Counseling

Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (CSCP) provide support and services to all students regardless of disabilities, social environment, or culture. CSCP seek to advocate for students, ensure students have equal opportunities for achievement, and provide preventative and developmental strategies. CSCP strive to address the academic, career, and social/emotional needs of all students in order to promote success both in school and out of school (Erford, 2019). 

A school counselor's role in a CSCP is to develop and deliver a comprehensive program that addresses all students' academic, personal/social, and career development. School counselors serve as leaders of their school, advocates for their students, and collaborators to ensure all students' developmental needs are being met (ASCA, 2017).  

The goal of comprehensive school counseling programs is to ensure that every student is reached and given equal opportunities to succeed. A comprehensive school counseling program will support each student's individual needs and their academic achievement, social/emotional health, and career goals (ASCA, 2019a).

The American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Model is a framework for school counseling programs that brings school counselors together with one vision and one voice in order to focus on improving each student's success. The ASCA National Model outlines what knowledge and skills each student should be learning under a comprehensive school counseling program, and ensures that school counseling programs align with the school's mission and promote effective counseling that supports all students' achievement (ASCA, 2019b).

• Define: the "what". What is the school counseling program focused on?
  • Professional standards: ethical and professional standards that school counselors abide by. 
  • Student standards:  development in academic, career, social/emotional domains (ASCA, 2019c).
  • Manage: the "when and why". When and why will school counseling programs operate?
    • Program focus: beliefs and mission statement of the school
    • Program planning: data, lesson plans, and advocacy (ASCA, 2019c).
  • Deliver: the "how". How will these school counseling programs work?
    • Direct student services: direct instruction, individual or small group counseling, individual advisement
    • Indirect​ student services: referrals, collaboration, crisis response services (ASCA, 2019c).
  • Assess: "is it working?" Is the way the school counseling program is being implemented working?
    • Program assessment: annual results report, assessment
    • School Counselor assessment and appraisal: professional standards and competency assessment (ASCA, 2019c).

Escalation Cycle
Who? For children of all ages
What? The escalation cycle is a resource through Seattle Children's Hospital and helps us understand our emotions and behaviors when we get mad, sad, or upset
Why? It helps us pick interventions and healthy coping skills to return to our baseline behaviors
 

3 Practical Resources to Help Teachers Integrate SEL and Academics
Who? ​For ES teachers who want to incorporate social/emotional learning (SEL) into their classroom
What? ​EdSurge is an online organization that helps educators stay up to date on the evolving learning environments and provides educators with tools that support them
​Why? SEL is essential to young students overall development and academic achievement
32 Strategies for a Positive Learning Environment
Who? For teachers who seek to foster a positive learning environment
What?  Edutopia shows educators how they can adopt or adapt best practices so that their students can thrive
Why? These tips on how to foster an environment that helps students succeed academically, emotionally, and socially will create a positive learning environment
Classroom management
Who? For educators who seek to manage a healthy, productive classroom. Information on how to minimize classroom disruptions and keep students engaged
​What? Edutopia shows educators how they can adopt or adapt best practices so that their students can thrive
Why? These resources on how to manage your classroom with skills like minimizing classroom disruptions and keeping students engaged, will foster a positive learning environment

Parenting Tool: Validation
Who? For any parent/guardian
What? ​Parenting Tool: Validation is a resource through Seattle Children's Hospital that helps parents show their child that they are heard and understood
​Why? Letting a child know that their feelings and behaviors are heard and understood allows them to feel more connected to their parents and to have better relationships with others in adulthood
 

References:
American School Counseling Association (2019). ASCA national model: Fourth edition changes.
        https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/ASCA%20National%20Model%20Templates/Fourth-Edition/FourthEditionChanges.pdf​
American School Counseling Association (n.d.). The role of the school counselor. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Careers-Roles/RoleStatement.pdf
Erford, B (2019). Transforming the school counseling profession ​(5th ed.). Pearson Education. 
Lambie, G.W. & Williamson, L.L. (2004). The challenge to change from guidance counseling to professional school counseling: A historical proposition. Professional School
        Counseling, 8(2), 124-130.
Washington State Legislature (2019). Approval standards for performance based preparation programs for teachers, administrators, and educational staff associates. 
        https://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?dispo=true&cite=181-78A
Zyromski, B., Hudson, T.D., Baker, E., Granello, D.H. (2018). Guidance counselors or school counselors: How the name of the profession influences perceptions of
​        competence. Professional School Counseling, 22(1). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2156759X19855654