The National Association For Continence provides education, community and support to those living with bladder, bowel or pelvic floor health disorders.

I have been craving a Club Sandwich for about a week now and I have not given in to my craving because I am trying to cut back on alot of bread. I picked up some sun dried tomato wraps the other d…

Gallery | New Albany vs Jeffersonville Rivalry

I don't know about you, but my kids love the Disney Pixar movie Inside Out. It is such a fun story, and I really enjoyed the whole concept of "which emotion is at the control panel right now?" It has become more than just a fun movie for our family, too, as we've begun helping our kids identify their emotions using the characters Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, Anger, and Surprise (Bing Bong!). One way we've been doing this is through a chart I've created. I found this image from lifehacker.com that clearly categorizes most emotions under each of the above categories. I then transferred the emotions to a homemade chart I made using images from a Google search. Here's what I came up with. You can download a copy here. I printed the lifehacker chart on the back of the page and laminated the sheet. So now, when my kids are having difficulty expressing their emotions, we can go to the chart and work through how they're feeling until we have identified it. It has helped with overall communication and lessened the number of breakdowns because we can calmly point to pictures instead of yell talk through it. It has dramatically increased the peace in our home, which is never a bad thing. I hope that you are able to use this as a tool in your home or classroom as a way to help your children identify their emotions.

After seeing a Calm Down Kit on pinterest, I decided to make my own, inspired from "The Autism Adventures of Room 83." This blog can be found here. See below my Calm Down Kit that I made! They are very easy to make with all my items either made, printed and laminated, or purchased from Dollarama! Contents of my Calm Down Kit: 1. Sparkle Bottle 2. Rubber Squeezies 3. My "5 Deep Breaths" sign 4. "When I'm Angry" and "When I'm Frustrated" sign 5. "What Would Help You Feel Better" 6. "How Do You Feel Today?" 7. Check In 8. Breathing Exercises 1. Sparkle Bottle I love having this sparkle bottle in my Calm Down Kit. Kids can shake it and then take belly breaths and watch as they calm down, the sparkles calm down too! In our class we will be doing lots with the sparkle jar that I made to use as a whole class! See instructions for how to make a sparkle jar here. You can explain to the students that when you shake the jar or bottle it represents your brain and all your thoughts when you are stressed or worked up. Do you think it's easy to think with thoughts spinning around in your head like that? Do you think it's easy to concentrate or relax? Definitely not. Students can really understand this when you explain it. When you shake the jar, start taking belly breaths to watch as you calm down, the sparkles in the jar also calm down! It's amazing to use this in your class. Look at the difference in the bottles below! Sparkle Bottle right after being shaken. Sparkle bottle after about 15 seconds of being shaken. 2. Rubber Squeezies See below the rubber squeezies I bought for my Calm Down Kit at Dollaram! They are great for kids who need to play with something in their hands to help calm them down. They squish around and are very fun to play with. 3. My "5 Deep Breaths Sign" These are once again inspired from The Adventures of Room 83, however I did make them myself. I have velcro on the backs of the tokens and velcro on the card for #1-5. If you are with a child when they are taking belly breaths, each time they take a breath you can hand them a little token to velcro onto their sheet to get to 5 breaths. Otherwise, a child could simply take a breath and velcro it on themselves. 4. "When I'm Angry" and "When I'm Frustrated Sign" These signs are taken DIRECTLY from The Adventures of Room 83. I do not take any ownership for them. Find them here. These are great to talk to with kids to help explain to them their options for when they are angry or frustrated. 5. "What Would Help You Feel Better" 6. "How Do You Feel Today?" I made these signs, also inspired from The Autism Adventures of Room 83. I think this is a great way for kids to think about why they are worked up and what would help them to calm down. This helps their mind think when they are worked up! This is also a great way to communicate with children. Some children might not be able to successfully communicate how they feel or what they want, so these are great ideas to help with the thinking process! 7. Check In This is also a great way to "check in" with kids to see where they are at. They can move around the purple "I feel" symbol to move where they are so they can communicate with you how they feel! This is a great way to also talk about what would make them feel better, or what's wrong in the first place. This can be a great starting point to know where the child is at and to get a sense of what emotion they are feeling. This is taken DIRECTLY from The Adventures of Room 83. I do not take any ownership for them. Find them here. 8. Breathing Exercises These exercises were found on "Move With Me - Action Adventures." Click the link here to see. These are great techniques to teach kids to help calm down through their breathing! This is a photo of the Cozy Corner we use in our classroom! The kids learn that they can go to this space ANYTIME to self regulate.

Tonight I'm enjoying the sound of wind chimes through the window as the winds shift and winter blows back in. It's cold outside, so I'm staying bundled up inside and checking in just long enough to share a bulletin board I made today, to complement a lesson I'll be starting tomorrow on friendship. And, before I unplug again, some reflections on friendship: Making and keeping friends is an important skill for children to learn. Not only are friends fun to have around, but healthy attachments are an important part of a child's experience in school. Children that can form friendships tend to adjust to the school experience better because they're more likely to develop self-esteem and build important social skills, like getting along, cooperating and problem-solving. Since students don't come to school with these skills neatly tucked away in their backpack, we must be modeling, teaching, and practicing them in our day-to-day interactions right alongside of and, dare I say it, woven into academic content. How do you help your children find friends that fit? Here are some goals that friends can work on as new relationship opportunities present themselves: *Cooperate and be kind to others. *Be willing to play fairly, take turns, and share. *Listen to others' ideas. *Apologize and forgive one another. *Express feelings appropriately. Use "I" statements to share how you're feeling and what you need from your friends. *Practice empathy to respond to friends' feelings in an understanding, helpful way. *Be honest and loyal to your friends. *Keep a positive attitude and hang out with friends who uplift you. *Show respect. Be the kind of friend that you would want to have. *Express gratitude and appreciation. Encourage your children to choose one of these goals at a time to work on as they learn how each one looks, sounds, and feels in their world at their age. Remember that how these goals play out will change slightly through the ages and stages. Talk with your child(ren) about the qualities that they look for in a friend. Ask questions like these: *How did you decide on those qualities? *What do you usually do to make a new friend? *What advice would you give a classmate who is having a hard time making friends? *Would you want to be your friend? Why or why not? *What qualities do you have to offer to someone that might make you a good-fit friend? To enrich the discussion, have students trace their hands onto a paper, left on one side, right on the other. On the right hand, have them write five strengths that they bring to a friendship. On the other hand, have them write five areas for growth, things that they could do better in their friendships. If you don't have access to paper-pen supplies, partners can put their hands together as if they're giving a high-five and take the Five Finger Friendship Challenge aloud. Finally, check out these resources for additional friendship tips: 1. Do Kids Need Friends? 2. The Art of Boosting Your Child's Friendship Skills 3. Fostering Friendships

Hi everyone! It's Naomi O'Brien from Read Like a Rock Star! I've noticed a lot of teachers heading back to school, and thought I'd share a few of the ideas I use to create a positive classroom culture. For years, my coworkers chalked my sweet and well behaved classes up to the "luck of the draw", but then they had to admit, it must have been something I was doing. We, the teachers, really are responsible for setting the tone in our classroom. Our children are always watching us and how we respond to situations teaches them a lot about how they should respond to us and each other. How I Create and Maintain a Positive Classroom Culture for K-2! I Tell them They Were Handpicked to be in My Class, but Shhhhhh, It's a Secret: On the first day of school, I always let my students know that I have a HUGE secret to share with them. The secret is that I asked for only the best students to be in my class. I let them know that I read information about them, talked to the principal and other teachers, and that I only allowed the best kids into my room. I tell them that this is a secret and that if the rest of the school knew, everyone would be trying to be in our class and then it would get too crowded and too crazy. I let them know they can tell their parents, but nobody else. During restorative conversations, I remind them that they are still the best, deserve to be in my class, and to never forget it. It's always really cute when we get a new student and my students are so excited to have someone new to share the secret with! I Let Them Take Over the Classroom: I give them a lot of opportunities to learn and share with each other. Sometimes it's hard to give up the reigns, but they learn to respect and listen to one another. Every now and then, I pretend to be the confused one, and have them help me learn a concept. They think it's hilarious and they come together for a good cause; to teach their teacher. I Take Time to Start Personal Conversations: Instead of walking around or sitting at my desk, I like to sit with my students and get to know them. I let them know I'm interested in who they are, not just what they can do. It's this relationship building that makes them naturally want to behave better for me. They know I care about them, and it makes them care about me too. I Give Them Plenty of Opportunities to Work Together: Team work makes the dream work! I make them discuss everything with each other, and collaborate often. Also, they are not allowed to tattle! Once they realize they need to work together without any help or conflict resolution from me, they learn to get along (slowly, but surely). I Don't Allow Tattling: I know I just mentioned that, but I wanted to bring it up again. Unless something serious happened, I ignore any and all tattles. Sometimes I say, "All you've done is let me know that you're a tattle-tale. Thank you." They learn very quickly that tattling won't get them very far and it forces them to talk to each other and work out their problems on their own. I always drive home the point that we have to look out for each other, not try to get each other in trouble. Instead of telling me that someone isn't working, they learn to nicely remind the friend to get back on task. This takes a few months to master, but it works out beautifully! I Teach Character Traits: I pick 6 traits that I think will help my students excel. I make sure to make time in our busy day to teach them about these traits; usually right after lunch/recess as a "cool down" activity. I chose Kindness, Ambition, Self-Confidence, Honesty, Thoughtfulness, and Respect last year. Think about the traits that are most important to you. Focus on the traits that you'd like to teach your students to possess. Find creative ways to encourage your students to take on these traits for themselves. I made badges for my students to earn to make sure they were aware of the traits and working on their own character. You can also post pictures of students that show a specific trait frequently in class, write positive notes about good or improved behavior you've noticed, practice acting the traits out in student led plays or skits, make class videos showing the traits, or read stories that exemplify characters that show good character traits. Make sure to point out the traits and have discussions about them. In order to create a positive classroom culture, you must truly be intentional about creating one. It's important to use your character trait vocabulary throughout the day too. I Teach the Art of Giving a Compliment: Compliment Plates were always a hit with my students! Give out plates, give out markers, have a good time! In the beginning of the year, with my first graders, we brainstormed nice compliments and I wrote them on the board for a writing support. They loved going around filling them out, and they loved reading what their friends had to say about them. This was always followed by "Thank you's" and "You're welcome's'" being called out across the room. Even hugs were often being given out for the kind words shared. I pick a Kid of the Day to be showered in compliments! I truly believe doing this daily is one of the most beneficial activities I have done for my students. I found that with my first graders, we had to first discuss how to give and receive a compliment. Outside of "You're my best friend", they really couldn't think of anything else to say. After a lot of discussions and practice, they were giving out compliments left and right, even when they thought I wasn't paying attention. I also had to teach them to accept the compliment with a "Thank you". Surprisingly, some of them would say something like, "No, I'm not pretty." and really had a hard time accepting nice things being said about them. We also had to discuss that simply saying, "I know I'm cute." wasn't acceptable either... I also have a Compliment Count on the board. It's quick and easy, and it gets their attention. (Side Benefit: It helps them count tally marks really well!) If ever anyone outside of our classroom gives us a compliment, they get a tally mark added to the Compliment Count. If the principal gives them a compliment, it counts for two tally marks! This promotes great behavior when they are walking in the hallways, at recess, at lunch, and at Specials. Whenever we reached 20 tally marks, they got some of my stash. I Make My Students Reflect on their Unsavory Behavior: When students act out it is important to give them consequences for their actions. I believe it is equally as important to follow up with the student through a reflection sheet. After the student has been given time to cool down, I take the time to fill this out with them, or have them fill it out themselves if they are able (only after a discussion to make sure they understand what they did wrong and what they can do differently in the future). My students so loved and responded to this that when they were sent to their seats or to a cool down area, some would ask, "Are we still going to talk about this later?" I think they appreciated being heard, forgiven, and accepted again. It's so easy to hold a grudge for the rest of the day, but we have to be the best example of forgiveness to that child and for the rest of the class to see. This is a resource that I made and used, but a quick TpT search will surely bring up a few freebies, if you don't have time to create one yourself! This is also great to make a copy of and keep data on students. It’s also a wonderful way to keep parents in the loop of what’s been going on in class. At Open House, I let my parents know that if they see one of these sheets it means their student has already had consequences, so they should just discuss their child’s plan to make better choices in the future. This helps to build a parent/teacher partnership. I Created An Outsider Looking In: Creating an outsider to notice your class is a great way to promote a positive classroom culture. In addition to our Compliment Count that I track on the board, I created an invisible fairy friend! Sylese, the kindness fairy, would stop by our classroom every once in a while leaving a note, treats, and glitter in her wake. She watches the class without them knowing because she's invisible. They never know when she's watching or when she's coming for a visit. You can have another teacher write the note so your students don't recognize your handwriting. This was basically another way for me to give them a compliment, make them feel proud of themselves, and strengthen our positive classroom culture. This was done once a month, or once every other month. I simply leave glitter on their desks, bring in a treat, like stickers, cookies, candy, a movie, popcorn, (really anything you’d like to reward them with) and post the note somewhere in the classroom. I would usually wait for them to find it, and act like I was just as surprised as they were. Whenever it had been a while, someone always says something like, “Guys, why do you think the fairy hasn’t been back? We need to do better!” You could use anything to keep an eye on your class that leaves notes and fun treats! I Focus on the Behavior I Like: While it can be so tempting to want to always address a disruptive child right every time at the exact moment of disruption, I've learned to ignore it and focus on the behavior I like. If I have 23 students and only 1 is acting out, I'd rather give my attention and energy to the 22 that are doing a great job. I'm sure they appreciate it too. I always let them know when they are doing something that makes me happy. Scratch-n-Stickers were always a quick and easy reward. I also made up some "Caught Ya" cards to reward this good behavior and would slip them onto their desks. They could turn these cards in to enter a weekly drawing. This was a great motivator, and usually got that one disruptive child to stop what they were doing. If not, I would pull them aside at a later time and address their behavior. Because of the way I handled those situations, even at 6 and 7 years old, the rest of my class learned to ignore those behaviors too. Some would even ask if they could help that student make good choices, which was just fine with me! When you've got students that care about themselves, each other, and you, you've got a well oiled machine that is bursting with positivity! I hope you enjoyed these ideas and are able to take some or all back into your classrooms this year. Believe me, you won't be disappointed. Grab this resource for your classroom from my TpT store! Don't forget to come back tomorrow, and for the rest of the month to check out all of the other amazing ideas offered from your friends at:

I loved the first counseling session with a new student. You get to introduce yourself as an encouraging, safe adult who will help and support them. It's where you establish norms, build rapport, and involve students in their growth. That's an incredible day's work. I used the first counseling session to introduce myself, explain counseling,

Gallery | New Albany vs Jeffersonville Rivalry

Focus on the positive things your students are doing to develop a growth mindset with these fun student recognition cards! Recognize their hard work, effort, problem solving, and positive attitude with phrases such as "You Tried, Even When It Got Hard!" "You Were Kind to Others!" and "You Kept a Great Attitude!". This set includes eight different cards with both boys and girls, in color and in black line. ***Now includes editable cards! Give your students personalized, encouraging notes utilizing these eight headings, available for you to edit in color or black line!*** *************************************************************************** Customer TipsHow to get TPT credit to use on future purchases: • Please go to your My Purchases page (you may need to login). Beside each purchase you'll see a Provide Feedback button. Simply click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. Each time you give feedback, TPT gives you feedback credits that you use to lower the cost of your future purchases. I value your feedback greatly as it helps me determine which products are most valuable for your classroom so I can create more for you. Be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies and product launches: • Look for the green star next to my store logo and click it to become a follower. You will now receive email updates about this store. ***************************************************************************

I really enjoyed this chart because it clearly explains the roles of a school counselor at your school. A huge thank you to The School Counselor Kind for putting this together!

This post shares different books that teach social-emotional skills that can be used for inside and outside of the classroom.

Hello All! I'm linking with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics again for another Monday Made It! The last weeks of summer are flying by. And not at jet plane speed, either. That I could handle... But this lighting speed crud?? Come on!! Didn't I JUST say good-bye to twenty-four 4th graders?? Anyway, this week's Monday Made It contains a lot of "made its'. And I'm including a Freebie! Yay! First up, my out-of-classroom-passes & sign for my sharp/unsharp pencils. Last year I made REALLY cute passes (they were lost) and bought REALLY cute passes (they were also lost) so this year I QUICKLY made a-ok passes. I totally realize I will need to make more toward the end of the year. Last year I would just hand random objects to my students when they left the room... Paper flowers, a Native American talking stick, rubber bands-- Basically, whatever I grabbed. I got my super cute broken pencils / sharpened pencil printables from The First Grade Derby HERE! Next up, classroom manager positions! While in college at the University of Houston (GO COOGS!), I attended an inservice called Consistency Management and Cooperative Discipline. As described on the website, CMCD is "is an innovative school-wide (preK-12th grade) research based, classroom-tested classroom management reform program that builds on shared responsibility for learning and classroom organization between teachers and students." Summed up: it's great. One of the points was having classroom "managers" with legit jobs that help the classroom function. Did I mention there needs to be a job for EVERY student?? Yes, that means I created 24 manager positions... As you can see from the pic, one is "Classroom Detective". Job Description? Helping me find items when I've lost them... hehehe! Also, my students will interview for their positions. I'll rotate them out every month or so to make sure everyone gets to manage their area of choice. FUN! Last year, my students took their jobs VERY seriously (and came up with the CUTEST interview answers) and it truly did make the classroom a functioning, cooperative place! And now to my new system of turning papers in... Magnets! While at CAMT, I attended a session by Nikki Bitzer. She has a set of numbered magnets in her classroom and when students complete their assignment, they get their number magnet and use it to secure their paper to the board. The numbers are assigned in alphabetical order-- and students keep them in the correct number order on the board-- so when you collect the papers, THEY'RE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER! Gradebook WIN! Also, it's super easy to see who hasn't turned their work in. Love this idea! Lastly, I pinned an awesome "STOP: Please stop what you're doing and make a better choice" sign weeks ago. When I finally got around to following the the blog link, I was taken to Ms. M's Blog. Great blog- but I could not find the sign anywhere. So I made my own little guys. I think these are an awesome and discreet way of redirecting a kiddo while teaching. Just walk up to the student and place one on their desk and they'll get the hint! I'm always circling the room so other students wouldn't even realize what's happening. Awesome! Want some? I've uploaded mine HERE. Well, colleagues, I hope your summers have been fantastic. Enjoy these last lazy moments!

Write down all the things that are stressing you out in all the different areas of your life. ***This download is a fillable worksheet which allows the option to type or click directly into the document using an electronic device. A PDF Reader (Adobe, Foxit, etc.) is required in order to use fillable features. Worksheet can be saved on the device or sent electronically without the need to print. Learn more about fillable worksheets here! Worksheet can also be printed for in-person use with clients.

A blog about the ideas and practices of a Middle School Counselor.

Students are stressed more than ever. Sometimes that stress is manifested in the form of impulsive outbursts, anger, meltdowns, crying, yelling, arguing, or other types of emotional release. Kids don't always know what to do with all of that strong emotion and teachers and parents can not always drop everything to help. Kids must learn to recognize and regulate their own emotions, particularly strong emotions. This article discusses encouraging children to manage and regulate their own emotions and behavior. It is a great alternative to clip charts and time out chairs!

These cards are bright, colorful and clear in showing children what type of behaviour they are engaging in at a specific point in time. The cards are designed to be cut out, bound by a lanyard (or ring) and worn by teachers, parents and carers, so as they're moving through the day, they can easily access the cards and show individual children where their behaviour lies. When I created these initially, they were to support children with Autism, who require a visual cue to understand whether their behaviour is great, needs to change, or is inappropriate. But they have also been enormously popular with parents and teachers of children who don't have special needs, but find it helpful to match a visual cue with a behaviour and consequence. This set comes written in the `third person' to suit the language you use with your child. Check out my listings for 'Transition Reminder Cards' and 'Time Countdown Cards', as these are all the same size and can be placed on the same lanyard/ring and used to support children in various situations. ****************************** This listing is for an INSTANT DOWNLOAD of a PDF – no shipping costs, no waiting! You are making a DIGITAL PURCHASE and no physical item will be mailed to you. There are no returns or refunds on digital files. ****************************** PRODUCT DETAILS SIZE: This file has been designed on an A4 page (297mm x 210mm or 11.7in x 8.3in), although by changing your printer settings or taking the file to a printing centre, you will be able to print successfully onto a larger or smaller sized page if you wish. FILE: You will receive a PDF in your download. COLORS: Please be aware that computer monitors display colors differently: take this into consideration when placing your order and note that the colors may vary slightly once printed. Taking your file to a printing centre will provide the most vibrant and accurate color representation. DOWNLOAD: Your purchased file will not have a watermark or props included. PRINTING: This printable is designed to be printed on smooth, non-textured paper or printing card. ASSEMBLY: This product will require pieces to be cut out and assembled. I recommend that you laminate all pages before cutting anything out – as it will both maintain the quality of your product for longer and stop the laminated edges from peeling away from the paper. **************************************************** HOW IT WORKS: * Purchase this listing and within minutes you will receive an email from Etsy stating that your order is ready for download. * If for any reason you are unable to download the file, please contact me and I’ll send it to you via email. * You can then download the file and print either at home, or at your favourite print shop. * Then display and enjoy! ************************************************ IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT TERMS These designs are for PERSONAL use only. Printing for your own personal use in your home, individual classroom, for gifts and enjoyment is allowed. Commercial or non-profit use is NOT allowed without my express written permission. • Sharing or forwarding of this digital art (PDF file) is prohibited. • Copying of this digital art (PDF file) is prohibited. • Altering of this digital art (PDF file) is prohibited. • Selling of this digital art (PDF file) is prohibited. • Selling of the printed items from this digital art (PDF file) is strictly prohibited. All designs, text and products are the property of ©Kate Dedic LittlePeopleLove 2014. All rights reserved. *** If you wish to use these designs in a large capacity eg, across a whole school, throughout a child care centre/s, in a speech therapy or occupational therapy centre etc. I would appreciate you sending me a convo and I will put together an individual listing that includes both the product you wish to purchase, a license that allows large copies of the product to be printed and the appropriate price. ************************************************** ADDITIONAL INFO More designs available here: www.etsy.com/shop/LittlePeopleLove Thank you for shopping at LittlePeopleLove! I hope you enjoy your products and find them both lovely to look at and supportive of the special little people in your life! Kate xx

I get a great deal of referrals for students who "can't control" their anger. We spend a lot of time talking about what do to, so I decided ...

As a school counselor or psychologist, it is necessary to have activities that are ready to go that can be used in individual counseling for a variety of referral reasons. Luckily, CBT activities are an excellent fit for school counselors looking for practical approaches. Here are 7 of my go-to CBT strategies to use in

Teach kids empathy and compassion through mindful, fun lessons, discussions, and activities that build social awareness and community.

As a clinical social worker, I often worry about my clients. Besides working with a higher-risk population that have had hospitalizions in the past year, I’m a human being and I care about my…

Promote mental health and wellness with this Mental Health and Wellness Poster Package. This set of 20 posters is an affordable and engaging way to get your message across. This poster package is perfect for any middle school, junior high school, or high school. These posters will look great in any office, classroom, or hallway. Printed on high-quality, heavy cardstock with a protective UV coating or on high-quality, peel and stick, non-permanent vinyl.

Dry erase markers are a back-to-school staple for teachers. Here are some creative ways to get the most out of your markers as the new school year begins: 1. Use the new EXPO markers that have see-through ink barrels These are my FAVORITE markers because you don’t have to wonder when they’re going to run out … Continued