Inspirational Video - Every Kid Needs a Champion

Monday Morning Message: Don't Wait a Single Moment

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. 

–Anne Frank

I want to encourage you to start your day by picking the student who caused you the most frustration last week. The one that disrespected you in front of the class... the one that told his parents a lie about you to avoid getting in trouble... the one you had to kick out of your classroom because you had just had enough. That one. Now, start your week by saying something positive to that student first thing this morning. Don't compromise your expectations, but go out of your way to improve your relationship with that student. Yes, that student. Your world (as in, your classroom) will be a better place if you can figure out a way to mend that relationship, and the first step toward that mending is probably a quick positive interaction. Yes, that student is probably going to do something to get under your skin again, so you have to act fast. You might only have a split second between the time you see him and the time he messes up, so don't hesitate. Create the opportunity for positive interaction before he has the chance to mess up. Don't wait a single moment before starting to improve the world!

Inspirational Video: Kid President's 20 Things We Should Say More Often

Inspirational Video - Why Not You?

Monday Morning Messages

On and off throughout my career, I have tried sending regularly scheduled counselor messages to my coworkers. Whether those were weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, they all failed until this year.

• Monthly messages were too long. I always had too much to say that built up between messages, and I'd either leave out big chunks of information, or I'd send out a pseudo-novel that nobody wanted to read. 
• I would always forget to do the bi-weekly messages because my brain just couldn't stick to that schedule, and nobody knew when to expect them.
• The first time I tried weekly messages, I was too business-like. They were basically just announcements, so they were just as boring to write as they were for people to read.

You can probably guess the kind of reaction I got, and how much return I was getting on my efforts. 

I changed my strategy this year, though, and the results have been very different.

Here We Go!

Welcome to Practical Counseling!

If you look around right now, you might be unimpressed with this little blog. That's okay, because this project is just beginning. There are great things on the horizon, though, so check back soon...

What are some of those great things, you might ask?

• Lots of counseling resources to help improve mental health... both for the students you serve (because the resources are good) and for yourself (because they're practical).
• Inspiration from all over the Internet highlighted here to keep us all moving in a positive, solution-focused direction.
• Personal tips and advice from a practicing school counselor who prides himself on working smarter, not harder. Yeah, that would be me!