Best Practices For Effective Secondary School Counselors

Written from the perspective of a practicing, certified counselor, this guide contains essential information needed to smoothly transition from service-based to program-based counseling.

In this second edition of a practical and eminently useful resource, Rosemary Thompson discusses the new and expanded roles of today's school counselors. In the wake of recent school violence, and in light of the tough decisions that students now face everyday, the role of the school counselor has changed dramatically. Today, more than ever, school counselors must do more than simply offer guidance on educational and vocational choices, but must become catalysts for change. This second edition examines the ways in which recent economic, political, social, and educational trends have impacted the professional school counselor. Throughout the text, Thompson integrates her discussion of recent national reform issues and the new professional standards set forth by the American School Counselors Association. Focusing throughout on the inherent benefits of and need for professional counseling in our schools, this second edition is a groundbreaking resource and will be of great value to school counseling students and professionals alike.

Today’s children and adolescents are constantly facing new and unique challenges, and school counselors must respond to this by expanding their role and function within the schools. This revised and expanded edition of Thompson’s important text explores these issues, as well as the necessary steps school counselors need to take in order to adapt and effectively deal with them. Thompson advocates for the need for standards-based school counseling, outlining the framework and benefits of the ASCA National Model® and comprehensive guidance and counseling programs. She addresses the newest research in implementing evidence-based practices; the mental health issues that may be faced by children and adolescents; consulting with teachers, parents, administrators, and the community; and crisis intervention and management. New to this edition are chapters that focus on minority and disenfracnshised students and emphasize the need for school counselors to be able to advocate, coordinate, and collaborate on services for these students and their families. This is an essential resource for every school counselor in a time when the profession is becoming increasingly important.

"Middle and high school counselors will find this book to be very helpful for its practical and hands-on approach." —Karen Thompson, Assistant Professor Psychology & Counseling Valdosta State University "This is a great collection of resources to aid secondary school counselors." —John Littrell, Professor of Counselor Education/Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Iowa State University "This is an outstanding addition to the field." —Greg Brigman, Professor of Counselor Education Florida Atlantic University "The material is especially helpful because of the separation in grade levels. I often find it difficult to find material specifically designed for transitions from ninth to tenth grade AND from sixth to seventh. This is one of the most valued sections of the book for me." —Judy Buchholz, Ninth-Grade School Counselor D. W. Holmes Junior High School, CA "This is a major contribution to best practices in school counseling." —Gerald Monk, Professor of Psychology & Counseling San Diego State University "...an invaluable resource for school counselors." —Barbara Blackburn, ASCA Secondary Vice President and President Elect Innovative and essential strategies for charting a course toward an effective secondary school counseling program! The recent wave of accountability reform movements has largely overlooked the needs of middle and high school counselors, yet has generated daunting pressure for guidance programs to be standards-based and data-driven. Written from the perspective of a practicing, certified counselor, this guide contains essential information needed to implement the American School Counselor Association′s National Model and smoothly transition from service-based to program-based counseling. The book affirms that the school′s guidance and counseling program play an integral role in the instructional program and overall school success. Best Practices for Effective Secondary School Counselors centers on six best practices and highlights specific action plans and examples for each one, allowing counseling staff to easily implement the comprehensive programs outlined. Key features include: Time-saving checklists, surveys, and forms Straightforward tactics for applying six best practices Strategies for stress management Tips for writing successful letters of recommendation An extensive resource and Web site list From evaluation, advisement and communication, to career education, transition, and professional development, this user-friendly text features relevant and proven solutions for counselors′ primary concerns.

School counseling strategies that promote student success! So much is expected to prepare today’s students for success—academic achievement, career and college readiness, emotional and social competency, just to name a few. School counselors can make an enormous positive difference in children’s lives. In a succinct Q&A format, the authors provide school counselors and educational leaders with: 101 solutions to common counseling issues across the K–12 spectrum on topics ranging from data-driven counseling to bullying, collaboration, and equity Stories of school counselors and educational leaders who have successfully implemented these solutions Numerous print and digital resources for further exploration

Combining a scholarly synthesis of relevant research with easy-to-read descriptions of best practice,Developing an Effective and Accountable School Counseling Programcontains information on all aspects of the school counseling profession. Chapter opening cases provide a context for discussion, while margin notes, stimulus questions, and suggested portfolio components prompt readers to apply material to their own unique situation. New developments and trends are emphasized throughout, including coverage of data-driven programming and accountability, facilitating developmental transitions, legal and ethical issues, and responsive services.

Over forty professionals share effective strategies and current issues relating to a K-12 developmental school counseling program. Dozens of practical, easy-to-use forms, ideas, and management concepts are provided for duplication. Brief counseling, group strategies that work, and suggestions for working with special populations are followed by the counselor's role as a consultant and coordinator, family counseling, appraisal, career development, teacher-advisor programs, peer helping, parent involvement, public relations, accountability, ethical issues, and credentialing. Each chapter has been updated, including current program standards and credentialing requirements. This book is designed as a graduate text or as a resource for practicing counselors desiring to be more effective with the developmental approach and who want to better understand the current issues facing them.

In 2002, the American School Counselor Association presented the ASCA National Model for school counseling programs as a framework for implementing best practices in training counselors to deliver effective evidence-based approaches for K-12 students. Without a unifying theory of practice, school counselors are often uncertain about how to implement the National Model. Considering school counselors' professional role under the National Model, Theories of School Counseling for the 21st Century offers readers a compilation of contemporary, cutting-edge theoretical models to inform the way school counselors practice the art and science of school counseling.