High school is the second stage of education that acts as a transition period from childhood into young adulthood, the in-depth self discovery and growth as well as disappointment in this critical phase of a young person’s life requires support and guidance in order for optimal success. I have an absolute confidence in the potential that all people’s abilities to take them beyond the expectations of society, specifically young adults. My passion for education as a solution to obstacles many teenagers face is the foundation for my desire to be an influential model in high school students lives. I believe I have the necessary qualities to be a member of the education family and accomplish the goals of such a career. The role of secondary school counselors, most simply put, is to be an advocate of students.
Education
A secondary school counselor is a professional occupation that requires in depth education, training, and certifications to practice. To become a secondary school counselor in the state of Colorado I must receive a K-12 school counselor license (American School Counselor Association [ASCA], 2014). Educationally, it is required to have at least a master’s degree in school counseling, assuming that a bachelor’s degree has already been attained (ASCA, 2014). I am in the process of getting my Bachelors degree in Counseling Psychology here at CMU and plan on attending graduate school in Colorado. Adam’s State College, Argosy University Denver, and Colorado State University all offer Master’s programs in either counselor education or school counseling (ASCA, 2014). I will most likely attend CSU’s graduate program due to its location and accreditation. Counseling requires a large amount of experience including the following: ...
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...umulated costs of becoming a school counselor will total in an estimated $45,000 consisting of the following: $30,000 of it from my education at CMU and $15,000 from the graduate program I will attend. With these figures and my financial savvy in mind I do believe that it is possible for me to be a secondary school counselor.
The ASCA (2014) reported, “Secondary school counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse student population. Secondary school counselors…are integral to the total educational program. They provide proactive leadership…and services to help the student achieve success in school”(para. 3). I am passionate about education being the key to success and cannot imagine a better career than counseling students through their transition to young adulthood.
In this research paper there will be a discussion on how effective school counseling programs are in school. The reason this topic is being researched is because questions have come up asking whether or not school counseling programs are helping the students and what is the role of the school counselor. According to the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) ?A Comprehensive school counseling program is, driven by student data and based on standards in academic, career and personal/social
The compressive school programs are driven by student data and are based on academic, career, and personal/ social development. The programs are collaborating between the counselor, parents, and many other educators to create an environment that promotes student excellences (ASCA, 2016). A productive school counselor will focus on their skills, time and energy on direct and indirect services to all students. Therefore, to achieve those goals, the ASCA recommends that a school counselor should not have more than 250 students and that 80 percent or more of a counselor’s time in direct and indirect services. As a result, we will focus on the delivery of those services.
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,
To start on the journey to being a school counselor you need to experience in counseling as early as possible by doing volunteer counseling, camp counseling, peer counseling, or teaching. You need to have a professional commitment to a school and earn an undergraduate degree in education, sociology, or psychology. Secondary teaching credential is also a good thing to have under your belt because school counselors are mainly employed in secondary schools, high schools, and middle schools. Also you need a masters or doctoral degree in educational psychology or child psychology, and any required supervised counseling internships and take any required state or federal certification exams. A lot of programs focus on developing the skills that are needed to help young adults understand there problems that they are having in there personal life and try to work together to find a coping mechanism so that they are able to get there school work done successfully. Courses cover topics regarding family therapy to cu...
As a future school counselor I do not think there is just one type of theory that will work with all of my students. A few of the theories that stood out to me over the semester were choice theory, person-centered therapy, and solution focused therapy.
Before applying to Capella University, I researched the counseling program and the benefits I would have in enrolling in this program. What I found was that the school counseling program is accredited (CACREP) which means the university has taken the time and the means to make sure the program and the standards are professionally stable. I have a masters in Elementary Education, and I am seeking a second in the school counseling field. With my experience; my compassion for children and people and an opportunity to seek a new field of study, I hope Capella University will allow me to continue my newly challenging educational journey towards achieving my goal in becoming a School Guidance Counselor.
Hess, R. S., Magnuson, S., & Beeler. L. (2012). Counseling children and adolescents in schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
I look forward to attending graduate school for school counseling. Attending the University of North Carolina will allow me the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to aid students facing a variety of difficult situations. I am ready to take the next step in my career as a school counselor.
School counselors are in elementary, middle and high school settings. “School counselors are frequently involved with assessment activities in their work with students, parents, and teachers”(Hays, 2013, p.16). School counselors use a number of test to assess their their students. It is important for school counselors to become familiar with these test so that they can use them successfully in their own
Individuals’ perceptions of their life/worth have the power to control the goals that they can carry out and meet. Every day we are learning new things and everyone has his/her own unique ways of learning. My strong desire to help students with their academic, personal, and social needs make me a strong candidate as a school counselor. While completing my undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Program Administration I learned a great deal about myself. I have a passion for learning and want to share and express that love for learning with students. I feel that the Master of School Counseling program provides a direct path to my career goals of helping students to comprehend subject matter while learning to love learning as I do. Not only will
In order to become a counselor, according to counselor-license.com, I’ll need to get my master’s degree, have at least two years of work experience in the field, and take an exam to obtain
Middle school marks a very exciting, yet challenging time for many students, parents, and teachers. During this time period students are exploring their interests, moving deeply into their studies, taking on more responsibilities, and trying to find their personal identities. Most importantly, this is a time where students turn from their parents and seek advice and approval from their peers. Because many adolescents are emotionally sensitive and vulnerable during this stage of development, their heavy reliance on peers for acceptance and approval makes them more susceptible to emotional damage. For that reason, school counselors plays an essential role in the lives of their students. Gonkawon Strother and Sheree Leonard, middle school counselors at Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Temple Hills, Maryland understands the importance of their role. Gonkawon Strother, the primary counselor for sixth and seventh grade students, has been a counselor for five years. His colleague, Sheree Leonard, has been a professional school counselor for three years. Leonard primarily
Vernon (2009) states that counseling mid-adolescent teens is found to be much easier than working with early adolescent teens. There are things that a developmentally savvy counselor need to take into consideration when planning assessments and interventions for teens in mid-adolescence. One of the things that a developmentally savvy counselor needs to take into consideration is that teens in mid-adolescence tend to be ambivalent towards how the way they feel. Since these teens are more mature than teens in early adolescents, they're more able to express and deal with their emotions so the school counselor shouldn't have any problems. Another consideration that a school counselor needs to keep in mind is that they have to make sure that they're sensitive to mid-adolescents and also the "excitement that many adolescents feel about making a significant transition that will involve a change in roles, relationships, routine, and assessment of self" (Vernon, 2009, p. 30). The developmentall savvy counselor also needs to take into consideration is mid-adolescence thinking due to the fact that they tend to struggle with making choices even though their cognitive abilities is
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.
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.