Scholarship in focus

As previously mentioned, this quarter students are studying what it means to be a scholar.  Here at Pembroke Hill, we define scholarship in the following way:

• Engage the world with open mindedness, curiosity and imagination
• Seek understanding and truth through disciplined and thoughtful inquiry
• Pursue knowledge throughout one's lifetime

This week students were challenged to think about the way they approach the learning that occurs in their life by introducing the idea of fixed mindsets and growth mindsets.  The topic was introduced using this video.  I was able to be in one of the Advisory classes for the discussion that followed the video.  This particular group discussed whether or not they thought intelligence was something that could change over time, or if they felt it was more stable.  The students also talked about how we view and respond to criticism, as well as what it means to have to put effort into your school work.

Students have been invited to put the skills of effort and persistence into practice through our 30 Day Challenge, which officially begins today, though some students have begun already.  We are daring ourselves to try something new for 30 days that will enhance our lives in some way.  For example, my challenge is to read for fun for the next 30 days (I have let this small pleasure go recently in the midst of just being busy).  I have learned that students are working toward making someone smile each day, going to bed earlier and even giving up frozen yogurt at lunch! We'll check-in with students at the end of the 30 days to see how they did and what they gained from this experience!

In our staff meeting this morning we discussed a great technology tool that could help us enhance a learning environment that supports academic risk taking.  The Socrative website allows students to take online quizzes that give them immediate feedback on their understanding. When a student misses the concept, they can adjust their learning on their own.  This option may increase student participation in the lesson and enhance student connections with the material.  I'm giving some thought as to how I can use this tool in guidance lessons to check student understanding of the lesson objectives, while giving each budding scholar the chance to take a stab at the answer.  I'm anxious to use the knowledge I gain from their responses to improve my lessons and guide my work here at Pembroke Hill!  The students aren't the only learners around here :)

New Year, New Opportunities

Welcome back to a new semester!  It has been really wonderful seeing our students again and hearing about their relaxing and refreshing break.  I wanted to be sure to let you know about some opportunities being offered here in the counseling office this month and into the second half of our year.

First, I am going to be working with students in small groups on two topics.  The topics are Stress Management and Friendship Support.  Groups begin next week.  Students have all been informed of the opportunity.  A permission form is required to participate and is due on Friday of this week.  Sometimes students are unsure about participating in a group with the counselor, they worry about the stigma that it will be very "touchy/feely" - but I am working to let them know that counseling groups operate very much like activities I do with them in the classroom.  If you feel your student may benefit from time talking with peers about dealing with high stress levels or challenges that come with middle school friendships, please consider having them join one of these groups.  As always, feel free to call me for more information.

Second, I will be starting a new after school club that will meet on Mondays, called Community Club.  Our first meeting is today.  Community Club is focused on contributing to our positive school climate.  We will consider together what events we could sponsor.  I will be suggesting Kindness is Contagious Week in February as an example.  If the students are interested we may look into service projects for our Greater KC area as well.  I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with our students in this manner.

In Advisory this quarter students will be examining the concept of "scholarship."  We will be looking at the myths that our students sometimes accept when it comes to scholarship and encouraging them to look at risk taking/failure through a new lens.  Our hope is to further develop a love of life-long learning, create a learning atmosphere where academic risk taking is supported and to give students permission to let go of perfectionism while striving for excellence.  Each Monday in advisory students will discuss a concept related to scholarship and on Tuesdays students will be introduced to an example of someone in the world of business, sports, entertainment, etc who embodies the idea of scholarship as we see it.  This week students will watch a short video with Matt Cutts of Google. 

Lastly I wanted to share something really fun that has been happening in my little office.  Before break I had a puzzle on the table in my office and now I have coloring pages with colored pencils.  The students come in during their breaks to relax and enjoy a relaxing project together.  I have had the pleasure of getting to small talk with them and gain some insight into what is happening at school through their eyes.  Have I mentioned before that I have the best job in the world?

An Amazing Gift

Yesterday may have been my favorite day at Pembroke Hill so far!  I spent the morning at the bank feeding coins into the coin counting machine.  These coins came from our week long Advisory change drive contest.  Our students really came through!  In total $487.99 flooded the desk in the main office. 

In the end it was Mr. Hennessy's advisory who won the change drive.  So what happened with all that money?  This is the best part!  Hennessy's advisory, as the winners, were tasked with deciding which charity would receive the money raised.  I'm delighted to be able to tell you that the money went to pediatric cancer research, and in the most wonderful way.  One of our students has been selling cookies this week to raise money for just this cause.  It is near to her heart as her younger sister is a cancer survivor.  The money raised was given directly to our student to support her dedicated effort to help find a cure for pediatric cancers.  Kinda makes you love Pembroke Hill and these fabulous students even more, doesn't it?

As first semester draws to a close, I realize once again just how fortunate I am work in this incredible school.  In a small effort to show my gratitude I provided hot cocoa for students and staff this morning in my office.  The students were cheerful and relaxed as they added marshmallows to their drinks and headed out to tackle their tests. They are confident and ready to show us just how much they have learned this semester.  The students have certainly earned their upcoming two week break.  I sincerely hope this time leaves your family with many happy memories!  Enjoy your winter break - see you in January!

"Tis the season

Family gatherings, big meals, gift exchanges, traditions... sounds fun, doesn't it?  Anybody read this first line and also feel the stress building, the to-do list forming in your thoughts or the clock ticking away as you scramble to prepare?

December, while often a joyous month, can also bring with it a host of challenges.  Luckily for us, there are a few things you can do to ease the stress.

1. Set family priorities for the season - the intent of prioritizing is to limit trying to fit too much into a small amount of time.  Decide which traditions are important to you, ask your spouse and your children which traditions are their favorites and as a family consider which activities can be taken off your plate, even if just for this year.
2. Learn to say "no" - on the heels of prioritizing, is the task of holding to it!  Should guilt creep in, remind yourself that you are putting the NEED to relax and simply enjoy downtime first, and you can always feel good about that!
3. Use shortcuts - shop online, order pizza, pick up a pre-made dessert at the store.  
4. Focus on the meaningful - talk with your children about the reason behind the holiday you are celebrating.  Find ways to show gratitude and give to others.  
5. If you feel stress, that's ok!  Recognize it and take a step to reduce it.  
6. Get plenty of rest - sleep deficits are harmful to your brain's ability to problem solve.  So fall asleep on the couch during a favorite movie, retire early with a good book, or sneak in an afternoon nap.
7. Lastly, take pride that your example may be giving someone else the green light to let go of the idea of doing it all, and doing it perfectly, during the holidays. 

If you'd like to read more on the topic, I'd suggest the following two articles:
Stanford University
The Dougy Center - Grief during the holidays

Step-Up, Service and Stress

I'm not sure how we are already staring Thanksgiving weekend in the face, but we certainly are!  Before we break for 5 days I wanted to share with you some of the things that have been happening in the counseling world at PHS.

The 6th grade boys and I have now had three meetings together through their version of Step-Up.  When we return from break we are excited to have Kathy Lamb, high school counselor, and a group of male senior students come in to talk with our young men.  The boys did a great job brainstorming a long list of questions to ask their visitors.  Their questions ranged from "What sports do you play?" to "What do you do when all of your friends are going to a party/event, and you need to stay home to study?"  I am anxious to watch their interactions next week and hear their responses. 

Though the next two days of advisory have been set aside for socialization and bonding time, each group has been hard at work determining a way to give back to our community next month for their service project.  A handful of advisories are banding together to assemble care kits for Heart to Heart International, which has sent all of their existing care kits to the Philippines.  Other advisories are adopting a family, ringing bells on the plaza for the Salvation Army and even supporting a charity created by one of our own students which seeks to provide toys to children in need.  It is an honor to watch these young hearts fill with excitement over making a difference in the life of someone else.  It is clear that this community is one that values gratitude and generosity.

If you missed the Parent Awareness presentation last Thursday morning, I wanted to share with you the links to a couple of videos that were shown.  We examined teenage stress through the lens of perfectionism.  We had a thought-provoking discussion as well and I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with our parents.  I walked away with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the challenges of raising a teenager! 

video: Dr. Dan Peters

video: Dr. Brene Brown

Finally, in this time to be thankful, I wanted to express my thankfulness for the PHS community.  All of you have made the transition to a new school such a positive experience!  Every day I look forward to coming to work and that is truly a gift!  I sincerely hope your families have a restful and enjoyable long weekend.

Warm Fuzzies

 It's official!  I've had my first chess lesson!  The 7th grade students are excitedly (and patiently) teaching me to play!  I am really enjoying this time with the students and the opportunity to get to know them better.  I have the best job in the world!

Today and tomorrow I will wrap up self-esteem lessons with the 7th and 8th graders through wellness classes.  We have begun each session with anonymous written compliments.

This activity is followed by each student's compliments being read aloud by another student and a discussion regarding their reactions to complimenting each other.  The students often say that although it was a little weird, especially hearing their compliments read aloud, it was also pretty cool.  They appreciate having the opportunity to think about their peers in a positive light, as well as the opportunity to tell them something they might not otherwise say.  The students are able to keep their written compliments and I have heard comments about hanging them up in their lockers, as well as putting them in their rooms at home.  After the compliments, I turn the discussion to defining self-esteem.  We talk about how our self-esteem can be influenced by what others think about us, but ultimately it comes from what we think about ourselves.  Students are invited to take a short self-assessment to think about how well they understand their identity and at what level they accept and appreciate themselves.  I shared with the students that their identity is changing and is sometimes in question throughout middle school, high school and even early adulthood, so they can expect that sometimes their feelings of self-confidence may waiver as well.  I want students to know that struggling with self-esteem can be pretty normal and is not permanent. 

As we are nearing the end of 1st semester, our advisory groups are wrapping up their focus on Compassion.  This week each advisory watched this video and then worked to create their own photo that showed "humanity as it could be."  Here are some of their photos, enjoy!

Advisory Spotlight

This week I wanted to spotlight a few of our advisory groups.  As we go through the year I hope to get the chance to highlight each advisory group.

Mrs. Anderson’s Advisory

Mrs. Anderson’s advisory group is quite an active bunch!  The room is always filled with excited conversation and friendly competition.  The students and Mrs. Anderson work hard during their advisory contests.  They had a particularly tough challenge the day they were asked to flip a plastic table cloth over using on their feet!  After several failed attempts, Ellie had a plan and Noah became the leading voice to make it happen.  “Shuffle people!  Bigger shuffles!” Noah shouted to motivate the group.  Everyone had a good laugh and eventually found success!  It was amazing to watch the students come together to complete a tough task! 

This dynamic group includes football, field hockey and soccer players, as well as some very talented musicians and puzzle “completers”!  We saw Sloane have great success with puzzles during the first Minute to Win It competition!

Mrs. Anderson has started having her fall One-on-One conferences with her students.  The kids value having this time with their advisor.  It allows Mrs. Anderson a chance to get to know each child individually and learn how she can support them through middle school.  She will hold One-on-One meetings throughout the year to check in with the students and stay on top of any areas of support they may need.

Senora Wolfe’s Advisory

In Senora Wolfe’s advisory, there is no shortage of laughter and friendship.  The students have each contributed to a community candy bag and they enjoy sharing treats with each other every day after lunch.  While there is a lot of fun, the students also work hard when the time comes.  They gave great effort to creating their own personal goals for this year.

Mrs. Kobolt interviewed Senora Wolfe’s advisees and learned that they love having projects and activities in advisory and the Senora is like a family member to them.  They love that she is nice and gives them responsibilities.  Students enjoy having a say in the activities their advisory will participate in and a time to relax from the daily grind of classes.  The students also reported that they can talk to each other about anything in advisory, they even wish advisory was a longer period of time in the day.  What would they do with the extra time?  More contests!!!

Senora Araiza’s Advisory

Senora Araiza has created a very relaxed advisory atmosphere.  The students were excited about the bullying video project and were motivated by the prize of going to the Lower School to present their video to the 5^th grade.  While, they did not win, they were selected as a runner up and their project was shown at the Lower School!

Araiza’s students very clearly works together as a group.  They report that Senora Araiza is nice and comfortable to be around.  The students can tell that she cares for them when she listens to their rants and checks in on them.  

Mrs. Blakenship’s Advisory

The students in Mrs. Blankenship’s advisory love contests!  Their favorite was the spaghetti and marshmallow structure contest.  They tackled the bullying video project by aiming to show the perspective of the student who is bullying others and encouraging their fellow students to be empathetic to everyone.  Mrs. Blankenship’s “Junk Closet” came in handy during the contest in which students had to decorate a pumpkin to look like their advisor, it even contained a hot glue gun which came in quite handy!

Even when there is not a formal contest, the students use their advisory time to answer trivia questions on a website that donates rice to those who are hungry for every correct answer. 

Mrs. Blakenship’s advisees like having her as an advisor because she is nice and they are comfortable approaching her with questions.  They especially like that she will let them do homework when they need to!

Mr. Wilson’s Advisory

Mr. Wilson is a Baylor fan and he happily shares Baylor football highlight reels in his advisory!  However, he also allows his students to choose school-appropriate videos to share, even silly animated ones.  The students are right when they say Mr. Wilson’s advisory is fun.  They report that Mr. Wilson makes the room a positive place to be and they very much look forward to the break in their school day in his room.  One student said that school would be too overwhelming without advisory.

The students had a great time decorating their pumpkin to look like their beloved Mr. Wilson.  Though the beginning of the year it was a bit unclear who the leaders would be in Mr. Wilson’s group, a few a starting to emerge as leaders in different areas.  Nevertheless, the balance of everyone being included and feeling a part of the group continues!