111. Small Wins, Big Impact: Celebrating the Tiny Victories of Your School Year

Carol: Hey counselor friends.

As we wrap up another school year, I think it's really easy for us to focus on those big milestones like graduations, award ceremonies,

and even final grades.

But today on the podcast,

I want to shine a light on some of the small wins.

You know, those tiny victories that often go unnoticed but have a big impact on our students and ourselves.

So that's what we're going to be talking about today.

Carol: You're listening to the Counselor Chat podcast, a show for school counselors looking for easy to implement strategies, how to tips, collaboration and a little spark of joy.

I'm Carol Miller, your host. I'm a full time school counselor and the face behind counseling essentials. I'm all about creating simplified systems, data driven practices and using creative approaches to engage students.

If you're looking for a little inspiration to help you make a big impact on student growth and success,

you're in the right place because we're better together.

Ready to chat? Let's dive in.

Carol: Hey there counselors.

Welcome back to Counselor Chat. I'm your host Carol Miller and I'm so glad you're here with me today.

Today we are going to be talking all about how small wins really equal a big impact and how we can celebrate those tiny victories of our school years.

Let's talk about first why these small wins matter.

I mean research shows that celebrating small accomplishments can actually boost motivation,

reinforce positive behaviors and create a sense of progress.

And according to behavioral scientists,

BJ Fogg,

celebrating those small wins, well, it also stimulates dopamine.

That dopamine release in our brain and it reinforces our learning experiences and strengthening our connection to the work that we do.

So you might be wondering what does this look like in schools?

The first is maybe by celebrating student wins. I mean think about the student who finally raised their hand in class after weeks of silence.

Or maybe the one who turned in their homework on time for the first time this semester.

These moments, they may seem small,

but they represent significant growth and they should be celebrated.

And here are some ideas of how you can celebrate those little student wins.

Create a shout out board. I mean create a bulletin board where students can add post it notes celebrating their own or their peers achievements.

Have on hand some positive note homes. Send a quick email or a note to parents highlighting something positive their child did that day.

These are always a hit and trust me, that little post it or that little note home,

they tend to be saved.

Or maybe have a little classroom celebration.

Take a few minutes at the end of the week to acknowledge students successes no matter how small they are.

Even if you don't have your own classroom, and maybe you go into classes once a week, once a month,

or maybe even once a quarter,

having a little time at the very end to just recognize the students in the class,

that goes a long way.

Another way to look at these little wins is by celebrating staff wins.

Because let's face it, it's not just students who deserve recognition.

Our fellow educators and staff members,

they also achieve small victories every day.

And I've always been known to say that we don't share our victories enough.

There are victories going on all over the place and sometimes we just never know it. But when we're able to share as a community and share as a staff all the wins,

we start looking at all the great things that we really did do.

And if you even talk about just one student and the teachers that work with that one student, because let's face it, it's not just one teacher that works with that one student.

It's a whole team of people.

If we all celebrated one win for that one kid, we're going to be amazed at all that was accomplished.

And you can do some of these things for your staff.

You can have, once again, staff shout outs. Start the meetings by acknowledging team members efforts and their successes.

Leave a little thank you note,

a little handwritten note on a colleague's desk showing your appreciation.

Oh my gosh, it goes,

it goes far.

And then even celebrate milestones.

Recognize birthdays, work anniversaries,

or maybe even personal achievements.

And that helps build a positive school culture.

And it's important to celebrate our students and our staff.

But my friends, it's so important to also celebrate our personal wins.

And as counselors, we often focus on others and we forget to acknowledge our own accomplishments.

So you need to take time to reflect on your own small wins.

Did you attend a workshop or learn a new strategy?

Did a student thank you for your support?

Maybe there was a personal achievement that you had. Like, did you maintain a healthy work life balance this week?

Maybe it's some other things. Maybe.

I know for myself personally the wins that I have been celebrating lately are when my principal came over and just shared a cute little story about something that she heard from a kid who the kids said to her, you know,

I have my own emotional support person here.

And my principal was like,

really? Who's that?

And the kids said, Mrs. Miller, she's my emotional support person.

I thought it was super cute and it really made my day.

And honestly,

I'll take that as A win.

So we have to really, we have to celebrate these successes. We have to look for these stories because it does, it helps us prevent burnout and it keeps us motivated.

But we also have to create a culture of celebration in our school.

And when we celebrate these small wins as a regular part of our school culture,

well, we are creating opportunities for students and staff to share their success because we are encouraging sharing.

We're also modeling gratitude because when we're able to show appreciation openly and encourage others to do the same,

it really makes the world a of difference.

And as we're creating this culture of celebration,

we have to be sure to be consistent.

We have to make celebration a regular part of our routine,

not just a one time event.

And I know there's probably some of you out there who are thinking it shouldn't be my role or my responsibility to celebrate everyone else's victories.

But my friends, we are a team and we are change makers. We are leaders in that department.

And we have to think,

what kind of environment do I want to walk into every single day?

And if we want that environment,

that is a culture of celebration where sharing is encouraged and gratitude is expressed.

We have to be a part of creating it and growing it.

All right, counselors, as we close out the school year,

let's remember to celebrate the small wins.

Those tiny victories, they build momentum,

they boost morale,

and they create a positive environment for everyone.

So I want you to take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the progress made by your students,

your colleagues, and yourself.

Because those small wins, they truly do have a big impact.

And you are making an impact every single day.

Until next time,

I want you to take care of yourself,

take care of each other,

and have a great week.

Bye for now.

Carol: Thanks for listening to today's episode of Counselor Chat.

All of the links I talked about can be found in the show notes and at counselingessentials.org podcast.

Be sure to hit follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast player. And if you would be so kind to leave a review, I'd really appreciate it.

Want to connect? Send me a DM on Facebook or Instagram at Counseling Essentials. Until next time. Can't wait till we chat.

Bye for now.