The transformed school counselor chapter 15

Transitioning Into the Field
of School Counseling
The Transformed School Counselor
Chapter 15

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Envisioning Your Future


Act as a counselor, advocate, leader, collaborator, and
consultant to maximize opportunities for students to
succeed academically, emotionally, and socially.



Strive to develop in all students ambitious goals and a
commitment to achievement.



Become a steward of equity; be able to use data to
recognize institutional and environmental barriers that
impede student success.



Provide all students with academic and career advising.



Become an effective manager of resources.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Planning for Your Success


Before you begin your new job, spend as much
time as you can learning about the physical,
structural, academic, and social climate of the
school, starting with the community in which it is
situated.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Learning About the Home and
Community Environment


Physically place yourself in your students’ neighborhoods.



Ask questions of faculty and community members about

the range of socioeconomic levels in the community and
parental involvement.



Learn about stressors and support systems of your school’s
families.

Community Standards


You will need to know the community and institutional
standards to discern how to behave ethically in the
particular environment.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Learning About the School
Environment



Determine the nature of the school environment.
Ask questions such as: What is the working climate? Is
there a sense of camaraderie?
Which
departments are functioning well?

Leadership and the Power Structure





Where is the power base for decision making?
Who are the formal leaders?
How are school counselors involved?
The informal power base – Who are the teachers who
wield the greatest influence among other faculty?

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Learning About the School
Environment

Culture and Beliefs of Administration and Faculty




What are their beliefs about student learning?
Ask questions about how students are disciplined in your
school to see if there is a disciplinary plan in place.
Observe how teachers interact with students.

The Students





Student morale is an aspect of school climate.
Are the students engaged, enthusiastic, positive, and
motivated?
Ask students what they think of their school and their
school counseling program.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Learning About the School
Environment
Curriculum/Instruction and Student Support


Learn as much as you can about the school’s curriculum
offerings, the special education program, and all support
systems in place for struggling students.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Heading Toward Success
Organizing Your Physical Environment





Set yourself up early in a comfortable arrangement
for the year.
Place your furniture with attention to traffic
patterns.
Have a space that allows you and students to be
comfortable and in close proximity to each other
without a desk or barrier between you.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Heading Toward Success
Organizing Your Time




Weekly, monthly and yearly calendars can be a
support.
Establish a weekly calendar and place it on your
door to establish a feeling of being in control of
your time and job assignments.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.

Heading Toward Success
Organizing Your Resources


Ideally your equipment will include:



Computers for you and the students
A phone with multiple phone lines
A copy machine
A fax machine







Be resourceful and seek support from business
people and others to help meet equipment needs.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Heading Toward Success
Organizing Your Data Sources




Study your school’s report card data as early as
possible.
The principal is usually a great resource for
finding data information.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Heading Toward Success
Organizing Your Support System


Many school systems assign new counselors a
buddy or mentor.



If your school system does not have a formal
mentor program, find someone to support you.



Orchestrate success for yourself.



Outside of school, find a person with whom you

can share all your frustrations.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Ensuring Your Success
Put the mechanisms in place for developing your
professional skills and knowledge, maintaining your
energy, and building relationships that will support
you in all your efforts at building a successful
program.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Ensuring Your Success
Professional Development


Professional organizations offer support and can
help you increase your professionalism in the
field.



Professional organizations such as the ASCA also
provide informative publications and discussion
lists as part of your membership.



District-level in-services, regional workshops, and
summer institutes are a few ways you can grow
your professionalism.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Ensuring Your Success
Management Agreement


Create a management agreement to keep your
goals in line with what your co-counselors and
administrators see you doing.



Include the percentage of time designated to each
of the four areas of the delivery system.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Ensuring Your Success
Practicing Wellness





In schools there can be unhealthy people, toxic
environments, and other drains on a school
counselor’s emotional well-being.
Find outlets and ways to renew your spirit, and
seek opportunities to use them regularly.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Ensuring Your Success
Professional Comportment


Behave in a professional manner at all times.



Set boundaries, develop coping skills, and keep
whatever comes your way in perspective.



Build and protect your relationships.



Respect the experience of others and share your
knowledge.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Ensuring Your Success
Maintaining Your Professional Commitments
Stay Passionate About Advocacy


Expect support, praise, and ridicule at varying times.



Remember that the alternative to making waves is allowing
some students to be left out of the success picture.

Support the Instructional Program


Think of new ways to implement strategies to support
teaching and learning.



Send the message that you respect the tough job teachers
have and that you are there to support their efforts.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Laying the Foundation for Your
School Counseling Program



Prepare
a Mission
Statement
Align
the mission
of the
school counseling
program with the school’s mission.
Print out and display your mission statement to
serve two purposes:
It will provide you with transparency, letting
everyone know what you stand for and what you
hope to accomplish
 It will keep you focused by reminding you every day
of what you stand for and what you wish to
accomplish.


©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.

Laying the Foundation for Your
School Counseling Program
Start Building a Belief System



What we believe, what we hold true about students,
families, teachers, and the educational process,
drives our ability to support success for every
student.



Our beliefs are derived from our background and
experience.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Laying the Foundation for Your
School Counseling Program


Begin
Team
IdentifyBuilding
a team thatYour

can help
to implement your
program.



The core team members include administrators,
teachers, student service personnel, parents,
students, and business and community
representatives.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.


Laying the Foundation for Your
School Counseling Program
Making the Shift to a Comprehensive,
 Move toward a collaborative effort in which key
Transformed School Counseling Program
players will analyze existing practices.



Determine to what degree comprehensive school
counseling is in place and clearly identify aspects
of a comprehensive model that need to be
implemented.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of

copyright laws.


One Year Later: Envisioning Your
Transformed School Counseling
Program


The ASCA model forms the foundation of your program,
supports the mission of your school, and provides the
direction as to how every student will benefit from the
school counseling program.



The implementation team has determined a mission
statement, philosophy, and guiding beliefs.



The team has identified an appropriate delivery system and
parents, students, teachers, and support staff are aware of
their roles within the delivery system.

©2012 Cengage Learning. These materials are designed for classroom use and can be used for educational purposes only. Reproduction for commercial use is in violation of
copyright laws.