Over the course of the spring semester, I partnered with Hansen Elementary to fulfill my Psychology Cooperative Education internship. While there, I worked closely with the school counselor (Jen Alexander) to teach children K-6 about things such as emotional well-being, conflict resolution, making goals, and building healthy, lasting relationships. As one of the interns, I was able to meet with students one-on-one as well as assist faculty in classroom lessons. My role at Hansen Elementary has opened my eyes to the world of school counseling and has inspired me to pursue a career in the field

Seybert, Addi

English

University of Northern Iowa

University of Northern Iowa UNI ScholarWorks CSBS INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Conference 2020 INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Showcase Apr 17th, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM School Counseling at Hansen Elementary Addi Seybert University of Northern Iowa Copyright ©2020 Addi Seybert Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/csbsresearchconf  Part of the Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits you Recommended Citation Seybert, Addi, "School Counseling at Hansen Elementary" (2020). CSBS INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Conference. 1. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/csbsresearchconf/2020/all/1 This Open Access Poster Presentation is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences/Events at UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in CSBS INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Conference by an authorized administrator of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact scholarworks@uni.edu. TEMPLATE DESIGN © 2008www.PosterPresentations.comI would like to thank Jen Alexander for being such a wonderful mentor. Without her, I would have been completely lost. She has served as an incredible role model, and I hope to one day be half as good a school counselor as she. I’d also like to thank Carolyn Hildebrandt for providing me with this opportunity in the first place. She has also been a great source of ongoing support. Thank you both so much!IntroductionHansen’s MissionReferencesAcknowledgementsSchool Counseling at Hansen ElementaryAddi Seybert, Psychology MajorWhat I LearnedOver the course of the Spring 2020 semester, I partnered with Hansen Elementary to fulfill my Psychology Cooperative Education internship. While there, I worked closely with the school counselor (Jen Alexander) to teach children K-6 about things such as emotional well-being, conflict resolution, making goals, and building healthy, lasting relationships. As one of the undergraduate interns, I was able to meet with students one-on-one as well as assist faculty in classroom lessons. Aside from working with students, I was also able to research trauma-sensitivity and its importance in the education system. My role at Hansen Elementary has opened my eyes to the world of school counseling and has inspired me to pursue a career in the field. • A curriculum that is differentiated and engages all students in 21st century, real-world, meaningful, rigorous and relevant learning opportunities where all students have the opportunity to achieve at high levels.• Students and staff that are goal oriented, innovative, collaborative, problem solvers, and critical thinkers.• A safe, nurturing environment where all students are successful, well-rounded individuals who respect and accept diversity striving to be the best versions of themselves.Alexander, J. (2018, March). Creating trauma-sensitive schools: Exploring the “whatworks” and “why”. National Leadership Summit. Chicago.Cedar Falls Schools. (2020). About our school. Retrieved March 7, 2020, fromhttps://www.cfschools.org/schools/hansen/about-usChild Welfare Information Gateway. (2015). Resource Guide to Trauma-Informed Human Services. Retrieved March 8, 2020,from https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/responding/trauma/Craig, S. E. (2017). Trauma-sensitive schools for the adolescent years: promotingresiliency and healing, grades 6-12. New York: Teachers College Press.McConnico, N., Boynton-Jarrett, R., Bailey, C., & Nandi, M. (2016). A frameworkfor trauma-sensitive schools: Infusing trauma-informed practices into early childhood education systems. Zero to Three, 36, 36–44. Retrieved from zerotothree.org/journalNational Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2018, March 19). Essential elements.Retrieved March 8, 2020, from https://www.nctsn.org/trauma-informed-care/trauma-informed-systems/schools/essential-elementsOverstreet, S., & Chafouleas, S. M. (2016). Trauma-Informed Schools: Introduction tothe Special Issue. School Mental Health, 8(1), 1–6. doi:10.1007/s12310-016-9184-1Plumb, J. L., Bush, K. A., & Kersevich, S. E. (2016). Trauma-sensitive schools: An evidence-based approach. School Social Work Journal, 40(2), 37–60.• Unpaid undergraduate internship• Approximately 7 hours a week for 15 weeks• ~105 cumulative hours in total• 9 students, K-6Position Responsibilities Trauma-Sensitive SchoolsThe Stats• Trauma - “a distressing experience that threatens a person’s actual safety or perceived sense of felt safety to such a degree that it exceeds an individual’s capacity to cope in healthy ways” • 1 in 4 students have been negatively impacted by trauma• Experiencing such trauma as a child “may directly affect memory, language, emotional, and brain development which interfere with mastery and acquisition of new skills” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2015)• Trauma-sensitive schools - provide support to all students so they can learn and thrive in the classroom environment, instead of focusing on their trauma • Promote resilience and success• Without a trauma-sensitive approach, students are at risk of poor academic performance and increased potential for future absenteeism and drop-outs• Supportive Trauma Interventions for Educators (STRIVE) Framework• Emphasizes the importance of…• Responsive adults• Children’s ability to have choices and self-regulate• An environment that encourages safety and trust • Based on resiliency instead of risk factors• 3 levels of intervention• The individual student• The teacher• The school as a whole• Core principles• Increasing teachers’ understanding and awareness of trauma• Providing teachers with concrete strategies and interventions for their classrooms• Improving young children’s ability to access the curriculum • Serves as a much-needed guideline for schools to follow when implementing trauma-sensitivity.• It is important for educators to be able to recognize triggers and promote regulation within their classroomsSTRIVE FrameworkThis internship has taught me how much I truly love working with children. Having a role in instilling lifelong skills, such as communication or maintaining relationships, is so rewarding. Thanks to my experience at Hansen, I have become much more informed on what it means to be trauma-sensitive. All children deserve the chance to succeed, no matter their backgrounds or past experiences. Likewise, no child should have to worry about dealing with their trauma alone. Schools are a safe space for so many kids, and therefore I hope to advocate for more schools to become trauma-sensitive. I also intend to further my experience in the psychological field by pursuing a master’s degree in school counseling. This internship has truly been the foundation of my future career, and I cannot wait to get started.• Met one-on-one with assigned students• General framework: before meeting, got a run-down of the child’s situation (struggles, concerns, strengths) and discussed the best course of action• Course of action: What activity would be best for this child specifically? • Once baseline was established, I decided how to approach the situation and connect with the child• No formal training on how to meet with students • Met with 9 kids in total, ranging from 1st grade to 6th grade• Each session was different, as each child brings their own experiences and personalities to the table• Managed the daily schedule• Ensured everything ran smoothly• Filled in weekly schedule• One-on-one meetings• Parent conferences• Classroom visits• Lunch and planning periods• Communicated with parents about child involvement• Gained permission to work with their children• Emailed updates about their children • How the sessions were going, any concerns or questions,  etc.• Sat in on classroom lessons• Helped promote student engagement• Made ”example projects” for reference• Maintained projects around the school• Hung student artwork in the hallways• Updated the “New Friends” board with photos of new students and faculty• Ensured “River of Feelings” was intact• Unboxed food from the food bank and dispersed it to students in need• Copied, printed, and sent papers to the print centerHansen Pride• Positive and Accountable• Ready to Learn• Insist on My Personal Best• Dependable and Respectful• Encourage Others to do the Right Thing

School Counseling at Hansen Elementary

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