Yes! You can Finish Strong - Repeat Performance

Yes! You can Finish Strong by Doing Well on Final Assessments.

I am stealing this blog from myself. Basically reprinting as is. Why? Because the same things that were true at the end of the first semester are true at the end of the school year.

So how do we help students prepare for the end of year assessments, whether they are exams, large projects, portfolios or tests of some sort? I don't believe there is one right way to do well on an exam or test. But, I do believe that there are things that we can all do to reduce our anxiety going into a final assessment that will set us up well for a positive result.

Some simple hints:

* plan ahead
     -  don't leave all the work or all of the studying for the night before - that's just too stressful even if you are doing well in a course

*break the work down into small chunks  
       - if you have a big exam with 6 units to cover, look at one unit a week or day for a few weeks or days prior to the exam
      - if you have a portfolio to put together - divide up the work, get one section done then start on the next

*take care of yourself

      - make sure you get enough sleep, eat properly and have some fun prior to the year end assessments and throughout as well
      - if you are hungry, tired or grumpy you won't retain as much when you study and you won't do as well on the final assessment

*plan study breaks
     - get up, stretch, shovel the driveway, play a game (one game- not 14 hours online) and then get back to studying

*complete your final assessment strategically
     - do the parts you know first, then go back for the ones you are not quite sure of, make educated guesses when all else fails
       - you can NOT get marks for things you don't answer - even if it is a complete guess you have more of a chance of getting something right with a guess than you ever will with no answer at all
      - remember - sometimes the test or exam itself may have information on it that will jog your memory or help you answer a question - so read the entire assessment

*do not give up
      - believe in yourself, try your best, make sure you think positively going in and realistically after you are done.

If you need more information on helping yourself, or your student, prepare for final assessments here are some links:

(Please note I have gone on to these websites. I have tried to pick links with good tips and as few advertisements as possible... but there will be some advertising... My apologies)

Teacher Vision - Test Taking Tips
Bright Education Study Tips
FastWeb 20 Study Tips

Last but not least: one video from Wellcast that may be helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPTh8OEBwEo

13 Reasons Why... My Take... and Some Resources for Parents and Teen

Let me start by saying I am not a psychologist. I am not a psychiatrist. I am not a doctor. But... I have been a teacher for 26 years. I have been a guidance counsellor for 3 years. I was a Vice-Principal for 8 years. I have taken my Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) twice. I have worked with students and adults who are contemplating suicide.

Recently, I watched the new, popular Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. I binged watched the first 6 episodes. Why? Because I had been in a car full of students and they were discussing it. They were talking about why people should watch it. They were also discussing why people should not watch it. It was an interesting discussion between male and female students from grades 10 -12. I was moved to, intrigued to, challenged to watch the series. It took me a couple of days to watch the last half of the series. Why? Because it was hard watching.

I am not sure that I am glad I watched the all 13 episodes. There are images in my head that I can NOT get out of my head. I don't want those images in my head. And I am concerned about students who have those images in their heads.

So, having said all that, it took me awhile to decide if I would blog about the series 13 Reasons Why. However, after reading about some of the concerns about the series and watching the news clips about it, I decided to share my thoughts. Take them for what they are worth.

This blog is for you... the parents... things you may want to know. And Teens - this is for you as you need to know there is help out there!!!

1. Students are watching this show and talking about it with their peers.The show - while fictional - discusses the suicide of a teenager and give the 13 reasons why she completes death by suicide.

2. This show is graphic. It is disturbing. It shows two rapes and a suicide. Graphically.

3. The school personnel in 13 Reasons Why do not respond the way they should. Teachers, Guidance Counsellors and Principals are trained to help in situations of bullying, reported assault and suicidal thoughts and disclosures. Watching the series, I cringed at all the things the adults in the school did poorly or flat out incorrectly (against best practice in these situations). Please know teachers, guidance counsellors and principals are here to help. 

4. It makes the viewer feel that in her death she is able to get revenge, get sympathy and possibly get some justice - THIS IS FICTION. Suicide does not get revenge. Suicide does not bring peace and justice to the person who is dead because that person is no longer alive.

5.Talking about suicide will not cause someone to commit suicide. However, a show like this, may be seen to romanticize suicide to some impressionable youth. It may seem like a good option for difficult situations. It may NOT be a good idea for someone who is already vulnerable to watch. Watching this series may be a trigger for youth because the rational part of their brain hasn't fully developed. They don't have the same reasoning ability as adults. They may not be able to work out the fiction from the reality or the untruths of what adults can and will do from the truth of what adults can and will do to help a struggling teen.

6. Teens are watching 13 Reasons Why.  So, you may want to watch it with your teenager. You may want to watch it alone first. You may want to have conversations with your child about the series, about suicide, about bullying, about rape and other things shown in the series. Just telling them NO, Don't watch it... May not prevent them from watching it at a friends.

7. There are resources available for parents - talking points for conversations with your child about this series. Contact your school guidance counsellor if you want those talking points.

8. Talk of suicide should always be taken seriously. There are many resources out there. Here are two... There are many more.

                                       Reason To Live


9. There is information and warnings in the news for parents about the Netflix series. It may be good to watch them. Here are some links.

The National - 13 Reasons Why - Warnings for Parents

CTV News - Warnings for Parents

https://www.inc.com/amy-morin/13-things-parents-should-know-about-13-reasons-why-according-to-a-psychotherapis.html

10. There is a stabilization unit at Children's Hospital in Winnipeg if the threat of suicide is immediate. You can take your teen directly there if you are concerned for his or her safety. You can also call the Crisis Unit immediately or 911 for an ambulance. Help is available.

11. Talking with your child about suicide is not bad. It is not dangerous. Just because a student is talking about death by suicide - Does NOT mean that a teen wishes to die. If  a teen is talking to you. That is a good sign. It is a sign that they want help. It's a sign they trust you. Open communication is Good. Don't ignore it. Don't sweep it under the carpet. Take it seriously. Get help.

12. There are supports for students and parents. ASK. Contact your school guidance counsellor, pastor, youth leader, doctor, Southern Health South East Mental Health Resources, Bethesda Emergency Room, Kids Health Kids Health - Information for Teens, Kids Health - Parent Informationand many, many more resources online, in Steinbach and area and in Winnipeg.

13. And Finally - For Students and Parents. Don't confuse Fiction with Reality. Don't let the Netflix series be the only source of information about suicide, bullying and the bad things in the world. (or the good for that matter). Don't let media be your only resource. Seek reliable sources. Talk to your doctor.  Get Help.

Keeping your Cool in the Heat of the Moment!

As temperatures begin to warm and we move from spring to summer, we’re going to be reminded yet again that increased temperatures can cause a number of changes in how we feel. People have even developed some pretty cool descriptive language for some of its effects. Years ago when people were easily angered they were said to be “running hot” or “hot under the collar”. If you are a Hothead, Hot-tempered or Hot & Bothered you may be better off without the company of others as you are already angry or easily angered.

On the flip side there are also some really positive things associated with heat and more specifically seasonal change. While people in northern climates might get a little angrier in the heat, they are also emerging from the depressing funk of winter inactivity and hibernation inspired sluggishness into the vibrant activity and positive energy of the spring and summer seasons.

(From: https://www.clipartsgram.com/
anger-inside-out-clipart-34511)

All of this to say that maybe now is a good time to talk about managing all that heat and maybe some of that anger. While we all have the occasional brush with anger and sometimes struggle to control what it makes us feel like doing, there comes a point - and research tells us it’s relatively early on - that anger becomes unhealthy.

Not only does anger put stress on the angry person but it also puts stress on that person’s relationships. Uncontrolled anger can lead to violence or other things that may have unintended and sometimes long-lasting consequences. Unhealthy anger can also be a symptom of poor mental health and underlying psychological conditions like PTSD or personality disorders.

While it is really important to get professional help for any underlying cause of extreme anger there are a number of techniques that you can use on your own to get some relief. Like everyone else, I too have struggled at one time or another with my own anger. I have had what I like to call “the opportunity” to practice a number of anger management techniques.

My top five favourites (in no particular order) would have to be; getting physically active, just getting outdoors, using positive self-talk, challenging negative thinking and having empathy for the other person.

Getting active not only helps you take your mind off your anger but the increased blood circulation and deeper breathing, along with the chemical changes that happen in your body with exercise (like the release of endorphins), can really clear up your thinking and improve your emotional state. 

Getting outdoors and being active is a positive “double whammy”. The fresh air and deep breathing really help release tension and clear the head.

Positive self-talk is one of things that feels silly at first but can also be really helpful. While I like short easy statements like “I got this” there are countless examples of things you can say (and think) to help you through those difficult moments. Experts liken positive self-talk to self-programming and claim you can program your own thinking and thereby change your perceptions and feelings. Some other helpful self-talk statements might be; I’m making progress, I can handle this, I’ll get there, I’ve made it through worse than this. Ultimately you need to find one or two that work for you and use them regularly.

Similarly, when you challenge negative thinking and turn things around with “goodfinding” (like it sounds – finding the good in people or things) you can change how you feel - both in that situation or about that challenging person.

The last of my favourite anger management techniques is the one I also find to be the most difficult. Having empathy for the other person. This applies to the specific situations where you are angry with one particular person. If you are able to change your perspective about the situation or the person you can free yourself from the stuck thinking that has created your anger. The best way to do that is to attempt to see things from the other person’s viewpoint and try to feel what they might be feeling. We know (when we are thinking rationally) that others are generally not 100% wrong and we’re not always 100% right. The other person might be incorrect or misguided but that does not make them evil.

By: Michael Thiessen, grade 9 Guidance Counsellor

Need more? Check out the Anger Management Resource website -http://www.angermanagementresource.com/anger-management-techniques.html

for their top ten recommended anger management techniques. Take the time to find something that might work for you and put it into practice. Keep your cool as the temperatures around you rise and have that chill summer you deserve even at 30 above.

Other Resources:

Positive Self Talk

http://www.drjerm.com/Positive-Self-Talk/Positive-Self-Talk.php

http://joanswan.blogspot.ca/2011/02/positive-self-talk-examples.html

References:

Anderson, C. A.  (1989). Temperature and Aggression: Ubiquitous Effects of Heat on Occurrence of Human Violence. Psychological Bulletin, 1989, Vol. 106, No. 1, 74-96.

Chemtob, C. M., Novaco, R. W., Hamada, R. S., (1997). Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Severe Anger in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1997, Vol. 65, No. 1. 184-189.

How do You Begin the Summer Job Search?

http://www.clipartpanda.com/clipart_images/
school-s-out-for-summer-42136845

Summer is just around the corner! YAY!

Now comes the fun part, or maybe the hard part. How do you find a summer job?

There are a number of helpful things you can do to gain employment for the summer.

http://www.clipartkid.com/clip-art-job-market-cliparts/

1. Use your contacts.

 Do you have family or friends who own businesses? or manage businesses? Ask them. They may be able to connect you with a summer job where they work or with an associate. Many people find jobs from personal connections or close acquaintances. It never hurts to ask.

2. Make your resume and go knock on doors.

Have you always dreamed of working in retail? or at an autobody shop? Go knock on their door. But arrive prepared. Have your resume done properly. Ask your references ahead of time and let them know you are on the job search. Dress well for going to businesses - a good rule of thumb is to dress up better than you would need to for the job you want. Every student at SRSS has access to this website:  https://myblueprint.ca/hanover This website has a form you can fill out online and it makes your resume for you. Ask your guidance counsellor for more information if you have never used it.

3. Search. Search. Search.

https://www.freeclipartnow.com/construction/tools/
magnifying-glasses/magnifying-glass-black-handle.jpg.html

Check out local websites like www.steinbachonline.com or
mysteinbach.ca   - check them for job listings or even just names of businesses where you can walk in and ask if they are hiring.

Use myblueprint.ca/hanover and find the icon that leads you to local job listings.

Read the local paper. I know.... Read? the newspaper? yep - some people still post advertisements in there... Maybe you'll find a great job that way.

Open your eyes, look in windows of local businesses you frequent. They may have a help wanted sign in their window.

Visit the local youth job centre. These offices open every year in mid-May and are meant to help you - the students and youth of the community. Steinbach has one at 395 Main St. Stop by. Fill out their forms. Register. Look at postings there. The Provincial website has more information - check it out: http://www.gov.mb.ca/cyo/youth/services/manitobayouthjobcentres.html


4. Can't find a job. VOLUNTEER

Sometimes you have exhausted every avenue and done everything right and you just can't find the perfect summer job.

VOLUNTEER.

Find something you enjoy doing and see if you can volunteer at that business, organization, association, church, camp, or neighbours.

Volunteering doesn't pay much at all. Most of the time you earn nothing. But that's not really true. You gain experience. This experience may lead to you having a job in the future. Sometimes you will even get hired at the place you are volunteering - if they see how valuable you are and how well you work. Sometimes that job, maybe volunteering by working at the hospital gift store, gives you the right skills to get a job working at your favourite store in Steinbach. Or maybe volunteering to help your neighbour paint his / her barn will help you get a job working on his / her farm or working with his brother-in-law's painting company.

http://clipartix.com/volunteer-clip-art-image-30181/

The Race to the Finish!

http://www.keepcalmandposters.com/poster/5542305_keep_calm_the_end_is_near

Can you believe it? The END is NEAR. The end of the term, then the end of the semester, the end of this school year.

What is she talking about? The end? That's a long way off!

Maybe, but reality says that the end of Spring Break and our return to school means that we are approaching the finish line of this school year. Three months left. Three more long weekends. 52 school days. And then - that's it - final assessments.

To some of you,  52 days feels like a very long time and right now you are just planning on waiting until around the last 10 days of school to get busy and get assignments done. I know - I was a student for many years: high school and then four degrees at university. I can procrastinate with the best of you procrastinators. Let me assure you - this is not a good plan.

http://www.clipartkid.com/student-taking-
a-test-clipart-clipart-panda-free-clipart-images-3H0Ue9-clipart/

To some of you, 52 days is incredibly short. How are you going to be ready? What about those grade 12 provincial exams which happen earlier in June and are less than 50 days away? How will you get it all done, maintain your high marks, apply for all those scholarships and still have time to hang out with your friends, work, earn money and get enough rest? Let me assure you - you will survive. Beyond surviving, most of you will thrive.

Whether you tend to procrastinate or always plan ahead, let me remind you: You have 52 days to make the most of this school year! or at least what's left of it! If you currently
have 15 outstanding assignments - you have time to get them done and handed in. If you are on top of all your work and are busy applying for schools, scholarships or jobs - you have time.

After reading some of these blogs, you may think I am the eternal optimist and that I don't live in reality. But let me assure you - I understand reality. I understand that people can chose to fail. But I also understand, after 26 years as an educator, that you can still make a commitment at this point in the school year that  will allow you to finish strong. I also understand that your teachers want you to do well. Your parents want you to do well. Your principals want you to do well. We are here to support you! We can't do the work for you. However, we will go out of our way to help you finish the school year well.

free image

So, take heart! Put your effort into finishing this school year well. Ask us for help. Check out the two homework rooms if you need to. Let us work with you on scholarship applications and job applications. Seek out advice from peers who are doing well in your classes. Form study groups to ensure success for you and your classmates on projects and final assessments. Plan ahead on major projects - like your Passion Projects. Invest yourself.

And... on a side note... don't forget to enjoy the remaining 52 days of this semester. Make the most of each class, innovation week, graduation activities, student council events, extra-curricular activities and the day to day life of school. You only get to do these next 52 classes once. DO THEM WELL!

HELP! I don't know what to do? Course selection, life planning and other humongous decisions.

This is a busy month at SRSS! Orientation for the grade 8s who will be SRSS grade 9 students next year. Orientation for the grade 9 students who will be joining us from the other rural high schools to take advantage of the vocational programming offered here starting in grade 10. Registration for all the current grade 9 through 11 students. And last, but not least, grad planning for all the grade 12 students.

At moments like these, when the future seems to be staring down and asking us... WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?, it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming and we get freaked out by all the choices we have to make. How do we know if we are making the right decision? What if I choose the wrong Math class? What if I do automotive and decide I want to be a lawyer? What if my parents were right and I should have taken Chemistry last year?

Here is my answer. Take it for what it's worth.

BREATHE! It's going to be okay!


It's going to be okay as long as you try your best, attend classes and earn your credits. Here is the simple truth as I see it. You have a multitude of possibilities, choices and options in your life. And while some are clearly harmful - you know the ones - you likely don't need me to list all the really harmful and bad decisions you could make that would end up not being okay.

However taking courses, learning new things, expanding your mind and opening doors for your future... that is not a bad thing. And let's say you take Applied Math instead of Pre-Calculus Math and then figure out you need Pre-Cal to take the course you want at university or college... Guess what... you still can. There are ways to earn those credits even after you graduate.

If you decide to be a carpenter and after several years you decide you want to become a teacher. You can. If you started in hairstyling and after grade 10 moved to an academic major only to discover you wished you'd stayed in hairstyling - you can still go to college for that.

Decisions you make now in high school are important and can impact the direction of your future. However, the GREAT NEWS is that you can still pursue your dreams and change your dreams even if your choices in high school don't line up with what you want to do at age 19, 25 or 43 or 61.

We have the great gift of the ability to learn, learn something else, relearn something we learned incorrectly, change direction, learn another skill, and even learn something completely different again.

Course choices and decisions we make today can direct our paths. Those choices can open up options or limit options. However, the great news is we can always CHOOSE to learn something new and by doing that open up new doors or ones that were previously closed. We are all HUMAN! What interests us today - may not interest us tomorrow or in 3 years or in 15 years. And the great news is we can make changes as our interests, values, hopes, and ambitions
change.

The important thing to remember, there are somethings that can limit your choices and some of those are pretty scary and permanent - things like illegal activities and the other truly harmful things of which you are very aware. However, generally choices can be changed. Plans can be altered. And giving it your best, attending all of your classes, handing in all of your assignments will always set you up in the right direction even if you decide to change directions.

So plan well. But remember plans can be changed. Talk to your parents, friends, teachers and guidance counsellors. Make the best decisions possible with the information you have right now. And, if need be, change those plans, alter your direction, learn new things. You've got this!

Oh Reptilian Brain, What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Do you have a Reptilian Brain? Is that a weird question? Is that a weird thought?

I can assure you it was a weird question and a bizarre concept to me the first time I heard it. However, I have come to understand through research and different presentations that I have a reptilian brain from time to time. I also discovered that you too - yep YOU TOO - have a reptilian brain.

I know... did she just insult me? NOPE. It's true. We all have a Reptilian Brain. It's our fight or flight response. Our gut instinct. Our first reaction. It's the part of our brain that sometimes gets us into trouble. It's the part of our brain that saves our lives in certain situations. The Brain

Our Reptilian Brain is a good thing. It's first job is to help us survive. It protects us from threats that come from outside and it allows us to adjust to changes in our circumstances. According to www.copingskills4kids.net there are a total of 8 functions of the reptilian brain. You can read about it by clicking the link: Reptilian Coping Brain



The great part about our brain is that our Reptilian Brain does not have to work by itself. We also have our Neocortex (thinking brain) and our Limbic Brain (feeling brain) that help our Reptilian Brain  (instinctual brain) regulate and process information. So when we are dealing with a situation where our Reptilian Brain tells us to scream, stomp our feet, bite someone's finger... because they made us mad (for example - not that we'd ever really want to do that, right?) our emotional brain and thinking brain can stop us from acting inappropriately or in a child-like manner. The emotional brain can tell us we have the right to be mad while our thinking brain can provide us with better way of dealing with it than our gut reaction from our Reptilian Brain.

Sometimes however, we don't allow our feeling brain and our thinking brain time to respond and we respond with our instinctual or dinosaur brain. In those cases we sometimes end up responding poorly and later feel bad, embarrassed or sheepish. In order to avoid these inappropriate, humiliating and child-like reactions we can learn to cope through a variety of ways. Learning to Cope by Copingskills4kids has a variety of suggestions and some links for educational pieces. However, in short, we can learn to cope by watching others and seeing what works for them, we can try different strategies and keep the ones that work and throw out the ones that don't and finally we can make a conscious effort to learn coping skills from our teachers, guidance counsellors or online sources.

It's important to realize that even adults who have learnt great coping skills still sometimes allow their Reptilian Brain to respond and end up looking foolish or embarrassed. AND at times the commands from our Reptilian Brain are the commands we need to follow. For example, if you are crossing the street and you see a car coming that doesn't look like it will stop your Reptilian Brain will tell you to RUN!! And you should. Your Reptilian Brain will also tell you to duck when a golf ball is coming straight at your head. And you should! Your Reptilian Brain may tell you to fight when some one is trying to mug you... you should just give them your money and run!

You get the idea. Sometimes it is worth listening to your Reptilian Brain. In fact, listening to your dinosaur brain may save your life. There are other times when you need to step back from a situation and allow your thinking and feeling brains to decide how you should cope with a situation.

There is lots of information on how to cope out there in the cyber world. Feel free to check it out. But remember to look for reliable sources and also... remember that parents, teachers, guidance counsellors, doctors and medical professionals may be even better sources from whom to learn about coping.

Picture sources:
http://www.wakingtimes.com/2015/05/07/8-reptilian-traits-in-human-beings/
https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-reptilian-brain-image26662837
http://www.shawnphelps.com/2015/10/15/got-hatred-dont-feed-your-reptilian-brain/

Here are a couple of videos from WellCast that may help. Check them out if you have time

Stress Relief Tips: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fL-pn80s-c

Anger Management Tips:                                        

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsVq5R_F6RA