Not at my School

Welcome to my blog!  I'm so glad you are here.  I have been working with girls for over 12 years, and it's always a wonderful, roller-coaster journey.  The mission of my small business, Creative Crossings, is to help pre-teen girls cross through to adolescence with their self-esteem intact.

I am also an Elementary School Counselor.  I strongly believe that my program for girls decreases the incidence of relational aggression in my school and helps girls develop coping skills in handling friendship ups and downs.  However, this week we are having troubles — a clear-cut case of relational aggression.  I am thinking to myself — WAIT — I'm the expert in Relational Aggression, this stuff isn't supposed to happen in MY school.  Yet, happen it did.

Obviously, in keeping with the rules of confidentiality, I can't share the gory details.  However, from my perch, I can see the needs of each girl — the harassers, the victims, the fear, the "tough mask."  It's easy for me to approach each girl with compassion and understanding.  At the same time, we want our school to be safe and it is important to have clear rules and boundaries.  Luckily, my principal takes care of that end.

In addition to the girls having consequences, I met with the 5th/6th grade classroom and each table group created their blueprint of an emotionally safe school.  I thought it was a very successful way to address the issue as a classroom and give the students a chance to really think about what a "hate free" school might look like/feel like.

It's interesting that one girl can change the school climate in a matter of weeks.  Luckily though, the climate of my school is generally peaceful and supportive.  Every day I see examples of kindness and helpfulness.  More on this later, but my day in the front ranks has left me quite sleepy.