow work in progress. However, I did want to share just a few photos.
First, I have been SO excited to put up this awesome display created by Susan Fuller at Entirely Elementary School Counseling! I can’t tell you how thankful I am to her for generously sharing all of the words she created along with the quotes. I printed the words onto colored card stock, had them framed with black construction paper (since they were going on a white wall), and had them laminated. I love how it turned out! Thanks, Susan!
In this next photo, you can see the entire area outside one of my office doors. I’ve been putting out the “Take What You Need, Take a Smile, and Today I will be…” pull-tab posters and have had to replace several already. I even saw that a student teacher had taken some “strength” and taped it to her shirt. 🙂 I’ve also put a couple in the staff lounge and they are being used as well. I was inspired by Pam Dyson from St. Louis Center for Play Therapy Training to make these great signs.
Inside my office, I still have several piles I’m working through, so I only took a picture of one side of the room. You can see my desk and two extra chairs for guests behind the desk. When I have individual sessions, I like being able to turn around and talk with students without a desk or table between us. On the walls I have my “You Are RESPONSIBLE For You!” sign which I’ve had since I was in the classroom. I also have several character posters scattered throughout the room as well. There is a table for six on the other side of the room along with a small portable dry erase board, a mail sorter, and a larger television.
I also put up this bulletin board in the main hallway. It will soon be the home of 5×7 group shots of students nominated by their teachers for showing the different character traits. The month of September is when we recognize students showing responsibility. I will display a group shot of each grade level. (six pictures total) This board was inspired by this pin on Pinterest. Each large piece of popcorn has a character trait on it. I found the real popcorn images on Google, enlarged them, and printed them onto card stock. To make the popcorn box, I projected the picture onto poster board, traced it with pencil, re-traced it with a Sharpie, and colored it in with a red Crayola marker.
Now that our teachers have finished their beginning of the year assessments, I am ready to begin getting into classrooms. I am very excited to start meeting with students next week! I’ll be seeing third and fifth grades. The lessons I’m using have been shared previously on my blog. For third grade, I’ll be using the First Aid Kit along with Annie’s Plan to talk about creating a plan for student success. For fifth grade, I’ll do a quick getting to know you activity using my “Who Are You?” thumball. Students toss the ball and share an answer for what is under their thumbs. Next, we will be playing the Meet the Counselor basketball game.
Stick around! You can follow Savvy School Counselor with free email updates. As always, I’d love to hear from you! Is your office ready and just like you want it, or are you like me and still slowly bringing it all together?
15 Comments
Lee Mayberry
I will be using ALL of your ideas! Thank you for the inspiration!!
Rhesia
Nice and colorful! Love it!
Barbara
WoW, Vanessa . . . lookin’ GOOD! Totally {heart} the BE wall and Popcorn board. Your lessons sound like SO much fun . . . I start my lessons Monday, too, and cannot wait to reconnect with the kids!
Sending smiles,
Barbara
Kenisah Baker
Hey,
I love your office! I was wondering how are you going to use Annie’s Plan? I have the book, but it is too long to read and discuss. Are you going to just pull different information from it and have a group discussion on it?
Vanessa
Thanks, Kenisah! Last year, I used Annie’s Plan later in the school year. I usually have 40 minutes with my 3rd graders, so last year, I was able to read and discuss the whole book and use the “What’s Your Plan?” sheet from Diane Senn’s “Spectacular Guidance Activities” just like I talked about in my other post. Since I am also using the first aid kit this year, I am thinking about just concentrating on the first half of the book this time and the other half when I return for the next lesson.
Sue
Your “Be Yourself” wall looks fantastic! I just love how colorful it is! My students and staff have given me such positive feedback about mine — I hope you get as many props! Also, I visited the St. Louis Center for Play Therapy site to learn more about the pull-tab sheets. I already have a Smile one hanging up and I have a BE YOU pull-tab sheet ready to go, but I really liked these other ideas!!! I might just alternate them.
Vanessa
Thanks, Susan! Yes, I’ve received great feedback from staff already. It’s definitely an eye catcher with all of the colors. I like the idea of a “Be You” pull-tab sheet.
Nicole Green
I really like your “BE YOURSELF” display! Thanks for giving me an idea of what to do with the large wall space between my classroom and the next! :o)
Judy
Love all your great ideas/bulletin boards. Only wish I had a large office and wall space! Where did you get your Counselor banner you have hanging outside your door? Love it….so many times my younger students can’t find me!
Vanessa
Thank you, Judy! We have banners throughout our school. A local company in our district makes them for several schools.
Stephanie
I was going to ask about the banner too! I love it! Was hoping an online store sold them…. :/
Also – I just printed, cut and created my “BE” posters. Going to laminate them next, then hang them up. Love how it looks!
Vanessa
Yay! Enjoy your “BE” display!
Kirsten
I actually copied/adapted the ‘BE’ wall in my office last week. Thanks for the inspiration!
Mitchell
HI! I absolutely love the “BE” wall and would love to use this in my office. How do you get each individual word to print? I am having a difficult time. Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas.
Vanessa
The words are on separate slides, so I just put different color card stock in the feeder tray of my printer and specified which page I wanted to print each time. Click file, print, and insert the page number you need to print, OR you can insert as many sheets as you can into the feeder and insert those page numbers after clicking file and print.