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Advocacy to me means standing up for others even if it may feel uncomfortable or go against the grain. An advocate is a leader, and as a school counselor- we also need to practice what we preach. Bullying, prejudice, and oppression against marginalized communities are still prevalent issues in modern day. As a black woman, I've faced many examples of this in both my personal and professional life as a school teacher. Instead of going inward, I believe it is my duty to continue to educate and stand up for students who also may be facing similar issues, but have not yet found, or have been empowered to, use their voice

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What Do  Each of the Following Terms Mean and What Are Their Purposes?

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What Do  Each of the Following Terms Mean and What Are Their Purposes?

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Program Assessment- This process is to ensure adequate reflection of data results, based on targeted interventions and encourages the school counselor to make adjustments along the way that match the school community's needs and the data trends. Daily Program assessments help the counselor figure out what worked and what didn't.

Annual Results Reports- These end-of-the-year reports help the school make appropriate decisions annually, in the school counseling program based on the overall data trends seen in classrooms and "closing the gap" end-of-the-year results.

School Counselor Assessment and Appraisal- This process offers professional feedback and development for the school counselor and reviews and identifies their strengths and areas of need of the school counselor.

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I selected the high school lesson plan and the results showcased no change in the referral data(i.e. 50 disciplinary referrals a week before and after the lesson), at the end of the following week, after one taught classroom lesson on the selected topic.

In what ways did the selected Mindsets and/or Behaviors match the lesson topic?

M1 matches the need for development in the area of mental, social, and emotional wellness since the students in 10th grade were struggling with identifying their feelings, getting into trouble, and selecting and/or identifying coping strategies that would, in turn, help them decrease aggressive behaviors in the school setting.

I would have also selected the Behavior Standard:

B-SS 9. Demonstrate social maturity and behaviors appropriate to the situation and environment,

given that this counselor is working with older students and is charged with helping prepare them for taking on adult responsibilities and roles. Having and identifying social maturity is a necessity to be a responsible and competent young adult.

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Ethical Standards set the tone and identify clear expectations for best practices and ideals among counselors, regardless of where you attended school. All school counselors in Maryland should be aware of and adhere to these standards across the board. A set of ethical standards should also help school systems feel relief when it comes time for hiring, because all graduates that are familiar with ASCA Ethical Standards, should also naturally possess favorable qualities the school is looking for in a school counselor.

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What are some ways you would modify the lesson plan to align with your creativity, knowledge of the ASCA National Model, and skillset?

The lesson did not vary too much from the elementary and middle verison.

I would alter it by incorporating more age-appropriate content in the lesson. Such as through digital mediums ( i.e. Padlet, Kahoot, etc), and having the students role-play through actual real-world situations that relate to what they are facing. Make it more relevant for them, to not only increase engagement but also to teach them lessons that they can personally identify and connect with. The lesson felt somewhat babish for high schoolers, and in my experience, aggressive students also sometimes are exposed to more mature content and want to be treated like an adult. The Story of the Day: Snack Attack, may not be of interest to older students.

Even though they are not adults, respect them like they are, and in turn- reap the benefits of their acknowledgment and trust.

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I believe that every child has a right to be seen and heard. The modern world is different for today's children and studies have shown that we as people are feeling more alone than ever despite the many technological advancements in the world ( Obama, 2024). So I want to acknowledge that and become a trusted adult for them so that they feel safe, loved, and heard.

Another core belief I have is to uphold high standards for all students while still being equitable. I want to acknowledge where they are, but still push them for greatness and instill within them the mindset that where you come from and your starting place, does not need to be where you end up. Helping students develop smart and realistic goals for themselves, will turn in build up their self-esteem, confidence, and grit.

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What I Would Establish as A School Counselor

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What I Would Establish as A School Counselor

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I envision a school where both students and teachers both know and value my presence within their school building.

I envision myself utilizing school surveys and focus groups to tailor social skills lessons, and striving to build both student achievement and confidence.

Quarterly, I will also compile collected data to analyze and discuss areas of strengths and needs with stakeholders and administrators, to discuss progress made toward end-of-the-year objectives and strive to keep lines of communication open between staff and stakeholders.

Lastly, I will commit to being a warm and welcoming face for all students, and help lift their voices to raise and inspire the next generation of advocates and leaders.

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In what ways do the ASCA Student Standards Pre- and Post-Assessment Items align and not align with the Mindsets and/or Behaviors and topic?

The lesson aimed for the students to identify and understand their emotions. So the pre- and post-assessment items align with the lesson objective. Two additional questions that could've been asked are:

I know how to solve my problems in a variety of different ways.

I am interested in learning more about how to calm myself down when I get upset and/or how to solve my problems more effectively.

Did the lesson content/materials match the selected Mindsets and/or Behaviors skill? Why or why not?

The lesson matched the selected Mindset (M1) because it spoke to social-emotional development. Which matches the languages in that mindset.

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Timing can be important for delivering lessons and holding small group sessions. Yet, timing can also be limited for school counselors when it comes to working with students. Based on your opinion, how do you think that timing may have impacted the results of the lesson?

Unlike the elementary and middle school lesson plans, this lesson plan only highlighted a single lesson. Whereas the others intended to do a series of 10 lessons addressing the development of the skill.

Since this is a direct responsibility of school counselors, more time should have been given to teaching and developing this skill and through the use of more real-world applications.

The results showed that this lesson was not effective since the referral data stayed the same

( 50 disciplinary referrals a week before and after the lesson). Timing is a factor but if the school administration, teachers, and stakeholders identified 10th graders in particular as struggling in this area- then the school counselor should make addressing that a priority and use the data as their reasoning if they now have to make adjustments in their schedule.

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My vision is to create a safe and inclusive space where students can explore their strengths, overcome challenges, and build resilience; to create a school family that strives for excellence and inspires confidence.

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Advocacy Infographic: Taking Accountability 

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Advocacy Infographic: Taking Accountability 