School Counselor

As a school counselor, you spend many hours with individuals and groups of students.  In your role, you can develop a close relationship with the students you serve.  You can have a powerful impact on him/her that can last a lifetime. 

·         Display the CHARACTER COUNTS! poster in your classroom or in the hallway near your door – teach, enforce, advocate, and model them.

·         Be an advocate for each child in the building in which you serve.  Build a supportive, caring relationship with each child.

·         Devote a bulletin board for CHARACTER COUNTS! messages.

·         Plan activities for the Pillar of the Month and suggest classroom activities that will connect and provide opportunities to learn and practice each pillar.

·         Assist the principal and classroom teacher in orienting all of the parents to CC!

·         Encourage access to at least one other caring adult in the building for each student, but especially those at-risk.

·         Use literature to show real models and examples of the Six Pillars.

·         Be clear with the students you encounter about the behavior you expect from them.  If possible, use the CC language  to remind them.  Act responsibly.  Show respect for the property of others.  A trustworthy person does his/her own work.  Fairness means treat others the way they would want to be treated.  To make friends, be a caring person.

Learning Resource Specialist

As the Learning Resource Specialist, you spend time with students each week.  In your role, you can develop a relationship with the students you serve.  You can have a significant impact on the kinds of books that they choose to read and on their behavior in the resource center.

·         Display the CHARACTER COUNTS! poster in your Resource/Media Center

·         Devote a section of the resource center to CHARACTER COUNTS! books and information.

·         Plan book activities for the Pillar of the Month so that students can learn them and understand the meaning of each of them.

·         Make special displays for each Pillar of the Month highlighting books that can read that will illustrate/demonstrate the featured pillar.

·         Share literature that show real models and examples of the Six Pillars.

·         Use the CC! language to remind students about expectations.  When talking with them about unacceptable behavior, ask them: “Which pillar were you not demonstrating with that kind of behavior?  What will it look like when you do demonstrate that pillar?”

·         Remind students using CC! language, such as “Act responsibly.”  “Show respect for the property of the resource center.”  “A  person who is practicing fairness always brings his/her books back on time so that others will have a chance to check them out.”

School Nurse

As a school nurse, you come into contact with many students everyday at a time when they are in need of help and support.  There are steps you can take to help students learn and practice the Six Pillars.

·         Display the CHARACTER COUNTS! poster in your area where all students can see it.

·         Use the CC! language when visiting with them.  “Thank you.  That was responsible of you.”  “You are acting in a caring way when you walk a friend who is not feeling well to my office.”

·         Find your own unique ways to highlight the monthly pillar in the nurse’s office, on a bulletin board, or on your door.

·         When dealing with a student who is ill or hurt, work the CC! language into the conversation.  You might say, “What is the responsible thing to do when your stomach is upset?”

·         When dealing with kids who are struggling or having a problem, work as many positive compliments into the conversation as you can.

·         Thank students when you see them modeling the Six Pillars. “Thank you for being so trustworthy.”