Tech-Knowledge-y: What’s Hot for School Counselors

1. Tech-Knowledge-y:What’s Hot for School Counselors Georgia School Counselors Association Fall Conference 2005 Erin Mason & Brian Law

4. Guidance Lessons • Powerpoints • Video Streamlining • Digital Images • Video Recording • Word Processing – templates • Websites for games or research • Videos/Music

5. Powerpoints • Easy to create to teach lessons • Appealing to student interests • Great introduction of Counselor Lesson • Can be saved and shared with others or adapted for different situations • CAUTION: Don’t over do it. Powerpoints in every lesson will loose effect.

6. Video Streaming • Checkout your PeachStar programs. There are many videos that can be streamed into your classrooms for guidance lessons. • Most schools have united streaming access. Check with your IT person. If you don’t here is the website to get information: http://www.unitedstreaming.com

7. Digital Images • The digital camera can be used to take student picture for reward boards, posters, etc. • Digital images may also be taken to lead into discussions about feelings, careers, conflicts, etc. ---Keep a camera handy and create a spontaneous lesson.

8. Video Recording • You can create your own “school made” videos. Students will volunteer to be your actors/actresses. Create a student guidance team at your school and be a producer. • Some topics may include: Bullying, Fire Prevention, Careers (visit jobs or colleges and video programs – interview people), welcome video or transition video from different levels – Elementary to Middle or Middle to High or even a “Life as a first year college student.”

9. Word Processing • Students can create their own printed materials in the form of a portfolio. Create the template and let them fill in the blanks. This creation may be kept for years to come and could be a goal setting agent. • Examples include: All about Me, ABC- I like Me, My Career Portfolio, My feelings, Senior Project, etc.

10. Websites for Games or Research • Students love to search the web. The WWW can be used as a tool to create the former discussed word processing items. There are many games out there and websites for guidance lesson interest. • As a professional school counselor, you should have a bookmark of website resources. Here are some of my favorites:

11. Georgia Learning Connections www.glc.k12.ga.us • Career Interest www.user.icx.net/~quinn/instruct.htm • Children and Adults with ADD www.chadd.org • Disorders www.mhsource.com/disorders • ASCA www.schoolcounselor.org • ACA www.counseling.org • Georgia DOE www.doe.k12.ga.us • Facts for Families www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/index.htm • FEMA for Kids www.fema.gov/kids/tch_aft.htm • Parent Soup www.parentsoup.com • Positive Parenting www.positiveparenting.com/index.html

12. US Marine Corp www.usmc.mil • Navy www.navy.mil • Amy www.army.mil • Air Force www.af.mil • US Department of Education www.ed.gov • GSCA www.gaschoolcounselors.com • Career Interest www.careers.org • My Resources www.geocities.com/georgiaschoolcounseling

13. PS Make sure you have virus software that is active and up to date when you search the web.

14. Videos and Music • Many videos are available for counseling uses. Many of these are often too expensive for our budgets. Check prices and set goals. Ask PTA for money or write grants for a specific need – Document your reason and research for the need of these videos. • Music can be downloaded for as little as 99 cents a song. Look for songs that show themes that you are teaching. Examples: Don’t Laugh at Me – Peter Yarrow, Little Good News –Ann Murray, Stay the Same- Joey McIntyre,etc.

17. Record Keeping • Accountability Records • Reporting • Student Files • Personal File organization

18. Accountability • The big “A” word. We all have to show our accountability. One way is to show the number of clients that you serve and what you do during your day. This data can be collected using Excel or other spreadsheets that will tally your selected criteria. • A second way is to create pre and post tests on lessons and collect the data to show that you made an impact. • Research your impact on student achievement, discipline referrals and attendance.

19. Reports • Latest information- Once Again: State reports will not be required this year. The state report is being revised to show more accountability data that shows the impact from counseling. • As a professional, you should be able to report to your supervisor or board of education who you serve, how many you serve and for what reason. (WHO<WHAT>HOW) Keep a personal log and set up your own report. Make this report available to PTA, your supervisor, superintendent and local board of education.

20. Student Files • In order to be effective, you must be able to keep track of what you talk about in your individual sessions. Counselors who do not keep records of sessions are often caught off guard and get confused as to what was done in the previous session. Many of our student information systems are not confidential. Counselors can set up data banks using a data base,excel or word file on students. This can be stored on disk or personal network folder or computer that is free of access. General notes are advised. Remember this safe thought - If you share it with anyone, it is public record.

21. Personal File Organization • Organize your assets in your filing drawer, shelf or cabinet by keeping track of what you have in a spreadsheet. You can easily locate a book or file folder that you have if you keep track of it. This practice makes it easy to find materials quickly and not buy items that you already have….A great inventory method.

22. Public Relations • Accountability Measures using IT • Video/Powerpoint of guidance programs • Newsletters

23. Accountability- Public Relations • Share your data collected in a powerpoint or other technology form. This information may help save your position and can often build rapport with staff who are unaware of what you do at the school. Publish this and send to stakeholders. Powerpoints with pictures and data are very impressive.

24. Video/Powerpoints of Program • A great PR tool is the use of a video camera or powerpoint to show highlights of the counseling program. These may be shown at PTA or can even be a presentation to school councils or boards of education to represent a segment of student services at the school level. Catch the highlights and promote your profession. You deserve it!!

25. Newsletters • Newsletters can be done in a word processing program or publishing program to tell what is going on the in guidance office. Testing dates and other pertinent information can be shared. It is recommended that a counselor newsletter be sent home at least at the end of the quarter or semester. This is a great communication tool and good way to solicit members for groups. Link them to the school webpage, too.

26. Internet/Email and Lists Serves • Internet site Resources • Email to parents, staff, students, colleagues • List Serves – a hot source of information • Professional Website- You just gotta have it!

27. Internet and Email • If you do not have an email account that is used for professional use, you are behind in the technology world. Set up email lists to email your staff, parents, students, etc. • You need a list of professional websites that are bookmarked on your computer. • Professional websites are very helpful to parents and students. They can be made easily with a free account at Yahoo through Geocities or on your local school server. Ask your IT person to help you plan where you will set up yours.

28. Listserves • Join list serves and gain new ideas when you have a problem or share your successful lessons with others. We have one for Georgia School Counselors and ASCA has one for Elementary School Counselors. There is also one for mental health issues at Listserv@listserv.ucla.edu

29. qJoin our new Network Group. If you encounter a problem and need to brainstorm ideas to handle it, ask one of your experts. Each of you is an expert in some field of school counseling. Through experience we learn. Through learning we share. Follow these steps to join our network: 1.Send and email to schoolcounselor-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . In the heading write subscribe to network. You don’t have to type anything in the message. The system will send you an email. Follow the directions to begin. 2.When you have a question or want to share an idea. Send an email to schoolcounselor@yahoogroups.com in the heading type ES for elementary school, MS for middle school, HS for high school and AS for alternative school followed by a topic/question heading. (Example: You are having trouble with a group of middle school students with sexual harassment and need ideas. You would type in the heading: MS Sexual Harassment. In the message, type your question or give a scenario.) Members will all receive the emails and can respond with suggestions or ideas to your email “thread”. You may also upload files that can be shared.

30. Communication • Please make sure your know who your region chair is and that you make sure he/she has your email address. We will be using these to get pertinent information out to you.

31. Always…for the children, Brian Law GSCA 1st Vice President Valdosta High School 3101 N Forrest Street Valdosta, GA 31602 229-333-8550 Blaw@gocats.org Erin Mason