Blog 10

I definitely enjoyed the readings for this week as I would love to be a middle school counselor.  To me, middle school is the marker of some dynamic transitions in a student's life. It is not even a single transition in one domain, and adolescents definitely feel these effects in the social/emotional, academic, and career domains. 

One of the topics addressed in the chapter was of cultural competency, and I find this to be a major component that makes a school counselor great. There are times when I sit outside of where I live, and I learn so much from the students walking home from the school that is just two blocks away.  Not only do I get to observe the students that go to the nearby elementary school, I also get to observe the interaction of parents and parents with their children.  I can tell just by a brief observation of the students the individuals preparing for their transition to middle school.  These are the students that don't have their parents pick them up from school, and are the students that find it entertaining  pulling flowers from planters along the sidewalk.

Another topic that these students enjoy talking about is how much they dislike their teacher.  I also hear this from two of my neighbors who have both asked me to tutor their children, one in preparation for taking the PSSAs and the other because they have received notice from the teacher that they are unable to do their math homework.  Both parents told me that their children have also been told by their children's teachers that work is needed to improve their handwriting.   The thought that consistently comes to mind is, "what is the school counselor even doing in there?".

As I am considering this school to be the location for practicum, just hearing the students and parents makes me hesitant.  I am also uncertain to begin the process of having this be my practicum site as I attempted to contact the school counselor for the interview project, and I never got a reply.  I wrote emails and I even attempted to call, but I never received a reply.

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.