The first week of School Counsellor in 30 #SCin30 is almost over , but School Counsellors feel free to post anytime. I loved being able to see you in the videos and so look forward to hearing more from you in the weeks and months to come. If you haven’t added a question or a video please do so and I will add here at a later date.
Thanks George Couros for your support and kickstarting the idea!
— Susan Spellman Cann (@SSpellmanCann) May 3, 2015
I sure hope School Counsellors from across the world will be inspired to join us on this journey. We look forward to keeping this going for a long time so that we can truly connect and learn from and with each other. Thanks so much for joining in to this vlogging experience. I know you are all so busy, but appreciate all your efforts to share your voice in #SCin30 #SCin30 Q1
Q2: Submitted by George Couros is How do you see the role of School Counsellor changing?
Add your questions to our google doc here. Thanks so much for collaborating! See you in #SCin30.
Twitter and great educators often inspire new ideas and this time it was no exception. I came upon a tweet by George Couros a while back, and for those School Counsellors who don’t know @gcouros , he is a Principal , Educator , leader , inspiration and thought provoker. Really , he is a Canadian educator, an everyday person who cares.
I loved reading his blog post on his new project #EDUin30 it is such a fabulous idea. You and I can now share 30 second videos on twitter by simply taking our phone, videoing our thoughts and sharing them on twitter in a tweet.
I know videoing yourself is not an easy thing to do as I did this in a vlogging project called #openspokes for a couple of years . Believe me putting myself out there wasn’t easy at first. It definitely made me reach outside my comfort zone. Making a video for longer that 30 seconds is a big commitment, but sharing our thoughts in 30 seconds is something we could all most likely sustain. So I invite all School Counsellors from around the world to share , to learn, to grow and to collaborate with me in this project . I am excited to get started and would be so honoured if you would join me on this journey.
For those of you with an iPhone here is the step by step guide
1) Go to your camera – move your cursor over to video .
2) Press the big red dot and Press play answering your question. You can see my sample below only I uploaded to youtube this time.
3) Go to twitter. Press the feather at the top as if you were writing a post.
4) Then below go to your camera and post your video. As long as it is less than 30 seconds it will post directly to twitter.
5) Voila YOU DID IT! Don’t forget to add the two hash tags #SCin30 and #SCin30 Q1 etc. . It’s really that easy.
6) Thanks for sharing and I look forward to posting and learning with you.
Instead of breaking the hashtag as #EDUin 30 does I prefer to use weeks. I thought it would work if we do it in questions. Question 1 : #SCin30Q1
Why did you become a School Counsellor? #SCin30Q1, so when you post your first video and I so look forward to it please post to two hastags #SCin30 and #SCin30Q1 or on whatever question we are on at the time of posting.
I would also love if you would add some questions you would like to see in this collaborative google doc.
My goal is to get at least 100 questions that we all collaborate on and answer related to School Counselling and a School Counsellors unique perspective . I would also encourage School Counsellor educators and School Counselling students to join in.
WHY DO THIS?
As George said to make reflection a part of our work. I hope this will also help us to inspire each other and create new ideas. As School Counsellors many of you feel isolated as you often work alone in your schools without other School Counsellors to bounce ideas off of. This is another way to share that can help us to feel connected, be better , do better and most importantly find ways to help our students. I think there are many great things that can happen as a result of sharing this way. Let’s see what happens? Won’t YOUjoin me?.
Thank you George for doing what you do and inspiring educators to make a difference. Grateful that you do!
School Counsellors all over Canada are making a difference. I want to share what you do!!
I thank you School Counsellors in Canadaand in the world for all you do. YOU DO #makeadifference. Post to the hashtag #cscchat Canadian School Counsellor Chat to share what you do .
Inspired by my dear friend Maria De Cicco, I am wanting to celebrate all the great work School Counsellors are doing in Canada this week. I want to feature YOU and what you do on my blog. If you would like to write an article and send it to me, I would love to feature the fabulous things School Counsellors are doing . Please send a pic if you can along with your blog post to susanspellmancann@gmail.com. If you would just like to send me a pic of you and a message that is great too. I would be happy to share it on twitter with your permission. I believe there are School Counsellors all over Canadadoing amazing things and the TIME IS NOW to share what you do!!!!
Check out Julie Fantinato ‘s @jfantinato school district’s comments from Elementary school students about their School Counsellor.
You can tell they love their School Counsellors
The CCPA has some ideas for you . Below you can see an example of what we plan on doing at BCHS. Here are some possible examples of PA Announcements:
Monday: This week is Canadian School Counselling Week. We challenge you today we challenge you to take 10 mins. out of your day to exercise or practice mindfullness. Need more information or tips please pick up todays tips in Student Services. Have a great day! You can make a difference.
Tuesday: It is Canadian School Counsellor Week. Today we challenge students and staff to do one small good deed and when you do please post it to the hashtag #empowerBCHS or come and share with us what you did and we will share it on our school facebook site. Have a fabulous day . You make a difference.
Wednesday: It is Canadian School Counsellor Week. Today we challenge each student and staff member to express your gratitude to someone at school by telling them thank you for… You could even write a post card to them . The post cards will be available all week in Student Services. Being grateful improves your overall happiness. Do it today! You make a difference.
Thursday: It is Canadian School Counsellor Week. Today we challenge students and staff to let one of your family members know how important they are. Pick up a You make a difference in my life card in Student Services and give it to them. Remember you make a difference.
Friday: It is the last day of School Counselling Week. Your school counsellors want you to know we are here for you anytime . Come see us in Students Services. Today we challenge you to think about your favourite wellness quote and post it to the hashtag #empowerBCHS or share it with us in Student Services and we will feature it in the upcoming weeks. Have a wonderful weekend and remember You make a difference.
You may also wish to send someone you know who supports School Counsellors a thank you. This one I made with haiku deck.
Alberta School Counsellors are also doing amazing things . Check out their website here . ProclamationCanadian School Counselling Week.
Proclamation from CCPA for School Counselling Week
WHEREAS, school counsellors are employed in public and privateschools to help students reach their full potential; andWHEREAS, school counsellors are actively committed to helping studentsexplore their abilities, strengths, interests, and talents as thesetraits relate to career awareness and development; andWHEREAS, school counsellors help parents focus on ways to furtherthe educational, personal and social growth of their children; andWHEREAS, school counsellors work with teachers and other educatorsto help students explore their potential and set realistic goals forthemselves; andWHEREAS, school counsellors seek to identify and utilize communityresources that can enhance and complement comprehensive schoolcounselling programs and help students become productive members ofsociety; andWHEREAS, comprehensive developmental school counselling programsare considered an integral part of the educational process thatenables all students to achieve success in school;Therefore, I, ___________________________________ do hereby proclaimFebruary 2-6, 2015, as Canadian School Counselling Week. School Counsellors make a difference . It is worth repeating. Thank you School Counsellors in Canada and in the world for all you do. YOU DO #makeadifference. Post to the hashtag #cscchat Canadian School Counsellor Chat to share what you do especially this week.
There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.
I am so fortunate to work with @NeilOF12 a great leader, and @ehordyskiluong ( my co-inspirer) I know that’s not a word, but she always works with me to inspire students and helps me with so many other projects and ideas. To Peter Damen who always has great ideas and is a fabulous School Counsellor ( who I am grateful is on our team ) thank you for who you are and all you do. To my fabulous colleagues who continue to inspire me by what they do and their comittment to education . I am grateful to work alongside you.
In 2015, I hope to see more Canadian School Counsellors on twitter. I look forward to celebrating and connecting with you. Thanks to those who have already taken a leadership role. See you in #SCCrowd #scchat and #cscchat.
When it comes to coping it really does matter what you have to cope with: Check out my haiku deck on coping skills here: How You Cope Depends On What You Have to Cope With. Understanding how stress impacts you can help you cope. Below you will find some strategies that may help you cope . Use the strategies that work best for you.
Allow yourself extra time to get up in the morning andget to places. Being 15 to 20 minutes early can reduce your strss level.
Allow 10-15 minutes a day for YOU time. Time to wind down, time to reflect, time to let go of your worries,
B: Books : A book on the topic you are trying to cope with can help. Beliefs Challenge your thoughts about the topic: Be positive! Books can be healing!
Be a person who can say NO and not feel guilty. It is OK to say no to things that are not healthy and things you really don’t want to do. It’s also ok to give yourself a break and say no to something.
Be a person who knows how to wait, read a book online or have a book with you that you can devour while you have to wait somewhere. It not only makes the time go faster but it is a wonderful way to pass the time.
C: Caring and compassion make a difference: helping others helps you to focus on others not on your problems. Care about yourself. Write a positive message to yourself on a mirror with an erasable marker. Write a positive note to yourself on a card and carry it around in your wallet.
D: Decide if you are a School Counsellor that you need to take care of yourself. Watch out for compassion fatigue:
D: Decide if you are a student to reach out and ask for help if you need it. Reaching out is a strength not a weekness.
E: Express your feelings . Feelings are neither write or wrong. It’s what you do with them that matters. If you hurt yourself or someone else then that needs to be changed. So write down your feelings.Tell someone how you feel. Draw your feelings in an art journal. Find some great ideas for art Journalling on pinterest.
Exercise is always helpful. You might only need to exercise 7 mins. each day. You can do it!
F: Find great strategies.
G: Give yourself a break . Try these brain breaks:
H: Hope . It is so important to maintain a hopeful perspective.
S: Strategies : the more you have the better. Here are 99.
T: Trust: that your feelings will not last forever. Feelings are neither right nor wrong they are just feelings. It is what you do with them that matters.
U: Understanding your coping skills matters.
V: Visualize what you want.
W: Watch a funny show to get your mind off all the serious stuff.
Words really do matter. I am in the process of developing an online presentation for adults on mental health and wellness so that they may assist students in their post – secondary programs. As I think about what I will say I recognize that my words matter. What I say could potentially influence educators. What they say to their students could potentially transform what happens for the students and their families. Mental health literacy matters, stigma matters , words matter.
Sometimes I hear people use words way too loosely when describing someone with a mental illness or someone who has special needs or challenges. They may say so and so is an ADHD kid or so and so is bipolar, an alcoholic etc. It matters to me when I hear words used inappropriately as I believe strongly that we are people first ( the labels used like ADHD are only a very small way of telling us something about someone). We are so much more. Who we truly are cannot or should not be described in a few words.
So the next time you find yourself using the label first STOP and THINK about the power of your words. Jack or Jill may have a million attributes that are positive and when you use one word to define them you are missing such huge pieces of who they truly are. So eliminate so and so is a developmentally delayed child etc. and say their name and the many wonderful things about them. When you do this you start to perceive them differently. You also begin to treat each human being , each child in your care with so much more dignity and respect.
It is more than a week ago that schools were cancelled because of flooding in Calgary. Calgary would be in a state of emergency for many more days to come.
It is one of those days when you will never forget where you were and what you were doing. I was staying at my friend’s house and then off to our Bishop Carroll graduation ceremonies with my grade 12 students .We were celebrating their accomplishments and yet mindful of the devastation all around us, but not completely aware of just how Albertans would be impacted.
I knew that Calgarians would make a difference, but little did I know how amazing the role modelling would be for our students. Our students would have definitely risen to the challenge fundraising amongst other things, but it was the end of the school year. That will come in September, as I know our city will still need help then. Within the first day I received a tweet from the YMCA that one of our students was already helping … no surprise.
During the next week I would begin to see how much the city was impacted. I felt powerless in the beginning not knowing how I could help.
I recognized that I could give money to the Red Cross , that was easy. I could register with #yychelps, but not sure if I could do the heavy work.
Then came an email from our chief superintendant, Gary Strother, asking for volunteers to help with the cleanup efforts. I don’t usually look at my e-mail after school year ends, but this year I am more connected to my computer than ever before ,so I took it as a sign that I needed to act.
For two days I was up at 4 a.m. and to work by 5:15 because of the coordinating efforts of one of the organizers Ralph Strother along with some amazing people from Whissell Construction .
Being in the middle of a neighbourhood at East Elbow Park made everything real. I just kept imagining if this was my home and my family, how I would feel and how appreciative of the help I would be. I know the homeowners did, by the signs and the overwhelming thank you’s and gratitude that was displayed.
As Ralph Strother says, ”it was a huge step forward from unfathomable loss to rebuilding towards recovery… everyone worked shoulder to shoulder responding with no request too small and or seemingly too big dismantling garages, structures and even roofs, carefully, skillfully and even moving all the debris.”
Whissell construction donated dump trucks, front-end loaders, skidsters, trucks, barricades tools and amazing people who worked tirelessly to coordinate our efforts. It was amazing to see all the work being done around me. I am grateful for the small part that I would play to help out.
I have to admit it was hard work. It was back breaking work that some people do everyday (obviously something I am not cut out for on a daily basis) kudos to them, but for now they were adding to their week by volunteering. It made me very happy to be a part of it.
Ways I watched people help:
Driving the bus to get volunteers in and out of communities
There are so many ways people can contribute . Many people cannot contribute physically, but it is just as valuable to contribute in any way you can … JUST CONTRIBUTE. We need to be grateful for what we have and what we can do, not to feel guilty for what we can’t do.All that we do matters and for today I am so grateful to live in a city of helpers. I do not have to look for them. They are everywhere.
@metrocalgary: Flood victims will receive $1,250 per adult and $500 per child. Eligibility and distribution plans are being finalized #abflood#yycflood
We have lots of news today, most of it good. The rivers are slowly returning to more normal flows, it is still very dangerous. Please stay away from the riverbank and river pathways. Perhaps the biggest news is that everyone in a single family home affected is allowed to return to do a self-assessment, with the exception of the 2200 block of 8th Ave SE in Inglewood. Please note that assessment of multi-family units (e.g. apartment complexes and condos) must be completed by the building owner or building superintendent. Individual occupants of multi-family units should confirm assessment has been completed and approved with their building contact.For important updates related to re-entry, transit, waste and recycling, and the situation downtown, please visit calgarycitynews.com/The federal and provincial governments have also made several announcements today regarding their plans to assist citizens and communities affected by flood relief. I want to thank Premier Redford and Prime Minister Harper and their ministers for their continuing support for rebuilding our city.
Red Cross to receive proceeds of artist’s Scuba Nenshi shirt sales #yycflood#yyc calgary.ctvnews.ca/red-cross-to-r… @CTVNews pic.twitter.com/DzfHYIFYEo
I say an emphatic YES. I have no regrets about choosing a profession I love and have loved since 1980.
When I hear people tell young people to not go into teaching it saddens me, because I think we need great teachers who love what they do. Of course there are things that are not so great that teachers have to do and yes parts of what teachers do are extremely difficult. There is no doubt about that, but it is still a wonderful profession that has many, many rewards.
The students are why we do what we do. We want to be part of their learning. We want to make a difference in their lives. We want to impact how they live their lives and contribute to society. So if anyone asks me if they should become a teacher I will say YES, YES, YES. I will tell them they have an amazing opportunity to be around and impact youth. No doubt there will be frustrations and work you don’t like to do, but the positives will so outweigh the negatives.
There are so many great things about being an educator:
Working with students is number one
Working with people who love what they do is number two
Having choices to do a variety of jobs within a district…teaching at different levels, consulting, administration, counselling etc.
Having the freedom to be creative every day
Learning, learning, learning. If you are a teacher you are always learning
So many, many more reasons
This is an exciting time in education. There will be many changes over the next few years and teachers will have the opportunity to work with youth differently while still impacting their lives in a positive way. I encourage you to find your passion and if it happens to be teaching both YOU and the students will benefit! So I say go ahead CHOOSE TEACHING.
Since 1991 I have been a School Counsellor and I believe teaching and School Counselling have been the best careers in the world. Everyday,I am grateful!
All you educators out there tell me why you would tell young people to go into teaching. Please share your ideas.
Counsellor Talk : Connecting with those who want to make a difference. 