Character Education
For the Lower School (Grades TK - 5):
The Counselor will visit each TK & K classroom every other week and each first through fifth grade classroom once a week, September through May, to engage the students in a lesson involving the counseling curriculum. The components included in the counseling curriculum are academic achievement, personal & social growth, character development, and career exploration. This class is called Reflections.
REFLECTIONS Class
(large group Counseling)
Week One: (Counselor-Led Lesson): academic, personal/social, or career.
Character Trait of the Month Introduced
The counselor will introduce the Character Trait of the month through a counselor led lesson in one of the three areas of the counseling curriculum. Using the Character Trait in their class throughout the month, the teacher and students will create and lead a class presentation in order to summarize what they learned about that trait. The class presentation will take place during the Reflections class on Week Four.
Week Two: (Counselor-Led Lesson): academic, personal/social, or career.
Week Three: (Counselor-Led Lesson): academic, personal/social, or career.
Week Four: (Teacher-Led Lesson based on the Character Trait of the month).
*The structure of the lessons remains the same each month; the character trait changes.*
Small Group Counseling
Grades 3-5 will be surveyed to see if they have an interest in any of the small group offerings. The small groups will take place during lunch throughout the school year meeting once a week for 4-6 weeks.
Individual Counseling
Teachers and staff, parents, and students may refer TK-5 individuals for individual counseling.
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For the Middle School (Grades 6-8):
The counselor will meet with each grade in the middle school, sixth-eighth, for two days a week (M-W or T-F) during 8th period for a twelve-week course called Perspectives. These classes will be created and implemented by the counselor, allowing the students to explore the components of the counseling curriculum: academic achievement, personal and social growth, character development, and career exploration.
PERSPECTIVES Course
(large group Counseling)
6th grade topics: click HERE
7th grade topics: click HERE
8th grade topics: click HERE
Small Group Counseling:
Grades 6-8 will be surveyed to see if they have an interest in any of the small group offerings. The groups offered will be tailored to the student’s needs and interests. These groups will meet once a week during Study Hall or lunch for three to six weeks depending on the group.
Individual Counseling:
Teachers and staff, parents and students may refer 6th-8th grade students for individual counseling.
For the Entire School (Grades TK-8)
~TDS Career Day on Friday, February 22, 2013
Parents are invited to volunteer to speak to their children's classrooms about their careers during the month of February. On February 22nd, all students are invited to attend school dressed as their future career choice! We will celebrate careers during the monthly assembly that afternoon. Parents are welcome to attend the assembly.
~TDS Character Convention on Friday, May 31, 2013
At the end of the year, all grades TK-8 will come together to share class or small group presentations with each other, based on the nine character traits TDS emphasized during the school year. Each grade will be responsible for presenting one of the nine character traits to the rest of the school. Parents are invited to attend and celebrate with us!
For more information on the Counseling Program, please contact Dockery Durham, School Counselor.
