PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Components of A Comprehensive Counseling Program
The Four Essential Components of a Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program are:
Guidance Curriculum
Individual Planning
Responsive Services
System Support
Suggested Distribution of Total Counselor Time is:
Guidance Curriculum:
Elementary School: 35-45%, Middle/Junior High: 25-35%, High School: 15-25%
Individual Planning:
Elementary School: 5-10%, Middle/Junior High: 15-25%, High School: 25-35%
Responsive Services:
Elementary School: 30-40%, Middle/Junior High: 30-40%, High School: 25-35%
System Support:
Elementary School: 10-15%, Middle/Junior High: 10-15%, High School: 15-20%
The Importance of Guidance Curriculum:
Provides awareness, skill development and application needed for personal/social, academic and career development in students.
The Personal/social development aspect of guidance curriculum is an important part of a student’s pursuit of success in life.
To understand and respect self, relate positively to others, make informed and safe decisions, cope effectively with change, and become responsible citizens are essential to this process.
EXAMPLE: Olweus Bullying Program
The Academic development aspect of guidance curriculum is an important part of an student’s pursuit of life-long learning.
Being able to achieve educational success, identify and work toward goals, manage information, organize time, and locate resources are essential to this process.
EXAMPLE: Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Healthy Kids
The Career Development aspect of guidance curriculum is an important part of a student’s mission of success in the world of work.
Being able to develop the knowledge and skills to make realistic career plans, make a successful transition from school to work, achieve interdependence, and compete in a global economy are essential to this process.
EXAMPLE: Career Day
THE IMPORTANCE OF INDIVIDUAL PLANNING:
Assists students in monitoring and understanding their development in next-step decisions, as well as planning and goal setting.
The Personal Social Development aspect of Individual Planning fosters Development of healthy self-concept as well as development of both short and long-term goals.
EXAMPLE: Personality Assessment Questionnaires
The Academic aspect of Individual Planning educates students in proper study skills, provides an awareness of educational opportunities, assists with appropriate course selection, and fosters lifelong learning. Counselor also utilizes test scores.
EXAMPLE: PSAT Scores
The Career aspect of Individual Planning provides students with knowledge of career
opportunities, knowledge of occupational training, knowledge of labor market information, and development of an education/career plan.
EXAMPLE: Career Surveys
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPONSIVE SERVICES:
Address immediate concerns of students. Provides prevention and intervention.
Personal Social issues addressed: relationships, abuse, grief, loss, death, substance abuse, family problems/concerns, coping skills.
EXAMPLE: Individual Counseling, Crisis Response
Academic issues addressed through responsive services: tardiness, absences and truancy, school and classroom conduct, dropout prevention.
EXAMPLE: Individual/small group counseling, referrals, consultation
The Importance of System Support:
School Counselors provide system support on behalf of students as a result of interactions with parents, teachers, and other school administrators. System support includes program and staff support activities and services.
EXAMPLES:
-contributing to the school’s goals for enhancing education in the building
-working with other school staff in the placement of students with special needs in
appropriate programs, including gifted education, special education, and career and
technical education opportunities
Annual Agreements:
Annual Agreements are developed with and approved by administrators at the beginning of the school year.
School Counselors use these agreements to address how the school counseling program is organized and what goals will be accomplished.
Key Elements of Annual Agreements:
School Counseling Program Goals – Important because they ensure accountability.
Use of Time – Ensures that 80% of time is dedicated to direct and indirect student services including delivering school counseling core curriculum, time with responsive services, individual student planning and time providing referrals, consultation and collaboration. Also ensues that 20% of time is dedicated to program planning and school support.
Set Dates for meeting with Advisory Counsel: This is important because it ensures collaboration is occurring as the school year progresses.
Planning and results documents: These documents are important because they are concrete action plans put in place for administration to adhere to in developing the school counseling program. Examples include: Annual Calendars, Closing-the-gap action plans, curriculum and small group action plans.
Professional Development: This is important because it requires the counselor to perform self assessments and to evaluate self competencies. Examples include: School counseling team meetings, School improvement team meetings and student support team meetings.
Budget Materials and Supplies – Guarantee availability of funds as necessary to support guidance counseling programs.
School Counselor Availability/Office Organization: States specific times allotted to students, parents, and teachers. Sets limits on counselor availability for each group. For example:
The school counseling office will be open for students/parents/teachers from ______to_______
My hours will be from __________to__________ (if flexible scheduling is used)
The career center will be open from ___________to__________
