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Ms. Margie N. Hall
NES Counselor
Harris RP Elementary
About Ms. Hall:
Professional Education
Graduate of Grambling State University
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Education
Master’s degree in School Counseling at Texas Southern University
Certification in Elementary Education (K- 8) Texas Southern University
Master’s degree in Principalship at Texas Southern University
SBEC Certification: School Counselor K-12
SBEC Certification: Elementary Education K-8
Counseling Services
What do elementary school counselors do?
Teach classroom guidance lessons
Facilitate short-term small group counseling
Work collaboratively with teachers and staff
Consult with peers
Provide information and/or referrals for community resources to families
Why do we need elementary school counselors?
A deliberate and comprehensive approach to teaching children social and emotional skills can raise grades and test scores.
Students who receive social skills instruction do better academically and socially, but the reverse is not true (academic instruction does not increase social/emotional skills).
There is a strong connection between emotions and learning. Students who can recognize and manage strong emotions are better learners.
Students who attend schools with a comprehensive guidance program do significantly better on standardized test such as the ITBS and STAAR than students who attend schools without a comprehensive guidance program. The longer the students are in schools with comprehensive guidance programs, the more they outperform their peers on standardized tests.
Prosocial behavior exhibited by students in the classroom were found to be better predictors of academic achievement than were their standardized scores.
Guidance Lessons
Guidance lessons are an integral part of the elementary school counseling program and important to every student’s academic success. One of the most effective ways for school counselors to help prevent academic problems is by discussing self-esteem issues such as peer relationship, stress, or dealing with feelings and emotions in large group guidance lessons in the classroom.
Small Group Counseling
The purpose of small group counseling is to complement and enhance student’s learning by improving their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. Small group counseling provides a safe setting where children, along with their peers, can increase their self-awareness and improve their cooperation and communication skills. The children can learn from each other. Ultimately, the goal of small group counseling is to prevent problems in the future by teaching children new skills. Every child can benefit from participation in a small group. Students can be invited to join a group by parent request, teacher or counselor suggestion, or by the students themselves.
Individual Counseling
Elementary school counselors are available to meet individually with a student in circumstances when a student’s educational success is being impacted. The school counselor spends time working with individual students to improve their social skills, discuss feelings, and to empower problem solving methods
Elementary school counselors assist ALL children. While a counselor cannot provide on-going counseling, it may be appropriate for a student to receive short-term individual counseling. When more attention and interventions are required, school counselors can act as a referral agent for parents to access counseling services within the community.
Collaborate with Teachers and Staff
Both teachers and counselors have similar goals: the educational success of each student. So, it is important that school counselors collaborate with teachers and administrators to promote student learning. If a student is having problems in a classroom, school counselors will join with teachers to come up with some practical strategies which will remove educational barriers and enhance the learning environment of that student.
Consult with Parents
Parents and school counselors speak with each other to help the child/student on a variety of issues such as new school registration, transition, special needs, family transition, and crisis. Studies have shown that children have greater academic achievement when their parents are involved in their education. Parental involvement is critical to helping a child be a successful student. Both parents and counselors can share information with each other to help meet the needs of the student. Additionally, school counselors can help put parents in touch with community resources, if the need arise.
Community Resources
School counselors can provide short-term individual counseling for students, but when more intervention is required, they can coordinate referrals to community agencies.
Curricula and Programs
National Standards: The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is an organization that supports school counselors’ efforts to help students in their academic, personal/social, and career development. ASCA has developed national standards for all students, which define the knowledge or skills students should acquire from the result of participating in a school counseling program. The guidance lessons taught in the classrooms are organized and influenced with these national standards in mind.
Academic Development
Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills contributing to effective learning in schools and across the lifespan. Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college.
Career Development
Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions. Students will employ strategies to achieve future career goals and success and satisfaction. Students will understand the relationship between personal qualities, education, training, and the world of work.
Personal / Social Development
Students will acquire the knowledge, attitude, and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary actions to achieve them. Students will understand safety and survival skills.
KIDS HEALTH
Kid’s Health (https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/feeling/) This website covers topics for the health of the body, but also the mind. It has a special category
About “Dealing with Feelings” with articles about school, home and family, emotions and behaviors, and friends.
I will be in the classroom during elective time to teach topics such as social skills, conflict resolution, handling bullies, healthy lifestyles, personal safety, and study skills. Each grade is introduced to the topics appropriate to their developmental needs. There will be opportunities for small groups for behavior, “lunch bunch” for meeting new students or addressing short-term issues. If you have specific concerns about your child which may impact his/her school success, please call to set up an appointment. I am here each day from 7:15 am to 4:30 pm and can be reached at 713-450-7100. I do not answer the phone when I am with a student or class, so please leave a voice mail. I am excited about the new school year and all the possibilities that lie ahead. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone Number 713-450-7100
Harris RP Elementary School
1262 Mae Drive
Houston, TX 77015