School Counseling Programs Identifying Academic Development Needs

This study examined student, parent, and faculty perceptions of academic development needs and related comprehensive school counseling program services from four urban middle and high schools. Participants ( n = 1,032) completed a survey designed to assist schools in planning and evaluating their career and college readiness programs, and exploring perceived student support needs. Statistically significant differences were observed in stakeholder perceptions among 12 identified interventions that support improved academic development, through factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) and pairwise comparisons analysis. Findings provide valuable information about prioritizing student academic counseling services strategically and effectively, to meet program needs of students in high-poverty schools.

CHALLENGES COUNSELORS FACE IN EFFECTING SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KIAMBU COUNTY, KENYA

School counseling is intended to help students overcome problems, which usually mitigate their academic performance in schools. Helping students adjust emotionally, physically, mentally, and socially enhances good academic performance. In achieving this goal of counseling especially in schools, the government has previously committed resources towards establishing counseling programs in schools. However, the reality on the ground is that there are few established counseling programs as well as few counselors to implement the said programs and this has posed a challenge to the counsellors in their effort to offer counseling to assist students to enhance their academic achievement. The aim of the study was to establish the challenges counselors face in affecting school counseling programs for academic achievement of secondary school students in Kiambu County. The objective of the study was to find out if counsellors faced challenges while offering to counsel for academic achievement. To achieve this objective the study used primary data collected from a sample of 80 secondary school-age going students from 8 schools, 8 counselors, and 8 academic deans of students from the sampled schools. The study was qualitatively done and self-determination theory was used to guide the study. Findings indicated that counselors encountered personal and professional challenges in the course of their counseling duties. For personal challenges, all counsellors (100%) reported having a difficult time balancing between teaching and counseling, all counselors (100%) noted they had insufficient time for counseling since little time was set aside in the school programs for counseling, (63%) said they had no specific rooms dedicated for counseling students, (63%) felt that the big number of students seeking counseling was a challenge while 100% stated dual relationship as a tough challenge. In regard to professional challenges, (100%) of the counsellors stated that none was compensated for extra counseling duties, (75%) had insufficient skills in academic counseling, (50%) had little support from subject teachers and from parents, 100% indicated little support from school administrators, 100% cited increased workload, 100%, lack of formal recognition from Teachers Service Commission that employs teachers and 50% felt that counselors inclusivity in school discipline committee posed a challenge. The study concluded that school counseling programs are commendable because they increase students’ academic achievement. However the study has established that school counselors should be equipped with appropriate counseling skills, their workload should be reduced and that school administration should encourage greater cooperation between teacher counselors and other members of staff as well as with parents and guardians, in order to make the counselors effort more productive. Further studies should be conducted to investigate how the school administration can be actively involved in supporting counseling programs in schools.

Training School Counselors to Serve as Antibullying Specialists

This chapter explores school counselors' role in accordance to the nation's indicated most extensive and comprehensive antibullying policy by the U.S. Department of Education (US DOE) as well as in alignment with the position of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). The author introduces and evaluates bullying implications for underserved populations and research concerning the experiences of school counselors when serving students in the additional role designated by the model policy, antibullying specialist. This chapter identifies research driven suggestions for most effective practices counselor educators can train school counselors to advocate for when designing and implementing their comprehensive school counseling programs with prevention and intervention components.

Play Therapy Courses in School Counselor Training: A Content Analysis of Syllabi From CACREP-Accredited School Counseling Programs

The purpose of this study was to conduct a content analysis of the syllabi of play therapy courses offered by school counseling programs that hold accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. We collected and analyzed 27 course syllabi to (a) identify trends in the content of these courses and (b) examine whether course objectives are consistent with the American School Counselor Association School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies.

The Effect of Problem-Solving Training to Improve Student’s Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Skills: Racked Analysis

Critical thinking and decision-making skills are essential for non-cognitive capabilities for students in the era of the industrial revolution. This is pilot study designed to measure the effect of problem-solving training in school counseling programs to improving students' critical thinking and decision-making skills. The one group pre-post test experimental design applied in this study. This study involved 35 second-grade students of SMA Negeri 4 Singaraja, Bali, Indonesia. Student's critical thinking and decision-making skills are measured by 13 items of critical thinking and decision-making scales. The Racked analysis by Rasch Model is conducted to seek the treatment effects for 6-times (55 minutes) counseling session on students' critical thinking and decision-making skills. The results demonstrated that students' critical thinking and decision-making skills is increase in each of the 13 scales used. The effect was consistent for a man and woman participants. This findings show that problem-solving training in counseling programs affects students' critical thinking and decision-making skills.

A Comparison of Accountability Models in School Counseling Programs

The purpose of this study is to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each accountability evaluation model in order to make it easier for counselors to understand it. The method used is qualitative research that focuses on meanings, definitions, characteristics, symbols and explanations of the concepts learned. Research data is collected through literature review and document analysis. In this study, descriptive document analysis methods were used in data analysis. Descriptive analysis method is a method that aims to test the facts and meanings of research systematically. This model is formed based on different initial goals in the implementation of counseling services. The counselor can choose one of the models that are appropriate to the situation and easy to apply in his school. Accountability Evaluation Models of School Counseling Program has advantages and disadvantages of each. The counselor should choose one model that is appropriate to the situation and easy to implement in his school so that the implementation of the school counseling program can be measured and planned in the future.

School Counseling and Counseling Psychology Collaboration: A Cautionary Tale

Counseling psychology and school counseling programs have been historically aligned since the inception of their respective professions. Given current trends, there appear to be differences in the foci and approach to training and professional engagement in the two disciplines. The current investigation surveyed programs in which counseling psychology and school counseling programs were housed within the same department or college to identify areas of collaboration. The survey and journal reviews revealed a divide in the areas of curriculum, service delivery, and professional organization engagement. There appeared to be better collaboration in research, although limited in scope. Although counseling psychology and school counseling continue to have shared values, current trends in curriculum needs, accreditation and professional foci suggest a limited scope of collaboration. Research may be an area in which the two professions can remain professionally engaged. We offer suggestions for increasing collaborative activities.