What is School Counseling?
As outlined by the American School Counseling Association (ASCA), a school counseling program is: comprehensive in scope, preventative in design and developmental in nature. So what does this mean?
• Comprehensive in Scope:
School Counselors focus on what all students from Kindergarten through 12th grade should know and be able to do academically, career-wise and personally/socially.
• Preventative in Design:
The school guidance curriculum teaches specific skills and learning opportunities that serve as prevention education.
• Developmental in Nature:
School counselors offer programs suitable to each student’s appropriate developmental levels.
School Counseling is an important part of the entire educational program. Counselors support students in three domains: academic, career and personal/social.
• Academic:
School counselors help children develop skills that will help them learn effectively.
• Career:
Counselors also help students acquire skills that will prepare them to be successful in careers later in life.
• Personal/Social:
Effective school counselors also help children learn social skills and teach children respect for themselves and others.
Programs Offered By the School Counselor:
Individual counseling
Group counseling
Guidance-classroom lessons
Crisis intervention
Conflict resolution
Consultation and collaboration with students and parents
Referrals
Career awareness programs
Academic planning
Goal setting