ASCA Toolkit: Virtual Elementary School Counseling 

School counseling at the elementary school level during a pandemic, or at other times when virtual school counseling is required, may seem more manageable when viewed through the domains of school counseling. Unlike school counseling for middle or high school students, counseling elementary school students requires more hands-on work by families. Offering families a short video and discussion questions is a simple way for students to continue receiving preventive Tier 1 counseling services without being overwhelming to the parent/family member or child (or school counselor). 

Social/Emotional Development

Links to Lessons

On-Demand Second Step Lessons
Educators and families can now access Second Step emotion management lessons for grades K–5 on-demand, along with support materials for each lesson. All lessons are free (no login required) and feature Second Step's Committee for Children staff, who also happen to be experienced teachers and school counselors.

Mind Yeti®: Fifteen mindfulness program sessions are now available for anyone to use, no experience necessary. Designed for educators and families to do alongside children, or for older children to do on their own, Mind Yeti provides a great way for everyone to practice mindfulness during this difficult time.

The Imagine Neighborhood: This new podcast for families is designed to help children and grown-ups practice their social/emotional skills. Each episode tells a story that’s amazing, fantastical and maybe a little bananas, while it tackles the big feelings that come with growing up.

Using Literature To Develop SEL Skills

Books About Feelings:

Questions to ask during and after reading:

  • Did you know that there are no bad feelings? It’s true! As long as we have safe and respectful ways to handle all of our feelings, no feelings are bad feelings!
  • When you feel sad/mad/angry/frustrated, what can you do to help your body feel better?
  • How are you feeling now? 
  • What makes you feel sad/mad/happy/frustrated/ excited/proud/angry/worried/brave/joyful/etc.?

 Books About Kindness:

Questions to ask during and after reading:

  • What is a bucket filler? What is a bucket dipper?
  • What can you do to fill someone’s bucket at school? At home? At the grocery store? At the park? Right now?
  • How do you feel when you fill someone’s bucket?
  • How do you feel when someone fills your bucket?
  • What does kindness look like? Sound like? Feel like?
  • Why is kindness important? 
  • Can you think of someone who is really kind? What stands out about their kindness?

 TV shows that encourage SEL

Recursos en Español 

Cuentos Para Niños

Bullying Prevention

  • Teasing and Bullying are Different
    • How is teasing different from bullying?
    • Can you think of a time teasing turned into bullying?
  • What To Do When You See Bullying
    • The video gave a lot of examples of what you can do when you see bullying. Which one did you like most?
    • Can you think of a time that you saw bullying? What could you do if it happens again?
  • When Online Gaming Gets Mean
    • Have you ever had an experience when someone was mean during an online game? 
    • If so, what did you do?
    • Why do you think people are mean online?

Academic Development

Organizational Skills

  • Being Organized
    • Do you think you are organized? Why or why not?
    • What is one thing you could do today be more organized?
    • How is being organized for virtual school different from in-person school?

New Learning Platforms

College and Career

Career Exploration

Suggested technology tools for elementary school counselors: 

For Video Recording:

  • Zoom
  • YouTube

For Conferencing with Students, Parents and Staff:

  • Zoom: Easy to use, can break into breakout rooms for discussion with smaller groups, can record
  • Google Voice: Allows you to contact families without using your personal number (Warning: I got suspended from my account for sending the same message (checking in with students) to too many numbers. It got flagged as spam and shut down my account.) 

For Sending Out Information:

  • Smore: Free platform to make professional-looking newsletters 
  • Google Classroom
  • Class Dojo
  • Seesaw

If your classroom teachers use Google Classroom, Class Dojo, Seesaw, etc., ask if they can add you as a co-teacher. This is a great way for you to stay in the know and communicate frequently with parents and students. It’s also an easy way to send lessons and resources without overwhelming parents with another site they need to join.

Provided by Sarah Kirk, Elementary School Counselor, Kendall-Whittier Elementary School, Tulsa, Okla.