Student Connections: Let It Be

Do you find yourself “gritting” your way through graduate school? Integrating mindfulness and meditation strategies into training programs can help graduate students manage stress and develop healthy habits for a lifetime of professional success. … more

Student Connections: Considerations for Conducting Mixed Methods Research in Schools

With careful planning and flexible thinking, school-based organizational consultation can be an effective means of promoting socially just change. Two graduate students explain how they applied this approach to tackle discipline disproportionality in an elementary school. … more

Student Connections: Considerations for Conducting Mixed Methods Research in Schools

Mixed methods research combines qualitative and quantitative data to provide a range of options for researchers seeking to understand complex, real-world phenomena. With a few considerations in mind, graduate students can use this approach to conduct meaningful school-based research. … more

Student Connections: A Brief Student Guide to Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence has great potential, but it must be integrated into training and practice ethically and with careful consideration. … more

Student Connections: Recognizing the Value of Distance Learning in School Psychology Programs

Two students in a distance learning program highlight how their training is an effective solution to workforce shortages. … more

Student Connections: Shifting Culture in School Psychology Programs at Historically White Colleges and Universities

To progress towards our profession’s socialjustice goals and build truly multiculturalgraduate programs, we must engagein critical examination of the historicroots and current realities of our trainingenvironments. … more

Student Connections: Celebrating NSPW Student Influencers

The NASP Graduate Student Committee is thrilled to announce the 2022National School Psychology Week Student Leader Champions and OutstandingGraduate Programs. How are you preparing for NSPW 2023? … more

Student Connections: Managing Perfectionism by Reframing Validation and Academic Performance

while many graduate students are described as high achieving, some may be labeled as perfectionists. These current and recent graduate students explain how they used CBT to reframe validation and academic performance. … more

Student Connections: Demystifying Networking, Leadership, and Involvement in NASP

Rachel Weigand shares her considerations for students wanting to pursue professional and volunteer engagements with NASP or locally. … more

Student Connections: Student Connections: Advocating for and as International School Psychology Graduate Students

Two Asian international school psychology graduate students underline some of our reflections while learning in the United States in the hopes of starting more conversations about the unique contribution and positionality of international students within our field. … more

Student Connections: Using Practicum and Internship to Better Understand Crisis Prevention and Intervention

This article provides practical guidance on how school psychology graduate students can use their applied experiences to acquire skills for preparing for and responding to crises as professionals. … more

Student Connections: Braving Uncertainties: Transitioning From Specialist to Doctoral-Level Training

In this article, graduate students who have made the transition from a specialist to doctoral-level program share their considerations when making that decision and how they prepared for success and cultivated wellness in the process. … more

Student Connections: Cultivating Humility With Intersectionality

In this article, the author shares practical tools that helpful in self-reflection and learning and trying to employ an intersectionality-informed perspective and approach in all aspects of work, all in pursuit of developing as school psychologists and social change agents. … more

Student Connections: Introducing National School Psychology Week 2022 and Recognizing 2021 Champions

Each year we celebrate National School Psychology Week (NSPW), a time dedicated to spreading awareness about the field of school psychology while highlighting educators’ commitment to helping students thrive. This article highlights outstanding work within graduate programs for NSPW 2021 and looks ahead to 2022. … more

Student Connections: Face Your Feedback Fears: Seeking Suggestions and Pursuing Fresh Perspectives

Many graduate students dread feedback. We tend to ruminate on our self-perceived flaws and fail to acknowledge our strengths. As a result, we only imagine receiving feedback about what we are doing wrong and ignore the possibility of receiving feedback about what we are doing right. … more

Student Connections: Strategic Studying for the Praxis: Perspectives From Graduate Students

The trajectories of graduate students in school psychology are often highly individualized, but in a real and practical sense their journeys all have onething in common. Before any graduate student can become a practitioner in the field of school psychology, they must pass the Praxis. In this article, students share practical tips for preparing for the exam. … more

Student Connections: Graduate Training in Supporting K–12 Students Experiencing Homelessness

This article calls attention to the lack of information surrounding supporting students experiencing homelessness and makes recommendations for training and for the field to rectify this. … more

Student Connections: Name the Elephant: A Discussion About Unconscious Bias in Schools

In this article, four graduate students from William James College share how they used a book study and fourt-part discussion series to gain deeper knowledge about the harm that unconscious bias causes student learners, ways to create more productive conversations in graduate programs, and action steps to refuce bias in the K-12 setting. … more

Student Connections: Students Empowering Students: Race Relations in Secondary Education

Racism has come to a boiling point in America, and as a result, learning institutions are adopting equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives like codecolonization training and antiracism statements. This article details one district's efforts to include 9–12th grade students’ voices in fostering a more safe, equitable, welcoming environment for all students. … more

Student Connections: Social Justice Committees as Safe Spaces in the Midst of Civil Unrest

Students at Florida International University share how their program's Social Justice Committee created an environment that facilitated open dialogue, fostered community, and supported students' mental health and healing. … more

Student Connections: Converting In-Person Data Collection to Remote Administration

This article provides an overview of a research study investigating the use of curriculum-based measurement for students with autism spectrum disorder that had to transition to remote research procedures. … more

Student Connections: The 2021 National School Psychology Week and Recognized Leaders From 2020

After a long and difficult year for everyone, it is more important than ever to advocate for and promote the field of school psychology and highlight the important work that school psychologists and other educators do to help all students thrive and succeed. … more

Student Connections: Leveraging Graduate Training Experiences to Advocate for Socially Just School Psychological Practices

This article describes how a group of graduate students complex multisource information on police in schools into an accessible, easy-to-read, and easy to share infographic for the purposes of student-led antiracist advocacy initiatives. … more

Student Connections: Impostor Syndrome: What It Is and How toOvercome It as a Graduate Student

In this article, graduate students share their personal experiences with impostor syndrom and ways to combat it. … more

Student Connections: Racial Injustice in America: Implications for School Psychology Students

In this article, graduate students share how recent racial injustice in America should effect graduate training in school psychology and steps to work toward antiracist graduate training. … more

Student Connections: When COVID-19 Hit New York City: Experiences of First-Year Graduate Students and Recommendations for Faculty

In this article, graduate students from Fordham University's school psychology program share their experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and their three main recommendations for faculty following the pandemic. … more

Student Connections: Lessons in Flexibility

In this article, graduate students from around the country share their experience having to pivot to online learning and what they learned in the process. … more

Student Connections: Setting a Precedent: How Tele-Life Challenges the School Psychology Graduate Student Norm

This article reflects on changes regarding assessment, intervention, teaching, research, professional development, and support as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, and considers implications moving forward. … more

Student Connections: Recognized Leaders and the 2020 National School Psychology Week

This article highlights a few outstanding graduate programs for their work during School Psychology Awareness Week 2019. … more

Student Connections: Transnational Experiences in a School Psychology Training Program

Student Connections: The Importance of Engaging in State Association Leadership

In this article, the author shares how she benefitted from getting involved in leadership opportunities at the state level. … more

Student Connections: Graduate Training in Effective Evaluations for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

In this article, the author shares how Kean University offered a program to conduct autism assessments through the university's training clinic. … more

Student Connections: From Teacher to Full Time Graduate Student

In this article, the author shares how she made the decision to leave her classroom to help students in a new way. … more

Student Connections: Culturally Responsive Response to Intervention and Leading a Practitioner Conversation at the NASP Annual Convention

This article briefly describes the authors' unique training experiences through Lehigh University’s RTI grant, summarizes the findings of a literature review conductedto meet grant requirements, and reflect on their experiences presenting this work at the NASP 2019 Annual Convention. … more

Student Connections: Challenges With Mathematics Response to Intervention: A Graduate Student Perspective

Planning for and implementing interventions within a response-to-intervention framework is not an easy task. This article outlines the experiences and challenges of two doctoral students involved in the mathematics RTI process and efforts to bolster the Tier 2 system of support. … more

Student Connections: Managing Conflict With Supervisors

Interpersonal difficulties with supervisors are reported to be one of the largest causes of supervisee stress. This article synthesizes advice from individuals who experienced interpersonal conflict with supervisors during their field placements to help current graduate students manage conflict, reduce stress, and prevent future conflict. … more

Student Connections: Find Your Focus: School Psychology Awareness Week

This article highlights SPAW programming at a few universities, offers suggestions of different ways to participate in SPAW, and tells about Outstanding Graduate Accomplishments Recognition opportunities. … more

Student Connections: Reflections of a First-Time Graduate Teaching Assistant

In this article, the author shares what they learned in their first semester of teaching, including their most salient memories and how their undergraduate teaching experience has helped prepare them in becoming a school psychologist. … more

Student Connections: How to Turn Coursework Into a Publication

This article discusses how to recognize publishable material and steps involved in the publication process. … more

Student Connections: Turning Presentations Into Manuscripts

This article offers suggestions on how to navigate the peer review process and share some of the ups and downs the author experienced while submitting papers for publication. … more

Student Connections: Incorporating Self-Care Into Your Graduate School Career

This article shares suggestions for making self-care a more regular part of your graduate student career, including specific resources to get you started. … more

Student Connections: Reflecting on the Public Policy Institute: Graduate Students as Advocates

Two graduate students share their experience attending the 3-day basic training at the 2018 NASP/GW Public Policy Institute. … more

Student Connections: Learning by Doing: Reflections on Engaging in Research as a Graduate Student

One student shares her experience as part of a research team working on a pilot study of an evidence-based, computer-assisted cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) program for elementary-age students with anxiety. … more

Student Connections: The Path to the BCBA Credential: One Graduate Student's Experience

In this column, an advanced doctoral student seeks to demystify the BCBA by sharing her own decision to seek the credential and her experiences working toward attaining it. … more

Student Connections: Unlock Potential. Find Your Password! School Psychology Awareness Week 2018

This article walks through suggested activities for graduate programs and highlights award recipients from SPAW 2017. … more

Standing Room Only: Creating Compelling Student-Led Paper and Mini-Skills Research Presentations

This article walks through a timeline for planning and executing an engaging presentation at the NASP convention or other conferences. … more

Vertical Research Teams: New Directions for Graduate Student Engagement and Mentorship

A vertical research team gives students across all years of study opportunities to work with faculty to conduct, produce, and present research. … more

Gearing Up for Internship: Tips for Future Applicants

An early career school psychologist and a PhD candidate share how each of them strategically worked toward internship. … more

Student Connections: The Teachers College Social Justice Book Club

Students from Ball State University share how they went about developing a social justice book club. … more

Student Connections: Student Leadership on a Nontraditional Campus: Thinking Outside the Box

This article shares one student's experience as a NASP Student Leader on a nontraditional campus. … more

Student Connections: Mentoring Undergraduates as Professional Development for Graduate Students

Many graduate students in school psychology can identify at least one professional relationship that has influenced their academic careers. In a traditional sense, we often refer to the ongoing relationships that promote our professional growth as mentorship, where the more experienced individual serves as a mentor and the individual who benefits from the advice and guidance is the mentee. … more

Student Connections: Seeking Additional Training as a School Psychology Graduate Student

This article explores opportunities for professional growth for graduate students. … more

Student Connections: Nontraditional School Psychology Training Experiences

This article summarizes opportunities for alternative career paths, including private practice, medical clinics, veteran's hospitals, and cancer centers. … more

Student Connections: The Cuban Education System: International Trip Insights

This article features on graduate student's 2-week study aboad experience in Cuba and what she learned along the way. … more

Student Connections: Thriving in Graduate School

This article provides guidance for graduate students to help themselves succeed in graduate school, as well as how graduate programs can help the matter. … more

Student Connections: Reviving a School Psychology Student Association: One University's Experience

This article presents one attempt to jumpstart a graduate student association at the University of British Columbia. … more

Student Connections: Working Across Cultures in School Psychology

In this article, a school psychology student shares his experience as an international student and two stories about cultural difference. … more

Student Connections: Small Steps Change Lives: School Psychology Awareness Week 2016

This article presents the work of several graduate programs during School Psychology Week 2015 as examples to use for 2016. … more

Student Connections: Student-To-Student Supervision in Graduate Training Programs

Student-to-student supervision can be used to further their supervision training in graduate school and offer more hands-on experience before graduation. … more

Student Connections: Kent State University’s Leadership in School Psychology Scholarship Program

Every school psychologist has a personal story of what drew him or her to the field. My interest in the field of school psychology began after a school psychologist in my school district came into our high school psychology class to discuss her profession. … more

Student Connections: Facilitating Success for Refugee Students and Their Families

As school psychology students and professionals, it is important to facilitate success for refugee students by developing educational, social, and emotional supports. … more

Student Connections: Study Groups for Learning a Second Language

In order to be an effective school psychologist, I have recognized that it is important for me to understand students who have cultural and linguistic backgrounds very different from mine. … more

Student Connections: Facilitating Hospital-To-School Transitions in Pediatric Oncology Populations

This highlights the importance of better integration between medical institutions and educational systems, and guidance for school psychologists and educators on how to best accommodate the unique needs of students with chronic health conditions, specifically cancer. … more

Student Connections: School Psychology in Mexico

For many school psychology graduate students, it is easy to overlook compelling opportunities when immersed in class work, practicum, research, and teaching responsibilities. However, when an opportunity arose to study abroad in Mexico, we jumped at the chance to learn more about school psychology on an international level. … more

Student Connections: Time for Students to Prepare for School Psychology Awareness Week 2015

As November approaches, school psychologists and graduate students around the nation prepare to promote and advocate for our profession and the children we serve. … more

Student Connections: A Strength-Based Approach to Graduate School: Benefits, Strategies, and Applications

It is important for graduate students to take time to implement a strength-based approach in our daily lives, particularly as we launch the new school year in September. … more

Student Connections: Supporting LGBTQ Youth: A Graduate Student's Practicum Project

In the last few years, there has been rapid social and political change regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues in the United States. It is a critical time for school psychologists to provide interventions and supports for youth who identify as LGBTQ and to be knowledgeable advocates and allies within school communities. … more

Student Connections: Working With Students With Reactive Attachment Disorder

Public schools are increasingly being asked to provide mental health services, and graduate students in school psychology have opportunities to receive training to understand psychological disorders and their impact on educational performance. … more

Student Connections: Middle School Connections Project

A school psychology graduate student shares their experience applying a few classroom lessons to their work as a practicum student. … more

Student Connections: The How and Why of Trauma Training

School psychology graduate students, regardless of their area of focus, will likely work with young people who have experienced potentially traumatic events. … more

Student Connections: Group Counseling: Tips for Beginning Group Leaders

This article begins with a discussion of the need for group counseling, followed by a brief description of our therapeutic approach. … more

Student Connections: Graduate Student Mentors: What a Difference We Can Make!

The Howard University chapter of Student Affiliates in School Psychology (SASP) chose to embody the university's motto, "Truth and Service," by participating in a program that impacted the surrounding community. … more