3 Meet the Counselor Lessons You Must Try!

It's essential that you teach a 'meet the counselor' lesson at the beginning of the school year. You want people to know who you are and what you do! It's simply a fun way to introduce yourself. Oftentimes, counselors will ask me if it's necessary to do one if you are a returning counselor and I say yes! There are always new staff and students plus it's a great way for students to be reminded of the services you provide and how they can contact you.

There are three types of meet the counselor lessons I like to do. Which one you choose depends on your student population and counseling style. I have used all three and typically recommend using a mix!

Meet the Counselor Lesson: Introductory Chat

Use a Mr. Potato Head or photo booth props to discuss how you help students. You're basically using visual analogies to explain your role. For example, 'I have ears to listen to your problem'.

This is for you if:

• You work with primary kids

• You have access to supplies and materials

• You're creative

Meet the Counselor Lesson: Digital Game

A digital game is a great way to quiz students on your role. I love to use a Jeopardy style game. It is engaging and memorable and the kids love it! Use the questions to remove the stigma from counseling, clarify your role, and show how you can help students. Bonus points if you edit it to play with staff too!

This is for you if:

• You're an on the go counselor

• You don't like print and prep

• You love digital and editable things

Meet the Counselor Lesson: Interactive Game

Try creating an escape room style game to introduce yourself! This is highly engaging and a blast! I like to do a Mission Impossible style game where students race to crack the code of who the school counselor is.

This is best for upper elementary students as the kids need to be able to read independently. My fifth graders loved it!

This is for you if:

• You're looking to spice things up

• You have good classroom management skills

• You're organized

Whichever meet the counselor lesson you decide to teach, you will be advocating for your role by providing clarity around the services you can provide.

You can find all of these lessons and hundreds of other resources inside IMPACT, my monthly membership for school counselors.