I was happy to read a concise overview of the ASCA Model
this week. While we have been
discussing this concept, I felt that chapter 5 in the textbook gave me a much
better understanding of how all the elements of the Model fit together. I have several thoughts and questions
about the information from this weeks’ reading.
First, Dollarhide & Saginak (2012) states that ASCA
faces “two challenges: how to inform teachers, administrators, and parents
about this Model and how to reach those school counselors who aren’t members of
the professional association” (p. 75).
This is a sentiment that I have heard from all three school counselors
that I interviewed in one capacity or another. This was an identified barrier to implementation of
the ASCA model, especially where administration is concerned. The biggest obstacle seems to be
administration, as admin is the avenue through which most systemic change
occurs. The unfortunately truth is that many administrators to not understand the role of the counselor and know nothing about comprehensive school counseling models. Because of this, I wonder,
will the PA department of education ever require the ASCA Model as a framework
though which counselors operate, and through which counselors are evaluated? It
seems that, unless something is mandated, school districts do not typically
adopt a particular way of doing things because there are constantly changing
demands on school districts. In
addition, administrators seem to be most concerned about test scores and
academic curricula. To partially
answer my own question, I do know that under the brand new teacher
effectiveness evaluation system, counselors will be evaluated based on data
proving effectiveness of their programs.
However, I do not know how heavily the new evaluation system is based on
the ASCA Model.
Page 83 of Dollarhide & Saginak (2012) includes the
statement, “Through the careful documentation of counselor time, it is possible
to identify activities that do not contribute directly to the goals of the
CSCP.” With so many budget cuts,
which have taken away administrators, teachers, and support staff, it seems that
the reality is that districts are still going to give counselors duties that do
not directly relate to the goals of the CSCP. To play “Devil’s advocate,” it seems that the reality
is that all staff are given duties that don’t relate directly to the goals of
their jobs; that is simply what needs to happen in order for the school to run
smoothly. However, to be fair,
school counselors should absolutely not be given duties that would cause them
to have to discipline a child, as this would lead to role confusion/ambiguity,
and could ruin whatever potential the counselor has to make an impact on the
child.
I appreciated the article, Strengths-Based Counseling and
the ASCA National Model (Galassi, Griffin & Akos, 2008). I felt that this article presented a
solution-focused way of approaching the ASCA Model. It served as a reminder to “keep it positive” and instead of
focusing so much on the problems (problem-focused), it encourages school
counselors to promote strengths. I
think of this type of focus, especially when creating program goals, as very
much like writing goals for an IEP: the focus is on what the student is
expected to achieve rather than on reducing behaviors. This, in turn, lends itself to more of a preventative approach to counseling rather
than reactive. Along the lines of
a preventative approach, I found it interesting that the authors suggested a
pre-K model for counseling. I
wonder what this would look like at that young of an age, but also believe that
such a preventative intervention could make a world of difference in children
as they enter school.
I am looking forward to learning more about the ASCA Model
and the practicality of its implementation.
References:
Dollarhide,
C. T., & Saginak, K. A. (2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs.
(2nd
ed.). New York: Pearson, Inc.
Galassi, J.
P., Griffin, D., & Akos, P. (2008). Strengths-based school counseling and
the
asca
national model. Professional School Counseling, 12(2), 176-181.
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