Where Do I Start? Online Tools for Virtual Counseling

Overwhelmed? Confused? Uncertain? Do any of those words describe your current feelings about sorting through which online tools to use in this world of online counseling? We were thrown into this almost overnight. Take a deep breath and grab a cup of coffee. We are here to share some great advice on where to start in this new world of online counseling. Keep reading for our Counselor Accents Challenge at the end!

Listen Here for Online Tools

We have posted TWO podcasts this week dealing with this challenge of finding the right online tools for virtual counseling. Make sure you listen to both of these because they go together like peanut butter and jelly! Or almond butter, if you’re allergic to peanuts.

Veteran teacher and author of the book, Captured Fireflies, Meredith Newlin, shares a step by step guide on where to begin in this world of online counseling. Her tips were so practical and helped us get out of the fixed mindset of what we believed counseling should look like.

Special guest Matt Berry, Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Missouri School Counseling Association, shares incredible resources in this episode.  He talks about specific online programs, how he suggests using them, and gives wonderful wisdom about how to handle the challenges this new season brings. 

You Are the Most Important Tool

Don’t skip this section! I feel like I can hear you now, “We get it. We get it. Self care, blah blah blah! I need the tools!” Friend, you ARE the most important tool. The counseling won’t get done if the counselor is burned out, worn out, and stressed out. I’m sure we said it in our blog post and podcast on this very topic, but you can’t pour from an empty cup. Our new southern sister, Meredith Newlin, from The Transformed Teacher, made this point beautifully when she said, “Your students love you so much. Make sure you take time to love yourself.” Wow!

Obstacles or Opportunities?

This time of adjustment can be frustrating and confusing. Our fear of the unknown can be paralyzing. And we don’t need to tell you, the counselor, that it’s totally ok to feel that way! However, don’t camp out there! Let’s look for the opportunities, too. For example, we have played trivia in Facebook groups, played board games at home, gotten outside in the sunshine, and met people virtually like Meredith and Matt that we might not have ever met otherwise. What hidden opportunities have come out of this for you?

Some Practical Online Tools

Matt compiled this INCREDIBLE list of online tools and resources. We are in awe and can’t thank him enough for sharing his work with us. Make sure you check it out!

• Zoom- Zoom is currently offering free accounts for teachers and students right now. Use your school email and they will temporarily waive the monthly fee. This will allow you to connect with multiple students or teachers at one time via video conferencing.
  *We have gotten a few comments that Zoom may have some glitches. Several school systems are recommending using Google Hangouts or Google Meets instead.
• Google Classroom– This is something you can set up by grade level, alphabetized student names, homerooms, etc. You can even set a classroom up for parents where you share announcements and important information.
• Screencast-O-Matic– We immediately used this to record this FREE lesson. Here is the video we posted to our school Facebook page for our students to see.
• PowToon– This is a fun way to deliver a message! Capture your students’ attention by animating your message!
• Padlet– This of this as a virtual bulletin board. Teach a lesson on careers, and have students “decorate” your virtual bulletin board!
• Flipgrid- Students have creative liberties to demonstrate their understanding of your lesson. Make sure you listen to this podcast to hear a personal account of how using Flipgrid helped one student communicate when he had never spoken a word to his teacher!

Comparison is the Thief of Joy

Don’t feel like you have to do what everyone else is doing. Take your time, ease into using online tools at your own comfort level! Matt shared this graphic and we discussed it toward the end of his podcast episode. It’s great for a typical day in the office, but also extremely applicable for our current situation.

The Counselor Accents Challenge

This is new to us, too. Can we agree to something? Will y’all try at least one new method of reaching your students this week? Remember the section about turning obstacles into opportunities. Which new technology tool will you try this week? So far I’ve tried Screencast-O-Matic AND I did a Facebook Live scavenger hunt with my students! It was intimidating at first, but even more than that- it was FUN! Stretch yourself this week. And let us know which tool you chose! You will inspire us!

Let’s go a step further… From now until April 5, 2020 follow these steps and YOU could win a $50 Amazon gift card!
1.) Join our Counselor Accents Facebook page if you haven’t already.
2.) Share this blog post
3.) Once you’ve shared it, comment “Shared” on our post in our Facebook group. We’ll pin it to the top (or post in the comments of this blog post) and tell us what new technology tool you used this week to stretch yourself.
We’ll do a random $50 Amazon gift card giveaway on April 6. How’s that for incentive? What do you have to lose?!