I am so excited to host the School Counselor Blog Back to School Contest, which is 10 days of daily giveaways starting September 1st and ending on September 10th!Today is day three of the School Counselor Blog Back to School Contest.
Today's giveaway for the School Counselor Blog Back to School Contest is Girls in Real Life Situations, Grades 6-12: Group Counseling Activities for Enhancing Social and Emotional Development (Book and CD)
by Julia V. Taylor and Shannon Trice-Black from Research Press.Girls in Real Life Situations, Grades 6-12: Group Counseling Activities for Enhancing Social and Emotional Development (Book and CD) is one of my most used curricula. I have used activities from G.I.R.L.S. in groups on topics such as self-esteem, grief and loss, children of incarcerated parents and beyond. I have even used activities from G.I.R.L.S with boys (gasp!)!
One of the activities I have facilitated the most from G.I.R.L.S. is the "Wall of Support" activity. During the session students build a wall with blocks and then build a wall together. They then make their own wall using construction paper. We then made a wall as a group of people who support us. If you watched the tour of my office from last year or looked at the pictures of my office you will see the "Wall of Support" under my whiteboard. Students love this activity. I have also had students make their own personal wall in individual sessions with students.
The G.I.R.L.S curriculum conveniently comes with a CD with all the handouts that you need to print, including pre and post tests! It is great to be able to print from the CD instead of having to photocopy pages (we all know that photocopies don't always come out like you want them to).
Having met Julia V. Taylor in person and presented with her at the ASCA National Conference in Seattle, WA, this curriculum is even more special to me. Julia is an amazing person full of energy and creative ideas; the G.I.R.L.S curriculum is a testament to her level of enthusiasm for school counseling!
Girls in Real Life Situations, Grades 6-12: Group Counseling Activities for Enhancing Social and Emotional Development (Book and CD)
would make a great addition to any middle school or high school counselor's curricula.The Giveaway:
One lucky winner (U.S. only) will be chosen at random to win the Girls in Real Life Situations, Grades 6-12: Group Counseling Activities for Enhancing Social and Emotional Development (Book and CD)
by Julia V. Taylor and Shannon Trice-Black. The contest for this giveaway will be closed at midnight and a winner will be announced on this item's contest page on September 4th.How to enter:
Add a relevant comment to this contest page about how you would use Girls in Real Life Situations, Grades 6-12: Group Counseling Activities for Enhancing Social and Emotional Development (Book and CD)
in your work with students. The comment must appear on this item's contest page (this page). 
Want bonus entries?Share on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your Blog, about the contest or a specific item's contest page. Make sure to provide links back to the contest page or a specific item's contest page. For each place you visit and do this, come back to this item's contest page and leave a comment explaining where you shared information about the contest!
Good luck everyone!
THE GIVEAWAY FOR THIS ITEM IS NOW OVER.
Congratulations to Christina!
This is definitely something I would use in a group with the 6th grade girls I have. I run groups on a variety of topics, depending on the needs of my students at the time, and it sounds like this book would have a lot of ideas for me to use.
ReplyDeleteI am a counselor in a large public middle school and would love to use this curricula. One of the reviews on Amazon says it all: "GOLD MINE!! This is IT! Hands down a must have for anyone planning on leading a girls group."
ReplyDeleteThis is one book I will definetly buy! I sounds interesting and somerhing that I need to add in my curriculum from 7-12.
ReplyDeleteGreat book, this would be great to facilitate gossiping in a group setting.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a fantastic resource. I love how there are pre- and post-test options (something my admin. would love to hear!)
ReplyDeleteI have coveted this program for a while, but haven't had the chance to buy it because I haven't been doing as many groups as I would like. Last school year, our counseling staff did a lot of work with girls at the 5th and 6th grade levels, and there is so much more to be done. With cyber-bullying and relational aggression running rampant in the middle school, this would be such a useful tool to help process some of the intense and confusing emotions of being a tween girl. My goal is to do more groups this year, as long as my schedule allows!
ReplyDeleteAs a counselor at both the elementary and high school levels I would use this curriculum at both levels. I see a huge need for 9th and 10th grade girls to build their self-esteem but have never been able to find activities that they response well too! I would also love to try to adapt the activities to girls in grades 4 and 5!
ReplyDeleteI also shared the contest in this blog post: http://firstyearschoolpsych.blogspot.com/2011/09/great-counseling-resource-giveaway.html
ReplyDeletePlease check out my blog as well! http://firstyearschoolpsych.blogspot.com/
This is definitely an item I would use. I am a first year counselor at a middle school and we are going to be doing a girls group one quarter. There is always "girl drama" and I think some of these activities would be great to use with these students!
ReplyDeleteI also tweeted! http://twitter.com/Christina323
ReplyDeleteI also facebooked! I really want this, can you tell? :) https://www.facebook.com/christinahopefrick
ReplyDeleteSuch a fantastic ready to use resource for a girls group. I would use the questions included in each section to start a dialogue journal with each of the girls. The parent letters would be very useful as well for keeping them up to date and suggesting ways that they can reinforce the skills we've worked in at home.
ReplyDeleteI sent a tweet! I plan to use this with my girls in middle school -- I am new to middle school and could really use this!! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI use the elementary version yearly. This version would be great for middle school transition. The middle school counselors and I have been working together to ease the transition. My students also love the American Girl Series and Middle School Confidential Series. I can barely keep up with my office copies. Confidential Series now has an app on iTunes.
ReplyDeleteAs a new early middle school counselor, I would love to use this with my 5th and 6th grade girls! With the age group I work with it is so paramount to begin self assurance at a young age before high school and the rest of life hits. I've used some of the pieces from samples that researchpress has posted and I would love to be able to use the rest in helping girls (and even some of the boys!) learn about depression, emotions, conflict, etc in healthy positive ways :)
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year as a school counselor. Working in a middle school, I'm sure I will find LOTS of uses for this book both with individuals and groups! Also, the pre- and post-tests will help me collect the data I need to be accountable for the time I spend with groups!
ReplyDeleteI was actually just talking with a peer about how great this book is! I am a school counseling intern at a high school and I am in the process of forming several groups for girls. I think this book would be a great resource to use as I'm planning and working with my groups. I love all of the great activities it details.
ReplyDeleteI just moved to the middle school this year and half of my caseload is girls! This would be a great resource!
ReplyDeleteI have the k-5 edition and love it. This year I'm working with some girls who are socially advanced (5th grade) and could benefit from this edition!!!!
ReplyDeleteI would love to use this with my middle school girls for their girls group. I am in a k-8 school which is predominantly boys. There are always issues with girl drama and relational aggression. I have this on my Amazon wishlist :)
ReplyDeletePS Danielle, I LOVE this site!
In graduate school I ran a girls group and was always looking for good resources! This would be a great one to add to my collection!!!
ReplyDeleteAs a school counseling intern and graduate student, I am always searching for new ideas. This semester I am at a high school where we are running girls groups. All 11th grade girls have been sent a letter asking if they would like to be a part of this small group. I think this book and the activities that are in it would be excellent to incorporate into each small group.
ReplyDeleteWould love to use this for my middle school girls. We are already beginning to experience some relational aggression.
ReplyDeleteI would love this program! I am always running girls groups. Middle school is such a tough time for girls but even more so when you add even tougher situations to their lives. I would love a new program for new groups this year!
ReplyDeleteI've had my eye on this program for awhile! I've heard nothing but good things about it. I love how versatile it is. I think it would be a great resource to have when I start my internship next week in an alternative high school!
ReplyDeletePosted on my facebook wall, too :)
ReplyDeleteI work in an elementary setting and have the GIRLS book for grades 3-5. However, I would love to have this resourse as well to use to adapt activities for our 5th grade girls transitioning to middle school. Unfortunately, our girls are facing issues much earlier than in year's past. This would be a great addition for the elemenary counselor as well. Our district counselors also collaborate and share resources so this would NOT go unused on my shelf.
ReplyDeleteI just tweeted and I posted on the South Carolina SCA Facebook Page:)
ReplyDeleteI was commenting the other day on how girls nowadays do not seem well adept to handle opposite gender relationships, or even social skills and wanted to start a group to deal with these issues. I wonder if this book would push me to formulate ideas for the group.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! You have just earned the Top 10 award. Visit my post at The Corner On Character to learn more and make sure to grab your button here http://bit.ly/rtHPbL
ReplyDeleteBarbara
I just started my first school counseling job with at a charter school. Most of the students are boys and I want to start a girls group right away. I want these young women to feel empowered to graduate high school and be able to build healthy friendships with both male and female students. This book will definitely be a resource for me as I embark on my first real job!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great resource! I've used a few activities from this book I've found online. It is great for small group activities for a girls group or any other group (self-esteem, divorce, goal setting). Some of the activities in the book can also be used for individual counseling.
ReplyDeleteI have just completed my first week as a high school counselor - SUCCESS! I have been an elementary school counselor for the past several years and am lacking in secondary tools for groups. This would be perfect! I am especially interested in the section on body image which, as most school counselors know, is one of the top three critical issues for teen girls. '-D/pickme!pickme!
ReplyDeleteI shared on FB, Our School Counselor FBpage, and NvSCA FBpage about the contest '-D/bigtimeFBer
ReplyDeleteThis looks like an awesome resource. They have finally built a time into my schedule for small groups and it sounds as if these activities could be used for a variety of topics as well as for a variety of situations!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, and as a 2nd year counselor at an Intermediate campus, you have already helped me so much! I think this curriculum is a wonderful idea. My school is Title I and very low income. One problem I have been having is building a culture of peaceful resolution. When my students (often times girls) are in a disagreement their first instinct is to fight one another. I would use this curriculum to foster dignified and respectful ways to solve issues and gain a sense of camaraderie with one another. I have seen this in your blog many times, and I think I have to have it!
ReplyDeleteI used GIRLS last year as a Practicum student and now that I am Intern I am planning to run another GIRLS group this year and hope I can get my own book!! :) I also like Salvaging Sisterhood!
ReplyDeleteJust shared on facebook...thought my other counselor friends would like to know about these giveaways!
ReplyDeleteWe are running some new groups after school this year and I have borrowedthis book in the past from a fellow counselor. My own copy would be put to good use and shared with the high school counselor at my school. Thanks so much again for sharing these great resources!
ReplyDeleteGirls, girls, girls...we always have girls at our school who could benefit from and love doing a G.I.R.L.S groups with the at-risk counselor and myself.
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to use this book with my 6th-8th grade girls. I do as many groups as I can to meet the needs of my large caseload of 500 students. I would use this book to design a group that helps my girls feel empowered, confident, and able to solve conflicts peacefully.
ReplyDeleteI am in a K-8 school and am often looking for things to make relevant to the middle school. I have been contemplating doing a girls group after school and this book would be PERFECT! I know we lack in teaching our middle school girls how to BE girls. Confident, Problem-Solvers, and Balanced girls anyways : )
ReplyDeleteI also just shared your giveaway on my blog...
ReplyDeletehttp://schoolcounselorscrapbook.blogspot.com/
As a male counselor in a middle school, I am always looking for resources to work with girls and groups of girls better. I use some outside resources to facilitate groups, but the demand for those groups is outgrowing what they can provide. Maybe these resources could help me do more groups in-house or just help me do large group guidance class lessons. Thanks for the information!
ReplyDeleteI tweeted as well (@nittanylauren05)
ReplyDeleteFacebooked! (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9300392)
ReplyDeleteI've spent the last twelve years as a high school counselor which involved lots of individual counseling, crisis counseling and scheduling. Now I've got 5th through 8th grades, and will have the opportunity to do small group counseling for the first time in years! This would be an awesome resource to have as I begin this new adventure!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year as a high school counselor at an alternative high school. I am always looking for more resources and would love to use this with the girls at my school.
ReplyDeleteI am a gradute student/ mental health counselor at an inner city elementary/middle school in Baltimore. I would love to use this curriculum as a part of the after school group I am forming for 6th grade girls. Cliques form and reform during this time. I think the activites in this book would be really approrpiate on addressing cliques, gossip, and true friendship. Thanks for an awesome giveaway.
ReplyDeletekrystalfenwick@yahoo.com
The young girls seem have more challenges in dealing with relational issues! I would love to help them by using this program
ReplyDeleteI believe this would be a very useful curriculum in working with middle school girls. In a time where are girls are growing up so fast, I think they need reassurance that these are some very importnat years in their life and that they should not be so quick to grow up. The trouble with boys will come soon enough, this is the time when they should be forming friendships. This book looks as though it could be a useful guide to assisting young girls with this critical time in their lives.
ReplyDelete