UNDA PRESHA!

I have two more days until my presentation and I'm the world's biggest klutz! I accidentally taped over some of my video so I have been running around like a chicken without a head, trying to fix my mistake. Tomorrow, I am going to get help editing all of my sweet footage from the wonderful Dimere. Fortunately, I am not as nervous about the presentation as I was before but I have to get all of my ideas organized better so it just flooooows when I am in front of the class. Hopefully everything pulls together nicely and works as planned!

CRUNCH TIME

Now, we have about a week left until presentations and the heat is on! I have been filming my videos and Next week is going to be completely devoted to editing it to make sure it is perfect (or at least close to perfect). I have already chosen six blogs and now I am trying to master pamphlet-making. Putting my bibliography together is probably the most stressful thing right now because I cannot find a lot of sources from before. I'm going through some of my blogs, hoping to find some of them. It's late, but I am reading a book from Mrs. Burns about anger and some things to do when you get angry or when you are about to get angry- it is very cute! Well, wish me luuuuuck :)

Senior Trip

My senior trip was a great time. Of course I rode some of the best rides and got a tad bit sun burnt but aside from that, I learned a lot about myself and other people. Anyone who knows me very well is aware that I struggle with keeping my emotions in check, especially anger. There were some things that happened during the trip that opened my eyes and showed me who belongs close to me and who I should let go. I spent a couple of hours doing my own thing and hung out with just about everyone. That was my goal: to spend time with most of my senior class and get to know more about my classmates before I leave high school. I think I handled every situation pretty well, avoided gossip and confrontation a lot, and did not let anyone ruin my mood.

Comparing the three...

My presentation is going to be focused on comparing and contrasting counseling in three schools- elementary, middle, and high school. Throughout this project, I was not sure what I wanted my presentation to be on but as time passed, I found myself soaking all the information I learned throughout this experience and picking it all apart. I found qualities and traits counselors in all of the schools shared and I noticed some differences. My main goal is to make the audience see things from my perspective and take notice to how much work I really put into this project.

NJ ASK

Yesterday, I went to the middle school and gave Mrs. Rapattoni the questions for the interview (the same ones a Mrs. Burns) and all the ladies in the guidance office would like some time to practice what they are going to say. We had a fun time sitting and sorting bins for the NJ ASK, a standardized test, and counting booklets. Although organizing is not one of my best qualities, I think becoming a counselor would help me improve in that area. In school #4, the basic skills teachers organize the test booklets but in the middle school, they have to go through all of that madness. Mrs. Rapattoni said that she loves seeing the kids but during testing, things are too busy and she does not really get the chance. I cannot wait to come back from the trip and get things going!

Welcome back, Burns!

Mrs. Burns is feeling a little better and is back in school! I am glad we got to catch up and go over my ideas. Since it is the end of the year, she needs to send over paperwork to the middle school for the upcoming fifth graders. Kids who have special needs are required to keep in contact with counselors and also be in certain classes. To make sure the middle school counselors are keeping an eye on the students' progress, Mrs. Burns needs to send over some info.

We went through my interview questions and they include: what is your involvement in the school, what are some every day problems a counselor in elementary school faces, what is your favorite part of the job, least favorite part of the job, and what was your occupation before you began counseling?

When I come back from the trip, I am going to start filming my video and put it all together nicely.

Bad day

Today was a pretty bad day. I woke up very late and had the worst migraine all day. I had to go to Virtua to get a physical and a PPD for my new job and went to the wrong Virtua AND got stuck in traffic, which made me late to my other job at NJA3. Aside from all the bad things that happened today, I did accomplish something. Since we have senior trip next week and prom two weeks later, I figured it would be smart to get as much work done for my presentation this week as possible. Tomorrow, I am going to see Mrs. Burns now that she is doing better and back in school. We are planning to go over some of my ideas and get started on making my video. I realized last night that all the tapes I had for the video camera were used, filled with old memories from bbq's, birthday parties, and vactions.

I made it a priority to go to Target really quick before my physical and pick up some tapes. I cannot wait to get started on my video! Tuesday, I'll be with Burns and Wednesday, I'll be with Rapattoni- this week should be quite productive.

My anecdote

Sometimes our peers are not the best people to talk to and get suggestions from. When I was younger, I had a friend who was going through a big problem at home and I wished I could help her somehow but I was only a kid. She was afraid to talk to her mom about the situation and was stuck between a rock and a hard place. A light bulb in my head automatically turned on- whenever I really have a problem that I cannot find a solution to, I go to the guidance office whether it has to do with grades, friends, school, or home. My friend was reluctant at first but once I introduced her to the guidance counselor and she became comfortable talking with the counselor, she soon came to find a solution to her problem. I admired the ability the counselor had to get people to open up and her compassion for the students. Once I got into high school and really thought about what I wanted to do in life, my first idea was to become a guidance counselor. I love being able to help others. In case you were wondering, the guidance counselor was Mrs. Rapattoni, my mentor now and my friend is doing great, made the right decision, and is living a happy life.

That's Life!

Sadly, this week I did not get the chance to visit my mentor and sponsor. Mrs. Burns had surgery on her ankle and she is stuck at home until monday (GET WELL SOON BJBURNS!). Mrs. Rapattoni is going through the whole NJ ASK process at the middle school and I understand it is very overwhelming for her. On Tuesday next week, I am meeting with Mrs. Burns and we are going to play around and try to come up with our interview and skit. Then, I am going to make my way over to the middle school and do the same thing there. Hopefully, I develop my ideas more and actually come up with some good footage or whatever you call it! Since I did not get the chance to meet with them this week, I am going to try to accomplish as much as possible next week before I go off to my senior trip. May is a very busy month and while my schedule is empty, I might as well get some work done.

Dictionary Game!!!!

In class, we are playing a little game called the DICTIONARY GAME. The main purpose is to not make our fellow classmates look like fools, it is to help us gain confidence when we give presentations.

This game also prevents us from using the infamous

"Um's and Uh's" to use up time in between thoughts of what we are going to say next. I found it difficult to keep my voice loud and keep a nice flow of words. Honestly, if we keep playing this game, I believe I will see a difference in the way I speak to a crowd of people and feel more prepared to give my presentation on my experience visiting with guidance counselors and telling people what I have gained from being in the Senior Project class.

POETRY MONTH!

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desireI hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction iceIs also great

And would suffice.

WISE program

Mr. Vick and Mr. Paul came to our school to speak to us about our presentations. I found some of their advice and ideas helpful and my plans are a bit more developed. My videos will probably be short because Mr. Vick suggested that shorter clips keeps people's attention. I would hate to bore the audience or lose some one's interest! I was hoping to visit with Mrs. Burns but unfortunately, she just got ankle surgery and is going through recovery; I can see her next week though. Hopefully, she feels better soon. Overall, I think it helped a lot of people and made me feel more prepared, knowing what is expected of us. It looks like I have tons of planning to do and I still have not figured out how to work the video camera. Tomorrow or Friday I am going to visit Mrs. Rapattoni and Ms. Ryan at the middle school to start these interviews and catch up on things.

Preparation

Over break, I have had the senior project on my mind. I borrowed a video camera for the presentation and today, after school, I am going to read the booklet to try to figure out how to work the dang thing! I have absolutely no skill with any technology. Wish me luck!

Letter to superintendent

Dear Mrs. Carroll,

I chose senior seminar so I could test out my dream career to see if it is worth going on to college and getting a degree in it. The career I chose to observe is guidance counseling because I have always been interested in working with children younger than myself and mediating when there is a problem. My project deals with a mixture of both middle school counseling as well as elementary school counseling. At this point, I am confused about which age bracket of children I would want to work with. Next month, my presentation is going to be a video documentary including interviews with Mrs. Burns, the counselor at School #4, Ms. Ryan, and Mrs. Rapattoni, the counselors over at the middle school. In the interviews, the counselors will explain what they do on a typical day at work, some problems they may face, and their involvement with the schools. I am also considering adding skits in the documentary displaying pretend mediation's with actors from the high school. I thought making a video would be very personal and reflect the hard work that I have put into this project. At the end of my presentation, I want my classmates to be astonished and take notice of how much effort was put towards my video.

Hopefully, I will learn how to incorporate two different ideas into one creative project, as well as learn how to work a video camera and edit my clips to make sure the documentary is presentable. Since I am using an older video camera, I am going to ask Mr. Flickinger, the video productions teacher, to show me how to make a good quality video. For the actors performing the skits, I am going to talk to the drama department and gather a couple of students who can help me come up with a small script and act in the video. I think the most difficult part is going to be editing the video and cutting unwanted parts out without ruining my presentation.

Ideas, ideas...

I talked about my idea in a previous blog about what I wanted to do for my presentation. Yesterday, my classmates gave me their opinions and suggestions about the project. I thought maybe I could interview the middle school counselors and Mrs. Burns about the things involved with being a counselor and what they go through every day at work. Over break, I will make a list of questions to ask them and look for my antique video camera. (ha ha) After their interviews, I will tape fake sessions with actors from the high school and possibly my little brothers to act as the elementary school kids. In my presentation, my classmates and teachers will hopefully recognize the similarities as well as the differences between the two school's counseling.

Presentation

Our presentation is coming up in May and I know it seems like a long time right now, but it would most likely come in a jiffy. I am beginning to brainstorm about what I want to do for my presentation and my gears are certainly turning. For some reason, I have always enjoyed video documentaries. I thought maybe if I learned how to actually work a video camera first and then begin to work on editing so I can produce a video that includes some fake mediations and stuff and maybe a tour around a guidance counselors office. I don't really know- just something interesting and different. I want to leave an imprint on everyone in the class so after the presentations are over, they can say "wow, Desiree's project was pretty sweet!" Well, if anyone is actually taking the time out of their lives to read my blogs, please give me some ideas or suggestions!

Relief!

Thank goodness this research paper is done and over with. I feel like so much weight has been lifted off of my shoulders! I feel confident in the research I have done and I am thankful my sponsors and mentor helped me find some good stuff. The only thing I would have changed about my paper was my conclusion. I had tons of ideas and articles I wanted to integrate into my paper but I was not sure exactly where to put this information so it would make sense and overall, prove my thesis to be correct. I wish I could say APRIL FOOL's and take more time on this. But- I chose to procrastinate and in the end, I turned in my best work that could have possibly been accomplished in such little time.

Ps: check out the little Kiss panda bears! Happy april fool's day!

Rapattoni

Yesterday, I met with Mrs. Rapattoni and it was very refreshing. We talked about how this class is going and even some personal stuff. 99.9% of the time was spent weeding through the ten pounds of research I have collected over time. Now, I know I have been procrastinating but a lot of my hours are spent organizing the information that I have and figuring out a grabbing introduction. I am feeling very confident about my paper and I hope that it comes out as a success.

Painting

In an article I read a couple of weeks ago, there was a woman who was bipolar and every time she felt angry or manic, she would paint. All of her negative energy was released through the tip of her paint brush and transformed into a work of art which was merely a reflection of her emotions. This has recently inspired me and encouraged me to find a way to release all of my negative energy rather than lashing out on someone or something. I know I am not bipolar but I do throw tantrums. Sleeping or eating is not a good way to handle your emotions. All it does is repress your feelings instead of release them. Hopefully this weekend, I can make it over to a craft store and purchase a canvas and some paint. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Ask For Help

Never be afraid to ask for help. I have been using EBSCOhost as well as GALE all along and I could not figure out why I was not getting any really awesome articles. Well, yesterday Ms.Hans pointed out that I did not place a check next to all of the things I wanted to search for. Once I took her advice, everything worked out great. I ended up getting an article about art therapy that was extremely helpful. Speaking to Mr. Abrams about my thesis made me realize that in order to really prove my point, I should change the thesis to something I will have an easier time proving. I felt more confident in changing my thesis so close to the due date and I already have information stored that will be great for my paper. It's not what you know, it's how you use the information you know to make your paper as good quality as possible. Next time, I will not wait so long to ask questions. Trial and error is what it is all about!

Research Paper

I know we only have a week left for this project and I am a little worried. Mr. Shannon talked to the mentors in 3rd period freshman seminar class and he asked what was stressing us out so bad. Honestly, I get nervous with trying to finish up projects because towards the end, I get lazy or I procrastinate and cram things in last minute. Usually, I think I work better under pressure but I know it is a bad habit that needs to change. I cannot live my whole life pushing things to last minute because I do not know what assignments or projects in other classes are going to pop up. Then, I'll really be in trouble, trying to find the energy and ideas to finish the main project while working on everything else. It would save me tons of stress if I work my behind off this week and try to get the project done early. Negativity has to be thrown out the window and I need to stay positive and focused. Wish me luck!

How my attitudes have changed.

Since the project, my patience was very low and my understanding of others was one dimensional. Now, I am more patient, with kids especially, and I definately try to see things from everyone's point of view, rather than just mine. I was always very considerate towards other's feelings but recently, I have tried to get to know more about people's background to get a better perceptive of how their past or home life has made them who they are today. Working in the after school program has helped me gain patience as well as learn how to put my foot down when I need to. When I go over to the elementary school or the middle school and I meet a group of kids for the first time, I hold off on the judgements. Instead, I listen to what they have to say and take their personality for what it is. I think these new traits could really help me when I become a counselor or working with children.

Falling behind

I feel like everything is coming down on me at once and it is very nerve racking. My grades are pretty decent but I know they could be better than they are. Due to my absence, I have fell behind in a couple of my classes and missed out on a couple of important lessons. In psychology, I missed a part of the movie Butterfly Effect but fortunately, I was able to borrow it and catch up. Math is very difficult for me right now, I'm not used to being completely lost. With the Senior project, I feel as though the week is flying by and it is difficult to find time to meet with both my sponsor and mentor weekly. Filling out the blog sheet and the reflections on the back has become pretty tough for me to. I am glad that I was lucky enough to be chosen for this class and get the opportunity to explore what counselors do but I had no idea what this class had in store for me. Senioritis is making it hard to stay focused and stay on track. Hopefully, I get a boost of energy- enough for me to finish the year off. Holla

You can't always get what you want.

So, today, I went over to school #4 to meet with Mrs. Burns and I was informed that something had just came up and she needed to take care of business. Instead of being mad and discouraged, I realized that things are just going to pop up sometimes, especially when a person is a guidance counselor.

New info.

I'm finding that everything I have learned so far throughout my life has some sort of connection in a weird way. It is strange, but if everyone really sat down and thought about it, they would soon realize that all of our classes in school, all of the lessons we have learned are linked somehow. For example, sometimes when we read books in English, there is a historical background to it; therefore, we're combining literature with history. The only reason this has come to my attention is because recently, as I have been working little by little on this research paper, I have noticed that psychology plays a big role in how we live our every day lives and how people can break down a picture or painting into bits and pieces and come up with a logical explanation as to why or how the picture was created- what were the feelings behind it, what could have caused these feelings, what can you do to overcome these feelings. Well, just thought I would share some insight! I'm sure I'll have lots to blog about later.

It has been five days since I posted my last blog- I know, Mr. Abrams, it's pretty sad. So here I am, home sick, blogging about some information I have just learned. First and foremost, the packet about writing formal oulines has helped me out a bunch and I feel a little bit more confident now with my outline. While I was catching up on some more reading in my book about Art therapy and some techniques that are used, I have a better understanding of art therapy. Jean Piaget, one of the most influencial developmental psychologists of all time, studied his own children to find out exactly how they problem solved at an early age. He developed a theory about intellectual development. Sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational are the names of the four stages Jean came up with. Piaget believes that most teenagers have reached the formal operational stage. The formal operational stage basically means they are capable of abstract thinking. BUT! before this happens, a child needs to go through concrete operational, which usually happens around age 7 and during this stage, kids know how to place information into categories and order it but have a hard time placing that information into words or explanations. It is believed that around the age of eleven and continuing onto adolescense, children reach the formal operational stage. Unfortunately, some people do not reach this stage, even as adults. Art therapists need to know how to properly assess which stage their client is in and work it. If the client has not reached the formal operational stage, they will have a more difficult time with their drawings and may need to start off with more simple activities instead of the more complex, reflexive ones.

Interactive Art Therapy

I just took out a book from the Camden County Library and it is about... DUN DUN DUNNNN, none other than ART THERAPY!! So, while I am stuck in slow-motion and caught a slight case of senioritis, I have been reading little by little every day. One part that caught my attention was the intro. Since "psych lingo" is sometimes hard for clients to understand, by looking at their drawings, they can visually SEE their ideas and feelings. Therefore, they get a better understanding of themselves instead of trying to comprehend what their psychologist is telling them.

LMS Renaissance

Friday, I went to the middle school to help out with the renaissance pep rally. Besides the gym being a sauna, I had a good time. I helped Mrs. Rapattoni gather up some 6Th graders to participate in some of the games. It was kinda cool because I knew a lot of the kids there from NJ After 3. I could definitely see myself being a guidance counselor. They don't just mediate kids and talk about problems, they are very involved with school activities.

E.D. Boys - Part II

I went to Mrs. Rapattoni's office yesterday to meet up with the E.D. boys again (I previously blogged about them not too long ago). Finally, I got to see a side of them that I was warned about. The first time I met with them, they were total sweethearts but this time, there was a slight problem. Mrs. Rapattoni had two 6th grade boys and Ms. Ryan had another two in 7th grade so everyone agreed to combine the two groups together to try and work on getting along. Since the last time I met Mrs. Rapattoni's boys, they decided that I could pick the game the next time I come in. I picked Trouble and everything seemed perfectly fine until it was time to choose who got which color. Popping the bubble to see who gets to go first was easy but once we had to pick the color, the real trouble happened! Since the board doesn't have a regular spinner like Life does, we tipped the board upside down and spun it around to find out who would get which color. One boy, Ted, said that he would only play if he had the color red. Unfortunately, Ted did not land on the color red so he stole some of the game pieces and hid under the table. Mrs. Rapattoni and Ms. Ryan gave him the opportunity to leave and go back to class rather than play with the rest of the boys but he never left so we had to call Mr. Bullicki in. He did not cooperate so Officer Burlap was called in. Ted had to be restrained while the other three boys played the game quietly and got along just fine. Eventually his mother arrived and Ted went home on suspension for a couple of days. I can certainly say that yesterday was not like an average middle school visit!

Mara Williams

http://www.maramcwilliams.com/articles/2005-07_art_therapy.php



Mara McWilliams is a bipolar woman who struggled with this disorder her whole entire life. She goes into euphoric manias where she hallucinates and becomes extremely depressed to the point where she is harming herself and possibly suicidal. Throughout the years, being bipolar was unidentifiable- people rarely were diagnosed bipolar so Mara went on trying to manage her rollercoaster-like emotions. Throughout this time, she found that when she went into these euphoric manias, she was at her most creative peak. All of her art work around the time was very expressive and detailed. Art therapy helped her release all of her negative energy onto paper or a canvas instead of throwing tantrums. It is understandable why people turn to art to relax and find themselves.

BJ BURNS

Today, I went and seen BJ Burns over at the elementary school and it was a very relaxed day. We discussed the Senior Project and what it's all about and she even got a chance to check out my blog. She was interested to hear about some of my classmates ideas and career goals so I led her to some of their blogs as well. Speaking to her about the senior project made me realize how involved this class really is and how lucky I am to go to other schools to see what counseling has to offer as a career.

Along with the senior project comes a couple papers in between. I mentioned the research paper coming up and to my surprise, she has some experience with art therapy. She gave me some ideas on how to start off my paper. Now, all I have to do is look up the history of art therapy and all types of things it is used for and I'm golden! For the 45 minute presentation at the end of the year, she said that her and I have permission to tape a little session with the kids (a fake one, of course!) and I can use it in my presentation! I am really looking foward to the rest of the year as far as the senior project goes.

The Media

It has been said over and over again that the media has a huge affect on it's viewers, specifically the younger ones. I mentioned in one of my previous blogs that Mrs. Burns had a talk with a group of boys over in the elementary school to see what they thought of the whole domestic violence issue with Chris Brown and Rihanna. It is obvious that elementary school children are more likely to pay attention to things that their idols do and follow their behavior. Nobody would really expect the Middle school or High school to take after this violent behavior, or would they? It is found that in poverty stricken areas, children mostly look up to athletes or celebrities, while wealthier or upper middle class children look up to their parents, teachers, doctors, etc. There is nothing wrong with finding a role model but what happens when Little Billy finds out his role model has allegedly hit his girlfriend. To Billy, this behavior may be percieved as acceptable. Chris Brown did it, why can't he?

One of my teachers, here at the high school, witnessed a male-female altercation and this undoubtedly worried some of the advisors in the school. He explained to them that although we are older, the media still does have it's effects on us and that our school needs to make sure that students do not follow this behavior. An assembly on domestic violence is being taken into consideration and I agree with the idea 110%. Along with the music lyrics, radio station talk shows, movies, magazines, and television shows, celebrity drama has an affect on the viewers and listeners. We are in a world where violence, sex, drugs, and profanity is more than acceptable. We are being desensitized day by day by being surrounded by this mess.

Helping people move on...

Since I have started working on my outline, I found some new facts about art therapy. People who choose art therapy as a profession specialize in both art and therapy. They know art techniques as well as human development and psychological theories. It helps people overcome trauma , illness, or people who seek personal development. Art is their own way to release all their feelings and emotions into a 2D or 3D masterpiece. This helps patients cope with stress and also increase self-awareness as well as the awareness of people around them. Well, when I find some more info, I'll holla :)

NJ After 3

As most of you know, I work for EIRC NJ After 3 program at the Middle School. The kids here are wonderful. Although it is tough sometimes trying to get them to behave, they are great to work with. The middle school is full of personality and talent. Observing the students is very entertaining and my days go by fast working here. I can learn a lot about people by noticing their habits and different ways they handle situations. All I know is middle school is D-R-A-M-A city! There is conflict with he said-she said at all times. If I were to become a counselor for a middle school, I would have a handful to deal with! It seems like everything around me is beginning to connect with my project and this class. From my psychology lessons and peer mediations to an after school program- I'm always learning new things that can relate to counseling.

Back At It

Unfortunately, I have not gotten the chance to blog since last week but I am back and ready to blog again. So, yesterday I went to the Middle School and met with Mrs. Rapattoni to join her with a group of boys from a class called ED. ED stands for emotionally dysfunctional (I'm ALMOST positive, lol). This group of boys were supposedly, from what Mrs. Rapattoni told me prior to the meeting, these boys are crazy, loud, and argue constantly! Well, well, well... the three boys surprised both Mrs. Rapattoni and I with their wonderful behavior. It was honestly a pleasure to meet these boys and get a chance to observe them and how they interact with each other. We played the board game, Life. They took turns nicely, helped organize pieces and cards, and refrained from calling each other cheaters. One of the boys even said I could choose what board game to play next week! Hopefully, I can make it down to the Middle School and visit them in their class room.

My Idol

Aside from her remarkable beauty and acting talents, Angelina Jolie has a lot more to offer. She is an ambassador for the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) Goodwill where she travels throughout the world to work with refugees and displaced people. She has traveled to Darfur to talk to refugees and young children about the current crisis happening in Africa and also has been to a Bangkok refugee camp. She is very passionate about what she does and it is obvious she cares strongly for children. Ever since I was about 11 years old, I babysat my brothers and baby cousins and I promised myself I would not have any children or work around children when I am older. To my surprise, I find children to be great company and very lively. Although they can sometimes be a pain, I am lucky to spend time with them every single day and learn more and more about them. I hope when I become a social worker or a counselor, I am this passionate about my career and what I do. (I would also love to travel the world!)

School #4

Today, I got to meet the counselor at Lindenwold School #4, Ms.Burns, and she is amazing. She made me feel very welcome in the school and I even got a chance to sit in on a group session with a few young boys who were very lively. She told me it would be entertaining and she was not lying! The topic she presented was domestic violence and the whole Chris Brown and Rihanna situation. Listening to their opinions on the topic was extremely interesting. Gladly, they all agreed that domestic violence is wrong and had some very nice things to say about Chris Brown (not really). Aside from the group session, Ms. Burns told me the difference between high school, middle school, and elementary school- she even gave me a packet of information about each one, which helped me get a better understanding. She told me that she did not get a degree in guidance counseling, that she is a certified social worker, which is something different from what I understand. Before the kids move up to middle school, they need to work on decision making skills and learn that for every action, there's a consequence. While I was looking around her office, I noticed a sign that said something along the lines of "When you __(action)____, I feel ___(emotion)_____ because __(reason)____. Please __(response desired)___." I guess this was a way to help the students address their problems and express their feelings toward certain behaviors. Overall, today was a great experience and I cannot wait to visit the elementary school again!

Confidentiality

American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Position Professional school counselors recognize their primary obligation for confidentiality is to the student but balance that obligation with an understanding of the legal and inherent rights of parents or guardians to be the guiding voice in their children’s lives.

Confidentiality is an important policy when counseling. Although I am not a counselor, I am a peer mediator and we have to keep everything that goes on during the mediation TOP SECRET. Any notes we write have to be thrown away. If you are going to someone to talk to and to get OPTIONS (NOT ADVICE) from, you want to make sure that your business is only between you & your guidance counselor. This privacy policy encourages students to open up to counselors because they will not be fearful about spilling their guts to someone who is going to tell. There are a few exceptions to this policy - if a student is at risk by harming themselves or others. Relationships are very important to build and without trust, there is no relationship.

Art Therapy, For Kids & Adults

What is Art Therapy? Art therapy is a human service profession that uses the creative process as the primary form of expression. Through both verbal and non-verbal modes, art therapy encourages the development of an individual’s creativity as a vehicle for increased self-awareness, personal growth and resolution of emotional conflict. The artistic process, product and subsequent associations are all seen as reflections of the individual as a whole. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fsgbr.org/images/art_therapy_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fsgbr.org/Art_Therapy.html&usg=__pHN2r1PhMF6hctpf9P2ASwtIgy8=&h=2550&w=3344&sz=2662&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=ChMDfEI_tan_-M:&tbnh=114&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dart%2Btherapy%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive

Art Therapy allows people to use metaphoric and symbolic communication.Unconscious or blocked feelings can be assessed in a way that is sometimes less threatening than verbal means alone.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.justkate.com/pics/kinder.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.justkate.com/therapy.html&usg=__9ZuXGDKi1SvZWIvtbnagHmcF73w=&h=265&w=265&sz=27&hl=en&start=27&tbnid=EtPVmpmcIF5_iM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dart%2Btherapy%26start%3D18%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN

I believe art therapy works. Although I haven't went to a center and had my art analyzed, I let my emotions show through some of my art. Usually when I am in school, there are many distractions but, for the most part, I go crazy and release all of my energy into my pieces or pictures. I think elementary schools and maybe even middle schools should offer art therapy programs or classes for children who have a hard time expressing their emotions or even their creativity.

Anti-Bullying Policy

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/35950104.html

15 Year old Richard Yanis was charged with attempted murder with a deadly weapon. What was the cause of all of his anger? Guidance counselors have never heard any complaints about Yanis being bullied or picked on in school so as far as the school was concerned, everything was peachy until police got a call about guns and ammunition being stolen. The school went into a panic and searched backpacks and lockers for any signs of deadly weapons but nothing was found. Yanis had planned to hold the shooting off for another year. Richard's plan included murdering everyone he did not like. "Armato said the school keeps track of bullying incidents and had no reports showing that Yanis had been bullied. If Yanis was being bullied, he and his teachers and guidance counselors did not tell administrators about it. In such cases, peer mediation may be used to help, Armato said." (Philly.com) The school might not have been aware but a few students surely were. His neighbor commented that Richard Yanis had been picked on as long as he could remember and that he was an outcast with few friends. A couple more students had also mentioned that Yanis was the butt of everyone's jokes and was always being rejected. If the school did not realize this was going on, why wouldn't any students report the bullying to a counselor. Armato, the school community relations director, mentioned that peer mediation could have resolved this problem a long time ago. It is important to take bullying seriously; If you see a student being bullied too much and sense that something is wrong, TELL SOMEONE. No one wants something like this happen in their school. Even though Richard did not get the chance to go on a shooting spree, doesn't mean that something like this can happen anywhere, even here, in Lindenwold.

.............Procrastination

Here I am, blogging again! Instead of doing my research papers and today's homework, I am spending my time blogging about what I do best- procrastinate! I know that if I ever want to succeed in college and go on to be a guidance counselor, I cannot put off every task until later because when later comes, I am going to have so much pressure on me and one of these days, I just might explode. For anyone out there who has conquered this aweful disease and can lend me some advice or ideas, please do so... and do not procrastinate! I need help, asap. (Although, I am sure that anyone's answer to my problem would be to stop being so darn lazy!)

Overwhelmed... AGAIN!

Okay, so my week has been crazy with all this homework and these research papers due! One of the papers that I am most stressed about is Mr. Maggi's ten-page research paper on how our school addresses poverty through education. In A Framework for Understanding Poverty, Ruby Payne discusses the challenges that people in poverty face when dealing with people in the middle class and upper class as well as the problems people working with others in poverty face. This book is basically a guide to help the reader understand people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. The tough part about this paper is that we have to create our own thesis about how Lindenwold High School addresses poverty and I chose a chapter about creating relationships. The chapter starts off saying "the key to achievement for students from poverty is in creating relationships with them." This proves that an administator-student relationship is highly vital and will make a huge difference. Well, guys, wish me luck on this thing.

I think I'm going to interview coach sellers and a student who frequently gets into trouble. Asking him some of his strategies to prevent kids from misbehaving and possibly interview a couple of teachers and see the positive and negative side of creating relationships with students.

First day with my mentor

Yesterday, after 7th period, I went to meet up with Mrs. Rapattoni at the middle school. I know she is my mentor but I could not get a hold of my sponsor so I am working with the counselors at the middle school for now. Mrs. Rapattoni suggested that I just pop up at school four and introduce myself to Ms. Burns; this is a good idea but I feel wierd just showing up out of no where. I guess I need to suck it up and just do it!

Anyway, being at the middle school was an interesting experience. Although I was only there for one day so far, I got an idea of some of the issues I will be dealing with when helping young teens. For the most part, their problems are very common- things we have all been through atleast once in our lives, while others are not so common. Listening in during the students' appointments with Mrs. Rapattoni has taught me to be a better listener and I even got to come up with some suggestions/ideas about how one of the students could fix their problem. Ultimately, they are making their own decision on how to handle situations but counselors are there to give options and listen.

I definately think counseling is the job for me and so far, I want to stick with it!

Thesis for Research Paper

I want my research paper to do with counseling in a middle school. Between 5- 8 grade, a lot is changing in the students' lives. Identity role confusion sometimes happens and it is hard for students to find where they "fit in". I need to look into my psychology notes on adolescents but this stuff is very interesting to me and I know I want to research more about this particular subject. Maybe in my project I will have a scenario and point out what is wrong with the child and explain in depth the reason behind their behavior/ situation.

Freshman to Senior in 5 minutes.

This blog was inspired by Aliccia's blog about Senior year speeding by. Aside from Senior year going by fast, high school itself went by faster than I would have ever imagined. It seems like just yesterday we were running around in freshman rec, beating the heck out of each other with basketballs! I have to agree with most people when they say that high school is the best time in their life and goes by far too fast. When I think about all of the friends I have made, even some of the bad friends I have weeded out, I realize that high school is more than equations,grammar, and all that academic stuff (which is still important to know!), but we are learning life lessons and maturing day by day. It is hard to actually think that it will be over soon. As much as I want to leave this school and start a life of my own and meet new people, I am going to miss certain things about this place. We only have a half of a year left and I am going to try to make the best of it!

Senior Project Intro

Last Wednesday, our Senior Project class met up with our families, sponsors, and mentors to give an introduction to the project and inform everyone what is expected of us for the second semester. Although I was nervous about the speech, I guess it turned out alright. The only thing I was worried about explaining was the project within the project, which from what I understand is out of the picture now. Once Snyder brought us outside the library to discuss the small changes that had to be made during the speech, I was scrambling for something to say. I didn't want to just waste perfectly good air talking about nonsence! Snyder and Mr. Abrams ended up congratulating everyone on their speeches and everything was gravy.

The next day, Ms. Sykes and Snyder came into our class and everyone gave opinions on how the posters should be graded and just to make sure everybody was on the same page. I feel a lot better that we had a chance to clear everything up and discuss our likes and dislikes about the project so far. I definately would rather blog 5 times a week and do one big journal for the whole week. Keeping a handwritten journal is important to me because I like to be somewhat creative and since I am serious about this project, maybe i'll actually be organized (FOR ONCE!). I do not see myself doing 5 journals per week along with 5 blogs; that is just crazy talk! The ideas we have so far are pretty good and I am looking foward to the rest of the year in this class!

Sick, but excited.

Although I am stuck home feeling sick, like this will be my last day to live, I figured I would blog about some exciting news. Next Tuesday, I will be heading over to the middle school after 7Th period to check out what Middle School counseling is really like. One of the counselors, Mrs. Tittermary is out for 8 weeks because she had a baby (AWE!). Since there is an empty office, Mrs. Rapattoni told me I could keep Mrs. Tittermary's seat warm for the time being AND even redecorate it, just kidding- that would be cool though! Technically, I'll have my own office which is pretty sweet. Now, if that's doesn't sound awesome enough, not only do I get to hang out in her office but I will actually get to spend time with children in there and get some hands-on experience. Obviously the problems they come to me with will not be super-crazy, but I will still get to chat with them and use some skills that I learn from my mentor and my sponsor. I cannot wait to get started on this project and find out whether this is the right path for me. The only bad news I have right now is that I have not heard back from Ms. Burns, the counselor at School #4, but I think I am going to go over to school #4 to meet her and talk with her face to face. I have heard nothing but nice things about her and I am looking forward to meeting her soon.

an extra two hours

So, it's obvious that everyone is aware of the two hour delay that we had this morning due to the snow and slush. With an extra 2 hours of sleep, I woke up ready to go and it took about 5 minutes get ready. I have once heard that a person's brain does not begin working until around 10 o'clock. Now, I don't know if this is true but I definately believe it. Why make students go to school at 7:30 when they can't even think right!? It is ridiculous! I am much more willing to put everything I have into my school work now that I am completely recharged. I don't know about everyone else but it would be a great idea to go into school around 9 or 10 every single day! Much more kids would be ready and willing to get to work.

Senior Project Project :)

The senior project midterm is fairly easy and gives us a chance to be productive as well as show our creative sides. For the first part of the project, I am making a poster advertising for the Senior Project. Trying to incorporate everyone's dream profession, I made each letter in the word "senior project" something that had to do with a job. For example, the letter "I" in senior is a tree to represent Ty'Ana's goal to be an enviornmentalist. Projects such as this one allow students to express themselves and show of their true talents. I wish every project could be this fun!

New Moon

So far, I have finished Twilight and New Moon. These books really keep me interested and also have taught me some new vocabulary words such as impasse* and chagrin.* Stephanie Meyer is such a descriptive author; at times, I find myself feeling the same emotions as Bella, the main character. When she is feeling the "hole in heart" ache, I am feeling it too. I know it sounds a little nerdy, but I am absolutely hooked on these books. Eclipse, here I come!

*chagrin (noun)
1.a feeling of vexation, marked by disappointment or humiliation.

*impasse (noun)
1.a position or situation from which there is no escape; deadlock.

Emotions.

When something ticks me off, I don't get angry- I get FURIOUS. I must admit, I have always had a temper but never as bad as it has been. Maybe it is the stress with school and work, I cannot be sure but once I figure out why it is getting out of hand, I think I will get closer to solving my problem. Some teachers or bosses tell their students or employees to leave their issues at the front door. Somehow, I cannot get over my issues and they end up staying with me throughout the whole day. Deep down, I truly believe anyone who can ignore the bad things that are going on in their life during school time or work time, has tons of self-control and will. Anger management seems unnecessary but if this continues, I may have to consider. I mean, it's to the point where I get mad about being mad.

Sometimes there is not even a reason why I feel the way I do. Like Aliccia mentioned in a blog, I will go into this terrible, depressed mood for no apparent reason. Senior year has really got me feeling down. There are so many changes occuring in my life right now and I am trying my hardest to stay strong.

Inspirational quote

So, the other day I was strolling down the hallway after the 8th period bell rang when I noticed Craig walking glumly down the hall. I stopped, concerned, to ask him what was wrong and he told me that everything was alright. I proceeded to ask him if he had a bad day and he replied, "I never have bad days. I wake up in the morning and I'm alive." When he said this, all I could possibly think was WOW, what an amazing response. It made me feel as though I was being selfish and unthoughtful when I waste a day angry over something foolish because there are people who are not well or who have lost a loved one. We should all learn to be more like Craig and cherish every second of life, every breath of air we inhale. Life is precious.*

A Letter from the Future

Imagine that you are twenty-eight years old, and you're writing to a cherished teacher whom you haven't heard from in ten years. Tell him/her about your professional life. What do you do for a living and how did you get there? Consider the following: What schools did you attend? What special training and degrees do you have? Where do you work and what is the name of your company? What do your coworkers and boss think of you? What professional successes and awards have you enjoyed since graduating from high school.

Dear Teacher,

How is life? I figured it has been a while (well, more like forever) and I should send you a letter to catch up on things. As of right now, I am a counselor at Peanut Middle School and I absolutely love it. I ended up going to CCC for two years because Stockton did not accept me right away and once I finished up there, I transferred to Stockton to study sociology and counseling as well as education. On my spare time, I am taking courses for special education at there, considering how much I enjoy working with children and new challenges, I figured I should expand my education and learn something new. Counseling is going extremely well; this is perfect for me. Instead of high school drama along with all of the college buisness that I cetainly do not want to get wrapped up in and working in groups with elementary schools, I am glad I chose to be a guidance counselor for middle school. To get the chance to play a role in a child's life when they are blossoming into an adolescent is a pleasure. I can remember when I was that age... They don't call it the period of "storm and stress" for no reason! pre-teens and teens at this age need someone there for them to listen to their drama with friends, teachers, and family. I have two children at home and a husband, Henry, whom I have been married to for 8 years now.

My family & I- Me, Henry, Julian, and Luna Some of the students here, aren't they cute?

The blogs I peeped.

Briona, Natalie, Turquoise, Brooke, Aliccia, Ty'Ana, and Jamie were the blogs I looked at today. They were very interesting and I learned a lot from them and also about them. For example, the way B.Scott feels about love is so deep and descriptive, and the tricks Turquoise did with her pictures and header is unique and completely reflects her personality. Looking at others blogs gives me tips and ideas of effects that I can add on my blog as well as some insight on different subjects and opinions. Great job guys!

Sweeeet tricks for blogs!

So, I've been doing some sweet stuff with my blogs and I am getting more comfortable with how this whole 'online journal' thing really works. Looking at my classmates blogs has given me ideas and also inspired some of the pictures and ish on my blog! Thanks guys!

Weekend Grab Bag

What I really want right now is to get my thoughts together and my priorites straight. My thoughts are discombobulated but my intentions are set on being successful. Worrying about maintaining healthy relationships with my loved ones, keeping up with my school work, going to work to earn money, and getting into college is stressing me out to the point my head might actually blow up. There is so much on my plate and it feels like time is moving so quickly that I barely have time to relax. If I could make time stand still while I completed all my unfinished tasks, that would be great because at this rate, I am going to have grey hair by June.

A provoking excerpt

In Child Abuse and Neglect, the overview provides some facts about abuse that immediately caught my eye and made me think for a moment: "In the Commenwealth Fund Survey of the Health of Adolescent Girls (1997), one in five high school girls reported that she had been physically or sexually abused. The majority of the abuse occured at home (53 percent) and more than once (65 percent). Nearly a third had not told anyone about the abuse."

Of course I know that there are teenagers out there that have been or are being abused but reading actual percentages and statistics just makes it that much more real. This book was published in the late 90's so I can only imagine how much higher the numbers are now. The last sentence from that excerpt was disturbing and there are signs to look for in an adolescent to be able to pick up on someone who is being abused or has been abused, which are coming up within the next few chapters. Being the compassionate person that I am, I would want to be an outlet for these children or someone they would feel comfortable opening up to.

Interesting Subject during class time

I have always been interested in psychology. Deja Vouz is a subject that completely baffles me and I would love to learn more about it and possibly find out an answer whether it is real or not. Another issue that is great to learn about is drug use and the effects certain drugs have on the body and the brain- both longterm and shorterm effects, I have already learned about drug use in a previous pyschology course but it wouldnt hurt to learn some more!

How should blogs be graded?

How should our blogs be graded? Well, I think our blogs should be graded on how elaborate we expressed our opinions and if we answered the questions fully. Grammar and vocabulary should not be graded BUT if there are words like "deez" and "da", there should be a couple of point deducted because that is just ridiculous. These online journals are a chance to show ideas and opinions in a new and improved way; as long as the task is accomplished, an A or B should be given.