3 Must Read Books for School Counselors and Teachers for Better Collaboration

School counselor and teacher collaboration is critical to student success. Since counselors and teachers have different experiences with students (and very different functions in their jobs), forming a team to help struggling children can make a huge difference. Here are my 3 book recommendations for school counselors and educators to read in order to foster a strong partnership that leads to student achievement: 

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the 5 love languages, the basic premise is that we all express and feel love differently, and when others express their love in the way we best understand, we feel valued and appreciated. Discovering someone else’s love language can lead to more effective communication and stronger expression of love. Typically, this concept is applied to adults in romantic relationships, but Chapman and Campbell use the idea of love languages as a way to motivate children to do their best. Those who work with children in a school setting can apply this concept by learning the love languages of students who exhibit problem behaviors and by showing love and appreciation through that language. As a result, students are more inclined to do what is asked of them because they feel the teacher or counselor truly cares.

Ross Greene believes that all children want to do well, and they all would if they were capable. Lost At School is based on this assumption and focuses on targeting skills children lack that prevent them from doing what is appropriate. This book outlines a step-by-step process that teachers and counselors can follow when working with students and their parents to decrease negative behaviors. It shows why the traditional discipline system does not work for children who repeatedly find themselves in trouble while offering a guide for teaching the lagging skills these students are missing.

A key element to collaboration between any co-workers is a positive work environment, and Gordon offers simple steps to achieve that type of atmosphere. The 10 “rules” in this book can help teachers and counselors communicate better with less frustrating encounters. This in turn, will give students the strongest team possible to assist them in navigating their school struggles.

Laura Smestad, M.A., LPC, NCC is an elementary and middle school counselor in New Orleans, LA. She is the creator of The School Counselor Life Blog, which is designed as a resource to other school counselors looking for individual and small group counseling ideas, classroom lessons, organization tips, and all things school counseling. Make sure you ‘like’ The School Counselor Life on Facebook for all of the latest updates.