February 8, 2024
By BARTON HENLEY
Rutherford County Schools
Amanda Akers is in her sixth year as a school counselor at Homer Pittard Campus School.
Prior to being named school counselor at Campus School, Akers was the school counselor at Stewartsboro Elementary. She is the former music teacher there as well.
QUESTION: How did you begin school counseling?
Akers: Well, I love teaching kids. That is my passion. Being able to help in more of a individualized setting or small group was really something I wanted to participate in. I was able to earn that degree to help students more in a one-on-one setting and give them the attention that they desire.
QUESTION: Why is it important for you to educate students about self-care?
Akers: I discovered as a teacher that a lot of times kids need more support to function in school. English, language arts, math, and music are all incredible subjects for students to learn, but students can’t have access to those things if they’re worried about major life things going on. Students need support when they are going through those things. A student’s behavior impacts the child as an individual but also impacts the rest of their class as well. I am excited each day to be able to support those students in a small group or individualized setting to help them meet whatever they need to flourish inside the classroom. I love the fact that because I'm here. Each morning, I greet every kid who walks in our front doors at the front door, and I call them by name. I want them seeing my face. I want them to have that relationship all year long so that when something happens in their life, they have a resource right here. They know that they can contact me. As they grow older, counseling can become an option to them. I feel like they may be more open to it because they'll have that in the back of their heads.
QUESTION: What does it mean for a student to flourish?
Akers: Sometimes it could look like allowing a student to verbalize the thoughts they have whether healthy or not. I can always redirect them on how to make their thoughts more positive and uplifting, but flourishing might look like a student verbalizing what they are feeling. I work with students on emotional regulation. I try to give them very practical coping strategies they can take away and use in the classroom, at home, or while even on the baseball field.
QUESTION: Can you share some of the techniques you share with students on how they can regulate their emotions?
Akers: The first thing with students is bringing awareness to them that they are becoming out of control with their emotions. I try to help them recognize the warning signs that they are becoming elevated and that they can access these strategies that they have learned because I can feel myself getting out of control. Once they develop that awareness, they can use very practical strategies such as taking deep breaths, drinking ice water, or even going to the restroom and splashing some cold water on their cheeks.
QUESTION: How do you help students understand that it is OK to feel emotions, but they have to display them in a healthy way?
Akers: First thing I tell them is that it is totally fine and normal that they are angry, sad, etc. I will try to relate to them and tell them that I would feel that emotion too. I will say that I would be sad or upset if something like that happened to me as well. I will move from that to explain to them that they have control over their behavior in relation to feeling emotions. They can be angry and take a break in the restroom for a few minutes until they cool down. They can do whatever they need to release some of that emotion right now, but they also have to understand that their behavior affects more than just themselves. If a student gets angry in class and hurts someone by throwing a chair down, now their emotions have impacted more than just them. I try to help them recognize that feeling emotion is normal, but they have to regulate it in a healthy way. That way they will feel happier later and not regret anything that they did.
QUESTION: For a parent reading this who wants to be an advocate for their child, what resources would you like them to know about?
Akers: There are so many incredible resources [Rutherford County Schools] offers for students and families. For example, there is a Parent Series meeting in March that is going to be centered around the topic of anxiety. Most of the students I talk with carry anxiety, especially around testing times of the year. I think one of the biggest things a parent can do is to be in contact with their child’s school counselor. The school counselor is going to be able to run interference during the school day to care for their students while they are not around. Both parties being on the same page is huge for success of the child.