MASCA
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION
MASCA congratulates Bob Bardwell
VOL. 49, NO. 5
JANUARY 2013
College and Career: The Timeline Changes By JENNIFER LISK, MASCA President
I
BOB BARDWELL
B
ob Bardwell, Past President of MASCA, has been elected to a top leadership position in the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Bob will serve as ASCA President-Elect starting in the fall. Best of luck, Bob, from your MASCA colleagues! ■
MASCA mourns loss of Paul Murphy
M
ASCA mourns the passing of Paul Murphy, 90, a long-serving leader in MASCA and its affiliate, Greater Boston School Counselors Association. For many years, Paul served as president of GBSCA and as a member of the MASCA Governing Board and Conference Committee. Paul earned his bachelor’s degree from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont and master’s degree from Columbia University. For more than thirty years, he worked in the Cambridge School Department as a teacher and guidance counselor. “A wonderful and supportive friend who influenced the lives of many,” Paul will be greatly missed. Paul is survived by his wife of 58 years, eight children, and grandchildren. ■
n mid-November, I was fortunate to represent MASCA at a Connecting Activities conference sponsored by DESE. In addition to the wonderful conversations with a variety of professionals working with students connecting school and career, Gerald Chertavian, who chaired the Integrating College and Career Readiness task force, spoke about shifting the way we look at college and career. He talked about the changing nature of how and when people obtain their education. For many of us, we graduated high school, attended college immediately after, and then entered the work force. That is not happening at nearly the same frequency as it was in past years, and many people are working while earning their degree. As he put it, the approach is “earning something while you’re learning something.” The statistic he quoted of the average age of someone earning their bachelor’s degree — twenty-eight — speaks to how often this now occurs.
JENNIFER LISK We must continue to look at what our students need and help them develop the right path to achieve their goal. Those paths are now diverging more than ever before, and there may not be one right way to go. Interweaving school and career opportunities is not an easy task. There are often time constraints and other obstacles, but as counselors we can be an integral part of helping students find the right fit for a career and the education they need to get there. ■
Handling Traumatic Events: Recommended Links “Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event” http://www.nctsnet.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/ age_related_reactions_to_a_traumatic_event.pdf Tips for Talking to Children and Youth After Traumatic Events http://www.samhsa.gov/MentalHealth/Tips_Talking_ to_Children_After_Disaster.pdf Children and Violence, Resources http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/child-and-adolescentmental-health/children-and-violence.shtml
Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness Stay Connected!
By SALLY ANN CONNOLLY MASCA Counselor’s Notebook Editor
Go to MASCA’s website regularly for news you can use.
The teenage star of the hit TV program, “Two and a Half Men,” recently blasted his own show. Turn off the “filth,” Angus T. Jones said. “Do some research on the effects of television and your brain, and I promise you you’ll have a decision to make when it comes to the television and especially with what you watch on television. It’s bad news. It’s bad news.” The research has been done. And the time is right, it seems, for a second look at my article, “Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness.” (Counselor’s Notebook, February 2009)
www.masca.org
-------------------
S
urprise. Surprise. Watching TV can have serious consequences for behavior. So says a three-year study of youngsters between the ages of 12 and 17. The RAND Corporation study found a high rate of unwanted pregnancies among teenagers who watched the most TV programs with sexual content. Teenagers who had the greatest exposure were twice as likely to get pregnant. The study went on to point out that the United States has “one of the highest teen pregnancy rates among industrialized nations. Nearly 1 million young women become pregnant each year, with the majority of these pregnancies unplanned. Research has shown that young mothers are more likely than others to quit school, require public assistance and to live in poverty.” Are we really stunned by the findings of this latest study? How shocked would we be to learn that someone who saturates his diet with hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats has developed cancer? Or that someone who gorges daily on baked goods, candy, and ice cream has become obese or developed diabetes? Overindulging is bound to have consequences, some of them unwanted and unplanned. Our favorite TV programs, however, seldom carry warning labels. The possible consequences of risky behavior — pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases — are seldom portrayed. How often have the characters on “Friends” or “Sex and the City” talked about safe sex? Or engaged in safe practices? How often have the frequent portrayals of one-nightstands resulted in health problems? But avoiding TV programs with sexual content is difficult. Approximately 80 per-
2
COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
2012 – 2013 OFFICERS PRESIDENT JENNIFER LISK Medway High School, Medway, MA 02053 Tel. 508-533-3228 x 5107 • Fax 508-533-3246 E-mail: president@masca.org PAST PRESIDENT MICHELLE BURKE Beverly High School 100 Sohier Road Beverly, MA 01915-2654 Tel. 978-921-6132 x 11107 E-mail: mburke@beverlyschools.org PRESIDENT-ELECT THERESA A. COOGAN, Ph.D. Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA 02325 Tel. 508-531-2640 E-mail: theresa.coogan@bridgew.edu VICE PRESIDENT ELEMENTARY JACQUELINE BROWN East Somerville Community School 42 Prescott Street, Somerville, MA 02143 Tel. 617-625-6600 x 6517 • Fax 617-591-7906 E-mail: jbrown@k12.somerville.ma.us VICE PRESIDENT MIDDLE / JUNIOR HIGH MARISA CASTELLO E-mail: castelloma@sps.springfield.ma.us KATHLEEN SCOTT E-mail: scottk@amesburyma.gov VICE PRESIDENT SECONDARY CARRIE KULICK-CLARK Braintree High School 128 Town Street, Braintree, MA 02184 Tel. 781-848-4000 ext 2273 • Fax 781-848-7799 E-mail: jd02375@aol.com VICE PRESIDENT POSTSECONDARY JOHN MARCUS Dean College 99 Main Street, Franklin, MA 02038 Tel. 508-541-1509 • Fax 508-541-8726 E-mail: jmarcus@dean.edu
cent of today’s programming includes sexual scenes or dialogue. Producers and scriptwriters rely heavily on the marketing premise that sex sells. Take a look at the themes of the highly popular “Two and a Half Men” or the program geared specifically to teenagers, “90210.” We must not wait for other studies to confirm what we already feel in our gut. The hyper-sexualized messages being fed to us by TV as well as movies, music, magazines, and the Internet have a negative impact on formative minds. As parents, we need to know the viewing and listening habits of our youngsters, and we must be willing to have frank dis-
cussions with them about the behavior and values being portrayed. Everybody may be doing it on TV, but in real life, actions have social and legal consequences. To avoid overexposure to the media we need to work with our teenagers to help them find satisfying alternatives for their bountiful energy—activities such as afterschool sports, personal enrichment opportunities and limited, part-time work. It is often said that in terms of our body, we are what we eat. In terms of the formation of attitudes and our behavior, we can say the same thing: Garbage in, garbage out. ■
Studying the New Media “Sexual risk behavior among U.S. adolescents is a major public health concern. Nearly 800,000 young women aged 15–19 years become pregnant in the United States each year, most of them unintentionally, and half of the roughly 19 million new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) diagnosed each year are among 15- to 24year-olds…. Given the emerging evidence linking more traditional media use with initiation of various sexual activities, to
the extent that new media contain relevant sexual messages, researchers may find that these media are also linked to developing sexual attitudes and behavior and could affect sexual risk-taking and health (in either a positive or negative manner) as well.” — Rebecca L Collins et al., “Influence of New Media on Adolescent Sexual Health: Evidence and Opportunities” Working Paper, RAND Corporation, 2011 ■
VICE PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATORS TBA VICE PRESIDENT COUNSELOR EDUCATORS MEGAN KRELL, Ph.D. E-mail: mkrell@fitchburgstate.edu VICE PRESIDENT RETIREES Joseph D. FitzGerald, Ed.D. 5 Progress Street, Weymouth, MA 02188 Tel. 781-264-3426 E-mail: jdfitz1831@gmail.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DONNA M. BROWN Adjunct Professor, UMass Boston P.O. Box 366, 779 Center Street Bryantville, MA 02327 Tel. 781-293-2835 E-mail: executivedirector@masca.org TREASURER ASHLEY CARON 25 Belmont Ave., Stoughton, MA 02072 Tel. 508-212-0676 E-mail: ashcicero@hotmail.com SECRETARY JENNIFER McGUIRE Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School 220 Sandwich Road, Bourne, MA 02532 Tel. 508-759-7711 x 247 • Fax 508-759-5455 E-mail: jmcguire@uppercapetech.org MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR DEBORAH CLEMENCE P.O. Box 805, East Dennis, MA 02641 E-mail: membership@masca.org COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK EDITOR SALLY ANN CONNOLLY 19 Bayberry Road, Danvers, MA 01923 Tel. 978-774-8158 • Fax 978-750-8154 E-mail: sallyconnolly@att.net
JANUARY 2013
3
A New Year, A New Look By Joe FitzGerald, Ed.D., MASCA Technology Committee Chair
T
hanks to the efforts of Technology Coordinator Ron Miller and the MASCA leadership, the MASCA website has been upgraded. The look and feel of the site makes it more user-friendly, and it has a number of nice additions and new graphics on the homepage. At the top of the homepage is an area where you can slide the picture back and forth. It replaces the generic picture that was there formerly. By hovering over any
of the pictures, you are linked to another page related to the pop-up topic. Also new on the site are a log-in tab, a search bar on the top right column, and an updated calendar. In the coming months more features will be added. MASCA has been trying to increase its membership, and the website is one of the prime ways to do this. Presently, the membership module is being finetuned. Soon it will be easier for mem-
bers to access the “members only” area, an important part of the experience of using the website. To get to your Member Profile, simply log in with your personal username and password. If you have forgotten your username, go to the link to have it sent to your email address. When you go to your inbox, you will be instructed to click on the verification link (a security feature). You can then reset your password. As I mentioned in the December issue of CN, the website contains a lot of good information, and from my quick look at the new site, I think it has gotten even better. The main section of the homepage has information that will keep current with what is going on in counseling. On the right side of the homepage is the updated calendar (with upcoming MASCA events), a link for accessing current and past issues of the Counselor’s Notebook, instructions on how to join MASCA, and the DESE rubrics for counselor evaluation. By the time this issue of the Notebook arrives in your mail or on the website, there will be even more features to write about.
E-mail tips I have thought a lot about e-mail and here are some tips: • In order to save important e-mails, move or put them into folders. When you do this, you organize them and save them outside of your regular inbox. I have folders entitled: Family, MASCA, Trips, Personal, etc. I had the unfortunate experience a few years ago where each day I found my inbox was emptied of all e-mail that I had opened. If I had saved them by moving them into folders, I would not have lost important ones. • Be careful not to use “reply all” unless you want everyone on the original e-mail to see it. • When you receive an e-mail with a long string of e-mails in it, it is often better to send a fresh e-mail with the subject changed to relate to your topic. It is easier to reply or forward e-mail, but it is often not better! • Lastly, there is nothing worse (well, there really is) than sending an e-mail that deserves a response and not getting one. Even if it is not important, clicking “reply” and writing the word “Thanks” usually does the trick. Contact me at jdfitz02188@comcast.net if you have comments, suggestions, or tips to share. ■
4
COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
New England Institute of Technology America’s Technical College®
WHY THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS CHOOSE NEW ENGLAND TECH EACH YEAR. NEW ENGLAND TECH is AFFORDABLE. The lowest tuition of any private college in Rhode Island. Meet with our Financial Aid staff to discuss your individualized Financial Aid package. Ask about Military and Veterans benefits as well. NEW ENGLAND TECH is FOCUSED. Hands-on, technical education with a college degree that employers want. Learn from instructors with “real world” experience in our innovative labs. NEW ENGLAND TECH is ACCESSIBLE. The admissions process is simple. We're with you every step of the way, helping you to reach your goal with superior technical training. NEW ENGLAND TECH is ACCELERATED. Earn your Associate in Science Degree in as little as 18 months or your Bachelor of Science Degree in as little as three years.
We’re More Than You Think We Are ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE DEGREES
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREES
Applied Technical Studies Architectural Building Engineering Aviation Science / Flight Training Building Construction and Cabinetmaking Business Management Clinical Medical Assistant Criminal Justice Technology Electrical Electrical Technology with Renewable Energy Systems Electronic Health Records Electronic Systems Engineering Technology Game Design Game Development and Simulation Programming Graphics, Multimedia and Web Design Health Information Management Technology Heating Information Technology Interior Design Marine Mechanical Engineering Technology Network Engineering and Computer Servicing Nursing Occupational Therapy Assistant Physical Therapist Assistant Plumbing Refrigeration / Air Conditioning Respiratory Care Technology Software Engineering Surgical Veterinary Technology Video and Audio Production
Architectural Building Engineering Business Management Construction Management Criminal Justice Technology NEW! Cyber Security Technology Digital Recording Arts NEW! Electrical Engineering Technology Game Development and Simulation Programming Health Care Management Information Technology Interior Design Mechanical Engineering Technology Network Engineering and Computer Servicing Software Engineering
AMERICA’S AUTOMOTIVE COLLEGE® Associate in Science Degrees Auto Body Automotive Automotive Collision Repair Automotive High Performance
Bachelor of Science Degree Automotive Service Management
ON-LINE PROGRAM NEW! RN to BSN
800.736.7744
MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREES
www.neit.edu
NEW! Information Technology Occupational Therapy
NEIT does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex or disability.
JANUARY 2013
One New England Tech Boulevard East Greenwich, RI 02818-1205 5
MASCA welcomes your proposal to present at the
MASCA 2013 Spring Conference Improving the Utilization of School Counselors Through Partnerships April 7-8, 2013 Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis Call for Program submission document: www.masca.org. Electronic submission is strongly encouraged. Submission Assistance: programsubmission@masca.org Program Inquiries: programs@masca.org
SESSION CONTENT & DESIGN Preference is given to sessions that relate directly to the work of school counselors, particularly through the use of partnerships. Presentations should include evidence that supports the impact of the program or service and answers what new skills counselors will gain from the session and how they can apply those skills. • Structure the session to last no longer than 75 minutes, including 15 minutes for discussion. Double sessions are available for more detailed programs and trainings. • Limit the number of panelists to three, including the primary presenter. • Bring 30 copies of each handout to the presentation. Presenters are also asked to submit electronic materials for posting on the MASCA website after the conference. • Acceptance of a proposal does not mean that MASCA endorses the content. • If your session is offered in support of a commercial product or service, clearly indicate the product / service on the session proposal form. • MASCA does not provide computers, electrical connections, LCDs, screens or cords. Equipment is the responsibility of the presenter. Contact the hotel directly for rental information if needed.
PROCESS • Proposals must be submitted electronically. Visit www.masca.org for the link to submit your proposal. • The person who submits the proposal will be the primary contact for the program committee. All acknowledgments and program communication will be directed to the primary contact via email. • Make sure that your proposal indicates your preferences for days. We will attempt to honor schedule requests. • If you have multiple programs that merit consideration, submit one form per program. • Presenters must register for the event at a reduced conference presenter fee. If the presenter attends only for the session s/he offers, there is no fee, but the registration form is still required to prepare presenter materials. • MASCA reserves the right to edit the program description for publication.
TIMELINE Proposals are due by January 15, 2013. Presenters will be notified by February 1, 2013.
6
COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
A New Year, Renewed Advocacy By SHANNON DORAN, MASCA Advocacy Committee Chair
I
n addition to being the New Year, the next two-year legislative cycle is about to begin. In an effort to prepare for the work that lies ahead and keep school counselors in the conversation at the state level, the MASCA Advocacy Committee has been redefining roles, instituting new statewide communication networks, and establishing subcommittees to advocate for legislation and plan advocacy events. Since the success of our advocacy efforts is literally dependent on the involvement of MASCA members, we strongly encourage you to put civic involvement even higher on your list of New Year’s resolutions. There are many ways to achieve this goal through collaboration with the MASCA Advocacy Committee. In addition to responding to Advocacy Committee e-mail appeals or visiting our website for the next Advocacy Step, please consider becoming a liaison to your affiliate, a District Contact, or a subcommittee member. MASCA affiliates are invited to establish an MASCA Advocacy Committee liaison in order to augment this work in your organization. The Advocacy Committee would gladly provide up-to-date information for event announcements and affiliate newsletters. Additionally, if affiliates are interested in advocating for the school counseling profession through phone banks or group appointments with local legislators, the Advocacy Committee will provide guidance and supporting documents. As the name suggests, a District Contact will serve as the primary contact for the Advocacy Committee within a given voting district. When the success of proposed legislation relies heavily on the actions of the local House Representative or Senator, the District Contact will act as the liaison to this legislator. To serve this role with confidence, District Contacts will be provided with the support they need to engage local stakeholders and legislators on bills which are relevant to their region. Multiple subcommittees are forming in order to make the work of advocacy sustainable and enjoyable. Each piece of legislation and every event requires the support of a distinct subcommittee. The ideal committee would include one graduate student, two-three professionals, and one retiree. One member will serve as Co-
JANUARY 2013
Chair to the subcommittee together with the Advocacy Committee Chair. At this time, there are not enough subcommittee members in place to move forward on any of the slated advocacy initiatives. This is why we are urging MASCA members to make a deeper commitment to civic involvement by volunteering in the MASCA Advocacy Committee in 2013. Advocacy involves collaboration, communication, and education. We are
confident that engaging in advocacy will inform and unify school counselors at the local and state level. For an update and more details on how you can get involved, please go to the ‘Advocacy’ section at www.masca.org or e-mail me at advocacy@masca.org. ------------------Author’s note: The Advocacy Committee wants to thank Karen Harrington for her continued and valuable editing support to the committee. ■
7
Taking the STEM Challenge By DONNA BROWN MASCA Executive Director
S
cience, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics: STEM. This has become the educational buzzword for the decade, and I’m sure all of us counselors believe we know what the term means. I certainly did. However, this past fall I attended a variety of STEM related events, and I realized how little I really knew. I think many of us consider our schools to be STEM-friendly if we offer courses in the four areas and we encourage students to take science and math and suggest they dabble in technology and engineering. This is just the beginning, the very beginning. So, what exactly is STEM?
Goals of STEM Let’s start by looking at the Massachusetts STEM Plan Quantitative Goals* as published in the program book for the Massachusetts STEM Summit 2012: Game Plan, Aligning Priorities and Bridging Communities. The goals are:
DONNA BROWN 1. Increase student interest in STEM. 2. Increase STEM achievement of PreK-12 students. 3. Increase the percentage of students who demonstrate readiness for collegelevel study in STEM fields. 4. Increase the number of students who graduate from a postsecondary institution with a degree in a STEM field. 5. Increase number/percentage of STEM classes led by effective educators, from PreK-16. 6. Align STEM education programs with the workforce needs of key economic sectors. To say the least, achieving these goals will require counselors to learn more about STEM and to participate actively. For one thing, most of us don’t know enough about what’s currently happening in the world of work, so much of the advice we give our students is dated at best and often quite wrong. For example, how many of us have recently suggested that a student enter a manufacturing field? Most of us would see that as a last resort, a dead-end job. Yet, there are many wellpaying jobs available now and even more are anticipated as skilled manufacturing workers retire. These are technical jobs requiring training and precise skills. Gary DiCamillo, Chairman of Berkshire Manufactured Products (they make parts for jet engines, among other things), shared some very interesting information about his situation. His “youngest” machinist is in his 50s, and several of the experienced machinists make over $100,000 per year. Almost all are at or close to retirement age, but so far replace-
8
ments have not been found. Additional statistics and experiences were shared by the session moderator, J.D. Chesloff, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable. According to Chesloff, there are at least two jobs for every unemployed worker with STEM training while there are 2.6 unemployed workers for each non-STEM job. Last June, U.S. News and World Report carried an interesting article: “STEM Education is the Key to the U.S.’s Economic Future” by John Engler, president of Business Roundtable and former governor of Michigan. In his article, Engler cites statistics to support his case, but one of his most powerful points is a quote by Raytheon Chairman and CEO William Swanson at the 2011 Massachusetts’ STEM Summit: “Too many students and adults are training for jobs in which labor surpluses exist and demand is low, while high-demand jobs, particularly those in STEM fields, go unfilled.” Later in the article, Engler discusses a recent study by the Lemselson-MIT Invention Index, which gauges innovation aptitude among young adults. Almost two-thirds of the young adults (ages 16 to 25) indicated at least one reason for not studying a STEM subject. “Thirtyfour percent said they don’t know much about the fields, a third said they were too challenging, and 28 percent said they were not well-prepared at school to seek further education in these areas.” Unfortunately, as counselors, we may well be part of this problem. If we don’t take time to learn about current STEM fields and what kind of preparation is needed to be successful, how can we advise our students?
STEM advising There are a number of ways to do this. Some take a few key strokes on the computer; others may require a long term commitment. First, look at some of the available resources online. Worcester Polytechnic Institute has developed the WPI STEM Education Center (http://www.wpi.edu/ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
academics/stem.html). Check out the resource section for lots of additional annotated websites. Secondly, see what is available at your own school. Are there teachers involved in special STEM activities like an after school robotics team? If so, find out more. Are there partnerships involved? Can you talk with them about current career opportunities? How about advisory groups? Who is at the table? Can you join them? Explain to anyone who will listen that you want to learn more about STEM preparation and careers. Thirdly, take advantage of any opportunity to learn more. In November, C4C presented a program at Boston University. According to one handout, C4C (Counselors for Computing) is “a four-year campaign that will equip more than a thousand school counselors with the information and resources they need to advise students about paths toward stable, rewarding and flexible computing careers.” It was fascinating! The lesson I took away is that a career in the field of computing does not mean you will be tucked away writing code.
Art Athletic Training Biology Business Management Chemistry Communication Computer Information Systems Compute Science Criminal Justice Economics Education English Environmental Science Ethnic and Gender Studies General Science History Liberal Studies Mathematics Movement Science Music Nursing Political Science Psychology Regional Planning Social Work Sociology Spanish Theatre Arts JANUARY 2013
Rather, it means designing, creating, and problem solving in virtually any field imaginable. More information and resources are available at www.ncwit. org/c4c. Another resource I highly recommend is UTI’s “STEM 101.” I’ve taken this class twice, once at the fall MASCA conference and again at the North Atlantic Region ASCA workshop. I learned a lot about
By learning more about STEM, school counselors can better serve their students. what STEM really means. It’s not about individual courses; it’s about the interaction of all the STEM concepts and how this relationship impacts all facets of life. Jerry Ellner made the presentation and is available for professional development programs. Lastly, look at your community. If there is a Chamber of Commerce, make contact with them. Every CC has an education component that can provide schools with a variety of services. Some
conduct job fairs for high school students. Others will provide speakers for career days. Still others invite educators to participate on an education committee so that both the CC and the educators can learn about the other’s world. If possible, try to actually join the CC. MASCA is a member of the Metro South Chamber of Commerce, and this membership has already led to partnerships and resources. For example, through the CC we were able to use the HarborOne U education center in Mansfield for one of our professional development workshops. It has also given us great networking opportunities. STEM is here to stay; and as counselors, we have an obligation to give our students the best, most accurate information possible. To do that, we have to commit to doing business a little differently. There is much to learn, but as school counselors, we are certainly up to the task. ------------------*The full text of the state STEM plan is available on the MA STEM Pipeline website at www.mass.edu/ forinstitutions/prek16/pipeline.asp.
■
Discover more by visiting us online at westfield.ma.edu. Westfield State University Office of Admission Post Office Box 1630 · Westfield, MA 01086 (413) 572-5218 · westfield.ma.edu
9
THE INTERN’S TALE Strategies for Success By NICOLE E. SPIELER Master’s Student in School Counseling, Bridgewater State University
W
hile completing my practicum at an elementary school, I have noticed some similarities among all of the classrooms that I have observed. Some children were having difficulties concentrating, others could not remain in their seats, and some were unable to complete a single worksheet. The kids were struggling with regulating sensory input. I started exploring the benefits of creating sensory friendly classrooms, and I was astonished by the results. Through my research, I found the book, Building Sensory Friendly Classrooms to Support Children with Chal-
lenging Behaviors (2010), by Rebecca Moyes to be exceptionally useful. Moyes explains: “Brains that can inhibit, habituate, and facilitate sensory input appropriately will most likely result in individuals who can attend, stay on task, and complete work.” Sensory regulation requires students to be able control sensory input by stopping it, becoming accustomed to it, and acting appropriately to it. For example, the sound of a student sharpening their pencil can cause others in the class to become distracted at the task at hand. “To stay focused — our brains have to
Amy Mellor’s article describing her innovative approach to motivating students can be found in the December issue of the Counselor’s Notebook. Here is her game plan.
College-opoly: The College Game By AMY MELLOR
10
modulate the sound —‘turn it off or on, make it louder or softer’— as we need it to.” When a student hears the sound of the pencil sharpener, they, too, might realize that they need to get up and sharpen theirs as well. Sensory regulation can have a profound effect on a student’s ability to achieve success in the classroom. These sensory processing modalities include: visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, gustatory (what we put in our mouth), vestibular (inner ear balance), and proprioceptive (brain coordination with muscles and nerves). During my practicum experience, I took this information and started using it with the students during individual or small group work. I also shared ideas with the classroom teachers. I developed a menu of different strategies to use in the classroom to help students regulate their responses to sensory information. I consulted with teachers and created lessons on quick five-minute strategy breaks that can help the students get back on task and ready for learning. They were well received. All strategies can be integrated into many parts of the day. The strategies that I found useful include activities that involve heavy work, movement, and deep pressure. Some examples are: seat pushups, rolling clay, cross-crawls, and lazy 8’s. These strategies can be tailored to the classroom or to individual students, depending upon their needs and what works best for them. Creating a sensory-friendly classroom can improve the environment and a student’s ability to achieve success. Taking quick five-minute breaks can make a tremendous difference. I recommend collaborating with classroom teachers, finding out their particular needs, and discussing the potential benefit of regulating sensory input. ■ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
JANUARY 2013
11
Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc. COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK Sally Ann Connolly, Editor
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEWBURYPORT, MA PERMIT NO. 96
IN CASE OF NON-DELIVERY, RETURN TO: Deborah Clemence P.O. Box 805 East Dennis, MA 02641
Your membership renewal date is indicated by year and month on your address label above. To renew your membership, go to MASCA’s website, www.masca.org.
MASCA 2013 Spring Conference Improving the Utilization of School Counselors Through Partnerships Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis April 7-8, 2013 April 7 • Keynoter Mandy Savitz-Romer, Ph.D., Lecturer on Education and Director of Prevention Science and Practice, Harvard Graduate School of Education • Graduate student programming and poster sessions • Welcome reception and concurrent workshops
April 8 • Jill Cook, ASCA Assistant Director, Extended session on new 3.0 ASCA Model • Full day of concurrent workshops
April 9 • Spring RTTT workshop
For details, go to MASCA’s website, www.masca.org/
MASCA needs your leadership! Call for Nominations President-Elect Vice President Elementary • Vice President Secondary • Vice President Postsecondary Job descriptions and information can be found on MASCA’s website, www.masca.org/