Recent Episodes
GRADED: Check In, Check Out
What if the behavior approach everyone swears by is actually making some kids worse? Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) is one of the most common Tier 2 interventions in school counseling, but most trainings leave out the detail that decides whether it works or fails. In this episode, I share the research, …
GRADED: Small Group Counseling
Small group counseling gets pushed as the fix for everything. But what if we’re getting it wrong? In this episode: Why “ASCA-aligned” doesn’t mean effectiveThe real reason group work is overusedHow to spot a pretty curriculum with zero impactPlus, a student story that stopped me in my tracks. If yo…
GRADED: Use-of-Time Data
You know that feeling when it’s Friday, and you can’t even explain what you did all week? Use-of-time tracking is supposed to help- but too often, it feels like just another way to keep school counselors in check. This week on Graded, we’re pulling apart one of the most pushed- but least supported-…
GRADED: Needs Assessments
Needs assessments are everywhere in school counseling, and they're especially enticing when you’re just starting out. They feel like the smart, strategic thing to do. But what if they’re just giving you more to carry? In this episode, we’re taking a hard look at needs assessments: who’s pushing the…
GRADED: When Short-Term Counseling Fails Students
We’ve all been told school counseling should be short-term and goal-focused, and most of us have tried to follow that rule: running six-week groups, setting goals, and wrapping things up quickly. But when those same students ...
GRADED: The ASCA National Model
In this first episode of the Graded series, we put the ASCA National Model to the test. What was promised? What’s actually happening? And what grade does it really deserve? If you’ve ever felt like the model was built for someone else’s school, you are NOT alone! For over two decades, the ASCA Mode…
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