We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. I wasn’t a huge reader growing up. Average, I’d say. I remember connecting to some books, and I’ve always loved a good beach read. My own experience aside, I have a vivid memory of connecting to books as a School Psychologist. I was working with a great fourth-grade teacher who had a group that year. One that leaves you mentally exhausted on the daily. One day, I went into her room at the end of th ..read more

Last school year, I did something I never thought I’d do… I got my coaching certification! I’m not an athlete, besides my anxiety-induced running addiction, so I felt totally out of my element, but I had an awesome co-coach who is also our life skills teacher, so we made it happen. First, I’ve volunteered before with Unified Sports, but took on a leadership role this year. To get the ball rolling, I contacted other Unified coaches in my district, gotten my Principal on board, and reached out to our state’s Unified Liason. Everyone was supportive in getting the program going. Initially, we wer ..read more

Now that we’re pumped up and you know you are going to rock this, here are some of my favorite posts for new School Psychs: In the beginning: tips for a new School Psychologist: oh-em-gee I wrote this 7 years ago, but I still love reading this advice from then! 10 things to do in your first month as a School Psych: you know I love a good to-do list. What you need in your first year: Another oldie, but goodie. Writing Psychoeducational Reports Tips: Everything I learned in grad school no longer applied. Dear first-year Psych: A pep talk for later in the year Organization Summer Camp: A few yea ..read more

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. In 2015 when my daughter was born, I thought “she will never use technology until she’s a teenager”. Three kids and a pandemic later, I realize how naive I was. Now, my Kindergartener can scan the QR code to log into her online classroom quicker than I can. As parents and educators, we know the research, but implementing it in the real world is a different story. Today I wanted to share a book to he ..read more

Hey there. how are you doing? Equal parts excited and terrified to start your new career? Sounds about right. You’ve spent the last several years reading up on neuropsychology, education, and special education law. you’ve administered an IQ test to every member of your family, and given yourself at least 3 unofficial diagnoses on the way. You’ve slowly worked your way up, from testing your sister to a real-life child, and you’ve even shared progress with a parent. And now, here you are, probably in a small, outdated office, filled with years of outdated testing materials, and not a new pen or ..read more

Each summer is different for me, and this summer, I’ve been able to completely unplug from work.  To be honest, even though this year was not one of my hardest, it took a huge emotional toll on me.   I started the year off with the loss of a parent I’d known for years, and I never quite recovered. When bad things happen, I always turn to books to help explain big feelings and big problems to my students.  I’d never read The Ant Hill Disaster before, but I was able to use it with my students and own children this year, when another unbelievable tragedy flooded the news.  It ..read more

Here I go again, the day after a school shooting, off to support the fearful students and staff I work with. I wish I could tell them something like this will never happen again (it will). I wish I could tell them it won’t happen here (it has). I wish I could tell them they are safe (are they?) And I wish I could guarantee the safety of my own children, but I can’t.  Because every time this happens, I think of the Newtown parents who woke up one day like it was any other morning, who got their kids dressed, fed them breakfast and hurried them out the door, as I do each morning.  They ..read more

I’ve made it known before that I am a huge Julia Cooke fan, and the book I wanted to share about today is one of my favorites that I find myself reading to my students over and over again. I hear the Soda Pop Head  song over and over and over in my head after reading this story about Lester, a boy who struggles with anger issues, and who other students are not very kind too. I think the things that make him mad are relatable to many of my students. Do you have this one? If not, check it out! The post Soda Pop Head appeared first on The Calming Corner ..read more

You all know my love for Julia Cook runs deep. I have acquired quite the collection, and my students at school love them as much as I do. I hadn’t read Lying Up a Storm before, so I was excited to add it to my bookshelf. The book tells the story of a child, Levi, who tells a few (and then a few more) lies, that quickly get out of control. He eventually realizes his choice and the impact his lies have on himself and others. I read it in a few of my own groups but also with my own daughter! As a parent, it’s helpful to remember that this isn’t an uncommon problem with young kids, and sometime ..read more

I’ve mentioned over on Instagram that one of my favorite parts of my job is my behavior program.  By the time kids get to us, they have the basics of Social Thinking down but need help with the application.  I have a group that is big into video games this year, so I came up with teaching them strategies for their triggers as they do in video games.  Here’s the worksheet we used.  What do you think?   The post appeared first on The Calming Corner ..read more