I'm excited to share that I am guest blogging over on Minds in Bloom! 

Managing behavior is probably the most frustrating and difficult part of teaching. You've worked hard on a lesson, made it interesting and engaging and one of your students has a different plan in mind. To make it worse, 90% of your friends really want to learn and are excited to participate.

Wait.... 90% of my kids aren't participating. What do I do?

... check out the rest of the article here.  PS - there's a freebie!

Ever feel overwhelmed by trying to keep track of all your data? You can definitely collect so much data that it ceases to have value because you can't possibly use it all to inform your program. I'm here to share how I've been managing my data for the last few years. Before we begin, I think it's important to stop and reflect on the types of "systems" that you actually keep up with. For me, I do best with a mix of electronic and paper/pencil systems that I keep up with along the way. If I have to hole-punch it or do anything that is going to require an extra step, I will put it off and then it becomes lost. We gotta be honest right?

The biggest mistake I see if people collecting data all along without making a plan. They end up with so much data, they don't know what to do with it so they give up. Imagine you are going on a long walk and you want to collect some items to share when you return. If you start randomly picking up items that catch your attention, you will get to the point where you can't carry all the stuff and you have so much that you don't even know what's best to share. 

I think about what I want to be able to share with stakeholders and start from there. For me, I like to keep track of the students I see, the groups I run, the classes I teach, and then create 3-4 closing the gap action plans that I plan to implement based on schoolwide data. That's it. I don't do pre/post tests for every group, class, or contact I make. That's not manageable for me. The purpose of collecting data for me is to see that what I do is effective and to share my successes (or not) with my stakeholders. 

The ASCA National Model calls the "who, what, when, where" process data. The purpose of this data is to share how I spent my time and the scope and sequence of topics I covered. For individual counsleing, I use a google form a la my friend Andrea Burston. She has a great description of what she does here.  I will only add that the key to this is keeping up with it every day. As I've gotten (ahem) older, I can't keep things in my mind like I used to be able to so I like being able to put in some memory aids on the form. Before I used google forms, I used my outlook calendar and would label individual counseling a certain color and could easily just pull up a list of all individual counseling students.

I can't be the only one who runs around like a chicken with my head cut off. Right? For my own sanity, I create a yearlong curriculum plan for every class and topic I am going to teach for the year. Most recently, I have taught 11 classes per year (per classroom) but I have done this for as many as 30 classes per year. It's more work at first, but once you do it once, you will love yourself forever. I also made a lesson plan notebook with all my lesson plans in one place. It's one of my goals to get this notebook on my TPT store one day! You can see an example of my yearlong plan here.  You can also see how I manage my schedule here. 

And that's it for process data. See? It's not so hard. I think the biggest thing is that the way I keep the data is also the way that I use the data. I use the individual tracking form as a memory aid, I use the group list as a reminder of who to pick up for each group, and I use the year long plan to keep me on track with my lessons. Because the data captures are used as tools, they are easy to keep up.

Each year I choose 2-3 Closing the Gap action plans based on schoolwide data. As you can see in my examples above, I usually pick areas that are a part of our school improvement plan and then share the data in user friendly language. For these topics only, I create spreadsheets to keep up with the data. I collect perception data (pre/post tests typically), and results data (test scores, attendance). I then share this data with my advisory council. 

One of the great things about working in a school is that there is a beginning and an end. Even if you are barely crawling over the finish line by the end, you can wipe your hands, pat your back and say job (well) done. After that last bell and waving the kids off for the summer and probably some celebrations with your colleagues, you pack up your stuff and head on out. Then hibernate. Crawl in your shell and pretend that summer lasts forever. Somewhere along the way, you start looking toward next year and thinking about what you want to improve or do differently. You start pinning away and thinking about what you want to improve. (Have you seen the joke that pinterest should count as professional development?) 

To get you started I have created a super amazing office bundle for counselors. Here's what you get:

All with a printer-friendly gray and white design. You can also purchase in Blue/Pink, Red, and Navy/Teal. Want to purchase a different color? Send me a message or email me at [email protected] and I will be happy to work on that! Which color is your favorite?

As the end of the school year nears, jobs are being posted and resumes are being polished. I have had the pleasure of reading many resumes recently. I've gathered some frequently asked questions I thought I would share with you! Get your resume out of the pile and onto someone's "to-call" list!

How long should my resume be?
If you are new to the profession, your resume should be able to fit on a single page. If you have years of experience, two pages is completely acceptable. After 12 years of experience, I have two resumes: one that is 2 pages long and a vitae-style resume that lists all of my speaking engagements and publications in 3 pages.

How should I organize my resume?
Imagine that the standard interviewer will take about 2 minutes to scan your resume as you are being called into the room. What do you want them to see most? If you are a new graduate, it's probably helpful to have your education listed at the top of the page. However, if you have real-world experience, you want that at the top. I once interviewed a person who is fluent in Spanish and she had that buried at the bottom of her resume! If you have a very marketable skill, make sure that gets top billing.

What do I do if I've had many different jobs?
If you have worked at several jobs with the same duties (three different elementary school counselor positions), it's OK to list the jobs together and then list bullet points underneath. This will help free up some space and reduce redundancy. 

But what if some of my jobs are unrelated to my desired position?
You have two options if you have jobs that are unrelated to your desired position 1) leave off completely or 2) list the job with no related description. If you had a job doing data entry while you were in college, it's not necessary to include that job in your resume. If you are worried that there will be large holes in your resume without listing a particular job (you worked data entry for 5 years before you went back to grad school), just list the job with the dates you worked and offer no further description. 

Should I include my references?
If you can include references without cutting other material, I think it's helpful to include. It saves time for the person who is calling your references and that is always a good thing. In addition, if you have any standout references (someone well known or in a prestigious position), listing visibly on your resume may get you interviewed. 


What about online applications, do I still include my resume?
Yes! The online application system in my district sometimes prints things strangely. I really like to have a resume to look at as well because it can be easier to read. 


What if an online application asks for my supervisor's contact information but they've moved on?
This is a tricky one! If you have to list your former employment and include your supervisors name who is no longer there, it's OK to list the main line for the school and who was your supervisor. If you can, write "former" before their title. Typically, prospective employers don't call all your places of employment but simply the references that you provide.


Should I submit my online application before it's complete so I can get my name in?
No! How many times can I say no? This is important- if you submit a partial application and the employer passes you over, they will not look at you again. They'll think they've already reviewed your information and found it lacking. Don't submit until everything is final! 


What about a cover letter?
I always email my resume in addition to completing the online application. I use the body of my email as I would a cover letter and introduce myself. The employer is probably going to get many emails so I try to be brief and quickly introduce myself. I always include some data and what makes me unique. I make sure to include my website in the signature line so they can easily click to see more. 


I hope I've answered all your questions! If you have more, please leave your questions in the comments.  Also check out my post on interview tips!

This week in my TPT store, I have added Super Boys, a self esteem/confidence group for boys, and a lesson plan to accompany the book Annie's Plan that can be used in classes, groups, or even individually. As always, what's Fresh on Friday is Free til Monday! 

One of my favorite groups to run and create is Girl's Rock. I had so much fun creating all the printables and using the adorable rock girl clipart. But it's no fair to leave the boys out! I will be the first to admit that I am not much of a hand on/kinesthetic type person. I definitely went out of my comfort zone planning this one! There is not a single worksheet in the bunch- every activity is hands on an involves movement and creativity. All of the hand outs (pre/post assessments, group rules) include a super "kids" version so that the group can work for either gender. It's a fun group, I know you'll have fun leading it! Check out the Super Boys!

Annie's Plan is a go-to book to teach organization, goal setting, and other study skills. I have taught whole-class lessons, group sessions, and used the book in individual sessions. It really is an essential to the elementary counselor's office. I've created a lesson plan with a cute printable using the concept of a GPS to know where you're going and the ultimate question: how will you know when you get there? Check out the Annie's Plan Lesson.

As always, if you download one of these freebies, please leave feedback! Also new this week:Career Bundle with all of my career activities (sorry new bundles are not a part of the Free til Monday promotion).