Take 10

Colorful brain sketch in the center of education icons and drawings on a concrete wall. Concept of knowledge and a digital age.Engage Your Students Wherever They Are

Phyllis Fagell, a licensed school and clinical counselor and author, suggests advisers do the following to promote mental health and wellness during these trying times:

  • Incorporate time to talk about recent events: racial injustice, protests, COVID-19, students’ quarantine experience, isolation, and other issues.
  • Instill hope by empowering kids to make a positive difference and point out ways others have effected change.
  • Talk about how students can support one another and how they need support from one another.
  • Work on perspective-taking skills and boosting empathy.

Chart a Path to Financial Literacy

Student studying calculating with a calculator and handwriting notes siting on the floor in the living room at homeThe Pathway to Financial Success in Schools program puts financial literacy tools directly into the hands of educators, students, and families. It comes in two editions:

  • Middle level resources include step-by-step student videos, engaging classroom activities, and supporting educator videos. Six thematic units offer lessons in financial responsibility, getting paid, paying yourself first, using credit wisely, making major financial decisions, and growing and protecting personal finances.
  • The high school edition offers self-paced e-learning modules, classroom activities, “Family Connections” with tools and tips for parents, curated links to high-quality education materials, and eight thematic units similar to middle schoolers’ resources.

Make Voting a Priority

a pair of shoes in the form of the letter V for vote on a sidewalk toned with a retro vintage instagram filterNASSP and DoSomething.org are partnering to empower student leaders and student groups with an easy-to-use, digital tool to register friends and family. Here’s how to get involved:

  • Visit www.dosomething.org/NASSP to sign up with your school. Create a customized voter registration page with your name and the causes you care about.
  • Share your personalized page with your friends, students, and family. After they register through that page, you’ll see who has registered and who you need to follow up with to finish the process.

Help Students Adapt and Overcome

Brenda Douglas, student government adviser and special needs teacher at Lakewood Middle School in Lakewood, NJ, suggests advisers can help students with their struggles—which have been exacerbated by COVID-19—by doing the following:

  • Be observant. Pay extra attention to the clues that students drop.
  • Be patient. Many kids are not equipped to handle excess stress.
  • Provide ideas. Listen to the needs of your students and design lessons that help.
  • Stay connected. Create opportunities for them to stay connected with their teachers and peers.
  • Reach out. Reach out to your colleagues or find teacher forums to share struggles and ideas.
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