Have you ever considered working as an elementary school counsellor but were not sure how to implement your program? How do I connect to 5 to 11 year old? How do I go about making the biggest impact I can? Here are 5 things to think about if you want to work with younger children in the school setting.

Kids do not always know or understand why they need to see you. Many students get referred to the counsellor by family and/or staff members. Perhaps it is for bullying, friendship issues, disruptive behaviors, or personal issues at home. Whatever the case, not all students will understand and so it becomes your job to work on the specifics, and do not assume anything.

Class lessons work very well for larger school issues. Bullying, friendship, respect, listening are all areas in which students can use a little extra support. Rather than pointing out the few in the class that need attention in this area, it works effectively to implement classroom lessons that all students can participate in. Classmates get to see other children’s points of view and help each other when they see issues arising. Also, class lessons can build into bigger class rules and incentive programs that can be used for everyone.
Continue reading →