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Types of High-Risk Behaviors Passive – Behavior that avoids the domination of others or the pain of negative experience. Aggressive – Behavior that overpowers, dominates, harms or controls others without regard for their well-being. The child has often taken aggressive people as role models and has had minimal or ineffective limits set on behavior. Attention Problems – Behavior demonstrates either motor or attentional difficulties surfacing as hyperactive or inattentive behavior. Perfectionist – Behavior that is geared toward avoiding embarrassment and assumed shame from making mistakes. The child has unrealistically high expectation of self. Socially Inept – Behavior that is based on the misinterpretation of nonverbal signals of others. The child misunderstands facial expressions and body language.            Setting Classroom Rules Early Take time at the beginning of the year to set classroom rules. Engaging the students in the p...

Causes of Behavioral Issues Managing the behavior of seventh and eighth grade students can be challenging, to say the least. Their behavior can be baffling for educators and counselors alike to understand. In managing these issues, one must remember all of the difficulties these students are facing. Development As students go through puberty and transition into adulthood, their body experiences many changes. These changes may make them seem older and they may try to act older to accommodate these changes. However, as counselors, we need to remember they still have developing, impressionable minds that are still maturing. Transition from Elementary to Middle School The transition from elementary school to middle school proposes many changes. Students must adjust to new teachers, seven classes per day in different classrooms, meeting new students and a new setting. In addition, the expectations are greater and students must work harder than they had in the...

As Teachers, Administration and School Counselors it is so important to model behavior expected from our students. Classroom management not only affects the teachers but affects how an administration and school counselor can function as well. Students need to feel safe and comfortable in order to learn and be productive. When teachers can create an environment free from high risk behavior and disruption everyone wins. The following are just a few examples of classroom management: Quiet Zone Students are asked to remove themselves from the situation and sit in a quiet spot away from distraction, preferably in a comfortable chair/beanbag to gather their thoughts. There, a teacher may also take the time to quietly ask the student what they can do to help them be less agitated or resolve what is distracting them. This is an opportunity for the student to calm their nerves, reading a book is a great way to refocus and lower anxious behavior. Buddy System **This strategy will need direct com...

“I know when I started my career, I wanted nothing more than to be an advocate for those without a voice, and to collaborate to make systemic changes in my school to provide a more equal educational environment.”   From the School Counseling program here at Gonzaga University, as well as the rest of Counselor Education, we would like to congratulate graduate Cory Notestine  on being selected as the 2015 ASCA School Counselor of the Year! On January 30th, Cory was honored at the White House surrounded by other inspiring individuals including fellow school counselors, actress Connie Britton, and first lady Michelle Obama. The 36 School Counselor of the Year finalists and 5 semi-finalists were recognized as well, as Michelle Obama painted the following picture of counselors in our schools: "... they help our young people get to where they want to be in their lives. And they do it with patience and compassion, and sometimes even a little tough love. Our school ...

Happy National School Counseling week from the Gonzaga School Counseling Program!   Here are few "sweet ideas" of how you can celebrate this week!  

Rationale and clear purpose for the unit or lesson (it’s a summary of your group planning) : We are going to be discussing steps for success with students. As a result of this lesson, students will understand how to set goals and what steps they will have to take to achieve them. They will also learn the steps model for success and how one part of the planning process effects the overall goal.  Students will be given worksheets with the steps on them in which they will write their goal at the top and then the steps needed to achieve the said goal. They will work with a classmate to understand and discuss their goals. Students will be able to have this to take away from the lesson with them as a guide and reference and can use it when setting goals in the future. As a result of this lesson, we want students to be able to know and understand how to set clear, concise goals and plan for the future of what they want to achieve during middle school and beyond. To show students how to do...

Teasing and being mean is something that occurs within our schools constantly. School counselors can be utilized in classroom guidance to promote kindness and to teach refusal and/or problem-solving skills to students. This lesson will reinforce refusal skills that have already been introduced to the students and give the students a chance to put their problem-solving skills in action. There is a kindness piece at the end of the activity to reinforce kindness at the school and also it shows students that some kindness acts can be small but powerful. Encouraging students to be kind and to solve conflicts in a positive way will lead to a safe and positive school climate which will allow students to participate in academics to the best of their ability. What you will need: Access to YouTube with ability to display to class (link found in references) Refusal Skills paper to review with students (attachment 1) Conflict resolution scenarios for students to role-play (samples included as atta...