Reconciling the Ideals of the National Model with the Realities of School Counseling

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Reconciling the Ideals of the National Model with
the Realities of School Counseling

• WSCA Annual Spring Conference
• February 28, 2009

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Who is Your Presenter?

• Lisa Zobrist
• BA in psychology from the University of
  Washington
• M.Ed. in school counseling from Seattle Pacific
  University
• School Counselor with Monroe School District
  since 2005

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Who is My Audience?

• What is your name?
• What level do you work at?
• How long have you been a school counselor?
• What brings a smile to your face?

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My Graduate School Thoughts

• Excited!
• Wanted to be a change agent
• Enthusiastic about implementing the National
  Model
• Eager to start internship, run small groups,
  teach classroom guidance lessons, etc.

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The Awakening

• Internship experience
• Primary focus on individual and crisis counseling
• Email, phone calls, and paperwork
• Some classroom guidance around high school
  planning and careers
• No small groups
• Test coordination

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Brief Overview of ASCA National Model

• Foundation
• Beliefs, philosophy, mission statement, ASCA
  National Standards
• Delivery System
• Guidance curriculum, individual student planning,
  responsive services, system support
• Management System
• Agreements, advisory council, use of data, action
  plans, use of time, use of calendars
• Accountability
• Results reports, performance standards, program
  audit

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Brief Overview of ASCA National Model

• Delivery System Component
• Guidance Curriculum
• Individual Student Planning
• Responsive Services
• System Support

• Elementary School of Time
• 35-45
• 5-10
• 30-40
• 10-15

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Traditional School Counseling Programs

• Spend most time in responsive services and
  non-counseling activities
• Responsive services only impact a small number of
  students
• Non-counseling activities are an ineffective use
  of our time

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My School Counseling Experience

• Placement changes
• 2005-2006 1.0
• 2006-2008 0.8/0.2 split
• 2008-present 0.7/0.3 split
• My split-placement positions have challenged my
  ability to build and maintain effective CSCPs
  based on the National Model

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Discussion on Challenges of Split-Placement
Positions

• Challenges
• Car becomes your office
• Wrong school at the wrong time
• Communicating clearly
• Not good for kids
• Scheduling groups
• No planning time
• Triage
• Cant build rapport with either staff
• Unmet needs
• Two sets of staff meetings/ET/GT/504
• Who evaluates you?
• Different sets of rules/plans/expectations
• Feels reactive
• What is my role according to my administrators?

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Key Point 1 Start small

• Pick one thing (and fight for it!)
• Educate, educate, educate!
• Dont assume
• Communicate!

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Communication Example
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Key Point 2 Build Relationship with Principal

• Educate about
• The National Model
• Appropriate time allocations
• Appropriate and non-appropriate counseling
  activities
• Share what is most important to you about school
  counseling
• Discuss the problem with non-counseling activities

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Key Point 3 Assess Needs

• Build a program based off of identified needs
• Assess needs of key stakeholders
• Staff
• Program planning
• Classroom guidance lessons
• Small groups
• Student
• Program planning
• Small groups

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Key Point 4 Avoid Crisis Mode

• Focus on prevention
• Keep your appointments
• Kids CAN wait and other staff can help with
  incidental counseling
• Close your door!

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Key Point 5 Self Assess

• Key Question How are students different because
  of what I do?
• Use data and results reports
• SCAATAP
• Teacher and student surveys
• Pre/post tests
• Peer mediation program
• Culminating projects

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SCAATAP Summary Report
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SCAATAP Non-Counseling Activities Report
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Teacher and Student Surveys

• Teacher Surveys
• Kelsos Choice survey
• Small group feedback form
• Classroom guidance feedback form
• Student Surveys
• Bullying survey
• Small group feedback form

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Pre/Post Tests
24 Students took the pre and post test.
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More Examples of Data and Results

• Peer Mediation program
• Fewer office referrals for recess issues
• Tally number of solved conflicts throughout the
  year
• Culminating Projects
• Bystander acrostic poems
• Row, row, row your boat bullying songs
• Anti-bullying commitment
• Ways to set a good example

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Barriers to Change

• District level challenges
• WASL coordination
• Excel coordination
• Attendance letters
• Perceptions
• They have the most free time.
• Who else could do it?

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Example of a Change Process

• Identify Area to Change
• Collect data
• Share data
• Educate principal
• Persistence is important
• Advocate for yourself

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The Future

• My Goals
• Parent needs survey
• Less time on system support
• Closing the gap action plans
• Principal/counselor agreement
• Test coordination
• Full time counselors

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When I Feel Frustrated I

• Remember why I became a school counselor
• Spend time with students
• Build relationships based on trust
• Live by my moral code
• NGUNNGU
• Never give up, never, never give up. Winston
  Churchill

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Resources

• Books
• Classroom Guidance Games by Shannon Black
• Complete Group Counseling Program for Children of
  Divorce by Sylvia Morgolin
• Small Group Counseling for Children (K-2 and 2-5
  versions) by Diane S. Senn
• Games
• Ungame
• Thinking, Feeling, and Doing Game
• District Curriculum
• Second Step by Committee for Children
• Steps to Respect by Committee for Children
• Kelsos Choice

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With Thanks

• Feel free to contact me via email or phone
• zobristl_at_monroe.wednet.edu
• [phone]
• Questions/Comments?