Blog 9

I must say that the readings for this week could not have come up at a more appropriate time. While working on my research paper I read articles that emphasized a learning environment built upon social, emotional, academic, and ethical qualities where school counselors must be leaders. Especially adolescents  who are in need  of a school counselor that makes an effort to get to know every student. I know that when I was going through school it would have been beneficial to have a knowledgeable and approachable school counselor. Unfortunately, I went to a school where I rarely saw a school counselor, let alone a school counselor that would develop activities that could be implemented in the classroom or an individual willing to take on the responsibilities of being a leader in the school system.

As I continue my progress in this program, I am definitely interested in becoming a school counselor that is a known individual due to my qualities that enable me to be a good leader .  I want to be seen as an approachable resource to students already going through some major developmental transitions.  Even my research paper focused on work with adolescents and what school counselors can do to help their students.  Also, a major component of working with any student, whether it be elementary, middle, or high school is to have a school counselor that understands that not every student is the same and different cultural backgrounds do exist within the school environment.

It would have been incredibly beneficial to have a school counselor that was knowledgeable, not an expert, about the effect a student's culture has on their potential to learn. Multiple types of intelligence exist and just knowing about them is helpful for a school counselor when developing leadership characteristics.  As I reflect on my experience as I went through my K-12 schools, I had a type of personality  that differed from the rest of the students. In addition, how I behaved in the school environment was emphasized by my cultural background. I learned that speaking out loud was not to be done unless asked by someone older. This caused difficulties with my teachers as I did not raise my hand to participate, and having a school counselor that was aware of my cultural background and served as a role model that I could look up to would have been helpful.  

I even do this now in graduate school which was definitely evident in my participation points for the classes I have taken. Luckily, I have learned to not get nervous, raise my hand, and say what is on my mind.   As for leadership qualities in my CSCP group, I totally appreciative to have a leader that has set up a framework that allows for all of us to contribute parts toward the whole project

Dollarhide, C.T., & Saginak, K.A. (2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs

            (2nd Ed.). New York: Pearson, Inc. 

Mason, E.C.M. & McMahon, H.G. (2009, December). Leadership practices of school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 13(2), 107-115.