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At the elementary school level,
school counselors meet regularly with all students through
school wide programs and classroom guidance lessons.
When needed they also meet with students in small group
or individual settings. School counselors help students
develop knowledge and skills appropriate to their age
and grade in the areas of academic success, personal
growth, career awareness, and interpersonal relationships
such as making and keeping friends, how to handle peer
pressure and how to safely resolve conflicts. School
counselors also regularly consult with parents and teachers
to discuss ways in which they can support students.
School counselors at the elementary school level are
always available as a resource for parents to answer
questions they may have about their child's development.
School counselors at the elementary school level support
students in five key developmental areas: academic,
personal, interpersonal, career, and health. School
counselors address how student concerns and needs impact
a student's ability to access education and to succeed
in the learning environment. If you are uncertain as
to whether or not your child's school counselor can
work with the concern that your child is having, contact
the school counselor and set up a meeting to discuss
the concern. If it is not an area in which the counselor
has expertise he or she may be able to offer you some
additional resources to explore
Many parents wonder if their child's behavior is "normal,"
especially if the child in question is their first child,
or behaves differently from their previous children.
During the younger years a child's development is often
very individual. Therefore what constitutes "normal"
may be very different for different children. Instead
of asking yourself if your child's behavior is normal,
consider these other questions. Is my child progressing
in his or her interests and abilities? Has my child
lost the ability to do something he/she could do before?
Does my child engage in activities and thoughts that
are harmful/hurtful to him/herself? Is my child's ability
to interact with others progressing? Answering these
questions should give you a better understanding of
whether or not your child's development is continuing
at an appropriate pace.
In the elementary school years behavioral and academic
difficulties in children are often linked. Therefore,
whether the concern that you have is primarily academic
or behavioral it is a good idea to investigate all possible
avenues of information to best understand what may be
going on with your child. Several individuals can assist
you in this investigation, including your child's classroom
teacher, his/her school counselor, your pediatrician,
other teachers who work with your child, and coaches
or other adults who see your child on a regular basis
outside of the school setting.
A report card is a means of communication. It is a tool
to help parents and students understand how students
are functioning across certain areas, and where improvement
is needed. It is also important to remember that it
is only one measure of student progress. The first step
in helping children to improve their report card performance
is to look at other measures. Consider your child's
daily progress in the area you are examining. Look at
reports from teachers, comments on assignments, the
quality and correctness of completed tasks, daily school
interactions, attitudes towards school, tardiness, attendance,
and any discipline concerns that have been mentioned
previously. Examining these areas will help to broaden
and deepen the picture of your child's achievement.
Then, talk to people who have first hand knowledge of
your child's performance, beginning with your child,
and including your child's classroom teacher, and his/her
school counselor. After gathering this information take
some time to consider whether you need more information
to fill out the picture or whether you have enough information
to develop a plan of action.
The first step in helping your child with friendships
to talk to your child. Children, like adults, vary greatly
in their opinions regarding friendships. Explore the
following, and other similar questions with your child:
What is your idea of a good friend? What kind of friends
do you like to spend time with? What makes you a good
friend? How do kids make friends? How do you know when
someone is a friend? The answers your child provides
during this conversation can guide you as you and your
child work together to develop a plan to improve their
satisfaction with their friendship. Keep in mind that
your child's ideas regarding friendships may not match
your own. A child who enjoys having one good friend
at a time may have parents who like to be social and
maintain many friendships or vice versa. It is important
to explore your own thoughts about social relationships
as you help your child identify his/her own preferences.
It is also important that your child help to determine
any steps that are taken on his/her behalf, either by
him/herself, or by another person. Involving your child
in a meaningful way empowers self-advocacy and demonstrates
that you have confidence in his/her abilities.
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