Case Study 1 : The Boy With No Shoes

After seeing the smiles that seemed almost permanent that week, I realized how important it is to work with and help younger children. I also learned what it’s like knowing that you’ve made a difference in someone’s life. I’ve been a counselor at that same camp for two more years since that first summer, and it gets better every time. Even though it can be difficult and frustrating to work with children sometimes, the reward that you, as well as the children, receive is well worth the effort.

In order to support social and emotional development and provide positive guidance I make sure the child knows that they are important to me. I do this by acknowledging them from the first day I meet them. I warmly greet my students every day. I ask them how they are feeling and we discuss our feelings during our morning routine. I encourage participation by reminding the children that all feelings are okay and that how we re-act to those feelings is most important. I model empathy, compassion listening skills and encouraging behavior on a daily basis. Children learn by example. When I display a positive outlook and appropriate

Counselors have a responsibility to monitor their effectiveness, in order to do this they need someone who is trained to assist them in understanding what is effective. Counselors have to seek supervision when appropriate and in order to do so a program needs to be in place that has supervisors readily available. The absence of clinical supervision may lead to counselors-in-training to lack the necessary skills to be a successful and productive counselor. Counselors need to develop a comprehensive understanding of the setting, population, needs, contexts and tasks of a counselor. As explained by Milne and Oliver (2000), Clinical supervision is central to initial professional training and to continuing professional development. It is necessary for counselors-in-training to refine their skills and get assistance in applying theories to any issues they may encounter with their clients. In addition to the everyday assistance necessary, a supervisor needs to present/model ethical behavior and counseling practices. In any profession the need for improvement is prominent and therefore any assistance and feedback given is appreciated and necessary. Expectations are increasing and therefore supervision is expected. Evidence shows that supervision results in school counselors’ increased effectiveness and accountability, improved professional development, and improved job performance, confidence, and comfort

With different children in the class you have to make sure to keep each child’s learning to their levels. Keep researching new ways for the children to learn more information each week. Make sure to stay along licensing rules. Get trained in the fields I need so that I will know everything that I need to know for the children. Making sure to have them in a safe place so that they will feel safe there is important. Make sure to learn about the children’s families because knowing that information can help better understand the children. I will make sure to let the families always know the local school hours. Let the parents know about my program’s mission. Keeping the parents and other staff up to date on what I’m planning to do. Keeping my policies up to date such as communication with parents, curriculum, discipline and guidance, drop-off and pick-ups, emergency closings, others authorized to pick up the children, fees and payment arrangements, food and nutrition, etc. One of the most important things would just be keeping everyone up to

When I first found out about this assignment I was a little anxious because I didn 't know whom I would interview or how my request would be received. As I consider my options I thought it would be best to interview someone that could offer me some insight as to what it is like to be an elementary or junior high school counselor, which are the two age groups that I would most like to work with. With this in mind, I decided to interview one of my son 's past guidance counselors. This is a woman that I have admired since the first day that I met her. In talking with her I found her to be a very knowledgeable, caring, and open person. She has been in the helping profession for over twenty years and working as a guidance counselor since 1999.

I follow local, state, and federally mandated policies and procedures in order to ensure a well-run program. Daily I perform health and wellness checks when the students arrive and I remain apprised of who is allowed to pick the child up. I am attentive to possible signs of neglect and physical or sexual abuse. If necessary I will provide support and resources such as 211 First Call for Help or Beechbrook counseling to comply with the family’s needs. Ensuring appropriate adult-child ratio, current student records and maintaining open communication with parents is another way the program is purposeful. I identify the child’s progress

So the coach in charge of all of this will get everyone to look at him, with the help of the volunteer coaches. He will show an example of what he expects and then askes the children if they can do it. Which most can, but there are some that can't do more of the high level things and that’s when the volunteer coaches step in. The best way I've observed in helping a child is to kneel down to their level and make eye contact.

She also realized that being in a classroom all day was not for her. When talking to Mrs. Cruthirds you could clearly see she loved her job and was filled with so many stories about her job. She seemed excited when talking about what she has done and still doing and has been encouraging to me. She said that she believes that children generally do not care what you think until they know and think that you care about them. This meaning that she is working to show them that she cares so in turn they will care about themselves and the future too. She does what every counselor does and that instills hope by showing you care. I like her belief or theory on this. I want to be able to show children that I care about them and for them to know and believe that they have someone that cares about them. I never realized until working in the school how many kids feel like no one cares about them and when they realize someone does you can see the light in their eyes. Mrs. Cruthirds talked about seeing the change in students as she began working with them. She said that students fall to peer pressure most of the time, so when you start working in groups with them or with their class as a whole you can see their thoughts changing on certain topics along with behaviors. The therapeutic skill that she uses most with her student is keeping in touch with them. Even when their problem has been solved she will call them in just to check in and remind them that she is always there to talk if

As a CASA volunteer, you would research case records and interview each person involved in a child’s life, including family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and social workers. They monitor the progress of the child and family and advocate for the child’s current and future needs in court, in school, and in agency meetings. Each volunteer assists one child at a time, ensuring the child receives all the attention their case needs. The evaluations done by the volunteers help the court system to make more informed

School counselors collaborate with other school personnel such as teachers who will help implement guidance lessons in the classroom. As a school counselor it is important to keep the teachers motivated to help implement these programs. Resource teachers typically work the special education students, collaborating with resource teachers ensures that all students are included in the comprehensive program. The resource teacher can help provide alternative to working with students in an inclusive manner. The principles and assistance principles of the school typically serve on the advisory committee, they provide resources to the program, and help communicate the important of the counseling program. School psychologist are there to assist with mental health services, doing assessments, and working with the school counselor during crisis situations. School nurses provide health services to the students. They monitor student medications and note changes in students behavior or effectiveness of the medication. Secretaries are equally important in the collaborative model. Secretaries are typically the first person a parent will come in contact with when entering the school. They are the ones that create that first impression (Erford, 2015). Community agencies can provide additional support to students outside of

As a school counselor, there is a ton of information to be learned as times change. While a counselor will learn basic therapy techniques, he or she will need to learn what works best with a certain group of children and how they'll interact on a daily basis with the kids. Perusing school counselor blogs can bring current information and give the counselor ideas on how to deal with the children in her school.

As Assistant Children's Program Coordinator, my primary responsibility involved providing children positive attention through on sight educational activities. Play activities were structured to offer support to children by listening to feelings, concerns, and teaching appropriate methods for dealing with conflict. Groups were organized to address specific behavior patterns and improve relationships

My role at the school is to provide one-on-one counseling for identified, at risk youth, as well as to co-facilitate groups--both full classroom and afterschool. I currently have five students in my individual caseload; I co-facilitate one after-school group for 3rd grade boys, and a 1st and 2nd grade boys’ group one day per week during lunch.

The school system uses the FRC Coordinator, School Based Social Worker, Family Therapist, Behaviorist, and Mentors to implement interventions to achieve the goals that’s established by each student/family. These professionals bring their own distinctive understanding and expertise to the school system while servicing the students and their families. These professionals address students’ mental health concerns, behavioral concerns, while offering positive behavioral support, academic and classroom support, consultation with teachers, parents and administrators as well as individual/group therapy. Implementing interventions addresses the social issues that affects the students’ wellbeing, accomplishing the FRC’s mission, improving

During the summer I work at a summer camp. I am Head Lifeguard, Head Counselor and Director of Sports. It is a fairly large camp with, on average, 140 campers a year. Ages in the camp range from 5-12 years old. Sometimes we have problems with the kids but most of