What Do School Counselors Do? Counselors’ goals vary based on the student population in primary and secondary schools. An example: Title I campus student needs are considerably different from the needs of students from an affluent school and primary student needs are noticeably different from secondary students. All facing unique challenges that make counselors an important change agent in a district. ASCA School Counselor Competencies (I-B-5.p 3) School counselors all have one common thread and it’s nonnegotiable, student success! How is student success achieved? That is what counselors do; they use the ASCA Model components consisting of foundation, management, delivery and accountability to achieve student success. Foundation The …show more content…
Indirect Student Services are sought out by the school counselor to provide additional resources for students and their guardians. Counselors have become great advocates for students and they utilize district and outside resources throughout the community. District resources may include classes or organizations of interest to a student such as: JROTC, welding, cosmetology or even student council. Community resources, to name a few, include House of Faith, Young Life, Alcohol & Drug Abuse Council for the Concho Valley, MHMR, and Rust Street Ministries (for homeless students). Riojas (2016) feels strength at Lake View High is the “diversity and variety in different courses and programs of study that we offer. I feel that it is important for students to be in courses that they find interesting, engaging, and useful for their future.” Management System. ASCA National Model (2016) “School counselors incorporate organizational assessments and tools that are concrete, clearly delineated and reflective of the school’s needs.” (Page 2) Counselors have to sell their program and produce data to justify a quality program and the direct effect on student success. Programs are discussed throughout the year and tweaked often due to the changing needs of students. ASCA School Counselor Competencies
“Counseling has not established a single entity containing its accreditation, credentialing, and membership organizations”. (Mascari & Webber, 2013). In the institutions, “counselor educators with a different education background, other than counseling, contributes confusion” (Mascari & Webber, 2013). CACREP has been striving to establish a unified counseling profession by “creating common standards accepted by the profession and influenced by the degrees and license of the faculty” (Mascari & Webber, 2013). Through CACREP accredited programs, CACREP is assisting in clearing counselor identity through its process of preparation program accreditation. (Mascari & Webber, 2013).
ASCA. (2005). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (Second ed.). Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association.
First and foremost the ASCA National Crosswalking Tool have sections that primarily focuses on the key components of an exemplary school counselor performance and accountability model for structuring a comprehensive guidance program. The ASCA National Model Crosswalking Tools can be used to develop the appropriate scope and sequence for a guidance curriculum.When implementing this tool correctly in a school system, there are major influences that can be utilized in helping students. In the paragraphs below I will describe key points of how it will improve student learning, foster student development of career awareness, and students will acquire self knowledge to enhance their personal and social development. This tool is useful and effective when applied in state education agencies and is most effective tool for students to transition throughout their academic settings.
A professional school counselor is skilled and trained to use his/her best judgment when it comes to students’ rights and confidentiality. One should behave as a professional at all times and be mindful of their behavior. One not only have to be aware of professional values they should also be knowledgeable of applying these standards as they apply to the role of the school counselor. The professional school counselor is responsible for removing barriers to learning and to advocate for change for all students. In the case study assigned for review, I will examine ethical violation as it contains to student rights, confidentiality and professionalism relationships. The school counselor lives and works in a community where one socializes
Deciding to become a Student Guidance Counselor was not a fly by night decision. I did a great deal of reading and research before making a decision. I knew once I started a graduate program in School Guidance Counseling, it would be both challenging and a commitment until the end. I am somewhat nervous about this new journey that I am about to partake; however, I am ready to accept the challenge and make the commitment. I am a newly licensed teacher and there will be areas and terminology which I am not familiar. But, what I have found out thus far is that a teacher and a student counselor have quite a few things in common. They both work with other teachers, parents, school administrators, and the community in an academic setting. The skills I have acquired as a preschool director and teacher will be integrated into my career as a guidance counselor. I will have the skills to guide and enhance the social, academic, and personal growth of my students by using a variety of strategies which will be my primary goal. I will be able t...
I received the pleasure of interviewing two school counselors, Mrs. Jean Harmon and Mr. Devon Herrick. I was excited about interviewing school counselors within the Chicago land area. Despite many negativities spoken about the Chicago Public School (CPS) system, I desire to work within CPS. I’ve heard many pros and cons of working at a selective enrollment school, compared to a public charter school. By interviewing these two individuals, I assumed that I would get a snapshot of a potential work day for a school counselor. Mrs. Harmon is a school counselor at King College Preparatory high school. Mr. Herrick is a personal counselor at Urban Prep Charter Academy- Bronzeville campus. It was interesting in learning about the daily responsibilities,
In determining schools effective counseling practices, school counselors have a responsibility in showing that their programs are effective. A needs assessment will determine what works and which areas need improvement. Measuring results is crucial in determining success from failure. Evaluating counseling programs holds counselors accountable and allows them to do their work effectively.
The comprehensive school counseling program is a program designed to provide all students with an equal opportunity to obtain their education. To be comprehensive, a school counseling program must be holistic, systemic, balanced, proactive, infused into the academic curriculum and reflective ( Dollarhide & Sagnik, 2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs are critical to students success. Each CSCP must be established based off of the schools mission. The CSCP must be well organized, comprehensive as well as systemically implemented. It is accountable through evaluations. The CSCP must also be reflective and infused into the academic curriculum. It is prevention and intervention focused. The focus of the CSCP is on the domains: academic development, social/personal development and career development. Academic development is the area of learning for the students. The career development is the area of learning to work- jobs to careers. The personal/social development is the area where the students learn to live and function daily.
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. To discover techniques that help students improve in all areas of academic achievement, establishing relationships with students and parents alike. By becoming a school counselor, I am determined to become an advocate for underserved youth. I aim to become an effective agent educational reform, providing support for students in the various institutions that may disempower
High school counselors advise students on an assortment of topics. Counselors help from advising students about colleges and requirements to helping students deal with social, behavioral and personal problems. School counselors do not always interact with students individually; they will also work with small groups of students or even an entire class, depending on the topic. According to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), high school is a time for students to transition into adulthood and the work of work, begin separating from their parents, and exploring and defining their independence. They need guidance in making concrete and compounded decisions. This is where school counselors come in to help these students guide them with information.
HS 43 Term Paper 4 Core functions of a Substance Abuse Counselor By Roslyn Smith Introduction This paper will discuss the following 4 Core Functions of a Counselor: Case Management, Client Education, Crisis Intervention, Referral and their primary purposes. Discussion Case Management According to IC & RC, Case Management is defined as, “activities intended to bring services, agencies, resources, or people together within a planned framework of action toward the achievement of established goals.
In this paper, it will be explored the meaning behind the ASCA national model, its importance, and how it will shape the counselors to be. As a counselor in training, it was understood the ASCA national model is a guideline for professional school counselors to be more productive and sufficient in the workplace. Therefore, as a trainee it is vital to grasp and implement these four components: foundation, management system, delivery system, and accountability.
American School Counselor Association. (2012). The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Third Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author.
A study performed in 1992, reported approximately 3,400,000 youth had failed to complete high school and were not enrolled in high school (Starr 1998). This statistic is based on the United States where job competition has greatly increased due to technology. Many of these student lacked the support and training necessary to succeed in today’s society. Currently in every high school across the nation, there is a person responsible for offering support and training to the youth of America. Available for all students is a guidance counselor. Counselors within the high school setting play an influential role in the forming of post high school goals through the planning of numerous activities.
Guidance counseling, also called school counseling, has evolved over the years into an important part of the education system. Counselors are now taking on new roles in schools as leaders so much so that the ways in which counseling is being implemented has become a much talked about topic in schools. The effectiveness of counseling in schools is looked at by the education system more frequently than it was in the past. Though all school counselors must follow a national model for counseling, the roles and functions of counselors at various levels in the school system are different, however, school counselors at all levels of education before college are generally effective despite implications.