Who are school counselors? What do they do?

I am asked those questions often, and it's hard to provide a succinct answer. I like this publication from the ASCA, in that it provides a quick summary of what it means to be a school counselor. Of course, it doesn't cover the million "little things" we do that can't be measured by data; however, it's a good look at the quantifiable parts of our jobs.

Hypo- and hyper-sensitive children

Sensory integration research has provided some insight into behaviors that might otherwise be incorrectly classified or misdiagnosed. In reviewing the available literature, I came across a summary of behaviors that give a snapshot of what a hypersensitive or hyposensitive child might look like.

Hypersensitive children are overstimulated and seek less stimulation. They might:

• Avoid touching or being touched by objects or people, and react negatively to stimuli such as getting dirty or clothing tags
• Become overexcited when there is too much to look at, cover their eyes, appear inattentive, or overreact to bright light
• Cover their ears to close out sounds/voices, or complain about an otherwise acceptable level of sound
• Object to odors that others do not notice
• Strongly object to certain textures or temperatures of food
• Avoid moving or being unexpectedly moved, show insecurity about heights, avoid running, and be susceptible to motion sickness
• Remain rigid, stiff, and uncoordinated
  

Hyposensitive children are understimulated and seek more stimulation. They might:

• Be unaware of pain or temperature, chew inedible objects, rub against walls, or bump into people
• Touch everything to learn about it because vision isn't sufficiently coordinated, miss important visual cues
• Ignore voices, show difficulty following verbal directions, lack ability to control their own voice level, hum to themselves frequently
• Ignore unpleasant odors, sniff food/people/objects
• Lick or taste inedible objects, prefer very spicy or hot foods
• Crave fast/spinning movements, constantly fidget, be a daredevil
• Slump or slouch, be clumsy & inaccurate, stamp feet, twiddle fingers

Source: Viola, S., & Noddings, A. (2006). Making Sense of Every Child. Montessori Life, 18(4), 40-47.

Standards

Sometimes it is difficult to understand exactly what school counselors do. It would be hard to explain most of the job, because it encompasses so many areas of the functioning school; however, for the planned delivery part of the job, I can point to our SC Comprehensive Guidance & Counseling Program Model (SCPM). The SCPM provides standards for all "prevention programming" -- that is, classroom guidance, group counseling, and system support. Intervention services are guided by those standards as well, but in a more indirect way.

1. Learning to Live: Students will...
1. understand & appreciate self
2. understand & respect others
3. understand & appreciate home & family
4. develop a sense of community
5. make decisions, set goals, and take actions
6. develop safety & survival skills
   
2. Learning to Learn: Students will...
1. develop personal qualities that contribute to being an effective learner
2. employ strategies to achieve school success
3. understand the interrelationship of life in the school, home, community, and society
   
3. Learning to Work: Students will...
1. understand the relationships among personal qualities, education and training, and the world of work
2. demonstrate decision-making, goal-setting, problem-solving, and communication skills
3. explore careers and the connection of school to work
4. demonstrate a positive attitude toward work and the ability to work together
5. understand how community awareness relates to work

These standards are for all grade levels, but the competency indicators (specific measures that show the standards have been addressed) vary by grade level. For more detailed information, and a copy of the SCPM, visit the SC Department of Education.

Source: South Carolina State Department of Education. (1999). The South Carolina Comprehensive Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program Model: A Guide for School Counseling Programs. Columbia, SC: Author.

Classroom guidance topics

A tentative list for this year:

• September: introduction and I-Messages
• October: Drug Abuse Prevention
• November: Careers, How Santa Got His Job
• December: One Snowy Night; gratitude & generosity (White Christmas fund drive)
  
• January: friendship bandages; Matthew & Tilly; review September
  
• February: Pennies for Patients; tolerance, diversity fairness; Rhinos & Raspberries stories
• March: The Brand New Kid; hope, review last month
• April: Child Abuse Prevention
  

Asperger Syndrome

Asperger Syndrome, also known as Asperger's Disorder, is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by an array of symptoms. These symptoms include (but are not limited to):

• Difficulty with basic elements of social interaction
• Lack of social/emotional reciprocity
• Failure to seek shared enjoyment/achievement
• Impaired nonverbal communication skills
• Difficulty adapting to sudden change or unexpected events
• Narrow interests and repetitive behavior
• Unusual speech patterns but no clinically significant language delay

Source: American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.


Key accommodations in the classroom:

• Copy of daily schedule (possibly an expanded version of what is available to the class) on the student’s desk
• Student seated close to the front of the room
• Stress ball kept in desk (not for play)
• Priming for upcoming assignments/classwork/tasks by sending materials home ahead of time
• Social stores & role-playing

Source: Gibbons, M. M., & Goins, S. (2008). Getting to Know the Child with Asperger Syndrome. Professional School Counseling, 11, 347-352.