Erin Leigh Shelton
Rockenbaugh Elementary School Counsilor
817-949-4700
SheltonE@cisdmail.com

Click here to learn more about me.

Being the counselor here at Rockenbaugh elementary is truly an honor.  As I leave each day I can reflect back on the last seven hours and think of multiple times when a child touched my heart and more than likely taught me something about myself through their smiles, laughter, and honesty.
To me, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a child succeed on his or her own.  At Rockenbaugh I will strive to equip students with the tools they need to succeed independently so that they may advance in a positive fashion to the next level in their educational career.  This not only includes assistance with academics but with personal, social, and emotional goals as well.   I hope to reach every student in a positive fashion through a series of classroom lessons, assemblies, and school-wide programs I will implement throughout the year.
I look forward to collaborating with you, your child, and our amazing teachers to ensure the individual success of each and every student.

Virtue of the Month:

Kindness-Showing others they are valuable by how you treat them.

Each of us is presented with numerous opportunities to add value to someone else’s life whether it’s through our actions or words. Kindness requires us to “tune in” to others around us and allows us to have another’s interests at heart. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we need that we forget to take a step out of our shoes and into someone else’s for a change. There is no doubt that kindness makes us all feel valued. By helping our children make this connection through modeling kindness ourselves, we are giving them a priceless gift: The ability to show others they are valued. Look within yourself and find a way to model this with your child. The rewards will be worth more than you could ever know!

In her book, “The Price of Privilege”, Dr. Madeline Levine writes how vital it is that our children develop a sense of autonomy. Without a doubt, we all want our children to succeed and be the best they can be, but how we teach them this is can be somewhat of a paradox. It is natural for us to want so badly to pick that child up when they stumble, trip, or fall down. However, Dr. Levine states that sometimes“...the best foot forward is the one that is stumbled on (p. 9)”. What is our ultimate goal in raising children? My father has told me many times, “Erin, my goal in raising you and your sister was to make sure you turned out better than I did”. Did my father pick me up from time to time? Absolutely. But he also let me fall, and it was those times when I learned the most about myself and what I was capable of.
Challenge yourself one time this month: Take a step back when necessary and let your child tie their shoelaces on their own. They will stumble and they may even fall, but through your support and love they will rise on their own.