Counselor Corner

September Counseling Corner

This month, students are learning about the role of the school counselor, as well as the signs of bullying. Students review the role of school counselor in various ways throughout the grade levels, with Kindergarten using a Mrs. Potato head to help them learn my job. First grade got to play "Pin the Role on the School Counselor" and create their own version of Mrs. Wagner. Second grade got to learn about my counseling tool box and draw a picture of me using my tools. Third grade played a more advanced version of "Pin the Role on the School Counselor" by focusing on the truth and myths related to my job. (Including shredding all of the false myths related to my job and role.) Fourth grade played the "Meet the Counselor" game show, going head to head with each other to see who knows about Mrs. Wagner's job the best. And finally, fifth grade got to work together as a team to figure out how to get back to counselor camp and earn some yummy s'mores by working together.

During our bullying prevention lessons, students learned the difference between being mean, and being a bully. We define bullying at Lawnton Elementary and within the Central Dauphin School District as being:

• Purposeful
• Repetitive (happens 3 or more times)
• Dealing with an imbalance of power
• Used to intimidate someone

Students were taught to be Upstanders and stand up to bullying behaviors by telling the bully "stop" or turning to an adult for help. We discussed the Stop, Walk, and Talk method on standing up to bullying.

We are learning and growing already, and I cannot wait to see where the rest of the school year will take us!