Advising is not truly a difficult task but one that requires practice and patience for success. Faculty and staff are given only a few instructions for advising and facilitating students and student groups. Most learn by experience and so act as resource persons for others. Training for advisers is limited and having to balance both administrative positions and extracurricular activities may become a weighted issue. With so many benefits of advising including the increase of student academic success, satisfaction and retention (Lucas and Murry, 2002), advising becomes a worthwhile venture even as a new faculty, staff or employee. Laird (2007) reveals three relevant tips for advising which I will borrow. His first tip is to establish a Comfortable setting, the other is to remember the golden rule which incidentally is my favorite and the final would be to know your advisees.
Establish a Comfortable Setting
Advisees may be more receptive to conversations when they are comfortable. The student may disclose pertinent information, that way; the advising session can be easily managed. Such a conversation builds rapport. Rapport is marked by trust and understanding. The same way in which I hold a relationship with my family doctor to disclose otherwise embarrassing conditions I would not disclose to peers, I want the student to trust me in that respectful manner. Rapport promotes open communication and encourages the student or advisees desire to participate in activities
Yesterday Jacqueline Guzeta (Admissions Advising Counselor for ASU Colleges) came by to your office. She dropped by two posters,flyers, and her business card. She only had one student come in to her presentation; therefore, she wanted to check in with you and see if there is a day where she can come back and give a presentation to you, the counselors and even to us (transfer mentors). Oscar gave her your business card and she might be contacting you soon.
O*Net Online’s database is the nation’s primary source for occupational and career information. O*Net answers questions about an occupation’s work requirements and skills needed for a specific job. Secondary level advising catches my eye, so I chose to learn more about the skills, knowledge, wages and educational level required for academic advising. Academic advising, stated by O*Net Online, “counsels’ individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational and vocational situations.” (Build your future with O*Net Online. (n.d.)). Academic Advising also includes crisis intervention, keeping accurate records of students, and preparing students for success after high school.
As a counselor, being aware of the theoretical approaches and which ones best suit your perspective on human nature, complications, and change for an individual is vital. Not only is understanding the approaches important, but the counselor’s own values and personal philosophy are equally fundamental for the counselor to do their job efficiently.
After reading Sonja Ardoin’s (2014) “the strategic guide to shaping your student affairs career” book, I read a variety of important content that has allowed me to reflect not only in my fieldwork position, as an Advising Assistant for the Puente Program, but also my current status as a graduate student in the Educational Counseling program.
Supervision is important for continued growth as a professional school counselor (Hess, Magnuson, & Beeler, 2012). Throughout my internship my relationship with my supervisor has been educational and productive for my continued growth. A strength includes that my supervisor provides timely constructive feedback about my skills and about cases. This evaluation helps me to grow and deepen my skills in order to become more effective with students. Another strength is that she helps me to further my knowledge about specific programs or services that are offered in the community that our students can benefit from. With her sharing this knowledge, she truly is supporting me in becoming a better school counselor. One limitation with our relationship is that sometimes she does not have an answer to my questions, however, this is usually due to an administration question that has not been answered. For example, one question that I have asked is why we cannot have an army or air force representative come to do a presentation to our seniors similar to how colleges come to the campus and do presentations. We have several students that
In bringing together our interviews, along with current research on academic advising in post-secondary institutions, we will consider student dynamics, needs, advisement issues, and potential ways to effectively advise high-ability students.
In schools all over the world today, School Counselors are crucial to assisting students, parents, school administrations, and the community. I believe that creating an effective counseling program that supports the counselors’ role in education will foster a close interaction between students and counselor to achieve success in their personal/social lives, academic achievements, and college readiness careers.
The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is the division of the American Counseling Association (ACA) that supports the development of professional school counselors. It published the ASCA National Model (2012), which provides a framework for a comprehensive school counseling program that includes four quadrants: Foundation, Delivery, Management, and Accountability. The National Model also offers a detailed account of the role, function, and competencies of professional school counselors. It specifically addresses how the proper use of professional school counselors and implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program can enhance the education of the whole student at the elementary, middle, or high school level (ASCA,
With the diversifying population in America’s schools, a profession school counselor should be culturally competent to meet the needs of all students. “The transformed professional school counselor is culturally competent, respectful of human diversity, and a school leader in ensuring that oppressive systemic barriers to academic, career, college readiness, and personal/social development are removed (Erford, 2015, p. 173).” A school counselor needs to have a deep understanding of a variety of cultures to meet the personal, emotional, developmental needs of a student using individual and group interventions while being aware of their cultural and spiritual needs.
From my experience in overcoming barriers, as a past first-generation college student, appreciative advising is important for my work with students. According to recent literature, appreciative advising means “establishing meaningful rapport between students and advisors, and co-creating paths toward success” (Bloom et al., 2008, p. 18). Advising undergraduate students and graduate students is a two-way learning experience for both the advisor and the student. Hence, I am an expert in improving student persistence, and narrowing the achievement gap for underrepresented students (as specified in Goal 2 of the strategic plan implemented by President Mildred Garcia). As the new Educational Leadership and Ed Doctorate Advisor, I can focus on closing the achievement gap for underrepresented master’s degree students and doctoral students. Respectively, I can use the methods of appreciative advising while working with students in the College of Education (COE). For instance, I will communicate with COE faculty and manage assessments to learn the challenges graduate students
Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle,” is a short story that illustrates parts of the American Revolution. Main character Rip Van Winkle falls asleep in the forest, and doesn’t awake until twenty years later, only to realize the world is much different than he remembers. Rip’s wife was a shrewish woman, and often her constant nagging forced him to spend much time away from home. He would take long walks throughout the woods with his closest companion, his dog Wolf. One day, Van Winkle decided to go for a hunt with his dog Wolf so they set out to the mountains. When evening began to fall Rip realized that darkness would fall soon, so he rested underneath a tree. The next day as he begins to set out for home Rip hears someone calling his name. He proceeded to find an old man carrying a barrel on his back, so Van Winkle gives him a hand. Throughout their travels they come up a group of odd-looking men that the old man seemed to know. They went on to play ninepin for a while. The old man offered Rip a drink from the barrel, and they drank until Rip found himself in a deep sleep and doesn’t awake until twenty years later.
God created humans in his image, with his law embedded in our hearts. Therefore humans are the Image of God, and must live life according to his plans and purposes. His law was created for the wellbeing, peace and harmony of mankind. Living in his Image is very important; this would help each other to have a better life by not doing sinful acts like lying and stealing from each other. In the profession of Accounting living in an the Image of God allows me to provide an honest services, by providing financial reliable information for clients that then will make important decisions based on the information provided.
A school counselor’s role is vital in many schools across America. Many students see their counselor, to work on any emotional stressors, academic changes and challenges. This may include, interventions, group therapy and changes in class schedule, but sometimes with all the implementations given, students do not succeed in school. Perhaps one needs to take a closer look at the programs being implemented and its success rate. In addition, a counselor should guide itself using the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) to provide evidence based practices in schools.
This week I had the opportunity to fulfill my practicum hours at two different locations. The locations that I observed were Columbia Elementary School’s summer care program and a Mad City Money Event located at Members 1st Credit Union. Both experiences opened my eyes to see a wide range of situations and behaviors among kindergarten through high school. Each observation provided two very different outlooks and each contributed to my knowledge in some way.
Serving students with different backgrounds, personalities, or beliefs may not be the easiest thing to do, as their thought process may differ. Therefore, it is essential for school counselors to find healthy ways to build on a school counselor-student relationship. There are several characteristics or behaviors that I feel school counselors should have, that helps them maintain a relationship with their students. Students can be more willing to open-up their thoughts or accept suggestions when the school counselor is a good listener. A lot of the times, we can think that we have to do all the talking, but is necessary to step back and listen at the students first. Also, school counselors must be friendly and easy to approach. Students can feel more comfortable with individuals they like and accept. In addition, it is essential for all school counselors to appreciate diversity. It is important for school counselors to