WHAT IS A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST?

By the National Association of School Psychologists

School psychologists have specialized training in both psychology and education. They use their training and skills to team with educators, parents, and other mental health professionals to ensure that every child learns in a safe, healthy and supportive environment. School psychologists understand school systems, effective teaching and successful learning.

Today’s children face more challenges than ever before. School psychologists can provide solutions for tomorrow’s problems through thoughtful and positive actions today. The training requirements to become a school psychologist are a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours including a year-long internship. This training emphasizes preparation in mental health, child development, school organization, learning, behavior and motivation. To work as a school psychologist, one must be certified and/or licensed by the state in which services are provided. School psychologists also may be nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board (NSPCB).

School psychologists tailor their services to the particular needs of each child and each situation. School psychologists use many different approaches, but most provide these core services:

Health Care Provision - collaborate with school and community-based personnel to provide a comprehensive model of school-linked health services; work with children and families to provide integrated community services focusing on psychosocial wellness and health-related issues; developing partnerships with parents and teachers to create healthy school environments.

Consultation - give healthy and effective alternatives to teachers, parents, and administrators about problems in learning and behavior; help others understand child development and how it affects learning and behavior; strengthen working relationships between educators, parents and community services .

Assessment - use a wide variety of techniques at an individual, group, and systems level to evaluate academic skills, learning aptitudes, personality and emotional development social skills learning environments and school climate; eligibility for special education .

Intervention - work face-to-face with children and families help solve conflicts and problems in learning and adjustment; provide psychological counseling for children and families; provide social skills training, behavior management, and other strategies; help families and schools deal with crises, such as separation and loss

Prevention - identify potential learning difficulties; design programs for children at risk of failure; provide parents and teachers with the skills to cope with disruptive behavior; help foster tolerance, understanding, and appreciation of diversity in the school community; develop school-wide initiatives to make schools safer and more effective.

Education - develop programs on topics such as: teaching and learning strategies, classroom management techniques', working with students who have disabilities or unusual talents, substance abuse, crisis management.

Research and Planning - evaluate the effectiveness of academic programs, behavior management systems, and other services; generate new knowledge about learning and behavior; contribute to planning and evaluating school-wide reform and restructuring

All children and adolescents face problems from time to time. They may have fears about starting school, managing their time poorly, falling behind in school work, and family events such as divorce and death. They may feel depressed, lack self-discipline, think about suicide, lack study skills, and not be aware of their aptitudes and abilities. School psychologists are there to help parents, educators, and the community understand and solve these problems.

School psychologists:

understand how schools work and how children learn.

provide easily accessible, cost-effective mental health services to children.

promote positive mental health and a safe and effective learning  environment.

SUPPORTING STUDENT SUCCESS

by Bobbie Tundermann, Ed.D.

School Psychologist

Definitions of Bullying

A person is being bullied or victimized when he or she is exposed repeatedly, and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more persons.

Intentional infliction of, or the attempt to inflict, humiliation, or injury on another. This concept of bullying includes physical and verbal attacks.

 

Every bullying incident has at least 3 people ...

The Bully, The Target, and The Watcher. However, we all need to learn how to be HELPERS.

Help children become self-confident...

TEACH THEM 5 STEPS.

 

 

 

IGNORE

MOVE AWAY

ASK THE BULLY TO STOP

TELL THE BULLY FIRMLY TO STOP

TELL AN ADULT

 

Teach fogging -

when other people make hurtful remarks, don't argue and try not to become upset, imagine you are inside a huge, white fog, the insults are swallowed up by the fog long before they reach you.

Self-affirmation or self-talk - even though you're saying those things about me, I know they're not true.

Humor - deflect the bully.

Never let the bully see you sweat.

THREE RULES AT DUFFY SCHOOL:

We shall not bully other students.

We shall try to help other students who are bullied.

We shall make a point to include students who become easily left out.