School Counseling Linky Party 2013

Happy 2013! One of my favorite things about 2012 is that I met so many wonderful school counselors through the blogging world – those whose blogs I read as well as the many readers of School Counseling by Heart who have written to me.  I feel so lucky to have such thoughtful, open, and generous people as my new friends and colleagues. I am beyond excited to meet lots of them (you!) in person at the ASCA conference in July! In the meantime, here’s a wonderful new way for us all to connect – the School Counseling Linky Party that Marissa over at Elementary School Counseling is so kindly hosting for us.

School Counselors Are in the House!

School Counselors are in the House – the State House, that is!

Vermont is a very small state, and the Vermont School Counselor Association annual conference is not the multi-day extravaganza that associations from larger states offer, but this year school counselors from the Green Mountain State got to feel especially important when the VTSCA conference was held at the State House, in the chamber of the House of Representatives. (And we got to meet a presidential candidate! More on that later.) The theme of the conference was Mindfulness, Movement, and Motivation, and we got to experience some of each of those in a very grand setting.

The Corner on Character

Today I’m guest blogging over at The Corner on Character! Barbara, who writes this heart-felt blog shares wonderful ideas for character education and kind encouragement for all of us who work.

The Corner on Character is a daily read for me. If you’re not already a follower, check it out!

eduClipper – A New Way to Save and Share Educational Resources

I am anxiously awaiting the release of eduClipper, a tool for capturing and sharing educational content – links, images, videos, documents, and uploaded files. I am an avid user of Pinterest, but am looking forward to having eduClipper at my disposal too.  Here’s why:

• it’s school friendly and student safe
• clipboards can be private or public
• you can share your individual clips and clipboards with users and non-users alike, including students
  
• students can build and/or share their own clipboards
• all content is searchable

Doin’ My Thing With LibraryThing

I am beyond excited! I’m making major headway on a project I started (and stalled on) last summer – cataloging all my school books with LibraryThing. LibraryThing is a comprehensive web-based cataloging service that allows you to enter, tag, organize, review, rate and SHARE your books and/or entire library with others. Yes, share! The whole thing, not just a book at a time. Not only am I going to be more organized at school, I’m also going to be able to connect and share resources with others, especially with other school counselors. LibraryThing is also available via mobile devices, but you do not need a smartphone to use it. Here’s how you can get started too!

Helping the “Cafeteria Fringe”

At the library the other day, I picked up a copy of The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory, and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School by Alexandra Robbins. The book gives an inside view of what it’s like to be a member of the “cafeteria fringe” — marginalized kids who are ignored and/or tormented by other students. It follows six students and (spoiler alert) a marginalized teacher at different high schools — self-identified band geek, loner, new girl, gamer, loner, nerd, and “popular” girl trying to break out of her mean girl group and image. Robbins’ premise, which she calls “quirk theory,” is that the very characteristics that can lead

School Counselor Job Opening!

Help! Great school counselor needed!

We have an opening for a  full-time elementary school counselor (one-year position) at my school in Vermont. The other counselor left unexpectedly and we need an energetic, dedicated, and friendly counselor to fill the position. We have a wonderful, comprehensive program and supportive administration and teachers. Please spread the word and encourage people to apply soon – it won’t stay open for long. Apply at SchoolSpring:

http://www.schoolspring.com/job.cfm?jid=79932

And it would be silly not to look at my tips for Finding a School Counseling Job!

Come work with me!

Finding a School Counseling Job

Hiring season for the next school year will soon be upon us! If you’re looking for your first counseling job or making a move from your current position, I’m sure you’ve already done your research about the job search, resume and cover letter writing, references, and interviewing in general. Follow all this advice! If you haven’t already, be sure to check out ASCA’s job search and interview tips and School Counselor Blog’s interview tips. Let me also give you an interviewer’s inside view.

Joining the Conversation

I have so appreciated the camaraderie and exchange of ideas made possible by the blogs and websites shared by our school counseling colleagues around the country. With the encouragement of some of them, and with gratitude for the spirit of generosity that exists within our profession, School Counseling by Heart will offer some of my techniques, lessons, materials, insights, experiences, humor, and struggles.  I have been a school counselor for 16 years and regularly supervise graduate student interns and mentor new counselors.