What do the words, “developmental guidance” actually mean?  It may sound fancy, but this simply refers to classroom lessons that counselors teach students.   Unlike learning math facts or writing a paper for English, these lessons teach students about forming healthy relationships, making plans for the future, or specific topics about making healthy decisions.

The YKSD Comprehensive Counseling Program utilizes guidance curriculum which is intended for students in grades kindergarten into middle-school.  The curriculum is divided into three parts: empathy training, impulse control and anger management.  Empathy training teaches students about recognizing feelings, how they change and strategies to manage them.  Impulse control focuses on teaching students how to control impulsive behaviors that at times, can be problematic in the classroom.  Finally, anger management teaches students ways of calming down and appropriate strategies on how to identify angry feelings before they become a problem.

What about developmental guidance for our older students?  Counselors certainly do teach students in high school, but these topics are a little different.  The most common topics include sexual harassment, cyber-bullying, and social media safety. Career planning also becomes a primary priority, especially in middle and high school as we shift to assisting our students on creating a plan for life after graduation.

The Following Are Potential Topics Your Counselor Might Teach:

Relational Aggression Suicide Awareness Drugs/Alcohol Awareness Sexual Harassment Grief/Loss Empathy Skills Coping with Stress Peer-Pressure Good/Bad Touching Managing Anger Conflict Resolution Making Healthy Choices Good Study Skills Personal Hygiene Impulse Control Bullying Awareness            Cyber-Bullying Self-Esteem/Image Accepting Diversity Gossip/Rumors Career Awareness Social Media Safety Creating Friendships Test Preparation