The three domains school counselors uplift in students is academic, personal/social, and career development. All students are navigating these three important areas as the grow into young adults. Creating an in-school support system for these developmental areas will be vital. Below are descriptions of articles, articulating how to approach these domains as a school counselor.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) & Promoting College and Career Readiness
Paolini explore the connection between social emotional development and college and career readiness for students. Paolini discusses how the five Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies are self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The author emphasizes the importance of creating a college & career readiness program that is not only rigorous and challenging, but involves the SEL concepts so it is empowering, inclusive and inspiring as well.
"According to literature, SEL in conjunction with character education and prevention programs developed to enhance social skills has shown to improve student social emotional learning skills, their attitude towards self and others, promote pro-social behaviors, academic performance, and decrease stress, as well as improve test scores by 11% ". (Paolini, p.4).
Paolini recommends small group counseling to teach skills on decision making, conflict resolution, social skill building, leadership, optimism and zest, time and stress management, accountability, empathy and collaboration. There seems to be a greater impact for students well being and futures if they engage in SEL and college and career readiness lessons. School Counselors are argued to play an integral role in their schools to promote this programming in their schools
Paolini, A. (2019). Social Emotional Learning: Role of the School Counselor in Promoting College and Career Readiness. Anatolian Journal of Education, 4(1) 1-12. https://doi.org/10.29333/aje.2019.411a
Paolini explore the connection between social emotional development and college and career readiness for students. Paolini discusses how the five Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies are self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The author emphasizes the importance of creating a college & career readiness program that is not only rigorous and challenging, but involves the SEL concepts so it is empowering, inclusive and inspiring as well.
"According to literature, SEL in conjunction with character education and prevention programs developed to enhance social skills has shown to improve student social emotional learning skills, their attitude towards self and others, promote pro-social behaviors, academic performance, and decrease stress, as well as improve test scores by 11% ". (Paolini, p.4).
Paolini recommends small group counseling to teach skills on decision making, conflict resolution, social skill building, leadership, optimism and zest, time and stress management, accountability, empathy and collaboration. There seems to be a greater impact for students well being and futures if they engage in SEL and college and career readiness lessons. School Counselors are argued to play an integral role in their schools to promote this programming in their schools
Paolini, A. (2019). Social Emotional Learning: Role of the School Counselor in Promoting College and Career Readiness. Anatolian Journal of Education, 4(1) 1-12. https://doi.org/10.29333/aje.2019.411a
Academic Achievement in Turnaround Schools
Hines et al. discuss the role that school counselor's play in turnaround schools. Turnaround schools are defined as schools that are going through changes in organizational and administrative structures in order to approve student achievement. This often will happen to schools where they are performing lower than other schools in their district for long periods of time. The authors explain that school counselors already are in a role to meet the needs of all students and using evaluations and assessments to make informed interventions and meet environmental needs to support the students well being and achievement.
Hines el al. discuss the recent changes to the school counseling profession and how they are intended to focus on leadership, advocacy, systemic change, collaboration and coordination all to the benefit of their students well-being and achievement. School Counselors historically use data to see where particular students are struggling academically and help intervene on an individual level to help them succeed in school. School counselors working in a turnaround school will have to approach change at a school wild level and make systemic change to support their students in raising test scores and achieving academic success. Ensuring high-quality education that eliminates education gaps are important, as well as promoting social justice within their schools. Eliminating inequalities that often impact underserved students will involve collaboration with all stakeholders, advocating for students and their families in the school system and using strategic counseling interventions.
Hines, E., M., Moore III, J., L., Mayes, R., D., Harris, P., C., Vega, D., Robinson, D., V., Gray, C., N., Jackson, C., E. (2020). Making Student Achievement a Priority: The Role of School Counselors in Turnaround Schools. Sage Publishing, 55(2) 216-237. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085916685761
Hines et al. discuss the role that school counselor's play in turnaround schools. Turnaround schools are defined as schools that are going through changes in organizational and administrative structures in order to approve student achievement. This often will happen to schools where they are performing lower than other schools in their district for long periods of time. The authors explain that school counselors already are in a role to meet the needs of all students and using evaluations and assessments to make informed interventions and meet environmental needs to support the students well being and achievement.
Hines el al. discuss the recent changes to the school counseling profession and how they are intended to focus on leadership, advocacy, systemic change, collaboration and coordination all to the benefit of their students well-being and achievement. School Counselors historically use data to see where particular students are struggling academically and help intervene on an individual level to help them succeed in school. School counselors working in a turnaround school will have to approach change at a school wild level and make systemic change to support their students in raising test scores and achieving academic success. Ensuring high-quality education that eliminates education gaps are important, as well as promoting social justice within their schools. Eliminating inequalities that often impact underserved students will involve collaboration with all stakeholders, advocating for students and their families in the school system and using strategic counseling interventions.
Hines, E., M., Moore III, J., L., Mayes, R., D., Harris, P., C., Vega, D., Robinson, D., V., Gray, C., N., Jackson, C., E. (2020). Making Student Achievement a Priority: The Role of School Counselors in Turnaround Schools. Sage Publishing, 55(2) 216-237. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085916685761
Children's Literature and Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Heath et al., discuss the barriers that come with providing mental health care to children ages 5-11. The authors state that 20% of children in the US struggle with a mental disorder which impacts their daily lives. Common disorders include anxiety, ADHD, and depression. Barriers include, families lack of knowledge, denial of children's need for services and logistics such as cost, time and location. Heath et al. then discuss the important of mental health support directly in schools for children to combat some of these common barriers.
These authors focus on the five competencies for SEL: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Using these core competencies they research the effectiveness of bibliotherapy, which involves using children's books to explore social emotional development. Heath et al. describe how exploring a book with the child should involve discussions around how a child could place themselves in this book, experiencing the characters feelings This discussion helps with self awareness and empathy for others. After learning the lesson of the book, discussing how a child's new insights were formed while reading this can help the understand how they are able to make changes in their own life as well.
The authors argue that this is a great tool within schools because children's stories are accessible in every school. School counselors, mental health professionals and even teachers can work with youth to connect to books and unpack basic SEL skills from them.
Heath, M., A., Smith, K., Young, E., L. (2017). Using Children's Literature to Strengthen Social and Emotional Learning. School Psychology International, 38(5), 541-561. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034317710070
Heath et al., discuss the barriers that come with providing mental health care to children ages 5-11. The authors state that 20% of children in the US struggle with a mental disorder which impacts their daily lives. Common disorders include anxiety, ADHD, and depression. Barriers include, families lack of knowledge, denial of children's need for services and logistics such as cost, time and location. Heath et al. then discuss the important of mental health support directly in schools for children to combat some of these common barriers.
These authors focus on the five competencies for SEL: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Using these core competencies they research the effectiveness of bibliotherapy, which involves using children's books to explore social emotional development. Heath et al. describe how exploring a book with the child should involve discussions around how a child could place themselves in this book, experiencing the characters feelings This discussion helps with self awareness and empathy for others. After learning the lesson of the book, discussing how a child's new insights were formed while reading this can help the understand how they are able to make changes in their own life as well.
The authors argue that this is a great tool within schools because children's stories are accessible in every school. School counselors, mental health professionals and even teachers can work with youth to connect to books and unpack basic SEL skills from them.
Heath, M., A., Smith, K., Young, E., L. (2017). Using Children's Literature to Strengthen Social and Emotional Learning. School Psychology International, 38(5), 541-561. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034317710070