Durofchalk School Counselor Interview
Published on Apr 19, 2017
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
The Basics
- Works at a private school
- Grades PreK-8
The school counselor I interviewed works at a local private school. This school contains PreK-8th grade.
The following slides will contain information gathered from our interview, as well as my day spent shadowing her.
The following slides will contain information gathered from our interview, as well as my day spent shadowing her.
Photo by profcarlos
Counselor's Primary Roles
- Class Guidance
- Individual Counseling
- Lunch groups/small groups
These are the primary responsibilities this school counselor had:
1. She was responsible for teaching classroom guidance as a part of her comprehensive school counseling program. Students in grades PreK-5th receive class guidance lessons once a week. Students in grades 6th-8th typically receive lessons every other week.
2. She also had both scheduled and walk-in individual counseling sessions. Teachers would reach out to her to refer students that they felt would benefit from counseling.
3. She had lunch groups she would meet with each day to discuss social skills. She also had other small groups that would meet throughout the year, such as study skills groups.
1. She was responsible for teaching classroom guidance as a part of her comprehensive school counseling program. Students in grades PreK-5th receive class guidance lessons once a week. Students in grades 6th-8th typically receive lessons every other week.
2. She also had both scheduled and walk-in individual counseling sessions. Teachers would reach out to her to refer students that they felt would benefit from counseling.
3. She had lunch groups she would meet with each day to discuss social skills. She also had other small groups that would meet throughout the year, such as study skills groups.
Photo by Daniel Kulinski
ASCA School Counselor Competencies
- Bases classroom lessons off of academic, personal/social, and career development
- Has the toughest time fitting in career development for elementary grades
She uses the domains from the ASCA School Counselor Competencies when planning her classroom units and lessons. She strives to have lessons in all grades for academic, personal/social, and career development.
She admitted she has the toughest time fitting in lessons based off of the career domain for the young elementary grades; however, she still strives to find activities that fit this domain for all grades. One activity she has used in the past for the younger grades was creating an alphabet book with a job for each letter.
She admitted she has the toughest time fitting in lessons based off of the career domain for the young elementary grades; however, she still strives to find activities that fit this domain for all grades. One activity she has used in the past for the younger grades was creating an alphabet book with a job for each letter.
Photo by SCORE Chicago
Typical Day
- There is no "typical day"
- Each day changes based off of the situations that arise
When I asked what a typical day entails, I was told that there is no such thing as a "typical day" in school counseling as each day changes based off of situations that arise and the needs of students.
The next slide will provide one example of a day's schedule based off of the schedule that day that I shadowed this counselor.
The next slide will provide one example of a day's schedule based off of the schedule that day that I shadowed this counselor.
Photo by Mikel Agirregabiria Agirre
Example Schedule
- Free block from 8:30-11
- Lunch from 11-12
- Lunch group from 12-1
- 1st grade classroom lesson from 1-1:30
- Catch up time from 1:30-2
- 3rd grade classroom lesson from 2-2:30
- Catch up time from 2:30-3
- Bus duty
Here is the schedule from the day I was shadowing. The details of this schedule will be broken up and discussed in the following slides.
Photo by Mikel Agirregabiria Agirre
Free Block/Catch up time
- Walk-ins
- Catch up on referrals
- Emails/Calls
- Testing/Observations
She has blocks in her tentative schedule each day marked "free blocks/catch up times".
She uses these times for walk-in students to visit, to meet with students who have been referred by other teachers, to reply to emails and make any necessary emails or calls, and to do any observations or testing that may be needed.
On this particular day I shadowed, she used some of this time to administer the KBIT-2 Intelligence Test to a student who was being screened for enrichment services. The student passed this test and the results were then forwarded to the school psychologist who provides the remaining testing.
She uses these times for walk-in students to visit, to meet with students who have been referred by other teachers, to reply to emails and make any necessary emails or calls, and to do any observations or testing that may be needed.
On this particular day I shadowed, she used some of this time to administer the KBIT-2 Intelligence Test to a student who was being screened for enrichment services. The student passed this test and the results were then forwarded to the school psychologist who provides the remaining testing.
Photo by RLHyde
Lunch Groups
- Different lunch group each day
- Based off of ages and needs
- Activities/time for kids to talk
A different lunch group is provided each day of the week based off of the needs and ages of the students. Each lunch group is provided with time to talk about anything that is on their minds as well as activities specific to their needs.
Current lunch group schedule:
Monday: Sixth Grade Girls Social Group
Wednesday: Grades K-4th Loss (Death and Divorce) Group
Thursday: First Grade Boys Social Group
Friday: Grades K-8th Loss (Death and Divorce) Group
The day I shadowed I saw the Grades K-4th Loss Group. That day, the students listed everyone in their world and followed instructions to put stickers next to who loved them, who hurt them, etc.
Current lunch group schedule:
Monday: Sixth Grade Girls Social Group
Wednesday: Grades K-4th Loss (Death and Divorce) Group
Thursday: First Grade Boys Social Group
Friday: Grades K-8th Loss (Death and Divorce) Group
The day I shadowed I saw the Grades K-4th Loss Group. That day, the students listed everyone in their world and followed instructions to put stickers next to who loved them, who hurt them, etc.
Photo by USDAgov
Classroom Lessons
- Guidance lessons and units are created to fit all 3 domains
- Lessons created to fit the needs of each classroom
As already mentioned, each classroom is provided with a classroom guidance lesson. These lessons are created to fit all 3 domains (academic, personal/social, and career development). Additionally, lessons and units may be created or switched around depending on the needs of each classroom.
The day I shadowed I saw a 1st grade and 3rd grade classroom guidance lesson. Both of these lessons were focused on teaching students good listening skills.
The day I shadowed I saw a 1st grade and 3rd grade classroom guidance lesson. Both of these lessons were focused on teaching students good listening skills.
Photo by woodleywonderworks
Emergency Situations
- Emergencies always take precedence over any other scheduled activities
- Abuse: Report immediately
- Cutting: Call parents/guardians and ensure help is received
- Suicidal: Keep students in office and call parents/guardians and SAM (Service Access and Management) for evaluation.
Emergencies always receive priority over any other scheduled activities; she has needed to change classroom lessons or lunch group meetings due to emergencies.
In cases of suspected child abuse, she realizes she is a mandated reporter and reports any cases of child abuse immediately.
If a student is cutting, she will call parents/guardians and provide references for mental health counseling.
If a student is suicidal, she keeps the student in her office and calls parents/guardians and SAM (Service Access and Management). Depending on the severity of the situation, SAM may recommend the student is taken immediately to the emergency room, or SAM may come in to evaluate the student and provide references to licensed psychologists/psychiatrists.
In cases of suspected child abuse, she realizes she is a mandated reporter and reports any cases of child abuse immediately.
If a student is cutting, she will call parents/guardians and provide references for mental health counseling.
If a student is suicidal, she keeps the student in her office and calls parents/guardians and SAM (Service Access and Management). Depending on the severity of the situation, SAM may recommend the student is taken immediately to the emergency room, or SAM may come in to evaluate the student and provide references to licensed psychologists/psychiatrists.
Photo by HPUPhotogStudent
Counselor Skills
- Organized
- Caring
- Loving
- Dedicated
When asked what counselor skills she feels to be most important, this school counselor did not hesitate at all in blurting out these following skills:
1. Organized: She feels counselors must be organized to stay prepared for lessons or any potential emergencies. It also takes a lot of organization to stay on top of paperwork.
2. Caring: A school counselor must care about all students.
3. Loving: A school counselor must be understanding and loving. Some students come from environments where they never receive any love, and all they want is to be understood and feel cared about.
4. Dedicated: A school counselor has to be dedicated to ensure all students are helped in the best way possible.
1. Organized: She feels counselors must be organized to stay prepared for lessons or any potential emergencies. It also takes a lot of organization to stay on top of paperwork.
2. Caring: A school counselor must care about all students.
3. Loving: A school counselor must be understanding and loving. Some students come from environments where they never receive any love, and all they want is to be understood and feel cared about.
4. Dedicated: A school counselor has to be dedicated to ensure all students are helped in the best way possible.
Photo by @YannGarPhoto
Course Readings and Perceptions
- Matched course readings on comprehensive school counseling
- Testing surprised me the most
This interview and shadowing experience matched the readings from this course. A lot of the readings in this course focused on making a comprehensive school counseling program, and I observed this during the classroom guidance lessons.
Most of my perceptions were met as I knew from this course about direct and indirect services that school counselors provide. We talked about individual, small group, and class guidance, which are all direct services; and we also talked about referrals, which would be indirect services.
The main part of this experience that surprised me was the testing that I witnessed that day. I always associated testing with school psychologists, so I was not expecting to witness any type of testing during my time.
Most of my perceptions were met as I knew from this course about direct and indirect services that school counselors provide. We talked about individual, small group, and class guidance, which are all direct services; and we also talked about referrals, which would be indirect services.
The main part of this experience that surprised me was the testing that I witnessed that day. I always associated testing with school psychologists, so I was not expecting to witness any type of testing during my time.
Photo by Valentina_A
Questions I have
- How does a school counselor go about deciding what small groups to create?
- Is there any other way to protect students from situations like abuse besides reporting the situation?
I have two questions as a result of my experience.
1. How does a school counselor go about deciding what small groups to create? I realize these small groups are based off of students' needs, but there are so many needs students have! How does a counselor decide which needs to base small groups off of? For example, if a school counselor wanted to create weekly lunch groups, that would only be five groups a week. How does one decide which five groups to create?
2. I was informed of a student during my interview that had reports made due to instances of physical abuse two times already. This student can be scared to go home at times. Is there any other way to ensure students who are suspected of being abused stay safe besides making the report?
1. How does a school counselor go about deciding what small groups to create? I realize these small groups are based off of students' needs, but there are so many needs students have! How does a counselor decide which needs to base small groups off of? For example, if a school counselor wanted to create weekly lunch groups, that would only be five groups a week. How does one decide which five groups to create?
2. I was informed of a student during my interview that had reports made due to instances of physical abuse two times already. This student can be scared to go home at times. Is there any other way to ensure students who are suspected of being abused stay safe besides making the report?
Photo by mikecogh
