Ms. Kane's School Counseling Philosophy

School Counselors must wear many hats in their daily interactions with students, school staff, parents and the community. Their role is dynamic and should change and evolve with the needs of the students and school community that they are a part of.

One of the most essential aspects of school counseling focuses on the relationships between students and their school environment in order to reduce the effects of environmental and institutional barriers that impede student success. School counselors should foster educational equity, access and academic success in a rigorous curriculum to ensure that all students graduate ready to succeed in college and careers. 

An effective school counselor is an assertive advocate who creates opportunities for all students to pursue dreams of high aspirations. The counselor assists in their social, personal, academic and career development and helps them follow the path to success. Through teacher, parent and community partnerships, an effective school counselor facilitates the development of a support system that enhances student achievement and learning. Multicultural practices are used in order to embrace diverse families and communities in order to create an environment that is supportive of multiple perspectives, experiences and democracy.

 

Social Emotional Learning through the Second Step Curriculum

All PES students in grades 1 - 4 receive instruction using the Second Step Curriculum in the following areas:

1. Skills for Learning: Students gain skills to help themselves learn, including how
   to focus their attention, listen carefully, use self-talk to stay on task, and be
   assertive when asking for help with schoolwork.

2. Empathy: Students learn to identify and understand their own and others’
   feelings. Students also learn how to take another’s perspective and how to
   show compassion.

3. Emotion Management: Students learn specific skills for calming down when
   experiencing strong feelings, such as anxiety or anger.

4. Problem Solving: Students learn a process for solving problems with others in a
   positive way.
 
You can visit www.secondstep.org with the activation key SSP4  FAMI  LY74 to watch videos about the Second Step program and get information about what your student is learning.

  • How to Support Children with Back to School Anxiety

    It is normal for children to feel nervous about going back to school.  There are several strategies that parents can use to help their children make the transition back to school (or starting school for the first time), a more smooth and positive experience. Check out this article from NPR if you are interested in learning more: https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/08/28/545393966/how-to-counter-back-to-school-anxiety

     

    School Counseling Program at Pawling Elementary

  • Talking to Your Children About the News

    In the aftermath of the shooting in Parkland, FL on February 14th, many families are asking how they can talk to their children about what they see/hear in the news. Experts recommend that parents develop age-appropriate ways to talk about the news with their kids. PBS Parents provides pointers on how to discuss these difficult matters with your children, based on their developmental age:

     http://www.pbs.org/parents/talkingwithkids/news/agebyage.html

    School Counseling Program at Pawling Elementary
View More Posts