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u/Niewiem727

r/schoolcounseling r/ExpectationVsReality r/travel r/food
Image 1 — Ice breaker for a student’s first counseling session.
Image 2 — Ice breaker for a student’s first counseling session.
▲ 30 r/schoolcounseling

Ice breaker for a student’s first counseling session.

The very first session can be awkward. You want the kid to talk but don’t want it to be an interrogation either. I came up with this idea I’ll implement this year. It may be simple & silly but it’s all about building rapport as soon as the child walks through the door. My middle schooler approves.

The kids always wanna sit on the bean bags. They’re getting a bit worn so I’m covering one with a cat-printed sheet and the other, dog printed.

“Are you a dog or cat person?” Choose a seat based on your preference. Do you like both? Sit on both. Neither? Pick a different seat and tell me about the pet.

Everyone loves talking about their pets.It’s an easy way for kids to open up & for us be active participants in the convo). The question, “Tell me about your pet?” gives you info about everything from family dynamics, emotional connection, language, processing, social skills, etc. It invites the kid to sit down, relax & trust.

It’s a great segue to talking about family & school.
… and I’m also curious to see if they pick the same seat each week.

u/Niewiem727 — 7 days ago
▲ 766 r/travel

Two weeks in Poland. Warszawa, Kraków & Gdańsk.

Just wrapping up my solo trip to Poland. It was about visiting family rather than tourism. I’ve been to Poland a million times, this was my first visit to Gdańsk.

Gdańsk- Ranked 83rd in the world in the Happy City Index. 95% of the city residents enjoy living in Gdańsk.
The city is modern, walkable (no cars allowed in downtown or vicinity) and there are bike lanes everywhere. The city is perfect for sports enthusiasts, families & couples. It’s my second favorite city in Poland. I’ll definitely be back.

You can rent a bike & experience an amazing coastal scenic ride to Sopot & Gdynia. It was my favorite activity in Gdańsk.

Poland is a diverse, beautiful, safe & affordable country. I’ve traveled a lot & Poland is my favorite country but im obviously biased :)

Pics 1-3 Warszawa
Pics 4-10 Gdańsk & Sopot
Pics 11-14 Kraków
Pics 15-20 Countryside

u/Niewiem727 — 16 days ago
▲ 7 r/food

[Homemade] Sunday dinner in Poland.

Mashed potatoes, chicken schnitzel & gnocchi in a mushroom sauce. Carrot, cucumber & sauerkraut salads. Sprinkled with dill.

u/Niewiem727 — 22 days ago
▲ 45 r/schoolcounseling

(Back in my day), Life used to revolve around the kitchen table. Now, kids live isolated in their big houses & little rooms. Parents don’t know their own children & ask us, strangers, how to raise them. “Body doubling” is my new go-to answer for everything. It seems so obvious but I just figured it out…

I’ve been intentionally testing out “body doubling” (completing a task when another person is present, personally or virtually) with my own kids, in the classroom & with ODD/ADHD students. I’ve seen improvements in all of the areas, which means if implemented at home, it has potential to boost the parent’s level of confidence in their own parenting. This easy strategy creates closeness, builds trust between the two and informs the parent of what the child’s day looks like. Best of all, parents don’t have to know English to connect with their child. Body doubling can be done virtually from around the world & even grandparents can participate in homework time.

At home:
Homework is done at the kitchen table. The parent does chores and/or focuses on grounding & self-regulation while engaging in a preferred activity (no electronics). They make time for their own mental health & sit with the child until homework is completed. It invites closeness and connection with the child, even through shared silence.

At school:
Let them work in groups with their friends. If the problem is the talking, make it a silent game. Kids motivate each other, hold each other accountable & can communicate without speaking.

Counseling:
The IEP goal was around work completion. It’s been a challenging ride but since implementing the intervention at school & home, the student has completed 95% of his work. He’s placed with two other students who also struggle with work completion. They keep each other motivated & accountable so they can have extra play time.

Body doubling. Try it.
Not an ad. Not ai :)

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u/Niewiem727 — 2 months ago