130. Recognizing the Signs: Early Indicators of Student Struggle

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 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, counselor friends. I'm Carol Miller and welcome back to another episode of Counselor Chat. This is the podcast where we dig into real world strategies, relatable stories, and a little laughter to make your job as a school counselor just a bit easier.

Today we're talking about something that happens to all of us during the first few weeks of school.

That moment when your gut says,

hmm, something's off with that kiddo.

I mean, we're diving into recognizing the signs, those early indicators of student struggle.

Because let's face it, the first few weeks are more than bulletin boards and icebreakers. I mean, they're a gold mine for observation.

And while we're juggling new schedules, fire drills, and remembering how many kids are in Ms. Jackson's class, again,

it's easy to overlook those subtle and red flags that are already waving at us.

So today we're going to break down what to look for, what to actually do about it, and how to trust your instincts without jumping to those worst case scenarios.

So let's dive in.

Let's. Let's start with the classic the quiet kid who fades into the background.

Now, I'm not talking about your introverts who are living their best life in the back row,

happily sketching anime characters and avoiding group work.

I'm talking about the student who used to be engaged,

maybe even chatty, and now suddenly they're pulling back.

They don't raise their hand, they're avoiding eye contact,

they're always in the bathroom.

Or better yet, they're magically absent during classroom lessons.

I mean, this is a red flag,

that sudden withdrawal, especially if it's paired with a flat effect or a change in demeanor.

So I want you to try this. I want you to swing by the classroom during a transition,

catch them casually and say,

hey,

I've noticed you've been a little quieter than usual.

How's the year starting off for you?

When you start off this way, you're not accusing, you're Just observing.

And sometimes that simple check in opens the door to a much bigger conversation.

Now here's another one,

and this one's kind of sneaky. I like to call them their perfectionist in panic mode.

I mean, they show up with the perfect outfit,

the perfect handwriting,

and a backpack that looks like a color coded filing system.

Sounds ideal, right?

But when you look closer, you'll see it.

The kiddo who melts down over a 93 on a quiz.

The one who checks in three times to make sure their name is on the board correctly.

The one who apologizes 47 times for forgetting a pencil.

Underneath that polish is anxiety,

often marked as high achievement.

The red flag here are those obsessive behaviors. That rigid thinking or the panic when things are out of routine.

So with these kiddos, here's what I want you to try.

Hey, you're working so hard.

Are you feeling pressure from somewhere or is this just your personal best in show?

I mean, sometimes a little humor paired with genuine concern can give you insight into whether the student is simply a higher achiever or someone who's silently drowning in pressure.

Let's move on to the next kiddo,

the class clown.

I mean, we've all got one. The kid who's on stage. From a moment they walk into the room.

Every day is like a standup routine. They're funny, they're loud,

and quite honestly, they are exhausting.

Now, sometimes it is just a budding comedian, but other times,

humor is a mask for insecurity or a coping mechanism for something much deeper.

If the behavior is suddenly new or it's disrupting their relationships or their learning, it might be time to get a little closer look.

The red flag here is that constant attention seeking,

disruptive joking,

or getting in trouble on purpose.

So with these kiddos, here's what I want you to try.

I want you to say you've got a strong presence in class.

Have you always been the funny one or is this a new role for you?

Let them tell you what's going on beneath the surface.

Sometimes the answer is as simple as I didn't know anyone and I figured making people laugh was the fastest way to fit in.

Sometimes it's more.

So starting off that conversation can really lead into some bigger conversations.

This might be the kiddo that you have to check in with more than once.

Now, another kiddo is the frequent flyer.

And here comes my favorite, the kid who's already been to the nurse nine times and it's only week two.

I mean, they have the headache, the stomach ache, the Toothache, the sudden memory loss regarding the math test,

the oh my gosh, I threw up in my mouth.

Don't you just love that one?

It's not a personal favorite mine. But yes, sometimes it's medical, but more often than not, it's emotional.

The red flag here are the physical complaints with no apparent cause,

especially tied to certain times of day or specific classes.

So here's what I want you to do with this one. I want you to ask the nurse, what's the pattern?

Is it always after lunch? It is only on science days.

Is it when a certain peer is nearby?

Is it first thing when they get off the bus because they're ready to go home?

And then I want you to check in with the student and say something like this.

I've noticed your body seems to be talking to you a lot lately.

Do you think it's your stomach that's upset or is it maybe something else?

Help them really connect their physical symptoms into their emotional experiences. That's a huge first step in emotional literacy.

Now we have the everything's fine student.

And this one. This one's tricky. They nod, they smile, they say everything's fine,

but your spidey senses they're a tingling.

Maybe their friend group suddenly shifted. Maybe they used to stop by your office and now they avoid it. Maybe a teacher whispered, I think something's going on, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

The red flag here is a sudden shift in relationships, routine or demeanor without a clear explanation.

So I want you to try this.

Use a forced choice survey or a quick Google form with statements like I feel connected at school,

I know who to go to when I'm having a hard time and I feel like people understand me here.

You'll be amazed what students will check off even when they won't say it out loud.

And if you need some forced choice surveys,

I have a whole bunch. I can link those for you in the show notes.

And then when you have your perfect data backed schedule use to follow up,

you can say something like, hey, I saw your response on the survey and I wanted to check in what's going on.

So here's a quick recap of what to watch for in weeks one through four.

It's your early warning radar list.

It's that sudden withdrawal or isolation.

It's the excessive perfectionism or panic over small mistakes.

It's the disruptive humor masking something deeper.

Those frequent nurse visits without medical causes,

big behavior shifts without obvious explanation,

changes in friend groups, sleepiness or too tired behavior,

oversharing on assignments or journals that hint at trauma or self harm.

The I'm fine with everything because spoiler alert,

they're not fine.

A teacher who says, can you just check in with this kid?

I want you to trust them.

And then trust your own gut too.

It's often more accurate than a referral form.

Now listen with this little list of the early warning radar signals and signs to look for. This doesn't mean that we need to go full CSI on every kid who yawns in math class,

but the first few weeks of school, they're powerful. They give us windows like moments where we can catch some things before they really start start to spiral out of control.

So whether you're in the hall, you're doing a classroom lesson,

or answering your fifth I left my Chromebook at home again. Complaint of the day Keep your radar up,

watch for the small shifts.

Be curious,

not judgmental.

And remember, catching a student's struggle early can completely change the trajectory of their year and sometimes their life.

Well, my friends,

that's it for today's episode of Counselor Chat. If this gave you a few aha moments or reminded you of the student you want to check in with next,

jot their name down now before the next fire drill or coffee spill.

And if you haven't already,

please take a moment to rate and review this podcast your reviews. They help other counselors find us and let me know what's resonating with you.

Until next time, my friends.

Keep noticing,

keep connecting, and as always,

keep doing the amazing work that only you can do.

Until next time. 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.

Carol: To leave a review, I'd really appreciate it.

Carol: 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.