School counsellors are always looking for images to use or to share on ther schools website. Check out this resource made for you.
Staying the Course: Connections, Reciprocity, and the Web
A caring educator shares the value of a connected Mooc.
Trying to sum up my experience in #ETMOOC is an impossible task. Impossible, because how does one begin to put into words that which is felt by the heart? Furthermore, how can a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) bring about such a feeling? As Alec Couros (course visionary and facilitator, professor of educational technology and media, researcher and keynote speaker) stated, “We all decided to walk through the same door on the internet so we could think together.” Catherine Cronin echoed this and reflected on the power of open and connected learning in her blog, MOOCs: Community as Curriculum. Yes, #ETMOOC was definitely more than a course; it was also, and I hope will continue to be, a community.
From Education to Advocacy: Thank you #ETMOOC!
(Credit goes to Jeff Merrill for the Haiku Deck title remix.)
Photo credit: CC BY 2.0 Thomas Leuthard via CC BY NC SA 3.0 Catherine Cronin
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School Counsellor Talk on Grief
Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them.
– Leo Tolstoy
School Counsellors often have to assist students with the grief process. Over the years I have seen students who have lost parents, siblings, friends, classmates and family members.
When a school experiences the loss of a student everyone feels the loss as expressed here by a note left to a student who died.
Dear_____,
Even though we haven’t formally met, I look at your spot in English class and I am deeply saddened that you are not here with us…
It is never easy seeing a student in deep pain especially if the loss was tragic or sudden. Often times school counsellors need to ensure that they have dealt with their own issues surrounding grief so that they can best help others. School Counsellors need to be aware of vicarious trauma or counsellor burnout when assisting students who have experienced traumatic events.
Wendy Kurchak who is a retired school counsellor and now certified thantologist defines trauma loss as “a type of loss resulting from a sudden unexpected loss which is perceived as traumatic by the griever. It involves grief response + trauma response = complicated grief.” The suicide of a student is one of the most tragic a school counsellor will ever have to deal with and can most certainly bring about this kind of a response.
The school counsellor will often be dealing with the grief of several students and possibly the adults around them in any situation where a loss has affected the school community.
It is extremely important that a school counsellor takes care of their own selves as well as being present to the grief of others. To learn more about your own level of compassion fatigue go to: http://www.proqol.org/
Grief is a process and not an event. Every person’s grief is as unique as the individual or situation of loss. School counsellors may need several resources to assist students in their school community with a loss.
Students need to be reminded:
- To grieve in their own time and way
- That it is OK to cry and grieving comes in waves (sometimes unexpectedly through a song, a smell, or a picture. Anything can trigger moments of grief)
- Writing in a journal, creating songs, painting, creating a space and a place to grieve may help
- Dr. Allan Wolfelt is a leading expert in this field and offers great information
- It is ok to talk to someone like your school counsellor, a teacher, friend, parent or your local hospice
The school counsellor can use the following sentence completions with students:
- Grief is …
- You can help me by…
- Something I can do to help myself is…
- Others should realize that I…
- When I am sad I …
- My loss feels…
- I don’t know what to do when I am feeling…
- The hardest part of my grief for me is…
- If I could teach someone something about grief it would be…
- I can turn to _________ to help me.
School Counsellors can also find resources in my live binder:
Click here:
If you have any grief resources you want to share , please feel free to tweet me @SSpellmanCann.
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Color
EVERYONE HAS A STORY
I took this photo in Greece and was inspired to do so by the story I think exists here.
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Canadian School Counsellors Connecting…School Counselling Today Touches Tomorrow
photo by CRobi-Blog cc
To Touch The Soul of One Human Being Is To Walk On Holy Ground
Stephen Covey
One of our tasks as school counsellors is to help students separate themselves from outside evaluations and erroneous self- concepts, so that they may discover their own being. We need them to remember, regain, renew and strengthen what they once had as a baby, but now seems lost! By focusing on a student’s strengths we are better able to assist them.
Developing a positive relationship with students is essential and a key into their world; if we accept all students with respect and regard we will be effective in helping them.
Paraphrased from Windows to Our Children by Violet Oaklander
School Counsellors have an extremely important job to do. No matter what the situation is they are helping students and relationship is extremely important. It is the cornerstone of what school counsellors do. School counsellors are often privileged to have the time to sit down with a student to really understand their world and what it is they need. Part of the school counsellor’s role is to enhance the students development both personally and academically.
School counsellors across the country have a variety of skills. In my district we have to have a teaching degree as well as a Master’s degree in counselling.
When students come to the school counsellor they know they can get assistance in a number of areas with a variety of issues.
Coordinating Comprehensive School Counselling Programs which recognize the developmental needs of students is vital to the work that a school counsellor does. They provide responsive services in minor and major crisis while also coordinating wraparound services for school/community agencies as well as service providers for education, mental health, justice, newcomers and health care.
The Guidance Council of Alberta has some great resources to provide school counsellors in Canada with a background and framework for what we do.
Click here: http://www.guidancecouncil.ca/?page_id=29
The role of the school counsellor has changed and is evolving. Ask a school counsellor what they do and you may be surprised. Helping students is what school counsellors do. They want to make a difference in students lives so that they can better navigate the world around them.
Wanting more information about School Counsellors in Canada? The following websites are helpful:
- Alberta Guidance Council: http://www.guidancecouncil.ca/
- British Columbia School Counsellors: http://bctf.ca/bcsca/
- Manitoba School Counsellor Asssociation : http://www.msca.mb.ca/
- New Brunswick : no website available at the present time
- Nova Scotia: no website available at the present time
- Newfoundland: No website available at the present time
- Northwest Territories: No website available at the present time
- Nunavut: No website available at the present time
- Ontario School Counsellors Association: http://www.osca.ca/
- Prince Edward Island Counselling Association: http://www.peica.org/
- Quebec: No website available at the present time
- Saskatchewan School Counsellor Association: http://ssc.stf.sk.ca/ssca/ssca.html
- Yukon Territory: No website available at the present time
The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association School Counselling Chapter keeps up on school counselling programs across Canada and promotes and supports the role of school counsellors.
http://www.ccpa-accp.ca/en/chapters/schoolcounsellors/
School Counsellors love what they do and more are beginning to connect on twitter for professional development. We also love connecting with school counsellors from all over the world. So please join us follow the hash tags:
Canadian School Counsellor Chat: #cscchat
American School Counselors: #scchat
You can follow me @SSpellmanCann
Note to all school counsellors everywhere. If you have a HAIKU DECK that you have created please share with me @SSpellmanCann and I will share with EVERONE as well as putting in a place for all school counsellors to use.
Here is one example:
Click here:
http://www.haikudeck.com/p/VT42oMjCFM/positive-connections-school-counselling
- Hope you join in on creating haiku decks that students and you can use.
- Looking forward to connecting and working together to create FREE school counselling resources that students and school counsellors across the WORLD can use to make a difference in the lives of our students.
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The Fellowship of Open Spokes
This video will be the first in a series of sharing our educational experience. It is my introduction. The idea was created by Ben Wilkoff @bhwilcoff Please Join us at http://openspokes.com.
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Top Ten Technology Tools Every Educator and School Counsellor Should Use
- Haiku Deck A personal favorite of mine. This app helps students, teachers and school counsellors share stories that can make a difference.
- Twitter A fantastic tool for teachers and school counsellors to utilize for professional development.
- Livebinders A wonderful virtual 3 ring binder that helps educators and school counsellors not have to reinvent the wheel as there are so mant fantastic school counselling and educational binders already made. You can copy and use the binders available or create your own.
- Jux A beautiful, visual space that teachers and school counsellors can use to share ideas or important information. I use it for a school counselling website www.sspellmancann.jux.com
- Pinterest A wonderful place for teachers and school counsellors to find great resources and share them with othes.
- Google plus. Here are a few tutorials on you tube to get you started. A must site to be able to share with colleagues and those from across the world. Google hangouts are a must.
- Animoto This is a nice app to use for easy videos. Teachers can sign up for a free account . Make sure you check that feature out. Check here: Animoto for Education
- Flipboard A great educational and personal app that can curate information you can access easily.
- Tellagami A fun easy tool that you can use to send messages to parents and students.
- Ted Ed An inspirational place to find videos for PD or to use with students.
For more tools go to SCOPE School Counsellor Online Professional Exchange and Go to:
My live binder on Resources for the School Counsellor
Have fun and if you know of any great apps or resources , please share !
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So how do you thank someone who has taken you from Twitter to ETMOOC?
It isn’t easy, but I’ll try…
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to it’s old dimensions.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes
The ETMOOC http://etmooc.org/ ( Educational Technology Massive Open Online Course) experience has been elevating and I am so grateful for all I have learned. I decided on the very last day to jump into ETMOOC and to bring a few of my colleagues with me as I’d rather take a course with someone than alone. However, little did I know I would definitely not be alone. I would meet people who have changed and inspired me through ETMOOC. I definitely have no regrets. For my first MOOC I could not have chosen a better course.
I have looked forward to every
- Blackboard Collaborate session
- Twitter chat
- Google hangout
- Article or blog I read or wrote
- All the skills I have learned
Educational Technology is not my expertise by any means. I am a School Counsellor who loves using technology. This course was not only educational, but helped me make connections and get help like I never imagined.
ThIs course was:
- Educational
- Exciting
- Fun
- Helpful
- Inspirational
- Interesting
- Phenomenal
- Practical
- Useful and so much more.
The word that accurately describes how I felt going into the course was FEAR. I did not even know the difference between http and https. We’ll I certainly do now and I know so much more.
How do I feel now? I am happy, grateful and inspired to continue my learning journey through technology so that I may be able to help students and especially school counsellors. I am more confident than ever in my technological abilities. I am definitely more willing to take risks.
I am more OPEN. I am less afraid ( notice I did not say completely ) to make mistakes in an open form like a BLOG. I am more reflective. Wish I had done this as a young teacher/counsellor. It is never too late to become what you might have been. Who said that? I don’t remember, but it is true. I so want to continue learning.
Every time and I mean every time I asked for help someone answered my call. ETMOOCERS to the rescue. That was so wonderful. I want YOU ALL TO KNOW I am so grateful (too many to mention individually), but YOU know who you are. Cheers to you all and if we meet someday not in the virtual world, but personally I’d be happy to celebrate YOU! Thank you just not seem enough.
I am so sad that ETMOOC is ending as it has definitely been the best PD ever. I thought twitter was, but NO ETMOOC topped that as it encompassed twitter and so much more. My bucket is full. The friends I have made, the lessons I have learned are worth so much more than I can really express here. It feels similar to my Master’s program in Counselling. I made connections there that have lasted to this day and will last my lifetime. I feel the same way about ETMOOC.
They are Connections that INSPIRE me to DO BETTER … BE BETTER.
Connections that do not care if I am perfect or if I make mistakes or if I ask questions that may seem silly to others. I met people that accepted my inadequacies when it came to technology and guided me through processes to help me.
As a result I have learned so much in a short period of time that I don’t think , no I know I would not have otherwise.
Although ETMOOC is ending I know some of the connections are not
You have helped me to not just make a living , but with all the tools, ideas and connections to make a difference.
My second MOOC is a Harvard MOOC on Justice by Michael Sandel
…the learning continues…
“Change is the end result of all true learning.”
Leo Buscaglia (my favorite educator)
Thanks to all of you for helping me to truly learn …
oxoxo
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Haiku Deck A Fantastic App for School Counsellors
HAIKU DECK is a fantastic app to use for School Counsellors. It is no secret that I love this app. I love this app because it is easy to use and creates professional looking beautiful presentations that I can easily use in my counselling office or as a professional development tool that I can use in presentations with other school counsellors. Stunning visuals have the ability to evoke emotion, a powerful tool for school counsellors to utilize. By being an active champion of both learning and technology school counsellors can use Haiku Deck to create amazing visuals that not only assist students in learning , but they can actually help students.
If you would like to try the web app please click here: You are invited to try the Haiku Deck web app.
Click here to see this deck:
The newest version of Haiku Deck is even better than before. Check out the Haiku Deck blog for some hot tips on how to make new and exciting presentations.
The truth about stories is, that ‘s all we are”.
Thomas King
School Counsellors can use this app to:
- Share stories (while still keeping confidentiality)
- Engage students brain to help them remember what is important
- Share small and/or big ideas
- Present topics to other counsellors
- Share ideas or topics with students ( easy to share in your office as topic starters)
- Have students create decks on coping skills or to tell their story
- Co create a deck with students
- Create positive quotes and have them rotating in your office
- Post Haiku Deck’s on your schools facebook site.
- Tweet decks to students in your school with messages that promote school counselling
- Tweet decks to other school counsellors.
Please feel free to share ideas you come up with so we can remix and share the best Haiku Deck’s for School Counsellors ever.
Parents might also like getting Haiku Deck’s. It is a great way to promote your School Counselling Program.
Because HAIKU DECK has a Creative Commons license, finding a picture that fits your ideas is fast and easy and as school counsellors this is extremely helpful. It’s as easy as 1-2-3 to set yourself up and share.
How to use Haiku Deck for school counsellors:
STEP 1 Go to: http://www.haikudeck.com/
STEP 2: Sign up for Haiku Deck and create a password
STEP 3: Download the app on your IPAD and start creating
Need ideas and visuals go to the gallery where you will find all kinds of great HAIKU DECKS.
Start using Haiku Deck now and your life as a school counsellor will become be enhanced because you’ll get to share great presentations with others that look like it took you forever to create!
You can view more presentations in Haiku Deck’s Gallery, Haiku Deck’s Pinterest boards, and make sure you follow and share your experiences with Haiku Deck on Twitter (you can even tweet your fantastic presentations to them with #setyourstoryfree ) .
Check out Susan’s Pinterest HaikuDecks for school counsellors to get you started with some ideas.
Follow Haiku Deck on twitter @haikudeck
School Counsellors please share your counselling haikudeck’s with me on twitter @sspellmancann. I would like to pin and share with others. let’s work together to make some of the best deck’s ever for students.
Click below to see Erin Luong’s Haiku Deck ( high school counsellor) that she co- created with a student.
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YOUR School Counsellor discusses YOUR REPUTATION ON AND OFFLINE
photo by zenobia_joy cc attribution
It is our choices … that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
– J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets)
If I search the internet …what will I find about you?
Your reputation is very important to you on and off line so how do you keep or get a positive reputation?
- Act As If The World Is Watching. (because they probably are) Make sure you become the person you want to be on the internet. Everything we do nowadays is recorded. It seems every move we make someone is either taking a picture or videoing us. So it is up to you to be the kind of person you want the world to see, because they just might.
Your Digital Dossier . Think about it!
- What You Give Out Is Probably What You Will Get Back. So give out the positive vibes that you want to get back. Treat everyone as you would like to be treated on and off the internet. Put out positive messages on and off line. Flood the internet with positive posts by you. You decide what you want your reputation to be. Don’t wait for others to create it for you.
- Self- reflect. Check out who you are on and off line. It is always a good thing to do. Do a search on line to see what is being said about you. Google yourself on a regular basis. Build up positive stories on line if nothing is out there. Decide who you want to be and become that person. Who do you admire the most? What qualities do they have? Work on those qualities in yourself and be honest about who you are online.
- Be Real Be Yourself. All of us are not perfect and all we can really be is who we are, so discover the real you and make sure your reputation is really what you want it to be. If you were writing a news story about yourself what would it say? Be authentic.
- Live and Learn. If someone makes a bad remark about you on or off line. Don’t give it any energy. Don’t react, don’t retaliate. You know who you are and if you respond you will only fuel the fire and often that is what people want is to see your reaction. So believe in yourself and make sure you are surrounded by positive people who know who you really are. Build your allies. Block people who are inappropriate.
- Use Common Sense. I know this sounds easy, but some people really don’t understand this concept. Ask yourself would I make that comment to someone I respect on or off line? THINK before you post. THINK before you say something you will regret.
- Recognize That You Are Someone Who Can Make a Difference Having a positive influence on line and off is really up to you. You can create what it is that you want. Be your own PR person. Start with making a decision to have a positive reputation.
- Just for Today recognize that you can build a positive reputation. Even if you have said or done negative things in the past, start today to be honest, reliable and reputable.
- Get supports Helpful and healthy relationships are important. Ask for guidance from people who know how to be ethical. Read more about being an ethical person on and off line. Learn how to have healthy relationships. Go online to research how to be the best person you can be. Take leadership courses. Volunteer. Help others less fortunate. Learn from great leaders. Who do you know that has a great reputation on and off line? Ask them how they did it. Tweet them … they just might respond.
- Your reputation is created by you SMILE your on YOU TUBE. . How you act, what you say, what you do. It is all up to you! Build the kind of reputation you want. The world is watching now more than ever before.
- Safety Are you sure you are being safe on line? Ask for help if you need it.
Inspired by Janine Wariner’s talk at the Telus Convention Centre March 2010
Check out her video here:
http://jcwarner.com/speeches.html
I value digitally responsibility. I am a learner won’t you join me?
Digital Citizenship is a concept which helps teachers and technology leaders understand what students should know to use technology appropriately. But Digital Citizenship is more that just a teaching tool, it is a way to prepare students for a society full of technology. Too often we are seeing students as well as adults misusing and abusing technology. The issue is more than what the users do not know but instead what is considered appropriate technology usage.
Alec Couros
For School Counsellors Resources:
Check out the University of British Columbia’s Information on your Digital Tattoo .
My livebinder on DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP which will be updated as we move along in the next two weeks
Videos on cyberbullying:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNumIY9D7uY&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
- www.netsmartz.org/Educators
A very helpful resource for Creative Commons that can assist in students being digitally responsible:
http://search.creativecommons.org/
For parents:
- www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-forparents/digital-citizenship
- Alberta Education put together a Digital Citizenship Policy Development Guide at : http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/resources/connection/archive/october-2012/technology/digital.aspx
Digital Citizenship is so important . Our digital identity begins at birth. We need to be more vigilant than ever before about becoming the person we want to be. It doesn’t mean we won’t make mistakes. It means we need to learn and grow and be responsible for who we are and will become.
Maybe because the world may be watching ,we will all become better citizens.
Counsellor Talk : Connecting with those who want to make a difference. 