There is an importance of being a part of an organization that can assist in your ability as a counselor to serve your client in the finest capacity. Organizations with the American Counseling Association (ACA) are formed to assist counselors in being a part of organizations that interest them and are related to their fields or passions. There are three divisions within the ACA that are different in rhythm of purpose, but together form one sound that I desire as a counselor. The American College Counseling Association, Association for Multicultural Counseling and development and the National Career Development Association are three divisions within the ACA that will assist in furthering my skills and development as a counselor. These three division are diverse in purpose; however, their overall values are to assist a community of people in our society that desire to learn how to be better aids to those in need assistance.
The American College Counseling Association (ACCA) is a division within the ACA that will benefit my practice as a professional in student affairs. It interests me because of its focus on higher education and student development. In my undergraduate career, I recall moments when I would loiter around the Student Development office to borrow a copy of Visions newsletter or a new publishing within the Journal of College Counseling. My research proposal was based on Student Development theory and research within the ACCA. I find it only fitting to become a member of the division, so that I may be able to receive my own research material and gain the ability to have access to the many resources that ACCA may offer.
The Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) is division within the ACA that will also benefit my practice as a professional in student affairs as well as to focus on the specific clientele of multicultural students that I am passionate about. Another aspect of my research proposal in my undergraduate career was an aspect of multicultural students and their college success. Joining this division would assist in tearing down any barriers that are between myself and any clients that I may have in my office who have a different background than my own. It will assist me in being comfortable to handle any situation that they are going through and need guidance with because I would have received the tools and information necessary to direct them towards the steps they need to take to reach their highest potential.
In the article, “Multiculturalism: Battleground or Meeting Ground,” Takaki starts out addressing the difference in philosophy between him and Woodward when it comes to cultural diversity. Woodward strongly disagrees with Takaki when it comes to the topic of cultural diversity. They both are seeing issue threw two difference lens. Woodward attacked Takaki on the issue when Woodward reviewed Takaki’s “Iron Cages: Rave and Culture in Nineteeth-Century America” book in the “New York Review of Books,” saying it was too narrow in focus (Takaki, n.d). Woodward rebuttal was that the book did not contain any balance, and should have touched on “national issues” to have that balance and not just the American south. Woodward even said that Takaki was
There are 20 speciality divisions within the ACA, which allow for counselors to gain professional development opportunities, networking, and resources to enhance professional interest and practice (Remely & Herlihy, 2016). Therefore, being a part of a speciality division allows for individuals to maximize their potential as a professional helper by utilizing tools and resources that meet the diverse needs we face in the counseling professional. For example, since I am enrolled in a Masters in School Counseling degree and am an aspiring school counselor, it would be a great benefit for me to join the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) along with my ACA
Acculturation, worldview and perceived discrimination as cultural variables influence career behaviors of racial/ethnic minorities. Multicultural education and diversity appreciation training are thought to decrease counselor prejudice. Theme four looks at multicultural issues that require counselors to incorporate cultural data into their thinking and actions. Multicultural competence incorporates learning how to include cultural data into decision making process of complicated problems and interventions posed by culturally different clients. Theme five posits that people have multiple identities that affect the ways they experience and view the world. Multiple identities are used to refer to variables such as sex, age, socioeconomic status, nationality and ethnicity which impact an individual’s behavior, perception and
With the in loco parentis being a staple to student affairs practice a pivotal moment in the student personnel work was post-Civil Rights, when colleges started to view students as adults, shifting the attitude of the practice from reactive to proactive (Zhang and Associations, 52). Giving students a voice in what accommodations colleges need to make created the practice of student development, according to Paul Bloland, one premises of the student development movement is how university staff should intentionally introduce proactive programs called interventions, to promote development (Schuh, 68). My interpretation of development interventions would be when a student needs assistance making a decision (academic, career, life), student affairs professionals need to development the skill set for the student to do
(e) Counselors and professionals should be actively engaged in encouraging career workshops, exploration events, (c) Counselors should connect their African American students with community with outreach efforts, mainly through internships, job shadowing, and service learning projects. (G) Counselors and Professionals discuss with their African American Student their long term career goals, (h) Counselors should provide their clients with information on different career options in combination with additional career options in combination with additional back up plans. (I) career counselors and professionals should be knowledgeable about and build relationships with college extended African American, (J) Career counselors must totally understand that each client lives in a unique sociocultural context, (k) career professionals must be alert of the impact of discrimination and oppression and how they affect the worldview of culturally different clients. (L) It is vital that counselors and professionals remain updated on the most
This essay will focus on the implicit nature of Multiculturalism and associated sociological and cultural constructs in regards to defining Canadian culture and identity.
During the past three years of college, my interest in counseling has been affirmed through a variety of experiences. One important experience that influenced my decision to pursue a career as a school counselor was my involvement in my community service sorority, Chi Delta Alpha. Through Chi Delta Alpha, I volunteered on several occasions, among them I babysat children to provide parents with a night off; I was responsible for a group of elementary students as they experienced college classes and I painted a caboose for a local playground. A theme that has remained constant throughout all my different experiences is that making a difference in a person’s life is a rewarding experience, and I know that I desire a career that enables me to support high school students as they face difficult situations.
The world is made up of many different types of people, each one having his or her cultural background. Over the years, the United States has become increasingly populated with cultural diversity. This influx has prompted school administrators to recognize the need to incorporate multicultural programs into their school environment including classroom settings, school wide activities, and curriculum as it becomes more evident that the benefits of teaching cultural diversity within the school setting will positively influence our communities, and ultimately the entire nation’s future. The purpose of this paper is to share the pros and cons of multicultural education in the classroom. Additionally, I will express my views compared to those in the reading requirements for this assignment, as well as, new knowledge obtained through the research. Finally, I will share situations where I was challenged introducing a multicultural issue during a class.
Multicultural Education The inclusion of multiculturalism into schools has become an increasingly hot topic as of late. Being a future teacher, I have taken a natural interest in the topic as well. It seems that most of the push to incorporate the multicultural issue into the school system has been a reaction to the thought that the American “melting-pot” metaphor is on the decline. Knowing that the demographics of the United States are changing continuously, the main issue about the inclusion of multiculturalism is not whether to place it into the schools, but rather how to position this controversial topic into the curriculum.
I cannot recall a more rewarding experience than helping facilitate a child’s education while enabling parent participation alike. These experiences have drawn me to my current position as an Educational Assistant where I am constantly interacting and establishing relationships with students, learning about their goals and aspirations. It is that same desire to empower our future students that has steered me towards a career as a school counselor. By enrolling in the Masters in counseling program, I aspire to develop methods and experience to become an effective, experienced, and adaptable school counselor that promotes self-awareness, allowing students to realize their full potential and impetus them towards a promising future. I want to learn skills that facilitate personal and career development, ensuring that our students grow accomplishing their goals and ambitions.
If I am selected as an Ambassador, I hope this role will afford me the opportunity to create connections between the Clemson and the ACPA community; both on a regional and national level. Moreover, I hope this experience will provide me networking opportunities with other students with career aspirations in the student affairs arena. I also envision this role providing me a platform to foster better communication between the students in my PhD program and the students in Clemson’s student affairs master’s program.
John Searle addresses the “major debate… going on at present concerning… a crisis in the teaching of the humanities.” [Searle, 106] He goes on to defend the canon of works by dead white males that has traditionally made up the curriculum of liberal arts education. I disagree with many of his arguments, and believe that multiculturalism should be taught in the university, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Openmindedness will take much more than just minimal changes in curriculum. In order for works by different races and women to be judged and studied alongside works by white men, they have to be seen as equal to works by white men. They have to be studied for their literary content, not for the statement they make about feminism or race. We don’t just need to evaluate them by the same standards, we need to change the standards. The standards set by the traditional liberal arts education have been set by white males and are inherently biased. New standards need to be set that are as openminded as we want students to be. This is a trend that needs to be started way before college. A diverse curriculum should be taught throughout a person’s education, because that is what will produce well rounded, openminded individuals that will change the tradition of oppression in society.
High impact practices are important to the development and engagement of students (Kilgo et al, 2014). Two high impact practices that have a positive impact on students are collaborative learning and undergraduate research (Kilgo et al, 2014). I think the high impact practices will give student affairs professional different methods and opportunities to help develop and support students through their college career. Student affairs professionals are going to have to learn how to participate to high impact practices and find ways to motivate students to do them (Schuh et al, 2011). By doing this I believe that student affairs professionals and faculty can bridge the gap to help success of
Britain is and always has been a mixed race society. Gradually over the years, millions of people all over the world arrive either through past invasion or come as an immigrant to escape their own country’s famine, persecution and seeking for better economic opportunities in the UK (Zafra, 2007). The history of immigration and invasion has produced today’s diverse community. However, for the past few years, there has been a dispute concerning whether multiculturalism has obstruct the goal of attaining a peaceful community and instead causing extremism in the UK. According to Michelle Wilkinson (2011), this is resulted by the notion that multiculturalism promotes segregation and different groups having different beliefs leading to heavy tension and radicalization. On the other hand, multiculturalism has also been praised for advancing equality and social recognition (Caroline Howarth & Eleni Andreouli, 2013). In the light of this controversial issue, both aspect of the pro and cons of Multiculturalism to the society will be covered in this essay, exploring as a whole whether the ideology of Multiculturalism in enforcing equality has worked in Britain or not.
According to Bennett (2015), “Multicultural Education is a complex approach to teaching and learning that includes the movement toward equity in schools and classrooms, the transformation of the curriculum, the process of becoming multicultural competent, and the commitment to address societal injustice” (p. 2). Teaching and learning in a multicultural system is designed around collaborative decision making, respect for all parties, and nurturing a cultural diverse society. Multicultural education recognizes and integrates cultural characteristics into the learning environment.