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Typically, good and effective leaders with consistent actions tend to have clearly-defined personal leadership philosophies. Doing so not only promotes success in their own careers, but also inspires a more productive working environment for everyone. In this article, we define what a personal leadership philosophy is, why it's important and how to develop your own.

Related: 10 Common Leadership Styles (With Examples)

What is a personal leadership philosophy?

A personal leadership philosophy refers to an individual's beliefs, principles and sentiments that they use to lead a company or organization. Your own personal leadership philosophy is determined by your character and beliefs. It helps keep you on course and guides the way in which you evaluate information and react during various circumstances and to various people.

The four key components of your personal leadership philosophy are defined as follows:

1. Theory: This refers to how you define leadership.

2. Attitude: This refers to your feelings about approaching leadership.

3. Guiding principles: Your guiding principles refer to your personal beliefs and values you consider when leading others.

4. Behavior: Your behavior refers to the way you conduct yourself to ultimately reach a favorable outcome.

Ultimately, your personal leadership philosophy determines what type of leader you want to be.

Related: Leadership Skills: Definitions and Examples

Why is a personal leadership philosophy important?

A personal leadership philosophy is important for a number of reasons, regardless of your company size. Here are the three benefits of having a personal leadership philosophy:

1. Defines your character: Having a personal leadership philosophy will help you understand your character. This is important because your character affects how you interact with others and in various situations.

2. Provides consistency: When you have a personal leadership philosophy, you're more apt to be consistent with your actions and behaviors.

3. Fosters collaboration: This type of philosophy also helps foster meaningful collaboration. Once your employees understand why you act the way you do, they'll be more apt to collaborate with you because they're aware and comfortable with your leadership style.

Following up with increased collaboration, your personal leadership philosophy allows your employees to know what you value and how you'll respond during certain circumstances. Once your employees know this, they'll know what to expect which will help ease any workplace tension. This will lead to more overall productivity for your company.

Knowing your personal leadership philosophy will also keep you focused on your tasks and true to the values you hold dear. This again adds to the productivity of your company.

If you're new to a leadership role, having a personal leadership philosophy will provide you with a foundation for how you'll lead your company in the future.

Related: 15 Leadership Qualities That Make a Great Leader

How to develop a personal leadership philosophy

If you're wanting to create a personal leadership philosophy, consider the following steps:

1. Consider what you value.

2. Determine your goals.

3. Start writing your personal leadership philosophy.

4. Reflect on your leadership philosophy.

1. Consider what you value

Before you begin writing your personal leadership philosophy, it's important to consider what values you hold dear and what values you think make a good leader. These are the values you'll highlight in your philosophy. It's also important to determine your strengths and values when it comes to your behavior and what you value. Focus on the specific values that you believe will make you a good leader and influence your decisions.

If it helps, make a list of your past achievements and failures. This will help you define both your values and your priorities.

2. Determine your goals

When writing your personal leadership philosophy, it's also important to consider what you hope to achieve and what outcomes you want to see come to fruition as a leader. Identify these goals, determine how you'll achieve them, what achieving them will accomplish and find out how long it will take you to reach these goals. Consider how the values you selected in the previous step will help you reach or impact these goals.

3. Start writing your personal leadership philosophy

Next, begin writing your personal leadership philosophy. If you write your philosophy, it will help you gather your thoughts and ensure you state all you want to. Doing so will also keep you accountable. Use the four components of a personal leadership philosophy mentioned previously as you write. This includes theory, attitude, principles and behavior.

4. Reflect on your leadership philosophy

Once you've written your personal leadership philosophy, evaluate how you've held true to it over time. If you don't feel as though you've been behaving or acting upon what you planned in your philosophy, let it guide you back to being the leader you strive to be. Consider what actions you've taken that have strayed you from your leadership philosophy as well as which you've stayed committed to. Ultimately, reflecting back on your leadership philosophy will help you understand the areas where you can improve or the parts of your philosophy that are no longer within reach.

Here are some examples of a personal leadership philosophy:
Leadership is about inspiring and encouraging others every step of the way. It's about building a positive environment where employees can thrive and use the skills to the best of their ability. My support for others will foster healthy communications and innovative ideas. Leadership is about motivating others and providing them with the confidence they need to see their full potential. As a leader, it's important to be considerate of others' feelings and use everyone's passion for good. I value the opinion of others, respect their beliefs and listen to their concerns with an open mind. I care about leading with heart and using my leadership platform to cultivate a positive place for growth. Ultimately, leadership is about being a strong leader that others can depend on. I believe being an effective leader relies on their passion for commitment and innovation. In order to build a strong company, a leader should be focused on reaching goals and creating advanced strategies that could propel the company forward. Leadership involves being determined to see everything through to completion and having the creativity to inspire new ways of thinking. I care about making an impact by doing what's needed for the company as a whole. I value dedication and persistence and listen to the needs of others along the path toward goal completion. I strive to be a leader that inspires others to do the same.

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What is a Personal Leadership Philosophy? Definition, Benefits and How to Develop Yours

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Typically, good and effective leaders with consistent actions tend to have clearly-defined personal leadership philosophies. Doing so not only promotes success in their own careers, but also inspires a more productive working environment for everyone. In this article, we define what a personal leadership philosophy is, why it's important and how to develop your own.

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The theory of emotional intelligence was introduced by Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer in the 1990s, and further developed and brought to the lay public by Daniel Goleman. The concept, also known as emotional quotient or EQ, has gained wide acceptance. However, some psychologists argue that because EQ cannot be captured via psychometric tests (as can, for example, general intelligence), it lacks true explanatory power.

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Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to identify and manage one's own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.

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For many students, their school counselor is their emotional and social guide and confidant. Here are some activities that counselors can initiate to assist students, staff, and parents in the critical area of emotional and social intelligence.

Organize parent education programs.

Throughout the country, local schools and parent organizations have joined forces to host Parent Universities -- daylong events during which parents have the opportunity to attend workshops on such issues as communicating with adolescents, managing stress, and supporting the social-emotional and educational needs of children. Consider hiring translators to accommodate the language needs of non-English speakers in your community.

Adopt a bully prevention program.

According to the American School Counselor Association, one out of every four children is bullied. These youngsters and teens suffer both physical and emotional abuse. They miss school, fear harassment in the bathroom and on the playground, and often feel they have nowhere to turn for assistance. Comprehensive school-based anti-bullying programs have been very successful in raising student, teacher, and parent awareness of the causes and effects of this all-too-common phenomenon. For information and resources for both parents and school staff, visit The Anti-Bullying Network.

Institute service-learning projects.

Participation in school and community-based service projects benefits students academically, socially, and emotionally. The National Youth Leadership Council Web site features resources for schools interested in starting a service-learning component, including examples of model school-based programs.

Start an advisory program for middle schoolers.

Proponents of small-group advisories for middle schools believe such programs provide adolescents with the ongoing support and connections they need to help them grow and thrive during these turbulent years. MiddleWeb, a Web resource for educators and parents, features several articles on middle school advisories, including an FAQ (frequently asked questions and their answers) written by advisory advocate Jim Burns.

Create an environment of accessibility.

At one New Jersey middle school, counselors stand in the school corridor between classes in order to acknowledge students and maintain a high profile. Their aim is to remind students that counselors are among the adults at school available to help them and to listen. At a California school, a counselor makes a point of visiting every class every two weeks.

Resources

American Psychological Association. The association offers free brochures on such topics as violence prevention, how to choose a psychologist, and commonsense ways to assess online mental health information.

Blueprints for Violence Prevention. This interactive Web site features detailed information on model programs for violence prevention, including school-based programs that focus on bullying prevention, classroom-based social-emotional learning curriculum, and more.

Educating Minds and Hearts: Social Emotional Learning and the Passage into Adolescence. Editor Jonathan Cohen has gathered a wealth of information from different experts. The thread that ties the different chapters together is the use of fictional characters "Raffi" and "Maura" as springboards for experts to talk about how particular social and emotional learning programs affect middle school students. 1999. Published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Education World. Visit the School Counselors' section of this site for hundreds of articles and resources covering such critical topics as dealing with grief and loss, suicide prevention, depression, and fostering self-esteem. Many of the referenced articles are from the ERIC database of resources.

In the Mix. This PBS-sponsored Web site for educators features lesson plans and discussion guides for a variety of health and fitness subjects, including anger management, drug and alcohol abuse (including a lesson designed to help teens interpret alcohol advertising messages), depression, and self-image. Lessons are typically designed for middle and high school students and include a PBS "In the Mix" video component.

Promoting Social and Emotional Learning: Guide for Educators. This book by Rutgers University Psychology Professor Maurice Elias and others takes the best information about attempts in schools to give students the skills to be emotionally intelligent individuals. 1997. Published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education. Among this site's many resources is a thoughtful "Guide for Young People" on depression -- its causes and the importance of seeking adult help for friends and classmates.

Waging Peace in Our Schools. This book by Linda Lantieri and Janet Patti tells the story of the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP), which was begun in New York City schools in 1985 and is now in more than 350 schools nationwide. The book serves as a practical guide to many of the successful strategies used by RCCP to produce emotionally intelligent children. 1996. Published by Beacon Press.

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Emotional Intelligence: What School Counselors Can Do

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For many students, their school counselor is their emotional and social guide and confidant. Here are some activities that counselors can initiate to assist students, staff, and parents in the critical area of emotional and social intelligence.

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Common Leadership Beliefs and Values

Great leaders must have specific beliefs and core values they adhere too, for example:

1. Leadership - People want to be led, not managed. Instead, leaders must manage their actions and possess the ability to lead by example.

2. Vision - People want to know how and why their efforts matter. A leader must actively provide this vision to his/her people to maintain purpose in their work.

3. Pride - People want the leader to feel that they count for something. A leader should give appropriate praise often. Using a good positive measurement system will also help individuals know how they are contributing.

4. Congruence - People feel secure when they see the leader doing the right things. Once again, a leader must lead by example, walk the walk. Talking alone won't' help.

5. Trust - People need to trust their leadership if they are to remain dedicated to the organization. Leaders must be fair, consistent with all employees.

6. Character - People ultimately find out what kind of person their leader is and will be influenced to behave in the same manner. Leaders must consistently demonstrate good work ethics.

7. Integrity - People need to trust and respect their leaders. A leader must be accountable for his/her decisions and actions within every responsibility.

8. Responsibility - People feel gratified when commitments to them are kept. Leaders, who keep commitments, will have employees, who are accountable for their commitments.

9. Wisdom - People learn most from their leaders by example and coaching. Leaders need to temper their knowledge with good judgment and concern for others.

10. Communication - People perform better when they understand the issues. A leader who is open and listens to concerns and ideas will gain more support from his/her employees. This communication can be verbal, non-verbal and even a simple visual measurement system. Do you have a positive measurement system in place?

Bottom line, the role of leadership is to add value to other people and the true measure of leadership is influence, thus a great leader must have the ability to change the attitude or behavior of others.

Flexible Leadership Values

Flexible Leadership is a very positive way in which to help change attitudes or behaviors of others. Based on CMOE's Flexible Leadership model there are six key styles a leader should implement based upon various situations that arise with different individuals and levels of development:

1. Control - and oversee the progress of a project or assignment when necessary. Provide specific instructions and closely supervise specific situations

2. Teach - and demonstrate to your team the desire and capacity that you have to share information or knowledge in the workplace.

3. Guide - and mediate. This is ideal for when there is some disagreement about the ultimate target or intent of the action

4. Collaborate - when there is agreement about the desired outcome and when the leader's experience and knowledge base is relatively strong.

5. Reinforce - most beneficial when the team needs positive reinforcement for their success. Key point - frequent reinforcement of positive behaviors and achievements will result in greater, long-term success.

Flexible leadership is not something you do to people, but something you do with people. Following personal leadership beliefs, core values, and implementation of Flexible Leadership helps leaders to become great. Great leaders are great teachers.

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Leadership Core Values & Beliefs are Keys to Greatness

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Great leaders must have specific beliefs and core values they adhere too, for example: Leadership - People want to be led, not managed. Instead, leaders must manage their actions and possess the ability to lead by example. Vision - People want to know how and why their efforts matter.

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Top 10 Traits Every School Counselor Should Have - Soliant Health

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Being a school counselor can be difficult work. Click here to read Soliant’s top 10 traits every school counselor should have.

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Access the essential membership for Modern Managers

What makes a truly exceptional leader? Chances are we've all encountered them at some point in our careers: those leaders who stand out above the rest. Those who bring out the best in every one of their team members, and who consistently strive for greatness.

Take Molly for example. Everyone respects Molly. She inspires and encourages her team members, while expecting and demonstrating the highest standards. In return, her people are fiercely loyal, and they're highly successful - as individuals, and as a team. In short, Molly is a Transformational Leader.

By contrast, other leaders in the organization report that their people seem disengaged. They experience high staff turnover, and their results are often disappointing. So, what does Molly do that other leaders don't?

To begin with, Molly regularly reminds her team members of the purpose of their work. And she knows that she's a role model for her team, so she acts with integrity in all of her working relationships.

In this article and video, we'll explore what transformational leadership is, and discover what it takes to become a transformational leader.

What Is Transformational Leadership?

Leadership expert James MacGregor Burns introduced the concept of transformational leadership in his 1978 book, "Leadership." He defined transformational leadership as a process where "leaders and their followers raise one another to higher levels of morality and motivation." [1]

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Watch this video to learn the definition of Transformational Leadership. Explore the theory behind this leadership style, and discover the characteristics of transformational leaders.

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Democratic leadership, also known as participative leadership or shared leadership, is a type of leadership style in which members of the group take a more participative role in the decision-making process.﻿﻿ This type of leadership can apply to any organization, from private businesses to schools to government.

Everyone is given the opportunity to participate, ideas are exchanged freely, and discussion is encouraged. While the democratic process tends to focus on group equality and the free flow of ideas, the leader of the group is still there to offer guidance and control.﻿﻿

The democratic leader is charged with deciding who is in the group and who gets to contribute to the decisions that are made. Researchers have found that the democratic leadership style is one of the most effective types and leads to higher productivity, better contributions from group members, and increased group morale.﻿﻿

Characteristics

Some of the primary characteristics of democratic leadership include:

Group members are encouraged to share ideas and opinions, even though the leader retains the final say over decisions.

Members of the group feel more engaged in the process.

Creativity is encouraged and rewarded.﻿﻿

Researchers suggest that good democratic leaders possess specific traits that include honesty, intelligence, courage, creativity, competence, and fairness. Strong democratic leaders inspire trust and respect among followers.﻿﻿

These leaders are sincere and make decisions based on their morals and values. Followers tend to feel inspired to take action and contribute to the group. Good leaders also tend to seek diverse opinions and do not try to silence dissenting voices or those that offer a less popular point of view.

Pros and Cons of Democratic Leadership

Because group members are encouraged to share their thoughts, democratic leadership can lead to better ideas and more creative solutions to problems. Group members also feel more involved and committed to projects, making them more likely to care about the end results. Research on leadership styles has also shown that democratic leadership leads to higher productivity among group members.﻿﻿

While democratic leadership has been described as the most effective leadership style, it does have some potential downsides. In situations where roles are unclear or time is of the essence, democratic leadership can lead to communication failures and uncompleted projects.﻿﻿

In some cases, group members may not have the necessary knowledge or expertise to make quality contributions to the decision-making process. Democratic leadership can also result in team members feeling like their opinions and ideas aren't taken into account, which may lower employee satisfaction and morale.

Best Settings for Democratic Leadership

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Is Democratic Leadership the Best Style of Leadership?

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Democratic leadership, also known as participative leadership or shared leadership, is a type of leadership style in which members of the group take a more participative role in the decision-making process.﻿﻿ This type of leadership can apply to any organization, from private businesses to schools to government.

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Democratic leadership, also known as participative leadership or shared leadership, is a leadership style in which members of the group participate in the decision-making process. This type of leadership can apply to any organization, from private businesses to schools to the government.

With a democratic leadership style, everyone is given the opportunity to participate, ideas are exchanged freely, and discussion is encouraged. While this process tends to focus on group equality and the free flow of ideas, the democratic leader is still there to offer guidance and control.

The democratic leader is also charged with deciding who is in the group and who gets to contribute to the decisions being made. Research has found that the democratic leadership style is one of the most effective types and leads to higher productivity, better contributions from group members, and increased group morale.

Mental Health in the Workplace Webinar

Characteristics of Democratic Leadership

Some of the primary characteristics of democratic leadership include:

Collaboration: Group members are encouraged to share ideas and opinions, even though the leader retains the final say over decisions.

Engagement: Members of the group feel more engaged in the process.

Creativity: Creativity is encouraged and rewarded.

Researchers suggest that good democratic leaders possess specific traits such as being a team player, possessing a willingness to adapt, having a fair mind, and being engaged in the process. Strong democratic leaders inspire trust and respect among their followers.

These leaders are sincere and make decisions based on their morals and values. They also tend to seek diverse opinions and do not try to silence dissenting voices or those that offer a less popular point of view. As a result, followers feel inspired to take action and contribute to the group.

Examples of Democratic Leadership

More than half of the countries in the world with populations over 500,000 people use a democratic leadership style. The United States is one. Sweden, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, and the Netherlands are a few others.

Some businesses also operate with a democratic management style, offering a participative leadership approach. Google is one, with its founders likening their leadership style to being "proud parents-offering advice and love, but not daily nagging!" Jack Dorsey, the former Twitter CEO, was also often credited with having the characteristics of a democratic leader.

You can also find examples of democratic leadership within school clubs and 4-H organizations. Tommy Lasorda, former manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers who won two World Series championships, is credited with being a participative leader in the sport of baseball.

Benefits of Democratic Leadership

Because group members are encouraged to share their thoughts, democratic leadership can lead to better ideas and more creative solutions to problems. Group members feel more involved and committed to projects, making them more likely to care about the end results.

Research on leadership styles has shown that democratic leadership contributes to higher productivity among group members. This way of leading has also been connected to increases in group morale.

Potential Pitfalls of Democratic Leadership

While democratic leadership has been described as the most effective leadership style, it does have some potential downsides. In situations where roles are unclear or time is of the essence, democratic leadership can lead to communication failures and uncompleted projects.

In some cases, group members may not have the necessary knowledge or expertise to make quality contributions to the decision-making process. Democratic leadership can also result in team members feeling like their opinions and ideas aren't taken into account.

For a government or organization to be truly democratic requires the sharing of all the information. This can lead to potential security issues in some cases, making it another pitfall of using a democratic leadership style.

How to Use Democratic Leadership

Democratic leadership works best in situations where group members are skilled and eager to share their knowledge. It is also important to have plenty of time to allow people to contribute, develop a plan, then vote on the best course of action.

Because so many people are involved, setting deadlines can ensure that you get everyone's input in enough time to act on it. Providing expectations upfront can be helpful as well, making it clear when the group's input will be sought and which decisions management will make on its own.

A Word From Verywell

Like any other leadership style, there are pros and cons to being a democratic leader. Should you decide that this is the best style for you, following a few simple guidelines-such as managing time carefully and setting deadlines-can help make this an effective approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to use democratic leadership?

If you have enough time to follow a democratic process and your group's members can provide quality information, this is a good opportunity to use democratic leadership. It's also a good time to use a democratic management style if the decision you need to make doesn't involve revealing any private or confidential information.

How can you improve a democratic leadership style?

Make it easy for all group members to share their thoughts and ideas. For a democracy to work, everyone has to feel as if they can give their opinion and know that it will be heard. Other ways to improve a democratic leadership style include being willing to listen, empowering group members to take action, and creating a cohesive decision-making process.

Why is a democratic leadership style effective?

When all group members feel that they can contribute their thoughts and opinions, they may be more encouraged to take an active role in the process. This increased engagement leads to more creative ideas and higher levels of productivity. It also reduces the likelihood that team members will feel as if their contributions don't matter.

When is a democratic leadership the least effective?

If you don't have enough time to collect everyone's input and act on it, this can lead to an ineffective democratic process. A democratic leadership style is also ineffective if the group members cannot contribute in a meaningful way or if the decision being made requires the dissemination of information that shouldn't be shared on a large scale.

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Is Democratic Leadership the Best Style of Leadership?

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Democratic leadership, also known as participative leadership or shared leadership, is a leadership style in which members of the group participate in the decision-making process. This type of leadership can apply to any organization, from private businesses to schools to the government.

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The best leaders use multiple frames or lenses to view common challenges and to solve their most difficult problems. This book contains a series of dialogs between a novice and a master teacher, and between a new and a seasoned principal as they demonstrate how framing and reframing challenges can bring clarity, help to anticipate problems, and lead to more comprehensive and powerful leadership strategies. The four frames most commonly used by teachers and administrators are: the political frame, where conflict and compromise are a constant source of renewal; the human-resource frame, where sharing individual needs and motives nurtures a sense of ownership; the structural frame, where clear organizational standards and goals lead to greater productivity; and the symbolic frame, where culture, rituals, and beliefs cultivate shared values and meanings. These frames are powerful tools. They help people see things they once overlooked and come to grips with what is really going on. By reframing situations, educators can ultimately gain more confidence and certainty in their decisions, become more versatile and effective in their responses, and reduce the anxieties that can arise with difficult choices. (Contains 14 references.) (RT)

Corwin Press, Inc., 2455 Teller Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218 ($24.95). Tel: 800-818-7243 (Toll Free); Fax: 800-417-2466 (Toll Free); e-mail: order@corwinpress.com; Web site: http://www.corwinpress.com.

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ERIC - ED465205 - Reframing the Path to School Leadership: A Guide for Teachers and Principals., 2002

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The best leaders use multiple frames or lenses to view common challenges and to solve their most difficult problems. This book contains a series of dialogs between a novice and a master teacher, and between a new and a seasoned principal as they demonstrate how framing and reframing challenges can bring clarity, help to anticipate problems, and lead to more comprehensive and powerful leadership strategies.

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In March 2020, thousands of school counselors were suddenly thrust into online school counseling. Myriad questions followed as school counselors found themselves wrestling with the legal and ethical implications of moving from in-person school counseling to providing school counseling virtually. Even though online school counseling has been a part of our profession for decades, new issues have emerged as school counselors ramped up to support students whose world had shifted. Three major themes emerged: student confidentiality, appropriate technology and unrealistic demands.

At the beginning of the move to virtual schools from the COVID-19 pandemic, many school counselors felt a burden to find ways to continue their work. School counselors were especially concerned about the technology platforms they were using, which is a legitimate concern. Our profession is based on the trusting relationship born out of confidentiality. However, it is too burdensome for school counselors to have to figure out all the encryptions and privacy protections of the school district platform and software. The school district, not the school counselor, is responsible for ensuring the software adheres to the federal laws governing privacy.

School counselors frequently voiced their concerns about respecting confidentiality as they learned to work in this new normal. School districts were providing directives more applicable to teacher success and, in some cases, disastrous to school counselor/student confidentiality. Confidentiality does not have the same meaning for administrators and teachers, and this has been very apparent. School counselors have been consulting and collaborating with their administrators to state their cases and make their needs known.

Student Confidentiality
Is my written communication and video communication with students in platforms such as Google Hangout considered an educational record?

Yes, both written and video communications are educational records if we "maintain them," according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Anything we "maintain" that is directly related to a student is an educational record. If you erase the conversation, then it is not a record and not maintained, therefore, not an educational record. It must be maintained to be an educational record.

Can parents request access to any video recording I am using to virtually communicate with my students? Who else can have access to the video?

Yes. If the video is maintained, it is an educational record. It is easier to maintain confidentiality in a brick and mortar setting. If you are writing or recording conversations, check in advance if you'll be able to erase conversations after the session.

Use informed consent, and make sure students understand the limits of confidentiality in a virtual world. Anyone who is under contract and control of the district and has been designated as having legitimate educational interest (LEI) for a particular student's information can have access. In other words, if the administration has been deemed LEI for all students in the school, then they can have access to the video. The same goes if teachers or paraprofessionals are allowed to access records of students in their charge. Advocate for a limited number of educators to have LEI for your students' archived counseling sessions or, better yet, advocate that all counseling sessions be erased following the exchange.

Is it necessary for me to have each parent sign a consent form now that we have moved to virtual counseling?

No. If your district required this in your previous setting, you would continue the practice virtually, unless they have softened or amended the policy. If the district enacts a new policy for parental permission for virtual school counseling, you must comply; otherwise, proceed without parental consent as you would have in person. Best practice is usually to inform parents when working with their child over time in individual counseling. However, currently even informing can be a challenge without adding the need for a parental signature to proceed.

What are some things I can do to ensure confidentiality in the virtual world of school counseling?

Ask students to use a private room and headphones with a microphone if possible. Additionally, a white noise machine in the room will help further limit the risk of others overhearing the student's conversation.

I am being instructed to carry educational records and my case notes home. Is this even legal?

Yes, it's legal. According to the U.S. Department of Education Student Privacy Policy Office, which governs FERPA, there is no prohibition against teachers and school counselors taking home educational records, assuming they are school officials with legitimate educational interests. However, be sure to protect the information you take home so others in your house don't have access to it.

My district is forbidding me from working one-on-one with a student and instructing everyone in the district that we must work with students in pairs or groups. They are citing FERPA. Can this be correct?

FERPA governs educational records and doesn't address access to students. However, the district has a right to determine access to students. Some states have statutes prohibiting educators from ever being alone with a student or out of sight of others when with one student. However, the very nature of school counselors' work is one-on-one, so this is another policy that doesn't take into consideration our unique need to work with students individually. Some states, such as Louisiana, prohibit educators from being alone with students but make an exception for school counselors.

If you cannot find legal muscle to support you, advocate and compromise until you find an agreeable solution. One possible compromise, and last resort, may be to agree to videotape the sessions and archive them should any future questions or accusations arise. However, you must follow district policy while advocating for what really needs to be in place so you can do your job.

Keep in mind that the virtual world can have a disinhibiting effect on parties. One case of many in which an educator lost his job because of his behavior in the virtual world was Spanierman v. Hughes (2008). When the teacher sued to get his job back, the courts sided with the district because the teacher's communication had become "peer like" and had destroyed the professional distance and created an environment in which he could no longer do his job.

I have been running small groups on social skills, and sometimes the conversations are of a personal nature. Can I continue my groups in the virtual school counseling office?

Legal and ethical complications are acutely present in small-group delivery in the best of circumstances but especially problematic in the virtual world. Confidentiality for groups in a brick and mortar situation is fragile because a school counselor can never feel secure in the fact that a student understands all the nuances of confidentiality and abides by it. We should always remember that whatever is said in the group can be tweeted, posted on social media or discussed in the hallways within seconds or minutes. This awareness heightens school counselors' vigilance as to what they allow one student to talk about in front of other students.

Ensuring confidentiality in a virtual world is even more difficult. You can't know who is listening in each student's household. It might be impossible for a student to seek a private place, have headphones or keep family members out of earshot. Informed consent is even more important for groups than individual counseling, as disclosing sensitive information happens in front of other students. The current reality of informed consent in virtual as well as brick and mortar schools falls far short of its stated goals. The reality and safest approach when working with minors in groups is to come from the posture that confidentiality will be breached. The best approach in the virtual world is to stay with topics that have less likelihood of spinning off into the private world of students and their families. Stress the need for students to seek you individually if they have something of a personal nature they must share.

Technology
My district wants me to use one type of online conferencing technology, but I'd rather use a different kind. Is this okay?

It is far safer to use what the district suggests. The district has likely vetted the program to make sure it will interface and integrate with the district's system and security approach. For example, one large urban district requires Microsoft Teams because it is part of the larger group of software applications fully adopted and integrated with the district's systems and security. This protects the educator against false accusations and the student against exploitation because the district can review activity occurring in Teams. It is not a matter of which program or app is superior but rather which online program offers the best layer of protection for all as determined by the district.

Do I have to use the computer the school issued me, or can I use my much superior laptop?

You must use the school-issued computer unless the district offers you an exception. Again, it is about safety and security. There are privacy settings that protect district computers that your personal computer may not have. Advocate for your equipment needs, but be careful not to go against school district dictates regarding equipment.

Does the platform I'm using have to be Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant? I have been receiving mixed messages about school counselors' obligation to ensure our platforms and software are HIPPA-compliant. Must they be?

HIPAA doesn't apply to elementary or secondary schools except in a few limited circumstances. Schools receiving federal funds are not a HIPAA-covered entity; the health information maintained on student records is educational records and covered by FERPA. Billing for health care services is when HIPAA applies.

Use the platform your district has assigned, as this is safest for you and students. If your school is a private school and receives no federal funds, there may be the unusual case where someone who bills for health care might fall under HIPAA. For example, "if a private elementary or secondary school not subject to FERPA employs a physician who bills a health plan electronically for the care provided to students (making the school a HIPAA-covered entity), the school must comply with the HIPAA rules regarding the individually identifiable health information of its patients" (USDOE and USDHHS, 2019, p. 8). You can find all the information you need about HIPAA and FERPA on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

Unrealistic Demands
My principal wants me to do suicide risk assessments over the phone when we have reason to believe a student might be at risk.

Requiring school counselors to conduct suicide risk assessments is problematic on so many levels, not the least of which is the fallibility of assessing suicidal risk. Add to this complication the fact that the virtual world puts a barrier between the school counselor and student; sometimes there are no verbal or nonverbal cues through a computer monitor. The standard of care for school counselors when being required by others to assess students for suicide is to employ these assessments with extreme caution, with a follow-up assessment completed by a mental health professional who can spend the amount of time needed to more accurately address what is happening with the student. Quantifying the risk (high risk, medium risk or low risk) based largely on student response is a dangerous practice; the information gleaned should be considered unreliable. To tell a parent the risk is low is to convey what you cannot possibly know with certainty.

Get in touch with the parents as soon as possible, and tell them to seek professional help for their child. If a student expresses suicidal ideation while you are talking to him/her, proceed as you would in a brick and mortar situation. Stay with the student. Keep the student talking. Have the student "take you" virtually to his/her parent. It that isn't possible, alert the parent by another means. If you cannot reach the parents, have the police do a welfare check. Establish a protocol for virtual response to suicide ideology.

I am being asked to make home visits for those students who have not responded to their virtual classes. Am I unreasonable to want out of this dictate?

Dictates that would be considered unheard of in the everyday life of a brick and mortar school counselor's day are suddenly appearing in virtual schools. You are right to feel uncomfortable. Use all your powers of persuasion to get out of this. If you're in a state with a shelter-in-place order, these visits might even be illegal. Students have to be reached without putting educators at risk. Robo calls, news reports, public service announcements, etc., can be used to emphasize to the school community the importance of responding to the school. If a school counselor does end up making house calls, he or she should never go alone. Try to pair up with the school resource officer, use COVID-19 safety precautions, have a set plan as to what should be accomplished and take any resources, such as a laptop, you may need. Again, home visits should not be on the school counselor's shoulders.

Carolyn Stone, Ed.D., is a professor at the University of North Florida and chair of ASCA's Ethics Committee. Contact the author for references in this article. To submit your questions for a future column, e-mail them to ethics@schoolcounselor.org.

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Issues and Lessons Emerging from COVID-19 | American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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In March 2020, thousands of school counselors were suddenly thrust into online school counseling. Myriad questions followed as school counselors found themselves wrestling with the legal and ethical implications of moving from in-person school counseling to providing school counseling virtually.

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The global pandemic has devastated much of the nation's economy. Unemployment is at unthinkable levels and every sector has felt the impact of this crisis, from large corporations and nonprofits to small businesses and schools. One could debate who has been hit the hardest-hospitals, retail, tourism, education-but the fact remains that except for Amazon, Netflix, Zoom, Clorox, Kimberly-Clark, and a few other companies that stand to benefit, times are grim economically.

I am not a scientist, so I won't pretend to make predictions about the longevity of this virus, potential for a vaccine, or likelihood for a resurgence. Nor am I an economist, so I will not weigh in on whether this is a recession or a depression, and I will refrain from speculating on the long-term fiscal impact. However, I am an educator who has worked with students and families through the 9/11 tragedy and the 2008 recession. I have also seen the great disparity of educational resources, and the inherent inequities, that hold back many in this country. What I know to be true is that no matter when our country opens up, or how fast we bounce back, we need to think about how we stimulate our economy and workforce from the ground up. Guess where that starts? School counselors.
Access to Counseling
School counselors are on the frontline of supporting our nation's young people as they move through their educational journey, but access to these supports is wildly unjust and inequitable and this has serious implications on the availability of post-secondary planning. While the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommends a ratio of 250 students per counselor, according to Department of Education statistics, the national average is 430-to-1. Jill Cook, the assistant director of ASCA explains that encouragingly "the number of school counselors has been rising and the ratio of students per counselor is the lowest it has been in over 30 years." She says that this is thanks in part to initiatives on the state level like Virginia's goal to reduce the ratio to 250-to-1, Arizona's legislation to hire additional counselors (reducing their worst in the nation ratio of 903-to-1), and the Colorado School Counselor Corps grant program. Cook worries, however, that school budgets will be slashed as a result of Covid-19 and that counselor resources will be lost at a time when they are more important than ever.

Tara Nicola is a doctoral student at Harvard's Graduate School of Education who is specializing in the field of school counseling. She agrees that lower counselor ratios are important, but explains that "the extent to which the ratio matters for post-secondary planning depends on school context." Reducing the caseload of counselors is not equally beneficial across all schools. Instead of focusing on the 250-to-1 benchmark, Nocola argues that "We need targeted improvement in counselor-to-student ratios." The schools where there is a greater need for more counselors are those in which these educators are pulled in many different directions, confronting student mental health struggles, food insecurity, abuse, and other issues. The bandwidth that counselors in these settings have for post-secondary guidance is often limited. She also points out that with targeted improvement in school counselor ratios, we must consider what other supports and resources are available in that school. For example, does the school partner with statewide nonprofit organizations that provide post-secondary planning like Maine's MELMAC Education Foundation or New Hampshire's Higher Education Assistance Foundation (NHHEAF)? In some schools, counseling is supplemented by locally affiliated programs like the Breakthrough Collaborative or federal outreach initiatives like TRIO's Upward Bound, that provide support for low-income and first-generation college students to complete high school and continue their post-secondary education.

Tori Berube is the vice president for college planning and community engagement for NHHEAF. She says, "We know school counselors were taxed before Covid-19, and to be honest, I would suspect the mental health and general well-being of students are going to be taking the bulk of their time. We knew before the pandemic that college and career counseling was just a very small component of school counseling work." She worries that post-secondary planning will slip further down counselors' list of responsibilities. Berube adds, "I think school districts are going to be hard-pressed to add additional staff." She suggests funneling stimulus money-at the federal and state level-to college access programs like TRIO and GearUp to "allow current college access organizations to expand services to work more one-on-one with students."

Even with the benefit of these supplemental supports, Wil Del Pilar, vice president for higher education at the Education Trust points out that 1 in 5 students in this country has no access to a counselor and that while 1.5 million students have no counselor in their school, they do have a sworn police officer. He asks, "What messages are we sending to children?" Del Pilar adds that "from a national perspective, school counseling inequities have always been critical and it will be an even more critical issue coming out of this crisis." He uses the Philadelphia public schools as an example where, in 2013, the district laid off all school counselors. He says that "as schools struggle with resources, it is important not to cut crucial counseling resources as families address financial hardships and other significant struggles."
Counselor Training
While access to counselors is critical, so is the preparation of these educators to provide comprehensive post-secondary guidance. Del Pilar at the Education Trust argues that in the same way we talk about teacher education not adequately preparing teachers for the classroom, counselors are often ill-equipped to support post-secondary planning for students. In fact, he explains that he has a degree in school counseling but only took one class on this topic and there was very little education about post-secondary planning. NHHEAF's Berube agrees, saying that "for up and coming school counselors (at least in New Hampshire), college counseling as part of the curriculum is sparse at best." She explains that "these positions require thorough training in the admission process," adding, "having them trained in the general financial aid process would also be key-understanding how federal aid is awarded, how federal methodology works, how to make smart financial choices."

Diane Campbell is the director of college counseling at Liberty Common High School, a public charter school in northern Colorado. She says, "the lack of training for school counselors in most areas is truly a crisis." Campbell believes that there needs to be a focus on training for counselors in critical areas in support of students such as anxiety and stress management, closing achievement gaps, grief and loss, trauma, and cultural competency. But she also points out that proficiently in college admissions is needed more than ever. She asks, "How can counselors support students as they exit high school if they have not been trained in the areas of college admission, career/major exploration, and other post-graduate options?" She adds, "Our economy and employment trends have changed significantly for high school students and I feel we need to truly focus on how some of our frontline people, like counselors, are receiving training to be ready." Campbell wonders about how best to support students in learning about potential majors that lead to employment given the changing economy. She asks, "How can counselors learn more about affordable choices for families and what colleges will offer a 4-year degree and without significant debt?"

Campbell agrees with Berube and Del Pilar that most of the training for school counselors regarding college admission is nonexistent. She says, "I feel that in many high schools, counselors are neglected when it comes to efficient training and professional development in how to support students through the postgraduate process." In her own experience, she only had 6 hours of college counseling training in a school counseling master's degree program and she believes that this training did not prepare her for the depth of information she needed to know in supporting students. All that she has learned has been through additional professional development courses and conferences paid for by her high school and with her own funds. She emphasizes that "not all schools or counselors have this privilege or access, and this is why we need designated funding set aside, used, and regulated for every counselor to receive college admission training."

David Hess is a school counselor at Elgin High School in Illinois. Elgin is one of five high schools in District U-46, which is the second-largest district in Illinois. The school serves about 2600 students, of which 75% are low income and 81% are students of color. The vast majority of their graduates who continue onto college are first-generation in their family to do so. Hess explains that Elgin doesn't have dedicated post-secondary counselors and he says, "there is a strong need to support professional development and training around the post-secondary process. Ensuring that all students graduate with a post-secondary plan requires understanding, planning, and systems throughout the whole school." Hess explains that in his district they are working to embed post-secondary planning throughout the coursework in every subject area, so the training and professional development goes beyond counselors to include teachers as well. Like Campbell, he says that in addition to the training provided by his district, some of his professional development came out of his own pocket because he knows that quality training and professional development improves outcomes for students. Hess says, "in a district with 20,000 low-income students, we need more support."

Nicola's research at Harvard revealed that school counseling education programs in most states do not require post-secondary training because their accrediting organizations do not require it. There are little or no mandates about proficiency around college access. Meanwhile, availability and access to professional development for post-secondary advising are limited. While organizations like the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) provide opportunities for continuing education in these areas, many school districts do not have the funding available to send their counselors and/or have policies against counselors leaving the school building during the academic day, when these workshops are offered. As for in-school professional development, often districts lump training for counselors in with teachers and so post-secondary counseling issues are rarely addressed. For example, Del Pilar at the Education Trust says "a school might offer an in-service day on literacy for all staff but it is not tailored to the needs of school counselors and doesn't help them to become better counselors." Jayne Caflin Fonash, NACAC's president, says that the organization is exploring how best to offer more accessible training for counselors, including remote options that will reach educators who have traditionally not had the resources or flexibility to attend conferences. She says, "we need to equip counselors with tools they need, especially in terms of better fluency with financial aid advising."
Stimulating Effective Counseling
Christine Mulhern is a doctoral candidate in public policy at Harvard University. Her recent research highlights the positive impact of effective high school counselors on graduation rates and college enrollment, especially for some of the most vulnerable students in our schools. Meanwhile, a 2017 study by Benjamin Castleman of the University of Virginia and Joshua Goodman, then at Harvard University, showed the benefit of intensive, personalized counseling on college enrollment and completion among low-income students. But sadly our nation's education system doesn't always support this reality. Jerry Lucido is a professor of practice and associate dean of strategic enrollment services for the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education and also executive director of the USC Center for Enrollment Research, Policy and Practice. He explains that "the issues around school counseling are many. They are undervalued in schools, often the first to be cut in hard budget times. Their duties span crisis intervention to behavior and psychological guidance to scheduling, testing, lunch, and bus duty." Lucido says, "all of this means that counseling for college, among all but the best-resourced schools, suffers under the burdens of too many students to serve and too many responsibilities." He adds, "moreover, precious few school counselors have had a course or professional training in college counseling. This comes at a time when demographic shifts will see a decrease in traditional college-bound students and an increase in students whose families have little to no college experience."

Liberty Common's Campbell says "The ultimate job of a school counselor is to provide and implement a comprehensive school counseling program that fits the needs of students and aligns with the mission of their school. Now, more than ever, as a response to Covid-19 we need not only more school counselor's, but well-trained counselors who can support students in an unprecedented time of heightened anxiety around online school, grades, social connections, college admissions, and affordability. NHHEAF's Berube says, "Having more boots on the ground to help students navigate their options coming out of this would be wonderful," but adds, "I struggle with how schools would pay for it as I think districts are really going to be stretched in so many directions. Federal and state financial support, and enhanced counselor training, are necessary." USC's Lucido agrees, emphasizing "It is now a national imperative to move a new generation of students to a level of education that their families have yet to achieve. Our national interest-the economy, civic participation, and its health and welfare-requires it. These students will need informed counselors to guide them to the proper next steps of their educational and career futures. Those counselors will need the time and professional education to do the job right."

As we rush to bolster our nation's economy with trillions of dollars, we must be sure not to miss the forest for the trees. There is no question that we need to protect small businesses, workers, and many other vulnerable people and companies at this time of crisis. But we also have to be intentional about long-range planning, and the frontlines of our future are school counselors. As revenue dries up in many states that fund their public schools through tax dollars, we need to find ways to support these institutions amid budget cuts and protect the very individuals we will rely on to guide tomorrow's leaders and workers.

It is time for companies like Amazon, Apple, Zoom, and Netflix to step up if our federal, state, and local governments do not. Jeff Bezos, I am looking at you. The viability of our workforce and the economic outlook for the country depend on a well-educated society that has made wise choices after high school. The most reliable way to ensure this is to support our school counselors. If we overlook these impactful professionals, the consequences will be severe and long-lasting. Let's make the right choice for the future of our children and our economy.

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Stimulate This: How School Counselors Will Help Save Our Post-Pandemic Future

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The global pandemic has devastated much of the nation's economy. Unemployment is at unthinkable levels and every sector has felt the impact of this crisis, from large corporations and nonprofits to small businesses and schools.

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"School counselor" is a deceptively simple title. In reality, school counselors play many roles, including social and emotional educator, academic adviser, conflict mediator, wellness coach, mental health therapist, student champion, educational collaborator and family liaison.

Now, with the advent of the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus, many school counselors have become connectors and comforters-in-chief - not just to students but to parents and school staff.

Last spring, schools began closing in response to the pandemic. According to Education Week, 48 states; four U.S. territories; Washington, D.C.; and the Department of Defense Education Activity eventually ordered or recommended school closures affecting at least 50.8 million public school students. Suddenly, students, families, counselors, teachers and administrators all had to find a way to virtually re-create their in-person school routines. This already-challenging shift was complicated by the significant number of students who lacked access to high-speed internet or desktop, laptop or tablet computers.

Even before the pandemic, civil rights and education groups had been decrying what they had dubbed the "homework gap" because many teachers were increasingly assigning work that required internet access. Already at a disadvantage, these disenfranchised students - many of whom were Black, Indigenous or people of color (BIPOC) - now faced being completely locked out of school academic activities for the rest of the year.

According to "Students of Color Caught in the Homework Gap," a recent report by organizations that include the Alliance for Excellent Education and the National Urban League, when the wave of school closures occurred, 16.9 million children lacked high-speed home internet access (a number that included 1 in 3 BIPOC families), and 7.3 million did not have a computer or tablet. Many schools spent the spring and summer scrambling to provide devices and internet access to students - a task that was still incomplete going into the new school year. Stories of students struggling to keep up with online instruction on cell phones are still not uncommon.

In addition, when the economy took a nosedive as the coronavirus spread, it made it hard to focus on anything but survival for many families. But even financially secure families found it challenging to provide the ideal learning environment as - in many cases - parents working from home with multiple children wrestled with carving out a physical space and a time for each person to be online. Students missed getting to see their friends and participating in extracurricular activities. Sports seasons were canceled. The theater curtains never went up on school plays. Rites of passage such as prom and graduation ceremonies largely fell by the wayside.

And now it is fall, meaning a brand new school year. Even so, in many parts of the country, the football fields and stands will remain empty, the marching band instruments will stay silent and there will be no homecoming dances. Things are decidedly not back to normal. For that matter, there is relatively widespread belief that "normal" will never return. No one knows what the future will hold.

So, it's not surprising that parents, students and school personnel are all feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Continuing to hold classes online while simultaneously ensuring that students and families have the needed technological resources - or, in some cases, the absolute basics, such as enough food to eat - continues to be a team effort.

Because safeguarding the mental, emotional and physical welfare of students is the essence of what school counselors do, these professionals have typically been at the center of the problem-solving process since the arrival of the coronavirus. They have conducted check-in phone calls to make sure students had the necessary equipment and internet access; helped parents (or grandparents) with technological troubleshooting; arranged for families in need to receive gift cards and community resources; responded to requests from teachers to find out why students weren't showing up for online class (and then worked to resolve whatever the barrier was); reassured stressed-out parents; coached families on how to set up a structured school day; made mental health referrals for students in crisis; and provided moral support to teachers, administrators and each other. All while finding ways to continue offering academic guidance, focusing on students' emotional and social learning, and giving specific support to children who were struggling with various personal and school-related issues.

Counseling Today spoke to several school counselors at the end of the 2019-2020 school year and as they prepared for the new 2020 fall semester to learn more about the challenges of performing their jobs in the midst of a pandemic.

Linda Colón
Counselor for prekindergarten and kindergarten students, Bancroft Elementary School, Washington, D.C.
Bancroft is a Title I school (i.e., a facility that receives financial assistance due to a high population of students from families with low incomes) with a majority Latinx student body that also includes children of Ethiopian immigrants. Many of the families in the district live in poverty and often share relatively small living quarters with extended family.
Under normal circumstances, American Counseling Association member Linda Colón gives Bancroft's youngest students their earliest lessons in social and emotional learning. By observing (and joining) students at play, reading aloud to them, incorporating toys, conversing with puppets and showing self-produced videos, Colón teaches prekindergartners and kindergartners basic social skills and how to recognize and regulate their emotions.

Getting to know students' families and getting them invested in their children's learning has always been an integral part of Colón's counseling approach. She says that she's "planting a seed" of awareness about the importance of education and attendance from an early age. Colón meets with parents to answer questions and, if requested, gives them advice on how to reinforce the social and emotional lessons that their children are learning.

Another benefit of establishing a relationship with families - and checking in regularly via phone or in person (during nonpandemic times) - is that Colón can get a better sense of the problems with which the families might be struggling. If they trust the counselors and teachers, she says, they will be more likely to reach out if they need help addressing emotional or mental health problems or accessing vital resources such as food and shelter.

Colón has been finding new ways to stay connected to her students and their families since March, when schools across the metropolitan region shut their doors and transitioned to online learning to finish out the school year because of the coronavirus. Schools in Washington, D.C., opted to begin the new year virtually as well, with an option to reevaluate in November.

"We can't just say, 'This isn't going to work,'" Colón says. "We have to figure it out. We owe it to the kids."

Before in-person learning ceased completely in March, Colón, knowing that the children were feeling anxious, created a lesson centered on "claiming strategies." She reminded the children that when they were really afraid, it was helpful to talk about it, and she provided them with some age-appropriate safety information.

But the most important piece was the practical activity: washing hands. "We want to keep the germs away, so we wash our hands for 20 seconds," Colón told the children, reinforcing the statement with videos and puppet demonstrations of hand-washing.

Colón also made videos so that the children's social and emotional learning could continue virtually. The videos covered topics such as keeping a positive mindset, practicing breathing techniques and exercising mindfulness.

Colón also spoke to some of her students and their families one-on-one, either on the phone or via Microsoft Meetings, to find out how they were coping, to offer a sympathetic ear to stressed-out parents and to provide a reassuring presence for anxious children. She has given her phone number to parents and encouraged them to call or text her if they need help. As distance learning continues, she has been encouraging teachers to reach out as much as possible too. In addition, Colón has worked directly with parents to help solve technological problems.

This year, one of her initiatives is to help parents find a way to provide a space for children to take a break from their surroundings - a relaxation bubble. Many of her students live in small spaces, so the "bubble" might be something as simple and small as a blanket draped over a chair to make a mini tent.

Even at a young age, children are more aware of what is going on around them than most people realize, Colón says. They know that people are sick and dying, and at this age, children are less able to process the fear, which leaves them at risk of getting stuck in fight-or-flight mode. When they are at school, they can see their friends on the playground and have other opportunities to get away, but at home, exposure to trauma - even if only through the television - may be inescapable.

Activities such as drawing, watching a fun video or escaping to their relaxation bubble can help relieve the agitation, Colón says. The staff at Colón's school has requested that markers, crayons and paper be sent to all the families.

Research also shows that when people are experiencing trauma, simply making a connection with a sympathetic presence can help, Colón says. So, she believes that keeping in contact with students and families is one of the most important things school staff can do right now.

"It's finding a way to establish that connectedness," she says. "When you're in school, you're waving to them [students and families], saying 'Hi, good morning,' singing a silly song. You're doing something to make a connection that doesn't have anything to do with academics."

"I think our [school counseling] services are needed more than ever," Colón says. "We're the ones who are getting the pulse [of the community]."
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Natasha Griffith
Counselor for first through sixth grades and homeless coordinator, Dorothy I. Height Elementary School, Washington, D.C.
Height is also a Title I school, with many of its families living at or below the poverty level. Most of the students are Black - primarily first-generation Ethiopian. Approximately 20 to 30 percent of students are Latinx.
"I think this year, I'll feel proud and accomplished if I can master Microsoft Teams and have whole class sessions," says ACA member Natasha Griffith, whose school - like Colón's - will be all virtual until at least November. She has modest goals for kicking off the school year, including holding a few smaller group sessions with students in fourth through sixth grades. Griffith's role as the school's homeless coordinator - which involves helping families in transitional housing find financial and community resources - can make that goal challenging. "I have to focus on the barriers that children and their parents face," she says.

Griffith says she and her co-workers "hit the ground running" last spring when school buildings closed, distributing gift cards from the city's public services department and money from a GoFundMe campaign to the neediest families and making sure that students had computers. But there will be an ongoing need for assistance during the current school year. In fact, although Griffith wasn't officially working over the summer, she heard from families in search of additional gift cards and did some interpreting for the school's technology contact, who doesn't speak Spanish. Most of the students received computers or iPads in the spring, but stable internet access was a persistent problem, so the school has been setting families up with mobile hotspot devices (routers connected to a cellular data network that provides Wi-Fi connectivity).

Griffith will also continue to call families to check in on students who aren't showing up online. If their absence is due to technological problems, she will make sure they get the resources they need. If the absence is because the students and families aren't adapting well to virtual learning, then Griffith will do her best to help them navigate the unfamiliar territory and highlight how important it is for students to participate so that they don't fall behind. "So many students weren't participating [last spring]," she says. Even if families aren't experiencing technological difficulties, many of them still aren't sold on virtual learning, Griffith says.

Unfortunately, as is the case in many communities across the country, there will be cases in which Griffith isn't able to get in touch with families. The counseling staff at Height does work closely with a social worker from Washington's department of public health who is responsible for connecting families with resources, and Griffith says that she has been able to accomplish a lot. Even so, the reality is that educational continuity is incredibly difficult for schools to provide during the pandemic.

As she did last spring, Griffith will continue to help bridge the gap between parents and teachers. Many parents are feeling overwhelmed, and coping with online learning is yet another source of frustration for them. Griffith provides a listening ear and works toward helping families see that the school staff is there to help, not to judge. She is also concentrating on developing lesson plans that help students navigate the virtual landscape and encouraging them to ask for help when they need it.

Another challenge Griffith is facing is that she has no designated "classroom time" online. To present lessons, she has to be flexible and grab any spare time that teachers have in their class schedules. To supplement, she is planning on developing videos covering the social and emotional learning topics that make up the core part of her counseling curriculum, including managing anger, building self-esteem, learning to identify emotions, developing resilience and using tools for academic success. She has been rearranging her apartment to carve out a space for filming. The videos will be posted on Microsoft Teams for the students to access on demand.

In the spring, Griffith created a few virtual "lunch bunches" for small groups of students. She and the children would play games such as self-care bingo; squares included actions such as taking a shower, eating breakfast, listening to your body, taking a break, meditating, calling a friend and saying something good about yourself. She would also ask students about what they were doing outside of their classroom lessons. "It gave them a place to talk about missing their friends," she says. "It was also something social that wasn't related to school."

Griffith is starting up the virtual lunches again during the current school year. She would also like to find a way to virtually re-create the in-person restorative circles that she used to hold in school. The activity, which usually involved 20-22 students, was focused on building community. Griffith would ask open-ended questions (usually focused on having respect for fellow students) and present students with a talking piece to pass around the circle. Students could choose to keep the piece and speak, or pass it on.

"I think restorative circles work well because they allow students to express their feelings about various social and emotional learning topics," she says. "It allows students to take ownership and be an involved participant in the classroom community."

Griffith will continue to connect with students any way she can while her school is held online, but she believes there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. "Especially for these kids," she says. "Saying in person, 'You've got this. You can do this.' That's what I live for as a school counselor ... [to] make a difference and tell them they matter."
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Judy Trigiani
Counselor for kindergarten through sixth grades, Spring Hill Elementary School, McLean, Virginia.
Spring Hill has a large population of international students, many of them the children of diplomats and business people from around the world. Some of these families temporarily relocated to their home countries to wait out the pandemic and have not yet returned to the U.S.
The plan for ACA member Judy Trigiani's school district is to operate exclusively online through at least the first quarter of the school year and then to reevaluate. But as Trigiani noted at the end of the prior school year, one of the biggest burdens of the pandemic for people is not knowing when it will end. Or, in the case of schools, when bringing students back in person will not carry the threat of widespread community spread. "We are trying to plan for the unknown. We don't know when we'll go back yet," Trigiani says.

In the meantime, Trigiani and the rest of the staff at Spring Hill continue to try to keep things as "normal" as possible. Traditionally, the school's year starts with an open house and a new family and student orientation. This year is no exception; however, the events will all be virtual. Families and students will connect via Blackboard Collaborate, where staff will introduce themselves and talk about the school community, scheduling and resources available to parents. A question-and-answer session will follow. The school is also hosting town hall meetings and a kindergarten orientation to present new resources and answer questions.

This year, there will also be a technology orientation to demonstrate Blackboard features such as the icons for accessing the microphone and video and "raising" your hand; how to magnify the screen; agreeing, disagreeing and reacting to the teacher and fellow students with emojis; and where to find the chat box, Trigiani says. The technology orientation will also cover some of the other programs the school will be using. Blackboard Collaborate enables staff to post videos and PowerPoints and share their screens. The tech session will also demonstrate how to access the website and the asynchronous learning area (video sessions that students can watch on their own schedule). Trigiani has also been preparing PowerPoint presentations for parents on topics such as setting up their children's workspaces and how to talk to children about COVID-19.

Trigiani and the rest of the counseling staff will continue to visit the virtual classrooms every morning to check in and say, "We're here if you need anything." There are 18 classrooms per counselor, and counselors go into one classroom each day, she explains. Sometimes, they conduct a lesson. Other times, Trigiani will show up early just to chat with the kids, asking them to use the emojis to let her know how they are doing. If a student expresses distress or Trigiani hears or sees something that causes her concern, she meets with the student individually online and works to address the issue.

Individual counseling, social skills instruction, school counseling programs, parent meetings, the identification and sharing of resources - all of the normal work of school counselors also continues virtually. In addition, Trigiani works with parents who are struggling to cope with their children's behavioral, social and emotional issues. If necessary, the counseling staff makes referrals to outside mental health resources.

The key, Trigiani says, is something that one of her former bosses used to say: "Keep your community and people informed, and stay as positive and flexible as you can."

Trigiani believes that technology will continue to become more and more critical to school counseling, even after schools decide to return to the in-person model. Not only will retaining a virtual element allow medically fragile students better access to education, but it will also help counselors prepare students for 21st-century jobs by enabling them to give students training in online social skills, Trigiani asserts.
****
Randi Vogel
Counselor for sixth grade, Thomas Pyle Middle School, Bethesda, Maryland.

Pyle also has a significant number of international students, which means that the student population is somewhat transitory.

"This pandemic has really brought to light the social-emotional needs of our students," ACA member Randi Vogel says. "Even students who we considered very solid are having difficulties."

In the spring, several students who were already struggling with mental health issues deteriorated further with the loss of a structured school environment and ended up needing to be hospitalized, she says. But even students who had no history of mental health issues were experiencing anxiety and stress.

After school moved online, Vogel and her team put out an announcement on the school portal that they were available via email and Zoom. They also sent out regular surveys asking students how they were feeling, if they needed anything or whether they just wanted to share.

One girl replied that she needed a Chromebook laptop to keep up with her school assignments. Another student said, "I miss you - and I fell and broke my arm." Some students expressed that they just really wanted to talk, so Vogel and her team connected with them individually via video chats.

The surveys also asked students what they were doing to take care of themselves and to whom they had reached out. Every time that Vogel spoke to a student, she would ask them what they were doing for themselves.

Vogel's district is starting the new school year with virtual-only instruction and will reassess in November. Although many students may have initially enjoyed the novelty of learning from home, that sentiment generally seems to have worn off, Vogel says. "I have heard from several parents and students that they truly miss the school experience - chatting in the halls with their friends, switching classes, the cafeteria, after-school activities, the bus rides to and from school."

Although her school can't re-create those experiences, the days will be more structured and organized for students this year, she says. There will be more live and interactive instruction, in contrast to this past spring, when teachers primarily gave lessons via "asynchronous learning," which involved using previously recorded videos that students would watch on their own. Teachers then offered online "office hours" to field follow-up questions.

"Parents definitely want more 'live' instruction and for more of the day to mimic what occurs in the building," Vogel says. Although this may help virtual lessons to feel more like regular class, she anticipates that students will have difficulty being on their screens for so many hours, despite the breaks that have been built into the schedule.

"We, as counselors, will continue to reach out to our students to see how we can help them virtually," she says. "This might look like lunch bunches or initiating one-on-one Zoom calls as check-ins."

Vogel says her counseling department really prided itself on always being available to students during the day. In fact, they had several students who were issued "flash passes" so they could come to the counseling office anytime they needed a break. "Once we are back in the building, I expect that to resume," she says. "However, it is much more challenging to establish relationships with middle schoolers via Zoom."

Because so many students are struggling or just need a little extra help coping, Vogel and her colleagues will be incorporating more mindfulness and stress-reduction activities and class meetings into the virtual day for students. "I think it will be very beneficial to have the students hear from one another how they are managing and that they are not alone with their feelings," she says.
**** Additional resources
To learn more about the topics discussed in this article, take advantage of the following select resources offered by the American Counseling Association:

ACA School Counselor Connection (counseling.org/membership/aca-and-you/school-counselors/school-counselor)

ACA Mental Health Resources (counseling.org/knowledge-center/mental-health-resources/)
Books & DVDs (imis.counseling.org/store)

A School Counselor's Guide to Small Groups: Coordination, Leadership, and Assessment edited by Sarah I . Springer, Lauren J. Moss, Nader Manavizadeh and Ashley Pugliese

Critical Incidents in School Counseling, Third Edition, by Tarrell Awe Agahe Portman, Chris Wood and Heather J. Fye

Developing and Managing Your School Guidance and Counseling Program, Fifth Edition, by Norman C. Gysbers and Patricia Henderson

Solution-Focused Counseling in Schools, Third Edition, by John J. Murphy

Acute and Severe Behavior Problems presented by Dave Scott

Bullying in Schools: Six Methods of Intervention presented by Ken Rigby

Managing Conflict in Schools: A New Approach to Disciplinary Offense presented by John Winslade

Quality Circle Time in the Secondary School presented by Jenny Mosley

****
Laurie Meyers is a senior writer for Counseling Today. Contact her at lmeyers@counseling.org.
**** Opinions expressed and statements made in articles appearing on CT Online should not be assumed to represent the opinions of the editors or policies of the American Counseling Association.

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School counseling in the time of the coronavirus - Counseling Today

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"School counselor" is a deceptively simple title. In reality, school counselors play many roles, including social and emotional educator, academic adviser, conflict mediator, wellness coach, mental health therapist, student champion, educational collaborator and family liaison.

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Questions to Ask a Mentor

What's the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job?

How do you encourage innovative ideas?

How would you describe your personal style?

Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you?

What do you do to constantly challenge your underlying beliefs and assumptions?

Would you do anything differently if given the opportunity?

How and where do you find inspiration?

How do you keep your feelings separate from your decision-making?

What values are you committed to?

How do you balance your work and home life?

Do you have any books that you would suggest I read?

Tips for a Successful Mentoring Session

Prepare and ask relevant questions.

Be respectful of your mentor's time and experience.

Ask if you can follow up and exchange contact information.

Afterwards, ask yourself what you learned from the meeting and how you can apply your new knowledge.

Thank your mentor for their advice with an email or personalized note.

Other Articles on Mentoring
Looking for a mentor or mentoring opportunity? Check out CWB's events page for upcoming events in your area.

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Questions to Ask a Mentor and Tips for a Successful Mentoring Session

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What's the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job? How do you encourage innovative ideas? How would you describe your personal style? Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you? What do you do to constantly challenge your underlying beliefs and assumptions?

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There's no easy answer to this question as it mostly depends on what your career goals and objective are. But what you most certainly will need to do is to continually ask engaging questions to get the most out of what can be an extremely rewarding personal and professional experience.

A few years ago, around the time when I was launching this blog, I wrote an article called 4 Types of Questions to Ask A Mentor . To this day, it is the most-read article on Be Leaderly , and its popularity keeps growing.

In the article, I share a simple model for making the most out of every conversation with your mentor. To begin, come prepared with four questions. It's a way to show appreciation for your mentor and their time and commitment to you. Ultimately, both of you should leave every conversation feeling like it was time well spent. All it takes is a few minutes of thoughtful preparation.

Here's how it works: Before every meeting with your mentor, prepare one question from each of these categories: stories, situations, self-awareness, and skill building.

In my workshops and group coaching programs, I like to share those categories, and then ask the participants to compile their own questions to ask a mentor. Here are some good ones they've come up with recently:

Ask Your Mentor to Share Stories

Ask your mentor to tell a story from his or her career. Some questions to consider:

How did you land your current role?

Think back to five years ago. Did you envision this is where you would be?

Can you tell me about a time when you had a difficult boss? How did you handle it?

How did you learn to embrace failure?

What's the most important leadership lesson you've learned and how is it valuable?

Tell me about a recent setback and how you recovered?

Was there ever a job position that you applied for and got, but you weren't 100% qualified?

How did you build the skill of always speaking so engagingly in front of others?

Ask Your Mentor to Share Situations

Identify a challenging situation and share it with the mentor. Ask your mentor to act as a sounding board. Some questions to consider:

I'm considering a career transition. What do you see as the pros and cons?

Who are the people I need to align with in this organization to achieve success?

What advice can you offer on how to progress in my career?

How do you successfully stay connected to key influencers who do not work in same office or geographical area?

When trying to gain buy-in to implement a new program, what tactics have worked for you?

Ask Your Mentor About Self-awareness

Ask a question that invites your mentor to contribute to your self-awareness. Some questions to consider:

Where do you see my strengths and what should I focus on to improve?

What do you see as some of my blind spots?

How do you think others perceive me?

How I am viewed by leadership?

Do I come across as poised and calm?

How am I viewed (i.e., what's my personal brand) in our organization?

Did everyone understand what I presented at the last meeting?

How could I have communicated my idea more clearly?

Ask Your Mentor about Skill-building

Identify a skill you currently want to develop and ask your mentor for advice or resources. Some questions to consider:

How do you approach risk-taking?

What new skills do I need to move ahead?

How can I become a more assertive negotiator?

How can I become better at managing people who do not report to me?

Which of these questions could you ask your mentor? Do you have any to add to this list?

By preparing thoughtfully for each mentoring session, you'll avoid the awkwardness of feeling like you're wasting your mentor's time, and it guarantees that the mentoring relationship can continue to be gratifying for both of you for many years to come.

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There's no easy answer to this question as it mostly depends on what your career goals and objective are. But what you most certainly will need to do is to continually ask engaging questions to get the most out of what can be an extremely rewarding personal and professional experience.

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A mentor is a trusted industry professional who can offer you advice and guidance as you progress in your career. The right mentor can help you outline a clear career path and choose steps to achieve your professional goals. In this article, we explore 9 specific questions to ask your mentor so you can benefit the most from this professional relationship.

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Leading with Love - Relational Leadership

It's easy to become the type of leader who distrusts other people. This is particularly true in business. Regardless of your industry, achieving the status of a leader and helping your company grow requires embracing your competitive nature to some degree.

Unfortunately, some leaders become so competitive that they start to feel they can't trust others. They become suspicious of everyone else's motives. They may even consider their own employees to be potential threats. Thus, they may lead ineffectively, behaving too defensively to make the right decisions in all situations.

Other leaders adopt a different approach. They make the decision to "love" everyone they encounter on a regular basis. This love is not the type of love they would feel for a romantic partner, but it is similar to the love one feels for relatives and close family members.

Consider this example of leadership philosophy as you develop your own ideas about how to be an effective leader. Treating your team members (and even your direct competition) with care and respect can be very helpful in a number of ways - and is more of a relational leadership style. For instance, perhaps an employee who was once enthusiastic about their role has become clearly disengaged in recent months. A leader whose philosophy is rooted in defensiveness and competitiveness might assume this employee has turned against them for some reason. As a result, the relationship will suffer, and the worker may seek employment elsewhere.

On the other hand, someone who leads with love in a more relational leadership style would take the time to ask themselves what factors may have contributed to this employee's lack of engagement. They can then more effectively determine what steps they must take to correct the issue. This yields very practical benefits. Engaged employees are more productive, and more likely to remain loyal to an organization.

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5 Most Valuable Leadership Philosophy Examples To Understand

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It's easy to become the type of leader who distrusts other people. This is particularly true in business. Regardless of your industry, achieving the status of a leader and helping your company grow requires embracing your competitive nature to some degree. Unfortunately, some leaders become so competitive that they start to feel they can't trust others.

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As leaders, we each need our own simple, profound leadership philosophy that is grasped easily and modeled consistently.

I believe the most authentic leadership is organic. Yes, it may borrow from various influences, but your most real philosophy is as individual as your fingerprint.

Your philosophy shapes your personal leadership statement. The statement can cover how you lead and influence, what you value, what you expect from team members, what you do not accept, and/or what type of environment you are committed to creating.

Let's look at how to get there.
8 Prompts to Your Core Beliefs and Behaviors
The following prompts can help drill down to your core beliefs and behaviors, as you can see by the examples that I have included from notable leaders.

By answering these, you will collect valuable insight that can help point to your unique leadership philosophy.

Example: "Always be fair and consistent in the principles that guide your decisions, because there will be people who disagree. If you are consistent, they will at least respect you when you make your decisions."- Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
2. I spend time....
Example: "I've made a point of spending a lot of time walking the building at HUD and listening to employees."- Julián Castro, secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who describes himself as a 'man in the crowd' type of leader.
3. I value.... 4. I am curious about... Example: "By nature I am curious about life, and this extends to my business."-business magnate Richard Branson. 5. I respect.... Example: "[I] respect employees [by] making myself available to try to answer questions they have. It gives me a chance to educate, but it also gives me a chance to be educated."- U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. 6. I listen with.... 7. I care about.... Example: "The only thing I care about is winning. That's all. If you don't want to win, you don't want to be around me."-Los Angeles Laker legend Jerry West Your Game Changer Takeaway
Be inspired to fill in the blanks! Go deep with your 8 answers. Which ones resonate? Hone your philosophy to its simplest form, and practice it daily. You are taking a big step closer to your leadership potential, and that benefits everyone on your team.

Game Changers Podcast - Authentic Leadership

Kat Cole, Group President of FOCUS Brands, is keenly aware of how to hone and evolve her leadership style to inspire many different types of teams. Take a listen below to hear her story or visit the Game Changers Podcast page for more in-depth interviews with successful business leaders and athletes.
Molly Fletcher helps motivate and equip game changers to dream, live and grow fearlessly. A , Molly draws on her decades of experiences working with elite athletes and coaches as a sports agent, and applies them to the business world. Her Game Changer Negotiation Training™ has helped organizations and individuals across all industries more effectively ask for what they want, build stronger relationships and close more deals faster.

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These 8 Answers Will Fill Your Leadership Philosophy

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As leaders, we each need our own simple, profound leadership philosophy that is grasped easily and modeled consistently. I believe the most authentic leadership is organic. Yes, it may borrow from various influences, but your most real philosophy is as individual as your fingerprint. Your philosophy shapes your personal leadership statement.

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Leaders who coach are creating better workplaces, and so can you. | Saba Imru-Mathieu | TEDxLausanne