Blog 10-delivery

Through the school counselor competency assessment I realized that the role I filled as a social rehabilitation counselor was very similar to the role of a school counselor. I collaborated with everyone from the head of the agency to my supervisors, my coworkers, my consumers, and people of the community. I ran programs and groups, crisis counseled, developed an art program, developed a state wide art show for mental health consumers and worked with the community to raise funds. I look at this list wishing we would have had such a competency list to refer to in order to develop and assess our skills. 

Classroom instruction and curriculum planning is an area where I feel confidence. I love to be creative, educate and make the information relevant. When I substitute teach, I especially love being in the secondary school subject instruction classes, and I get to teach a lesson (not show a movie). I challenge myself to find ways to fit developmental instruction into their lesson. Last year I had the chance to discuss consequences of and alternatives to greed, power and cruelty when teaching Macbeth. I fit developmental discussions into elementary and pre-k instruction as well. Those occasions incorporate discussions about relationships, self monitoring skills and also career strengths and academic skills. 

I learned to use positive behavior support principles (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012) while teaching preschool. My lead teacher uses this technique with mastery. She has been a wonderful model for working with the children, parents and staff. Solid compliments, positively worded statements, pre-corrections and proximity are techniques that work at every age level.  I have read the Love and Logic books and would someday like to use them in a parent educating format.

The text and the Akos article (2009) both discussed learning development and differences. This is such an important piece of the puzzle. People do not all learn the same. I find it helpful to consider the age group’s psychosocial needs and cognitive abilities first. Then we can view the topic through the lens of learning styles or multiple intelligences. Another way I approach instruction is through the five senses plus affect; I feel this reaches many students as well. Any of the integration methods provide a better planned and intentional experience and lessen systemic oppression (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012).

The article (Akos, 2009) also mentioned the challenge in middle school to reach the spectrum of students who are more meta-cognitive and those who are more behavioral learners due to cognitive development. This speaks to the different developmental needs in the broader K-12 instruction. Active and meaningful learning experiences such as “practicing the right way” are wonderful tools for younger age groups and “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes” is better suited for older elementary or middle level students. The older the students the deeper the understanding of these topics will be. Still only some high school students will be able to use insight and abstract thought.      

                Akos, P. (2009). The unique nature of middle school counseling. Professional School Counseling, 9 (2), 95-103.

Dollarhide, C.T., & Saginak, K.A. (2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs (2nd Ed.). New York: Pearson, Inc