CLASS OF 2022 - Guidance Distance Learning

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Journaling is an exercise that is commonly used as a coping strategy for managing emotions. By creating a narrative of your thoughts, experiences, and feelings, you are able to sort through and process them while also shifting irrational/unhealthy perspectives. Many of our anxieties and stresses stem from jumping into the future, and focusing on things we cannot control. Journaling can help you stay in the present moment and focus on the here and now. Interested in journaling but unsure of where to start? Below, you will find prompts based on our current situation and also prompts that are general and forward-facing.

1. What has changed in your day-to-day life in the last couple of weeks?
2. Which changes have been most difficult for you? Caused the most stress?
3. What changes have surprised you in a positive way?
4. What changes have led to some relief of distress? (If the answer is none, brainstorm changes that you have control over, that may lead to stress relief. Think self-care!)
5. What has brought me joy? What good things have I observed? How have I maintained connections to others? What positive opportunities has this situation given me, that I wouldn’t normally have?  
6. In what ways has my community responded to this new situation? How does this response show care for one another? For me personally?
7. How/what am I feeling? Are these emotions new, or different from how I normally feel? If so, why do I think this is? Are there steps I need to take to positively impact how I’m feeling?
8. What are 10 things I am grateful for today? What positive things are going on in my life right now?
9. How would I describe myself to someone I never met?
10. What does my ideal day look like?
11. What are some of my limiting beliefs that might be holding me back?
12. What motivates me? How will I stay motivated as we move forward with distance learning?

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

SAT Question of the Day

The following is an excerpt of a passage that is adapted from a speech delivered by President Franklin Roosevelt.

"The third is freedom from want - which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants - everywhere in the world."

In this passage, President Roosevelt sets a precedent by which he would most likely support which of the following policies?

A) Military defense of political borders

B) Investment in overseas business ventures

C) Aid to nations struggling due to conflict and other causes

D) Reduction of domestic services to spur job growth

Difficulty: Hard

Category: Reading/Inference

Strategic Advice: When answering this type of question, be sure to pay attention to the lines quoted in the question. The answer will come from the specific lines in question, even if there is more content in the passage. 

Answer: In the full speech, Roosevelt identifies four freedoms that he views the United States as obligated to defend. The freedom from want signifies a commitment to helping struggling populations at home and abroad. Choice (C) fits. The president urges economic understandings among nations to help those in need.

Source: Kaplan SAT Prep 

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Hello Class of 2022,

Last Tuesday we looked at two occupations through the Occupational Outlook, which is brought to you by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. 

Within each occupation description are categories detailing the nature of the work, pay, job requirements, and information on job outlook.  Check out their featured occupation to see these categories.

For more job outlook information......click HERE to see the Fastest Growing Occupations. 

Monday, March 30, 2020

Dear Class of 2022,

At this time our district and your teachers are attempting to provide you with distance learning, and you may have noticed an increase in expectations put upon you.  There are a few things you can do to help yourself and maximize your efforts.  Remember that these are extraordinary times, and if you should become overwhelmed or need assistance, do not hesitate to reach out to your counselors.   

First, try to keep a consistent routine.  We have mentioned this one before, but it is worth repeating.  If you want to increase your productivity, stick to a specific time and place.  You will be required to produce more work, so it may be important to distance yourself from distraction during your academic time.  And yes…. that means putting the phone away (remember how you would surrender them in class?). 

Since you are managing schoolwork on your own, make a weekly list of what you want to accomplish.  This provides a few different purposes; one is to organize your tasks by volume and due date.  The other function can be to incentivize by putting less desirable tasks first and rewarding yourself with more enjoyable subject matter toward the end.    You will also learn works best for you, so keep yourself open to change and adjustment.

Lastly, we want to emphasize the importance of communication during this difficult time.  Understand that everyone is experiencing something new right now, that includes your teachers, your parents, your friends, everybody.  That means there is a collective sense of uncertainty and anxiety.  It is helpful and important that we work through this together.  You should feel free and comfortable to explain and identify any difficulties that may be arising for you.  Remember that your teachers are still there to support your academic efforts, and your counselors are here to support your mental health and well-being. 

Class of 2022, stay strong and stay together.  We are thinking about you. 

Mr. Manners and Ms. Gulnac   

Thursday, March 26, 2020

It's typical for there to be some sort of stress in our daily lives. When we encounter new situations, like the one we find ourselves in now, it can increase the amount, and type of stress we are experiencing. Now that we are spending the majority of our time at home, we may have to adjust our normal ways of dealing with these emotions or find new coping strategies altogether. So, what are some quick and easy ways to practice mindfulness and manage stress while being at home? Here are some basic examples that you can start doing right now.

1. Be intentional: Before you get out of bed, take a few deep breaths or do a breathing exercise. What do you want to accomplish today beyond your to-do list? What do you want to appreciate, acknowledge and communicate today? What do I want my mindset/perspective to be as I move through my day today? 

2. Make your bed: Making your bed is a "productivity-enhancing and mood-boosting" activity. Clutter and disorganization can add stress and a feeling of chaos into our days, whether we realize it or not. Taking a moment to organize is an easy way to remove stress and help create a space where you can feel relaxed.

3. Practice mindful eating: Eat when you're hungry, not when you're tired, sad, anxious or bored. Especially now when we are spending extended periods of time at home, it is easy to find yourself snacking throughout the day. This may sound silly, but take a moment to think about the food you are about to eat. Where did it come from? How did it make its way to you? What people might have been involved in getting the food to your plate? What type of nourishment will this food bring to you? Studies show that when we practice mindful eating, we are more likely to only take in what is necessary. 

4. Take screen breaks - especially before bedtime: As we know, sleep is very important to maintain our overall health. Before bed, our brains need time to build melatonin, which is crucial for a deep sleep. By turning off your devices, you give your brain a chance to build melatonin and prepare for bedtime. Plus, lets not forget the stress and anxiety social media introduces... but that's a topic for another day! Just be mindful of the amount of time you're spending on your devices and the feelings that are stemming from that time. 

5. Go outside: Go for a walk, sit in the yard, sit on the front porch, just go outside, put your phone down and enjoy the fresh air. 

6. Take brain breaks throughout the day: Take some time for yourself away from school work, away from the noisy living room at your house, and do some reading, some breathing exercises, maybe download a mindfulness app on your phone, or just sit there and listen to music for awhile. 

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Hey 10th graders! 

On Wednesdays, we will be posting an "SAT" or "ACT" question of the day. Remember, if you were planning to take the Pre-ACT this weekend, it has been canceled. You can follow this link to our testing page for more information: https://www.cbsd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=1002 .

SAT Question of the Day 

Everyone has (1) their own reason for wanting to become an intern. Kelli has several other reasons behind her decision. (2) For example, Kelli wants to meet people to learn about the variety of careers available, from entry level to senior engineer. She will accomplish all of her intern goals (3) by working on technical projects, attend "lunch and learn" meetings, watching webinars, and shadow coworkers. 

(1)

    A. NO CHANGE

    B. your

    C. its

    D. his or her

Difficulty: Medium

Category: Writing & Language/Usage

Strategic Advice: Examine the structure of the sentence and identify the pronoun or pronouns that match the antecedent. Use the word "everyone" in a simple sentence to determine if it's singular or plural: for example, "Everyone goes." "Everyone" is a singular pronoun referring to a person, so it requires a singular possessive pronoun. 

Answer: Using the plural "their" is accepted only in informal usage. Choice (D) is the correct answer because it correctly matches the antecedent in number and appropriately identifies both gender options, since the antecedent did not specify a gender. 

Source: Kaplan SAT Prep

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Hello Everybody,

Hope the Class of 2022 is doing well and getting some sunshine.

We thought Tuesdays would be a great day to talk a little bit about Career Development.  You all have been introduced to some of the principles of Career Development.  Simply put, Career Development matches your interests and inclinations with real world occupations.  The important thing to remember is Career Development is an ongoing process of self-discovery.  Some individuals engage in this process into adulthood, so it is OK to be unsure about what you want to do.  Just keep in mind that the more you learn about yourself and the work environment that you would prefer, the better off you are in the process. 

Let’s do a quick experiment.  Below you will find two descriptions, click on the one you find the most attractive.  Take some time to review the occupation description and requirements.  Then take some time to look at the occupation you did not choose and think about the reasons why you like or dislike the work that is described.  There are a lot of occupations out there, let’s start by learning about these two…..

Click HERE if you would like to study the origin, development, and behavior of humans.

Click HERE if you would like to use mathematics, statistics, and financial theory to analyze the financial costs of risk and uncertainty. (Somebody has to do it!) 

Monday, March 23, 2020

Hello Class of 2022,

We hope your days are going well.  Please be sure to check our CB West Twitter @CBWestHS for important information on Spirit Week!  Today is West Pride Day and we are asking for you to show us your Black and Gold by posting a picture on @CBWestHS. 

Last week we had talked about the importance and value of keeping a daily schedule.  This practice serves to provide you with a sense of accomplishment, and it keeps your days varied and productive. 

After mentioning this I saw examples of daily schedules that were being provided to students.  I thought I would provide an example (below) to serve as a template for you to modify and/or implement.  You can approach this in two ways, either by following a set time schedule, or going through a daily checklist of things to accomplish. 

Keep in mind that you have an increased responsibility to keep your mind engaged and your body moving.  It is a perfect time to try new things, keep a journal, set fitness goals, learn an instrument, learn to cook, learn a language, or read a book. 

8:00 a.m. Wake-up, eat breakfast

9:00-10:00 Outside time, walk the dog, yoga, family walk

10:00-11:00 Academic Time - work on CB West Distance Learning, Read (without electronics)

11:00-12:00 Creative Time – Play music, write, draw, cook

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-2:30  Quiet Time – Reading, puzzles, nap, meditation

2:30-4:00 Academic Time – CB West Distance Learning (with electronics)

4:00-5:30 Outside Time – Exercise, walk, play!

5:30 – 6:30 Dinner

6:30 – 8:00  Your Time, consider calling a family member or friend who you have not spoken to in a while.  Don’t forget to check in on any family members who may be isolated due to social distancing. 

March 20, 2020

Hello Class of 2022, we hope you are all doing well.  Check back in on Monday, Mr. Manners and Ms. Gulnac will be providing a weeks' worth of food for thought. 

Have a good weekend, stay safe. 

March 19, 2020

This week has most likely been an adjustment for everyone, with a big difference being the amount of unscheduled time on your hands.  School typically serves the function of getting you out of bed, and it provides you with a healthy amount of organization and structure.  Without the requirement of school, you are left with a considerable amount of “free” time, or as your parents may like to call it, “time when you could be doing something.” 

As of tomorrow, you will have been home for an entire week, this gives you a good amount of observable data.  Putting some things down on paper is one way to see how you are spending your time, and it gives you an opportunity to adjust.  Keep in mind, most phones will reveal how long you are spending on social media, reading the news, etc.  You can incorporate these statistics into your data, as we tend to be unaware of the true amount of time spent on our devices.      

Knowing that you have more time to manage, you may want to introduce some structure to your day.  One approach could be to complete a daily checklist.  This could include items that you may not be as inspired to do, like chores, schoolwork, or exercise.  Taking this approach serves to provide you with a sense of accomplishment and can also sweeten your reward. 

If you want to keep it simple, start by trying to influence the time you spend sleeping, reading, and moving.  Adjustments in these three areas can have an immediate impact on your well-being.  Are you getting enough sleep and is it within normal sleeping hours?  Are you reading enough, for school or enjoyment?  And what activities are you participating in that will get you moving?  Spring days provide great opportunities to get outside and walk.  Consider taking a walk with siblings and family. 

Whatever approach you take, remember that you can impact how you are feeling by what you are doing for yourself.  Take some time to evaluate and then push yourself in a positive direction.

Enjoy your weekend and we will be back early next week with lots of other things for you to consider.  We miss you all.   

Mr. Manners and Ms. Gulnac  

March 17,2020

Dear Class of 2022,

This unexpected break has taken us away from each other, but we want all of you to know we are thinking about you and we are here to offer our support.  During this time, we intend on communicating essential mental health information along with ideas to make your time away purposeful and productive.

Any interruption to our normal routine can be upsetting.  Your initial reaction to the time off may include stress or worry.  Keep in mind that if any feeling becomes overwhelming for you, or you find yourself thinking too much about a certain thing, feel free to reach out to us or someone close to you.  It is a time to rely on those around you, if you are in need, do not hesitate to ask for help.  Here is a useful resource Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

You have entered a unique period in your high school career.  It is safe to assume that included in your high school memories will be the impact of this pandemic.  How you respond to this situation will define your time and ultimately frame your recollection of these events.  It is possible to see this period as an opportunity to learn about yourself, reflect on your habits, and establish new patterns.       

We would like to provide direction and suggestions as you begin to manage your time away.  This would include essential elements like establishing a schedule, incorporating exercise, and ensuring proper nutrition.  Being kind to yourself and taking care of your physical and emotional needs will positively impact your overall health.  Remember, during this time you have an increased responsibility to take care of yourself and others. 

At times we are brought together over our accomplishments, our organization, our progress, our expectations.  This time we are brought together by our shared vulnerability.  Remember to support each other and stay in touch.  We expect to be hearing from you and working with you along the way. 

Sincerely,

Your Counselors,

Ms. Gulnac and Mr. Manners

Information – COVID – 19

https://www.brainpop.com/health/diseasesinjuriesandconditions/coronavirus/ - short informational video explaining COVID-19

https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/pdf/hand-sanitizer-factsheet.pdf - Handwashing and Hand-sanitizing, any questions?