Chapter 2/Blog 2

The case study at the beginning of this chapter, as ugly and raw as it is, happens more than you would think and or anticipate.  The school carries itself as its own entity and once there are teachers and a principal who have been there for years, things that make waves get brushed under the rug.  The school doesn’t want to deal with it and it becomes your job as the counselor to “fix” the problem.  Even if we all know that is very wrong, unethical, unfair and ill practice.  So that counselor has two options; to either make waves and rock the boat going to the board, presenting the issue at the PTO meetings, community events and to the students and other teachers and try to rally the good people who are left to “fix” the real problem which is the administration or, she can continue to talk to the student and coach him through coping skills for being bullied by peers and teachers and being physically abused while walking in the hallway.

The effectiveness of schools seems to be more based on academics then development, emotional and physical needs of students.  The student is more than an educational entity, in order to teach the student you have to treat it has a whole and not a part.  Public schools teach all students the same way, instead of teaching children in a way that they can understand, some children/students needs to see and or hear information in a multitude of ways.  The teacher should have the freedom to switch things up to inspire all students to learn and pay attention during class. 

This chapter also described an elementary school and high school in relation to colors, sounds, sights and feelings/emotions about the space.  The elementary school was described as colorful and that you could hear children laughing and it had an over all positive vibe.  When describing the high school it was seen has dark, with sounds of lockers slamming and a nasty smell, all negative thoughts and feelings.  If these observations are so obvious to the students, why isn’t the school doing something about it?  Why can’t the walls be colorful? Or for there to be inspirational quotes put on the walls for the students to read as they walk down the halls?

I recognize that it is not the guidance counselors’ job to decorate the school, or to teach effectiveness or developmentally appropriate techniques to teachers and to create huge waves to give one student piece of mind.  But we have to go home and sleep with our decisions every night, so I say make waves and be the best counselor for each student you contact that you can be.  Because if you don’t, who is going to?

Reference

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