Introduction As a school social worker, I am anticipating that students and families will need lots of support as they re-adjust to the expectations of a regular school day. During COVID-19, many students learned from home or did not have access to being able to do their studies from home. Therefore, students and parents need […]
Category: For School Social Workers
Helping Students Overcome Anxiety
CREATING YOUR DIGITAL SSW OFFICE: THE SSWN INTERVIEW WITH BRIDGET HILLS-YODER
My name is Marjorie Colindres and I am currently a school social worker at Mannheim Middle School. This academic school year, my district is starting by doing remote learning. The day that I received the news from my school district, I tried to figure out ways to connect with students. In my search, I came […]
Progress Monitoring Social and Emotional Goals While Utilizing Technology
There are key qualities and skills that a 21st century school social worker needs to develop. It is important to communicate effectively with all stakeholders by developing a relationship. Social media has made it more accessible to develop relationships and share resources within the community and globally. By being a risk taker it is […]
Tier 1: Classroom Strategies That Work
I have been working in K-12 schools in the Chicagoland area since 2012. As a professional in the field of school social work, I have had the pleasure to collaborate with many educators. More specifically, when I was an Elementary School Social Worker, I had the opportunity to work with Jill Forkel who is an exceptional educator. Jill […]
Social-Emotional Support For English Learners – Part 1
As a school social worker, I have worked closely with English Learners. I have naturally connected with many of these students because I was an English Learner myself. I came to the United States with my mother in 1996 when I get 8 years old. At a young age, I quickly learned that there would […]
SEL For English Learners: Part 3 (A SSW Perspective)
By being in this field, I have heard countless stories where families overcome adversity and build resiliency. In the process, I have also met genuine educators who advocate for their students’ rights and meet students where they are at emotionally, academically, and behaviorally. These passionate educators have shaped me to continue my efforts of empowering […]
SSW Group Activities We Love
In this blog, I will share various group activities that I have found to be effective for students at different grade levels. The Google Slide (collected here in a short video) was created with current school social work students from Loyola University Chicago. In every slide, I share how each activity is linked to the Danielson Framework for […]
Starting a Yoga Club at My School
I was first introduced to yoga when I was a high school student at Hinsdale South. I recall that yoga was one of the units PE teachers would cover. My close friend from high school, Elyse, was highly interested in yoga and would ask me to go with her to classes back in 2004-2005; now she […]
Make Time For What Matters Part 1: Using Technology To Improve Efficiency and Developing Strong Relationships
As a school social worker, I believe that there should be a positive relationship with tech coaches. First, technology has allowed me to be time efficient and accurate with record keeping. Through the use of technology, I have been able to connect with all community stakeholders at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Most importantly, […]