Blog 5

I must say that with every chapter and article assigned for this class, I know I made the right decision to pursue a degree in school counseling. I don't want to say that I regret my previous education at my old graduate school because it is definitely helping me in this program. Each time I read about the development of a comprehensive school counseling program and the statistics that are needed, I am so glad I am able to apply my previous graduate education.

As many of my classmates have heard, my previous degree was in experimental psychology where I was required to develop my own thesis and my coursework included a year of statistics. I think that just having the experience definitely makes me feel confident that I will be able to collect data and analyze it so that administrators and parents will understand the importance of a school counselor who is educated in developing programs and presenting their findings from research.

In addition, the last school counselor I interviewed gave me the motivation of how important it is to be well versed in conducting research and presenting my findings. In order for change to occur, a school counselor must be prepared to present results in a form that is understandable by the general public. This particular school counselor explained to me that my experience collecting data, even when the time-frame goes for an extended duration just like my previous degree, will demonstrate that having me as a school counselor is an incredibly helpful addition to the individuals that comprise a school system.

Speaking with a school counselor that is currently in the process of data collection and a graduate of the Millersville University school counseling program definitely makes me know that I made the best decision I could have made.  I was also fortunate enough to have the school counselor present to me the current findings of their research, and how the administration within the school finds it so incredibly helpful and beneficial to the school.

Dollarhide, C. T., & Saginak, K. A. (2011). Comprehensive school counseling programs, k-12 delivery systems in action. Pearson College Div.

Schwallie-Giddis, P., ter Maat, M., & Pak, M. (2003). Initiating leadership by introducing and implementing the ASCA National Model. Professional School Counseling, 6(3), 170-173.