Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan: Your New School Counselor!
Students will be able to identify the role of the school counselor and understand how to access their support for academic, social-emotional, and career needs.
Understanding the role of the school counselor helps students feel supported, provides clarity on available resources, and encourages proactive engagement in their academic and personal growth. It builds a foundation for a positive school experience.
Audience
10th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive presentation and guided Q&A.
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Lesson Plan: Your New School Counselor! and familiarise yourself with the content.
- Review the Slide Deck: Meet Your Counselor! to ensure all slides are in order.
- Review the Script: Counselor Introduction to prepare for delivery.
- Print any necessary copies of the Warm Up: Counselor Expectations and Cool Down: Counselor Connection if not using digital.
- Ensure technology (projector, computer) is set up for the slide deck and any potential video elements (though none are included in this plan).
- Prepare index cards or small slips of paper for the Activity: Ask the Counselor Anything.
- Introduce the new counselor to the class, if they are not already known, prior to starting the lesson.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Counselor Expectations (5 minutes)
5 minutes
- Begin by distributing or displaying the Warm Up: Counselor Expectations.
2. Instruct students to think individually about what they imagine a school counselor does.
3. Have students pair up and share one idea with their partner.
4. Briefly bring the class together and ask for a few volunteers to share their ideas. Acknowledge and validate their responses, setting the stage for the counselor's introduction.
Step 2
Meet Your Counselor: Presentation & Overview (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Introduce the school counselor (if not already done).
2. The counselor will use the Slide Deck: Meet Your Counselor! to introduce themselves and explain their role, guided by the Script: Counselor Introduction.
3. Key points to cover include academic support, social-emotional well-being, and future planning (career/college).
4. Emphasize confidentiality and how students can reach out for support.
Step 3
Activity: Ask the Counselor Anything (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Distribute index cards or small slips of paper to each student.
2. Explain the Activity: Ask the Counselor Anything: students will write down one question they have for the counselor, anonymously. Encourage questions about the counselor's role, services, or general school-related advice.
3. Collect the questions.
4. The counselor will randomly select and answer as many questions as time allows, providing clear and concise responses. This helps address student curiosities directly.
Step 4
Cool-Down: Counselor Connection (5 minutes)
5 minutes
- Distribute or display the Cool Down: Counselor Connection.
2. Instruct students to reflect on the session and write down one thing they learned about the school counselor OR one way they might be able to help them in the future.
3. Collect responses as an exit ticket. This helps gauge understanding and reinforce key takeaways.
Slide Deck
Meet Your School Counselor!
👋 Hello, 10th Graders!
Welcome students and introduce yourself as the new school counselor. Briefly mention your excitement to be joining their school community.
Who Am I?
– My Name: [Counselor's Name]
– Your New Support System
– Excited to be here!
Share your name and a very brief, relatable detail about yourself. For example, 'I'm Ms./Mr. [Counselor's Name], and I'm really looking forward to getting to know all of you. I'm a first-year counselor here, which means I'm also learning and growing with you!'
What Does a School Counselor Do?
We help with:
– Academics: Study skills, classes, goal setting
– Social & Emotional: Friendships, stress, feelings, personal growth
– Career & College Planning: Future paths, exploring interests, applications
Explain that counselors are here to help students in three main areas. Give a brief, simple example for each. Academic: 'Help with study skills or understanding your schedule.' Social-Emotional: 'Talk about friendships, stress, or just when you need someone to listen.' Career/College: 'Start thinking about what comes after high school, whether that's college, a job, or other training.'
Why Might You See Me?
– Need to talk?
– Feeling overwhelmed?
– Have questions about your future?
– Want to improve your grades or study habits?
– Just need a safe space to share.
Emphasize that visiting the counselor is confidential (within limits of safety) and that it's a safe space. 'You don't need to have a huge problem to come see me. Sometimes it's just helpful to talk things through, get advice, or explore ideas.'
How Can You Reach Me?
– My Office: [Counselor's Office Location]
– Email: [Counselor's Email Address]
– Sign-Up: [Explain how to make an appointment, e.g., "Sign-up sheet outside my door" or "Through your advisory teacher"]
Clearly explain the practical ways students can connect with you. 'My office is [Office Location]. You can usually find me there, or you can email me at [Counselor Email]. The best way to guarantee a time is to sign up for an appointment using [Method: e.g., Sign-up sheet outside my office / Online booking form / Ask your teacher].'
Questions & Connecting
– Your chance to ask!
– Let's connect and get to know each other.
Transition to the Q&A activity. 'Now, it's your turn to ask some questions! We'll do an anonymous activity to make sure everyone feels comfortable asking what's on their mind.'
Script
Script: Counselor Introduction
Warm-Up: Counselor Expectations (5 minutes)
Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we have a special guest joining us. But before we get to that, let's get our brains warmed up. I want you to take a moment to think: what do you imagine a school counselor does? Just one idea for now. No need to share out loud yet."
Teacher: "Now, turn to a partner near you and share your idea. What do you think a school counselor does?"
Teacher: "Alright, let's hear a few of your thoughts. Who would like to share one idea their pair discussed?" (Allow 2-3 students to share. Validate their answers and make a general statement about how counselors help students.)
Meet Your Counselor: Presentation & Overview (10 minutes)
Teacher: "Thank you for sharing your ideas. You're actually on the right track! And speaking of school counselors, I'm thrilled to introduce our new first-year school counselor, [Counselor's Name]! [Counselor's Name] is here to tell you a bit about themselves and how they can be a resource for all of you. Please give them a warm welcome!"
Counselor: (Advances to Slide 1: Meet Your School Counselor!)
"Hi everyone! Thank you for that warm welcome. I'm so excited to be here at [School Name] and to be your new school counselor for the 10th grade. As your teacher mentioned, I'm [Counselor's Name], and I'm a first-year counselor, which means I'm learning and growing alongside you all this year!" (Advances to Slide 2: Who Am I?)
"So, who am I, really? Think of me as a resource, a supporter, and someone who's here to help you navigate high school and beyond. My job is to support you in many different ways." (Advances to Slide 3: What Does a School Counselor Do?)
"As a school counselor, my role generally falls into three big areas. First, Academics. This means I can help you with things like study skills, managing your classes, setting academic goals, or even just understanding your transcript. Second, Social & Emotional support. High school can be a lot! I'm here to talk about friendships, managing stress, understanding your feelings, or just being a safe person to talk to when you need to process something. And third, Career & College Planning. Even though you're in 10th grade, it's never too early to start thinking about your future! We can explore different career paths, look at college options, or talk about what steps you need to take after high school."
(Advances to Slide 4: Why Might You See Me?)
"So, why might you come to see me? You don't need a huge problem to visit. Maybe you're feeling a little overwhelmed with schoolwork, or you're having a disagreement with a friend. Perhaps you have questions about which classes to take next year, or you're just curious about different jobs. My office is a safe, confidential space where you can talk freely, explore solutions, or just have someone listen without judgment. Everything you share with me is confidential, meaning I won't share it with others, unless you give me permission or if I become concerned for your safety or the safety of others. That's a really important part of my job."
(Advances to Slide 5: How Can You Reach Me?)
"Now, for the practical stuff: how can you actually reach me? My office is located at [Counselor's Office Location]. The easiest way to make sure we connect is to [explain method, e.g., sign up for an appointment using the sheet outside my door / send me an email at (Counselor's Email Address) / ask your advisory teacher to connect you with me]. I want to make it as easy as possible for you to get the support you need."
Activity: Ask the Counselor Anything (10 minutes)
Counselor: (Advances to Slide 6: Questions & Connecting)
"Alright, now it's your turn to engage! I want to give you all a chance to ask any questions you might have. To make sure everyone feels comfortable, we're going to do this anonymously. I'm going to hand out these small slips of paper/index cards. Please write down one question you have for me – it can be about my role, what I can help with, or anything else school-related you're curious about. Don't put your name on it. Once you've written your question, please pass it to the front/center aisle." (Allow students a couple of minutes to write and collect the cards.)
Counselor: (Once questions are collected)
"Okay, I have a pile of questions here! I'm going to pick a few and answer them as honestly and helpfully as I can. This is a great way for me to understand what's on your minds, too." (Read questions aloud and provide clear, concise answers. If a question is inappropriate or too personal for a group setting, gently redirect or explain why it can't be answered publicly, suggesting the student can come speak privately.)
Cool-Down: Counselor Connection (5 minutes)
Counselor: "We're just about out of time, but I hope this has given you a clearer picture of who I am and how I can support you. Before you leave today, I have one final, quick task for you. Your teacher will hand out/display a quick cool-down question." (Transition back to teacher or guide students to the cool-down if counselor is leading.)
Teacher: "Thank you, [Counselor's Name]! For our cool-down today, please take a moment to reflect. On your cool-down slip/paper, please write down one thing you learned about our school counselor today OR one way they might be able to help you in the future. This will serve as your exit ticket. Thank you!"
Warm Up
Warm-Up: What Does a Counselor Do?
Instructions:
- Think: Take a moment to think about what a school counselor does. What kinds of things do you think they help students with?
- Pair: Turn to a partner and share ONE idea you have about the role of a school counselor.
- Share: Be ready to share your idea with the class if called upon!
Activity
Activity: Ask the Counselor Anything (Almost!)
Goal: To give you a chance to ask genuine questions to our new school counselor in a comfortable way.
Instructions:
- Get Ready: You will receive a small slip of paper or an index card.
- Your Question: On the paper, write down ONE question you have for our new school counselor. This could be about their role, what services they offer, what they enjoy about being a counselor, or anything else you're genuinely curious about regarding their work at school.
- Examples: "Can a counselor help me with my study habits?" "Is everything I say confidential?" "What kind of groups do counselors run?" "How often can I meet with you?"
- Keep it Anonymous: Do NOT write your name on the paper.
- Submit: When instructed, please pass your question to the front of the classroom.
- Listen & Learn: Our counselor will then pick questions and answer them for the class. This is a great opportunity to learn more about how they can support you!
Cool Down
Cool Down: Counselor Connection
Instructions:
On your paper, please write down ONE of the following:
-
One thing you learned today about our new school counselor.
OR
-
One way our school counselor might be able to help you in the future.
This will serve as your exit ticket for today's session.