Pawsitive School Counselor

Every year, I tell myself this will be the year I create a curriculum map I love—and actually stick with it for a few years. I promise I won’t spend another summer tweaking and reworking it. But then… I discover a new strategy I love even more. A fresh picture book gets released and sparks a whole new idea. Or, you know… a global pandemic happens. 😅

So yes—changes have been made, and more are always on the horizon. In this post, I’m sharing what I’ve learned, what I’ve updated, and how I’m planning smarter (not harder) moving forward. Let’s dive in!

1. Start with Your Students, Not Your Calendar

Before plugging anything into a schedule, pause to reflect on the needs of your school community. Use data, referrals, and student feedback to guide what topics should take priority. A student-centered map is always more meaningful—and more likely to be used.

2. Align with ASCA + What’s Actually Happening in Your Building

Yes, your map should reflect the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors—but don’t stop there. Cross-check with your school calendar (testing, spirit weeks, etc.) and collaborate with teachers to make sure your lessons land at the right time.

3. Build in Flex Weeks and Wiggle Room

Things will change—assemblies pop up, fire drills happen, and students need different things than you expected. I leave space in my map for flexibility so I’m not constantly rearranging all year. A former principal suggested to me one year when I was rotating to do 2 weeks on and 1 week off, I loved that she encouraged me to make time for my program and me!

4. Repeat What Works

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every year. If a lesson or activity was a hit (and met your objectives), plug it back in. Save time and mental energy by reusing strong content—then tweak as needed based on this year’s group.

5. Use Your Map as a Guide, Not a Script

Use your curriculum map as a guide, not a set-in-stone plan. It gives direction and structure, but you’re allowed to detour when something better fits your students’ needs in the moment. Stay flexible—it’s one of your superpowers as a counselor.

Notes about this sample map:

This is a sample curriculum map with general ideas for classroom lessons. You may see students more frequently than I do and choose to add additional topics. While this is just a guide, consider adjusting your map to fit your school’s unique needs by reviewing:

• Student needs
• Referral trends from the previous year
• Program goals
• School-wide data (discipline, attendance, academics)
• Feedback from program surveys and needs assessments

What curriculum do I use for the lessons? I have used a variety of curriculum’s in my career; here are just a few:

• Fostering Empathy
• Pawsitively Mindful
• Picture of Pawsitivity
• 30-Minute Groups: Executive Function
• Quaver
• Mind Up
• Ned Show
• Connected and Respected
• Lessons I find on TPT

Looking for books to partner with lessons?

I love pairing picture books with my lessons—they bring concepts to life in such a meaningful way. In fact, I’ve even built entire lessons around some of my favorite book series!

If you’re looking for the perfect book to complement your teaching, be sure to explore my comprehensive book database. You’ll also find a helpful map below with lesson-aligned book suggestions to spark ideas and save you time.

See a past sample of my curriculum map here.

More about the curriculum map:

PAWS lessons (Pawsitively Awesome and Wonderful Students) are mini lessons that I share with teachers to show to students before or after their counseling class. It serves as a refresher or introduction. I often record myself teaching these lessons using Apps such as Loom or Screencastify.

The caregiver and teacher support are provided in many different formats including presentations, handouts, emails, consultations, etc.

Mindful workshops can be provided to students during the day. When I offer a workshop I open it up to any student in certain grades. For example, I may host a workshop on Monday for any student in 4th grade during recess and on Thursday for any student in 5th during lunch. You can also make them stations at a parent night. I use this packet to help put together these workshops.

See my past maps here:

2020-2021

Classroom lesson map: Editable Excel or PDF

Whole school and small groups: Editable Excel or PDF

2019-2020

Classroom lesson map: Editable Excel  or PDF

Whole school and small groups: Editable Excel or PDF

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