The Guidance Counselor INTRODUCTION According to the U. S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, Counselors are defined as persons who “assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health and career decisions and problems. Their duties depend on the individuals they serve and the settings in which they work” (169). Examples include Mental health counselors who help people cope with daily life issues such as marital, family, stress management, or addiction problems. These counselors primarily work in private office settings. Rehabilitation counselors help people deal with different aspects of their physical disabilities, these counselors generally work in medical facilities. Employment counselors assist individuals in making wise career choices and most of these counselors work in community agencies. Thus counseling is a diverse field that encompasses an array of situations and settings. This report will center on High School Guidance Counselors. The primary focus will be to discuss the educational requirements necessary to apply for jobs in the field, the needed skills and abilities desired from employers, and the main duties of the job. EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS Requirements vary by state for specific types of degrees and or licenses and certifications that must be held by guidance counselors. Missouri Law requires that all High School Guidance Counselors have secondary counselor certification. Criteria for certification is listed below and was obtained from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Individuals desiring to become guidance counselors must understand that acquiring certification requires an enormous amount of time, dedication, and education. Initial Certification The professional certificate is valid for five years from the effective date on the certificate and is issued to persons meeting the following criteria: · A valid Missouri teaching certificate · A minimum of two years classroom teaching experience · A minimum of one year experience working in a field other than teaching or counseling · Completion of a course in Education and/or Psychology of the exceptional child worth two or more semester hours · Completion of a master’s degree with a major in guidance and counseling from a college or university meeting approval of the Missouri Department of Elementa... ... middle of paper ... ...ctices. Bibliography: Works Cited “Certification Requirements for Secondary Counselor (Grades 9-12)”. Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. March 06, 1998 . (November 02, 1998). Chiles, Donna. School Guidance and Counseling. Pupil Personnel Services Recommended Practices and Procedures Manual. Springfield: Illinois State Board of Education, 1983. Ellis, Thomas I. The Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Model. Ann Arbor: ERIC Clearinghouse, 1990. Feller, Richard, & Daly, J. Counselor Role and Educational Change: Planning, Integration, and Basic Skills: Book 5 - Comprehensive School Counseling and Guidance Programs. Fort Collins: Colorado State University, 1992. King, Gloria. Personnel Director, St. Louis Public Schools. Telephone Interview. 27 October 1998. Thomas, Preston. Director of Student Services, Cardinal Ritter College Prepatory High School. Personal Interview. 4 November 1998. Thompson, Rosemary. School Counseling Renewal: Strategies for the Twenty-first Century. Muncie: Accelerated Development Inc., 1992. U. S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 1998-99 Edition. Indianapolis: JIST Works, Inc., 1998.
The responsibilities of a professional school counselor are to design and deliver comprehensive programs to promote student achievement. The guidelines
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,
Just like UFO, Mad Men is a show with fictional characters in fictional situations and not a history lesson. We can’t help but perceive things through my own experiences, and the 60s can only be reimagined through the filter of experiences that have happened since then. The only way to have an untainted view of the 60s is to watch shows that were produced in the 60s. George Lois one of th...
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...
Whiston, S.C. & T.L. Sexton, “A review of school counseling outcome research: implications for practice”. Journal of Counseling and Development. Fall 1998. Volume 76
Gysbers, N. C., & Henderson, P. (2006). Developing & managing your school guidance & counseling program (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
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.
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
Management responsibility includes managing caseloads, training, research, administering tests such as IQ and intake assessments, and more, and working within normal business hours (Psychology Career Center, 2016). After a Child Psychologist completes their schooling, they are required by most states to have post-graduate work under a supervising psychologist or psychiatrist for at least one to two years. Passing state licensing exams is also required in every state. The reported average income for a Counseling Psychologist is $7,604 annually.
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
As a future school counselor residing in Fairfax, Virginia one should be aware of the school district policies as well as the state laws govern minors, parents and the guardians. A school counselor should perform their duties in accordance with the commonwealth of Virginia and federal government. Many times students as well as parents or guardians request school records relating to grades. In order to protect student’s rights, Virginia school systems use the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) which states any student 18 or older can obtain their school records as well as their parents and guardians. As a future counselor one will be required to notify parents and students of their right. As the school counselor notification
They are certified/ licensed as an educator with unique skills used to address the academic, mental, and career driven problems that a student could face. He says they advocate for the use of giving leadership advice and focusing in on collaboration in the classroom. Professional school counselors have a master’s degree or higher in school counseling and have to meet the standards issued by the state and abide by the laws. The job of identifying certain beliefs on how to help all students benefit in the guidance of development is rooted in each individual schools mission. They collaborate with other educators, administration, and parents to help achieve the highest standard set forth. They follow school guidance curriculums, push individual student planning, and enable responsive services. They also build confidential bonds to help them resolve and cope with concerns that may arise. Michael Green lays out the overall standard he sees to fit the general pool of high school guidance counselors across the nation while understanding that it is up to each individual school’s mission to further guide the counselor and
The Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors (2017) last updated the scope of practice for Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) in 2010 and defined counselors as applying mental health, therapeutic, and developmental principals to facilitate development and change through prevention, assessment, evaluation of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Counselors in Texas achieve congruence through evaluation and assessment, establishing goals, forming and implementing treatment plans utilizing counseling, assessing, consulting, and referring. Counselors practicing in Texas must not only follow the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics but also the Code of Ethics in Texas (Texas
Must least have a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, which takes about 4 to 5 years to receive. However, to move forward with your education all depends on person’s career goals but for me I would like to move forward in my education. The highest being a Master’s Degree or PhD. To obtain a Master’s Degree it would take an extra 2 to 3 years while PhD is about 4 to 5 years both gives more opportunities to work in different area such in hospitals, schools, and private practices. Though it is also require to be licensed or certified and a 1-year of work training and experience. From this information it tells that my specific graduation for
This paper will discuss the following 4 Core Functions of a Counselor: Case Management, Client Education, Crisis Intervention, Referral and their primary purposes.