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Spring Counselor Connection

Here for the kids - and for the grown ups who love them!

Spring CounselorConnectionHere for the kids - and for the grown ups who love them!
Spring "Would You Rather?"

Are You Caring For Yourself? Are You Caring For Yourself?

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Self Care Assessment

Self Care Assessment: Think about how frequently, or how well, you are performing different self-care activities. The goal of this assessment is to help you learn about your self-care needs by spotting patterns and recognizing areas of your life that need more attention. There are no right or wrong answers. There may be activities that you have no interest in, and other activities may not be included. This list is not comprehensive, but serves as a starting point for thinking about your self-care needs.

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Self Care Reflection

Next Steps:
  1. Reflect on your Self Care Assessment "scores."
  2. Choose one of the five self care categories (physical, psychological/emotional, social, spiritual, professional) that you would like to further develop.
  3. Set a goal for the the next 4 weeks to increase your health in the selected category. Add a daily reminder for yourself (device alarm, sticky note on the mirror, calendar check list, etc.).
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Self Care Submission

Complete the Self Care Google Form to share your plan. You may share in details or opt for confidentiality. Once completed, watch your box for a small self-care goody. Submissions due by Friday, May 14th. Happy reflecting and self-caring! :)

Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Opportunities

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Social Thinking Vocabulary & Strategies


In The Social World – Part 1: Practical Vocabulary and Concepts for Teaching How It Works of this two-part series, we introduce two core treatment frameworks and a handful of concrete Social Thinking Vocabulary to use with individuals of different ages and social learning abilities. Learn practical ways to make abstract social concepts more concrete to give social learners a clear pathway to understanding social expectations. Understand the foundation of evidence underlying the tools.


In The Social World – Part 2: Practical Vocabulary and Concepts to Navigate to Regulate you will learn additional Social Thinking Vocabulary to make abstract social concepts more concrete. We describe treatment examples for guiding social learners to build social competencies in conversations, executive functions, self-awareness, self-regulation, perspective taking, and flexible thinking.


*Treatment refers to using conceptual and strategy-based frameworks to help individuals improve their social competencies.


Part 1 and Part 2 Registration: $98

Social Thinking Registration

When?

Friday, Apr 16, 2021, 11:00 AM

Where?

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Let's finish the year strong by continuing to build connection and support through Morning Meetings! Let's finish the year strong by continuing to build connection and support through Morning Meetings!

TCE Morning Meeting Ideas

Brain Breaks: Jigsaw Puzzles Brain Breaks: Jigsaw Puzzles

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Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossoms
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Cactus Cupcakes

Cactus Cupcakes
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Mountain Biker

Mountain Biker

More Exciting Professional Development More Exciting Professional Development

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Momentous Institute Podcast

Listen anytime during the 2020-2021 school year on Apple Podcast or Spotify to earn 1 Hour of Flex Credit per episode. Complete this form after each and attach to your STRIVE entry: https://forms.gle/AeEqw9Fh8Fvas1Vz6

(Paras, check with Jennifer for Flex Credit approval first.)


Sample Episodes:

Episode 14: Understanding Boys

Certainly all children are different, but there are many commonalities among boys. Diving into all things boys is guest Dr. Matthew Leahy who shares his learning from the past decade of working with boys.

https://momentousinstitute.org/blog/episode-14-understanding-boys


Episode 15: Understanding Girls

What should parents know about how girls operate in the world? How should we prepare for the teen years? What is important to girls? In this episode we dive into all things girls with guest Tania Loenneker.

https://momentousinstitute.org/blog/episode-15-understanding-girls

When?

Wednesday, May 26, 2021, 12:00 AM

Where?

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Wellness, SEL, and Yoga Teacher Training

Our 200-hour Wellness, SEL, and Yoga Teacher Training will empower and equip you to enhance well-being in your life, relationships, and community. Upon graduation, you be able to teach inclusive yoga classes to both adults and young people, and lead social-emotional learning and wellness experiences in your schools, districts, and organizations.


Registration Fee: $1,995

Breathe For Change Application

When?

Saturday, Apr 17, 2021, 07:00 AM

Where?

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Printables For SEL Integration Printables For SEL Integration

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Digital Springtime Mindfulness

Digital Springtime Mindfulness

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Spring Feelings

Spring Feelings
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Spring Break Mindful Thoughts Journal

Spring Break Mindful Thoughts Journal

Get Those Flex Hours! Get Those Flex Hours!

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Region 10: MT Strategies to Support Social Emotional Learning

You have probably heard the familiar catchphrases “educating the whole child” or “teaching to the whole learner.” These buzz words are, of course, referring to social-emotional learning, which is not an entirely new concept. In fact, its been around in research for over 20 years and is also known as character education, moral education, citizenship, or even conflict resolution. All of these phrases have one founding principle in common: children need lots of things to learn and grow, many of which may not be tied to academics.

This course will provide you with a detailed overview of social-emotional learning (SEL) and the value of incorporating SEL into the classroom to help improve academic success and emotional intelligence. We will provide detailed strategies, examples, and provide numerous tools to help you implement SEL into any classroom regardless of subject-area or grade-level.


Registration Fee: $23.75

Region 10 Registration

When?

Wednesday, May 26, 2021, 12:00 AM

Where?

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How Social Emotional Learning Can Ease the Transition Back to School

Join us virtually on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 for a new free webinar where we’ll explore tried and true specific teaching frameworks and Social Thinking® Vocabulary to encourage the development of metacognitive awareness and strategies for use in the classroom and home to demystify social engagement within face-to-face interactions. Our Social Thinking Methodology seeks to make the abstract social world more concrete, helping students to better navigate to regulate their thoughts and feelings within it. Lessons shared within this webinar will also embed the five tenets established in the CASEL framework:

  • self-awareness
  • social awareness
  • relationship skills
  • self-management
  • responsible decision making

We will also briefly share practical tools and takeaways from our own learning based on multi-year partnerships with schools/districts around the USA for how to apply our social emotional learning concepts schoolwide.


FREE

Social Thinking Registration

When?

Tuesday, Apr 6, 2021, 11:00 AM

Where?

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Tear Soup - A Beautiful Story About Healing After Loss Tear Soup - A Beautiful Story About Healing After Loss

Tear Soup, a book about healing after loss

BOOKS THAT ACKNOWLEDGE SADNESS AND GRIEF BOOKS THAT ACKNOWLEDGE SADNESS AND GRIEF

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When Sadness is at Your Door

Sadness can be scary and confusing at any age! When we feel sad, especially for long periods of time, it can seem as if the sadness is a part of who we are--an overwhelming, invisible, and scary sensation. This book approaches this feeling as if it is a visitor. The author gives it a shape and a face, and encourages the reader to give it a name, all of which helps to demystify it and distinguish it from ourselves. She suggests activities to do with it, like sitting quietly, drawing, and going outside for a walk. The beauty of this approach is in the respect the book has for the feeling, and the absence of a narrative that encourages the reader to "get over" it or indicates that it's "bad," both of which are anxiety-producing notions.
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Saying Goodbye to Lulu

A young girl and her lovable dog, Lulu, are the best of friends. They play games together, explore their neighborhood, and even cuddle up to read bedtime stories each night. Lulu is the best dog a girl could ever hope for, but when she grows older and gradually becomes weak, the little girl must face the sad possibility of losing her dear friend, and inevitably, cope with the death of her canine companion. Though she is deeply saddened by Lulu's passing and misses her very much, over time the little girl discovers that the sweet memory of her beloved Lulu will live on forever... in her heart.
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Life Without Nico

Maia and Nico are best friends. They never get tired of playing together. Unexpectedly, though, Nico and his family have to move far away for a while. Maia is devastated. Now time passes slowly, and the emptiness is with Maia everywhere she goes. She makes her way through the dark days, bored and alone. But, slowly, things begin to change, and Maia meets an unexpected companion. She makes a new friend. She even discovers a new passion. Her life has become so happy and full, in fact, that she worries there will no longer be enough room for Nico. Of course, when he returns, she discovers there is. As Maia learns, there is always space in your heart for friendship.

Additional SEL Read-A-Louds

TCE Counseling Library

Books That Heal Kids

CISD SEL Books

HELPFUL CLASSROOM RESOURCES

Understanding the Social Emotional Needs of Learners (with ACES) slideshow

Benefits of Mindfulness website

Zones of Regulation poster

Zones 4 Colors posters

Zones 4 Colors small posters

Feelings Zones posters

50 Ways to Take a Break poster

99 Coping Skills handout

Good / Poor Coping Skills handout

Grounding Strategies cards

30 Mindful Morning Scripts educator guide

Headspace App for Educators website

Calm App for Educators website

ACES in the Classroom website

How to Help Build Resiliency website

Trauma Survival in Primary Schools handout

Zones of Regulation "Book Nook"
Check out this list of SEL books by topic and summary!

2020-2021 Guidance Lessons 2020-2021 Guidance Lessons

Click on the links below to view 2020-2021 lessons, videos, handouts, and other resources.


LESSON ONE: "What Counselors Do & Tools to Help My Body Feel Calm"

K-2 Guidance Lesson

3-5 Guidance Lesson

Zenergy Chime Breathing

Pufferfish Breathing

Mentimeter Poll

Charles Mortimer Alexander McGee (let me know if you'd like to borrow!)


LESSON TWO: "Our Brains & Feelings"

Kinder Guidance Lesson

1st Guidance Lesson

2nd Guidance Lesson

3rd Guidance Lesson

4th Guidance Lesson

5th Guidance Lesson

Your Brain


LESSON THREE: "Red Ribbon Week: Making Healthy Choices"

Kinder Guidance Lesson: Healthy Choices

1st Guidance Lesson: Yes or No?

2nd Guidance Lesson: What is Peer Pressure?

3rd Guidance Lesson: Escaping Peer Pressure

4th Guidance Lesson: Peer Pressure Refusal Skills

5th Guidance Lesson: Peer Pressure Exit Strategies

Stop, Ask First

Social Experiment: Waiting in Line

BrainPop: Peer Pressure


LESSON FOUR: "Healthy Bodies"

Kinder Guidance Lesson: I Am Special

1st Guidance Lesson: Caring for My Body

2nd Guidance Lesson: Safe & Healthy Bodies

3rd Guidance Lesson: Magnificent Me

4th Guidance Lesson: Super Healthy Bodies

5th Guidance Lesson: Prescriptions, OTC, & Self-Talk

I Am Special (Sesame Street: Grover)

Medicines in My Home


LESSON FIVE: "Communication"

Kinder Guidance Lesson: How to Talk to a New Friend

1st Guidance Lesson: Whole Body Listening

2nd Guidance Lesson: Communicating Through Actions

3rd Guidance Lesson: Active Listening

4th Guidance Lesson: More Than Words

5th Guidance Lesson: Communication Styles

Do You Want to Be My Friend by Eric Carle

Will You Be a Friend of Mine?

Guess the Sounds Game

Elmo Knows How to Listen (Sesame Street)

Slappy Squirrel: Who's on Stage?

The Rabbit Listened by Cory Doerfeld


LESSON SIX: "Conflict Resolution"

K-5 Guidance Lesson: Conflict Resolution

What is Conflict? (Sesame Street)

I Messages

Share & Take Turns

Compromise

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Conflict Resolution Song

Conflict Resolution Jeopardy


LESSON SEVEN: "Play It Safe"

Kinder Guidance Lesson: Tic Toc and the Twins

1st Guidance Lesson: Mae Shares a Secret

2nd Guidance Lesson: Bentley's Big Production

3rd Guidance Lesson: Vat Vould You Do?

4th Guidance Lesson: Chase Steps Up

5th Guidance Lesson: Aiden's Discovery

Joe and Suzy dolls


LESSON EIGHT: "Decision Making"

Kinder Guidance Lesson: Making Good Decisions

1st Guidance Lesson: Carmen's Choices

2nd Guidance Lesson: Stop & Think

3rd Guidance Lesson: Consider the Consequences

4th Guidance Lesson: Decision Making

5th Guidance Lesson: Making Responsible Decisions

What Should Danny Do? by Ganit & Adir Levy


LESSON NINE: "Perspective"

K-5 Guidance Lesson: Perspective

Seven Blind Mice

Draw Starts


LESSON TEN: "Friendship"

Kinder Guidance Lesson: Same & Different Friends

1st Guidance Lesson: Friendship

2nd Guidance Lesson: Friendship & Compliments

3rd Guidance Lesson: Friends & Stress

4th Guidance Lesson: Relationship Skills

5th Guidance Lesson: Healthy & Unhealthy Relationships

The Rabbit Listened

Got Stress?

Make New Friends Song

Carmen & Wagner Are Friends


LESSON ELEVEN: "Substances & My Brain"

Kinder Guidance Lesson: Is It Safe?

1st Guidance Lesson: Which Is Which?

2nd Guidance Lesson: Because I Care

3rd Guidance Lesson: Caring For My Brain

4th Guidance Lesson: Alcohol & Your Brain

5th Guidance Lesson: Substances & The Brain

Lungs Handout

What Is Addiction?

CISD Employee Assistance Program
Talk to someone who can help you untangle your feelings. There's no shame in the therapy game. Our district insurance covers 5 counseling visits per year, per topic!

Resource Archive Resource Archive

February Counselor Corner
Winter Counselor Corner
November Counselor Corner
October Counselor Corner
SEL & Trauma Training (August 10, 2020)
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Kelly Matlock

Town Center Elementary School Counselor

Email: kmatlock@coppellisd.com
Website: www.coppellisd.com/tce
Location: 185 North Heartz Road, Coppell, TX, USA
Phone: 214-496-7800
Twitter: @TCE_Counselor

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