Evaluation of Programs
When an individual begins a new job, they are provided with a job description of their new position. The job description outlines their duties and responsibilities. It is imperative for the new employee to read and understand the expectations of them as they begin their new job. It is no different for a school counselor. The position comes with an outline of expectations and responsibilities that should be met each school year.
Fortunately, for the professional school counselor, there are agencies which provide these expectations and responsibilities to the districts that employ them. There are the school counselor competencies as outlined by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA, 2012) and the state standards provided by the state of the school district (state of Texas for the purpose of this summary) (Texas Counseling Association, 2004). Ethical standards must be maintained as well as positional standards (ASCA, 2012).
The ASCA National Model and the Texas Counseling Program Guide provide a job description for professional school counselors, as well as performance appraisals/evaluations (ASCA, 2012) (Texas Counseling Association, 2004). Several school districts use these as guides when developing their own performance evaluations or use the ones provided directly from the website. Each professional school counselor must be knowledgeable of the competencies expected of them as they perform the role of school counselor (ASCA, 2012) (Texas Counseling Association, 2004).
As professional school counselors plan, develop, and implement their comprehensive guidance and counseling program, they are also preparing the evaluation of the programs (Gysbers & Henderson, 2006). How does a prof...
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...lors use these tools to evaluate not only personal strengths and areas of improvement but also those areas of the programs they implement in their schools.
Works Cited
ASCA. (2012). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (Third ed.). Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association.
Gysbers, N. C., & Henderson, P. (2006). Developing & managing your school guidance & counseling program (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
Texas Counseling Association. (2004). A model comprehensive, developmental guidance and counseling program for Texas public schools: A guide for program development Pre-K-12th grade. Austin, TX. Retrieved from https://courses.letu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-2687557-dt-content-rid-3559846_4/institution/SGPS_Curriculum/Course%20Materials/MEDU5593/OL-7-1.0/Texas%20Counseling%20Program%20Guide.pdf
“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).
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
Pérusse, R. V. (2009). Group counseling in the schools. Psychology In The Schools, 46(3), 225-231.
The program audit, provided by the American School Counselor Association, serves to set the standard for the school counseling program. The program assessment aligns with the four components of the ASCA National Model and serves as an instrument for analyzing each component (ASCA, 2012). By using all the components of the audit, strengths and areas of improvement of the programs are determined and goals for the following year are created (ASCA, 2005).
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.
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,
283). Therefore; any counseling program wanting to make a real change should be held to the highest standards and be evaluated for current and future progress (Houser, 2015). As applied to this paper the population and the goals of the group counseling program should be clearly laid out. The definition of progress should be defined and if a specific timeline for progress is desired it should be made clear. Ultimately; conducting a program evaluation of the proposed program in this paper will demonstrate if the existence of such a program is working and if so then the evaluation can serve as a platform to ensure its
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
School counseling has evolved over the years into a significant component of the educational system. School counselors are taking on new roles in schools as leaders, working with “school administration and staff in developing student attitudes and behavior which are necessary to maintain proper control, acceptable standards of self-discipline and a suitable learning environment within the school” (Secondary School Counselor 2012). Counselors work in “diverse community settings designed to provide a variety of counseling, rehabilitation, and support services” (Counselors, 2010). When working in a school district as a counselor, you can either be an elementary school counselor, middle school counselor or a high school counselor. This essays explores a recent interview with a high school counselor.
The responsibilities of a professional school counselor are to design and deliver comprehensive programs to promote student achievement. The guidelines
Erford, B. T. (2011). Transforming the School Counseling Profession, 3d Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
The purpose of guidance counseling is to help students achieve happiness and success within their social and educational context. For young children this involves adaptation to the educational environment, and addressing any social or family problems that may interfere with the child's psychological health. For older children choice of career based on interest and ability takes precedence, although serious problems such as alcohol or drug abuse, sexual abuse or domestic violence situations, bullying and other situations that lead to severe stress are also addressed. The successful school counselor is one who takes the role of a loving parent, concerned and empathetic, able to listen and win the trust of students and with the time and self-confidence to make a difference in their lives.
Counselors have large shoes to fill. They not only administer assessments, but are also involved in group counseling, individual counseling, and have to plan and implement comprehensive school guidance programs. A counselor must know and be competent in all realms of their position. School counselors work with all children, including children with disabilities in various settings within the school (Villalba, Latus, Hamilton, & Kendrick (2005 p 449). As stated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), school counseling services must be made available to all students in special education programs as part of their right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) (Bowen & Glenn, 1998; Clark, 1998). School counselors are to take on this role in the educational and personal-social well being of students in special education programs. Federal law does require that children, who receive special education services, and do not display appropriate behavior have a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) team (Villalba, Latus, Hamilton, & Kendrick (2005) p 449). This team constructs a BIP. Since counselors should be active on the FBA team, there is a need here that must be addressed because this article defines a lack of knowledge present with practicing counselors. With that, counselors do receive relevant training throughout their program. There are only so many classes and hours of instruction that the pre-counselors receive. The curriculum that is generated encompasses what counselors need, but could their be a few gaps and missing pieces? This study was conducted to determine counselors awareness, knowledge, and role in the Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) process (Villalba, Latus, Hamilton, & Ken...
Williams, K. (1973). The school counsellor. London: Methuen, [Distributed in the U.S.A. by Harper & Row, Barnes & Noble Import Division.