Childers’ Counseling Corner

Testing will begin on Monday, May 7th and we will test every day until Friday, May 11th. Students will be testing in the morning with afternoon classes. Please make every effort to NOT shedule dentist or doctor appointments during those days if at all possible. It is very important for all kids to be tested together.

After testing there will be two weeks of school, which will include 8th grade dance and luau and awards programs. The 8th grade Kings Island trip will be taken the Tuesday AFTER school has let out on May 29th. Please be aware of this. This date was scheduled at the BEGINNING of winter before we DID NOT miss any days:( HA! Letters will be going out soon.

Harrison County Schools now has an Anti-Bullying Hotline. The number to call or text is 588-8081. Bullying should be reported to teachers, counselors or administrators. Sometimes students are afraid to tell an adult out of fear the bully will harm them. If you feel your child is being bullied or you as a student feel you are being bullied, call or text 588-8081 and leave a message to report the details of the situation.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. They include autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome. ASD can be associated with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention and physical health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal disturbances. Some persons with ASD excel in visual skills, music, math and art.

Autism appears to have its roots in very early brain development. However, the most obvious signs of autism and symptoms of autism tend to emerge between 2 and 3 years of age. Autism Speaks continues to fund research on effective methods for earlier diagnosis, as early intervention with proven behavioral therapies can improve outcomes. Increasing autism awareness is a key aspect of this work and one in which our families and volunteers play an invaluable role. Learn more …

http://www.autismspeaks.org/

Here are the top ten tips to success!
1. Have a Positive Attitude
Approach the big test as you’d approach a giant jigsaw puzzle. It might be tough, but you can do it! A positive attitude goes a long way toward success.

2. Make a Plan
The week before the test, ask your teacher what the test is going to cover. Is it from the textbook only? Class notes? Can you use your calculator? If you’ve been absent, talk to friends about material you may have missed. Make a list of the most important topics to be covered and use that as a guide when you study. Circle items that you know will require extra time. Be sure to plan extra time to study the most challenging topics.

3. The Night Before
Cramming doesn’t work. If you’ve followed a study plan, the night before the test you should do a quick review and get to bed early. Remember, your brain and body need sleep to function well, so don’t stay up late!

4. The Morning of the Test
Did you know that you think better when you have a full stomach? So don’t skip breakfast the morning of the test. Get to school early and do a ten-minute power study right before the test, so your brain is turned on and tuned up.

5. Test Time
Before the test begins, make sure you have everything you’ll need – scratch paper, extra pencils, your calculator (if you’re allowed to use it). Understand how the test is scored: Do you lose points for incorrect answers? Or is it better to make guesses when you’re not sure of the answer? Read the instructions! You want to make sure you are marking answers correctly.

6. Manage Your Time
Scan through the test quickly before starting. Answering the easy questions first can be a time saver and a confidence builder. Plus, it saves more time in the end for you to focus on the hard stuff.

7. I’m Stuck!
Those tricky problems can knock you off balance. Don’t get worried or frustrated. Reread the question to make sure you understand it, and then try to solve it the best way you know how. If you’re still stuck, circle it and move on. You can come back to it later. What if you have no idea about the answer? Review your options and make the best guess you can, but only if you don’t lose points for wrong answers.

8. Multiple-Choice Questions
The process of elimination can help you choose the correct answer in a multiple-choice question. Start by crossing off the answers that couldn’t be right. Then spend your time focusing on the possible correct choices before selecting your answer.

9. Neatness Counts
If your 4s look like 9s, it could be a problem. Be sure that your writing is legible and that you erase your mistakes. For machine-scored tests, fill in the spaces carefully.

10. I’m Done!
Not so fast – when you complete the last item on the test, remember that you’re not done yet. First, check the clock and go back to review your answers, making sure that you didn’t make any careless mistakes (such as putting the right answer in the wrong place or skipping a question). Spend the last remaining minutes going over the hardest problems before you turn in your test.

Follow these test tips, and you’ll know you did your best – congratulations!

Read more on TeacherVision: http://www.teachervision.fen.com/study-skills/teaching-methods/6390.html#ixzz1pfFjbcys

(click on the image to take you to the website)
Students Enrolled in Grade 6, 7, 8, or 9

Parents of younger students may register them to take the ACT (No Writing) or ACT Plus Writing on the web only if the student is at least 13 years of age. Due to Internet privacy laws, students younger than 13 cannot register online or create a student Web account, even if their parents or guardians assist them or create their account. These students should request a registration packet or get one from a local high school. We encourage students who are at least 13 years of age to register online, but payment must be made by valid credit card.

http://www.gohigherky.org/

ODD an acronym for Oppositional Defiance Disorder is a growing diagnosis in teenagers.  Below are some signs of ODD and possible ways to redirect and replace this behavior with non-defiant behavior.

Children with ODD often are

• stubborn

• test limits and push boundaries

• easily annoyed

• lose their temper

• argue with adults

• refuse to comply with rules and directions

• blame others for their mistakes

The following interventions have been used to help replace defiant, oppositional behavior with responsible behavior:

• Family and individual counseling to determine underlying issues and learn strategies for behavior change.

• Parenting support groups to help guide and empower parents.

• Parenting classes to help learn ways of providing consistency, structure, and a positive, less stressful home environment.

• A strong and positive working relationship between parents and teachers.

In addition, the following parenting strategies are helpful:

• Listening to your teen. Listening and valuing adolescent ideas is what promotes the ability of parents to effectively communicate with them. Most parents do not listen well because they are too busy — with work, community, church, and home responsibilities. Listening to a teen does not mean giving advice and attempting to correct the situation.

• Talking about morals and ethical behavior.  Passing along a strong sense of values is one of the fundamental tasks of being a parent. Parents need to talk to their children about what is right and wrong and about appropriate and inappropriate behavior.

• Dealing with what is important. Don’t make a fuss about issues that are reversible or don’t directly threaten your child’s or another person’s safety. These issues include unwashed hair, a messy room, torn jeans, etc. Save your thunder for more important concerns. Safety is a non-negotiable issue. Safety rules need to be stated clearly and enforced consistently. 

• Being consistent and holding your ground. There will be times when adolescents won’t like what you say or will act as though they don’t like you. Being your teen’s friend should not be your primary role during this time of their lives.  It’s important to resist the urge to win their favor or try too hard to please them.

• Avoiding arguments.  Arguing only fuels hostility and it doesn’t get you heard.  Don’t feel obliged to judge everything your teen says. Retain the mutual right to disagree.  Never try to reason with someone who is upset — it is futile. Wait until tempers have cooled off before trying to sort out a disagreement.  Don’t try to talk teens out of their feelings.  You can acknowledge someone’s reaction without condoning it.  This type of response often defuses anger.

Information obtained from Focus Adolescent Services webpage.

The following information was found at the website below.

 http://www.selfharm.org/others/index.html 

Do you know someone who hurts themselves?

Are you at a loss as to how to try and do the right thing by them. Is it ok to talk about it, or should you stay quiet? Is it ok to ask to see cuts, burns or scars?

How you react to someone's self injury (SI) is important, and how they react to your concern may well distress you, but each individual deals with their self harm in their own way.
When you first find out that a loved one self injures you may well feel overwhelmed with conflicting emotions. Perhaps you are shocked that your loved one resorts to self harm, perhaps you are confused as to what it all means. You may experience guilt and anger, frustration and sadness. Depending on how you discovered your loved one relies on self harm as a coping mechanism, you may have little time to adapt to the news.

Self injury is a very personal act, and there are many methods by which a person hurts themselves. It can be best to ignore the method of self harm to begin with, and focus on the emotional experience that you're loved one is going through. Self injury is a word which covers a lot of behaviours, all of which share one key element that being they are done with the conscious intention of harming ones self, but not as a way to commit suicide, rather, as a way to cope and survive.

It can be frustrating supporting a loved one through self injury as they may not feel comfortable to talk about what drives them to harm themselves, yet they may also feel very lonely and isolated, feeling trapped in their emotions. It's important to look after your own emotional well being if you are supporting someone who uses self injury.

Ultimatums and No-Harm Contracts

It can be tempting to issue a demand or ultimatum, saying that they must stop hurting themselves this instance. It's tempting to believe that everything will be alright now that you know, and now that you're helping.

Such ultimatums can only serve to drive your loved one further away from you, as you demonstrate that you don't understand and that you're not listening. A person who self injures may well feel isolated and alone; ultimatums only increase the feelings of isolation.

At times, even professional caregivers such as Counsellors will insist that a person agrees to a 'No-Harm Contract'. This can only be counter-productive. As self injury is a coping mechanism it is not reasonable to take it away before providing a suitable replacement mechanism, or strategy for coping.

Your Relationship With The Person

The LifeSIGNS fact sheets for Family/Friends give general information which will be useful for anyone who knows someone who self-injures. The following information elaborates slightly, depending on your relationship with the person.

 Self Injury Factsheet for Family and Friends (2007, V2) [PDF; 65KB]

If You're a Parent

Finding out that your child has been self-injuring might come as a total shock, and can be devastating. A person who self-injures often thinks that by taking out their emotional pain on themselves that they won’t be hurting other people. Of course their self-injury will hurt those who care about them, but you must remember that this was not their initial intention.

Depending on the age of your child it can be hard not to panic, but you must try not to. Be there if your child wants to talk, and do not belittle them when they do. Remember that self-injury is habit-forming, and once someone is in the cycle of self-injury the smallest things might trigger them. Telling your child that it is stupid to hurt themselves because they have had an argument with a friend or because they have failed a test is not going to achieve anything, and will only upset you both.

Although it is difficult you must try to give your child space and privacy. Encourage them to talk, and to accept professional help, but don’t force them. Obviously you want your child to stop hurting themselves, but this can be a long process. No one (especially young people) likes being told what to do and what not to do, so telling someone to stop is not helpful. Remember to let your child know that while you do not condone their behaviour, you love them unconditionally and will always support them.

If You're a Friend

If you’re a friend of someone who is under 18 and self-injures, encourage them to speak to an adult about it. If you are at school there might be a nurse or counsellor, or a trusted teacher who you they could talk to. Or you might offer to be with them if they feel able to talk to their parents or another relative.
Your friend might tell you that you must not tell anyone. However, if you’re concerned that they are in danger or might be suicidal, then you have to tell someone.
Remind your friend that while telling people isn’t easy, in the long-run it will enable them to get the help they need in order to start feeling better.

As a friend of someone who self-injures (of any age) be there to listen to them. Try to remain calm and patient even if you can’t understand why they would want to hurt themselves. Let your friend know that they are not alone, and encourage them to join the LifeSIGNS message board for peer support.

Above all, although you care about your friend you must remember to take care of yourself first. Unless you do this you will not be a help to anyone!

If You're a Partner / Girlfriend / Boyfriend

Having a relationship with a person who self-injures can at times be frustrating and very upsetting. Your partner might have been self-injuring long before they met you and you might think that now they have you that they shouldn’t feel the need to hurt themselves anymore. However, self-injury is a complex behaviour, and no matter how much you would like your partner to stop hurting themselves, it is not that simple.

Encourage your partner to seek professional help (if they have not done so already) – counselling as a couple might be appropriate for you. Be there for them through the highs and the lows, but make sure that you look after yourself as well.

• Read Aja's Tips for supporting Loved Ones

If You're a Child

Self injury isn't confined to teenagers, people of all ages can be afflicted by the syndrome of self injury. If you discover that your parent hurts themselves, it might be something they've done for a great many years, so try not to be overly shocked. Your parent may well have a good understanding of their destructive behaviour. Parents often feel the need to protect their children from the difficulties of life, and your parent may not feel comfortable talking to you about their emotional distress and mental anguish.

You can support your parent as they seek help, you can encourage them to speak with Doctors and Counsellors and Psychologists. Just because your parent may wish to see a Psychologist doesn't mean that they are 'mad' or 'crazy'; everyone experiences mental distress at some time in their life, and it's best to seek support, in time, the distress can be minimised, and new ways of coping can be learned.

If You're a Teacher

 Self Injury Factsheet for Teachers (2007, V2) [PDF; 65KB]

LifeSIGNS offers training for schools, colleges and univeristies, please read more about our training seminars.

If You're a Doctor, Nurse or Carer

 Self Injury Factsheet for Health Care Professionals (2007, V2) [PDF; 65KB]

LifeSIGNS offers training for health professionals and is ofter relied upon by the NHS; please read more about our training seminars.

If You're a Student

 Self Injury Factsheet for Students (2007, V2) [PDF; 65KB]

Mid-term Reports will be sent home for the 3rd nine weeks on Friday February 3rd, 2012.