Effective school counseling is a collaborative process involving school counselors, students, families, teachers, administrators, other school staff, and education stakeholders.
Consider your school’s vision, mission, and key objectives.
Prepare a 250-500-word reflection on reporting outcomes. Address the following in your reflection:
How would you foster structures that promote healthy communication and networks among and between you, faculty and staff members, students, families, and people in the larger community?
How would you model appropriate student-to-student, student-to-adult, and adult-to-adult communication?
How would you set norms and expectations for communication, including technology use?
Cite references in your reflection to support your position.
Full Answer Section
- Create a confidential reporting system that allows students, families, and staff to share concerns about school climate, student behavior, and academic progress. This would encourage people to come forward with problems and seek help when needed.
- Provide training on communication and conflict resolution skills to all stakeholders. This would help people to communicate more effectively with each other and resolve disagreements in a constructive way.
How would you model appropriate student-to-student, student-to-adult, and adult-to-adult communication?
To model appropriate student-to-student, student-to-adult, and adult-to-adult communication, I would:
- Be a good listener and be respectful of all viewpoints.
- Use clear and concise language that is easy to understand.
- Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may not be familiar to everyone.
- Be honest and transparent in my communication.
- Be open to feedback and be willing to change my communication style if needed.
How would you set norms and expectations for communication, including technology use?
To set norms and expectations for communication, including technology use, I would:
- Create a written communication policy that outlines the expectations for communication between all stakeholders. This policy should be distributed to all stakeholders and should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
- Provide training on the communication policy to all stakeholders. This training should help people to understand the expectations for communication and how to comply with the policy.
- Monitor communication between all stakeholders and take appropriate action if the policy is violated. This may involve talking to the individual(s) involved, providing additional training, or taking disciplinary action.
References:
- American School Counselor Association. (2022). The ASCA National Model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
- Gysbers, N. C., & Henderson, P. (2012). Developing and managing your school counseling program (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
- Whiston, S. C., & Sexton, T. L. (2018). Essential elements of school counseling (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Sample Answer
How would you foster structures that promote healthy communication and networks among and between you, faculty and staff members, students, families, and people in the larger community?
To foster structures that promote healthy communication and networks among and between all stakeholders, I would:
- Create a school counseling advisory council that includes representatives from all stakeholder groups. This council would provide a forum for discussing school counseling goals and objectives, as well as strategies for promoting communication and collaboration.
- Hold regular meetings with students, families, teachers, administrators, and other school staff to discuss student progress and needs. These meetings would provide an opportunity for open and honest communication about the challenges and successes of the school counseling program.
- Use a variety of communication channels, such as email, phone calls, and social media, to stay in touch with stakeholders. This would ensure that everyone is kept informed about the latest school counseling initiatives and activities.