Reflection

Looking back at my first year as a middle school counselor there are definitely some things I will do differently next year. Usually when I reflect I think about the things I want to change first but this time I wanted to discuss things that went well and things I want to start next year.

Bird cage - I bought a cheap little bird cage and placed it outside my door. This is where my students wrote a note to let me know they needed to see me especially if I am away form my office or with someone. I can look up their schedule and find time to pull them from a class to see me. This worked great and will definitely continue using this.

Google Circle - The 7th and 8th grade students were able to add me to their Google Circle and I was able to share school information, videos, and quotes with them. If anyone needed a quick answer to a question without being pulled from class they were able to chat with me.

Community Involvement - I was very fortunate to work with some great community volunteers this past year. One church organization will be collecting school supplies for next year after we met and talked about the real needs of our students. Another church is going to sponsor our food backpack program where students receive enough food for the weekend.

Coffee with the Counselor - I want to start this next year for parents, guardians, and grandparents to come in and meet with me.

What's on your agenda for next year?