Tip #1: Just Start.

Before deciding what you will do – you need to decide THAT you will do it. Make the commitment, set a SMART goal, enlist the whole department or a friend (the buddy system — aka the peer pressure system — works!) and make it happen. Want to know the biggest barrier that school counselors come up against? Excuses. Not your state, not your administration, not your student to counselor ratios – WE are the ones causing stagnation and atrophy. Depending on your experience with technology and some of those other impacting variables (admin, state, ratios…) – you may approach starting and change your approach to fit your environment, but don’t let it impact your dedication and resolve.

[Tweet “I am taking on the school counselor tech challenge – join me! #scchat”]

Tip #2: Start small.

When we set out to meet a goal – we don’t aim for the moon (that is a dream) without going to astronaut school. While a 90 lb. twelve year old may not be able to bench press 300 lbs today – with focus, direction, support and a little hard work – he can reach that goal. Be that 90 lb. twelve year old. Don’t expect to conquer cyberspace, code the next Amazon.com or even commit to loving Twitter – start with a small goal of getting involved and making a full effort with the time and energy you have. The number one reason people break New Year’s resolutions is they take on too much. Buffer (a Twitter app) recently blogged about why our brains cannot handle resolutions and how to take them from resolution to habit. It is a good read and goes will with this tip. In a nutshell – break down your goals into small, actionable steps that you do regularly and a new habit (good one) is born.

For example, if you wanted to start learning about Twitter – first step is signing up (or maybe a little research about picking a Twitter handle). But after that – just “lurk”, Twitter-speak for just watching others Tweet . Spend 10 minutes each day lurking, determining who the influential people are in the circles you want to follow and learn the lingo. Just like a newborn – you learn a LOT by watching others around you. By doing this 10 minute action – you can take a resolution into a habit which blooms into a tool.

Further Reading: The Science of New Year’s Resolutions: Why 88% Fail And How To Make Them Work (Source: Buffer)

Tip #5: Create a Support Network.

Those donuts you have been buying your IT department every now and then…that coffee you bring to your computer science teacher every other month — this is where it starts to pay off. I cannot tell you how many things I have had tweaked, changed, upgraded or opened for me because of my relationships with those who can do. Instead of a computer taking days to get fixed, I can make a call to IT and it is usually done the same day (if not in the hour). I need a website unblocked or a device added to our network – same gig. By creating relationships (which should be genuine too by the way) with those who are experts in the area you are working on – you can get quick help and support when something doesn’t go the way you planned. This takes nurturing, but I promise it is worth it in the end. So next time you are in your central office or down the hall – bring some goodies (plate of cookies works well) or a box of coffee for the crew and introduce yourself. Leave a business card – tell them how appreciative you are of what they do – make them feel valuable. I promise – without those guys/gals – schools as we know them would grind to a halt. Then – next time you are stuck – ask for help. Get ready to be surprised with how different the level of support is after developing this relationship.

Further Reading/Watching: How To Get The IT Department To Do Their Actual Job (Source: Videojug — humor)

Tip #6: Build a website (not that hard).

Ok – get your heart rate back under control. We are not talking about any coding or knowledge needed of webdesign. With today’s FREE tools – anyone (my grandma!) can create their own website. I don’t care what you make it for – your school counseling department, a school counseling blog, your professional portfolio or a bunch of recipes you want to share with your knitting group. The end product is good – but the process of getting there is better when you are learning about technology. Would you learn how to drive if you just thought about getting behind the wheel? What about only doing those few hours of driver’s training? Probably not. You learned by practice and practice and practice. This concept applies here. By practicing your website development – you see what a website is composed of, different ways you can use it and you make it personal. You aren’t watching someone else do it – you ARE doing it.

To get started – check out a few of the free and easy tools to create websites out there: Weebly, Wix and WordPress.com are all great places to start. Weebly and Wix provide you with pretty dead simple, drag and drop webdesign tools (my professional portfolio is hosted on Wix). These are your Green runs (“Easy Way Down”) on the ski hill. WordPress.com (the free version) offers more customization but a little more complex approach. This would likely be for you interested in a Blue run on the ski slopes.This blog is built on WordPress (not the free version and very customized), but you can get an idea of what you can do – more reading and examples at the bottom in Further Reading.

When you start your website – play, explore, break things. Nothing is off-limits (well…). Go back to being a child – when everything is new and there are no rules. Through this approach – I have taught myself guitar, gourmet cooking, graphic design, light webcoding, and much of everything else I know. I know you can too

Further Reading: 43 Great Websites Built On WordPress (Source: Creative Bloq)

10 Outstanding Wix Websites You Can Learn From (Source: Wix Blog)

Tip #9: Enlist students to help.

Do you actually want students to use your tools? Enlist the help of influential students to develop and market the tool to their peers. Students can help you brainstorm ideas that other students would find useful, create the best ideas for getting the information out to students and be active participants in your new tech platform. Starting a department Twitter account? Ask students what type of information they want to get, to develop a hashtag for you and to get their friends to follow you to start building steam. They will likely tell you even more tools that may have better reach.

Try this: start a marketing club at the middle or high school levels. Lots of students want to go into business and marketing and this is a great exposure to the line of thought plus a huge insight into your student body.

Tip #10: Watch it grow and evaluate.

Using the workout routine example – going and working out for 5 days straight and expecting major change is not realistic. Growth and development takes time. Give your tech infusion time to develop and take root. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. For results to be fully realized – give it six months to a full year.

Finally – evaluate your use. How successful or unsuccessful were you? What would you change? Would you do it again? How would you do it differently? All of these questions help you make your next steps. Infusion and using technology in your school counseling program is not a one off shot – it is a process of growth and design. You will likely get hooked and looking for the next way you can use technology as a school counselor – then you rinse, wash and repeat.

No matter what – don’t give yourself an out. Follow Yoda’s advice “Do or do not. There is no try.”