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National Center for Education Statistics. (2022, April 14). https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/annualreports.

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Implicit Bias: Physically Able People and Physically Disabled People

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Implicit Bias: Physically Able People and Physically Disabled People

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I was disappointed by my results after taking this test. I have worked for eight years in Special Education and I know valuable each student is. I thought I would prefer disabled to able people.

However, this test compared physically disabled to physically able people. I have not noticed that I treat people differently according to their physical abilities, but implicit bias is not a conscious choice.  If I do treat people as different, I need to be aware of it and change my actions.

I wonder if my age attributes to my bias. Inclusiveness in public schools is relatively new. I do not remember having any physically disabled classmates in primary or secondary school. However, my 21-year-old daughter took the same bias test and she showed no implicit bias between physically able or physically disabled people. Her school experience has included children of all abilities. It is possible my unconscious bias is due to my learning acceptance later in my life than my daughter.

I am grateful to have experienced these implicit bias tests because they show me parts of myself I didn't know existed. If I learn about my biases, then I can work on changing my behaviors.

Reference
Harvard University. (2022, April 13). Project Implicit. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html.

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Harvard University. (2022, April 13). Project Implicit. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html.

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Reference List
American School Counselor Association (2019). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs, Fourth Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author.

Virginia Department of Education. (2021) Virginia Social Emotional Learning Standards. https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/GetFile.cfm?File=C:%5CTownHall%5Cdocroot%5CGuidanceDocs_Proposed%5C201%5CGDoc_DOE_4780_20210329.pdf

Teachers Pay Teachers. (2022, April 12). Stay in my tunnel: A lessons to teach kids about ignoring distractions and staying on task. file:///home/chronos/u-ca3fc6abb44ab6d2fbcc0888a3a7e32114bcb610/MyFiles/Downloads/StayingOnTaskACounselingLessonAboutSelfControlIgnoringDistractions-1.pdf

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School Counselor Standards and Competency Assessment

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School Counselor Standards and Competency Assessment

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School counselors, like the students they teach, are lifelong learners. Their abilities change as they grow in the professions of school counseling. The School Counselor Standards and Competency Assessment clearly defines the necessary knowledge a counselor needs to run an effective school counseling program.

I have much to learn before I am confident in my abilities to run a comprehensive school counselor program. I determined my level of knowledge of each standard and competency by using a Likert scale of 1-5. Many of my  scores were twos and threes. However, I was able to give myself fours and fives for standard B-PF 6: Demonstrate understanding of the impact of cultural, social, and environmental influences on student success and opportunities (ASCA, 2019).

My parents were diplomats and I was an English Language Learner when my family returned to the United States in 1984. I was also a student with a learning disability. These personal experiences have led to a deep understanding for students who are "different". I use this understanding in a professional capacity as a Language Ambassador in my school district. I use my skills as an interpreter and provide resources for families who need assistance. We gain knowledge from each other and I have learned about many different cultures.There are currently 100 language ambassadors in my district and we exemplify the diversity of our community. Wearing our "Je parle francaise" and 'Hablo espanol" badges and speaking our native languages is creating awareness which will lead to acceptance.

I need to learn more about the technology I will use when I deliver lessons and take data. I have a good understanding of Microsoft Office and Google, but my school district has changed technology platforms numerous times and I have not kept up with the changes as I should have. There are professional developments this summer on our newest learning platform and I will take advantage of this opportunity.

Reference
American School Counseling Association. (2019). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs, Fourth Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author

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Every child can learn and succeed. However, success looks different for all of us, especially young children. One child may need encouragement to enter the front door without tears, while other students will need academic assistance. I will love them and cheer for them through whichever struggles they face.

My role as a school counselor will be to encourage children to make achievable goals and celebrate with them. This will be one of many ways I will advocate for students. I will cheer them on as they work hard to reach goals as well as communicate with teachers and parents so we can work together to increase student confidence. I also want to be a voice for those who may not have the language skills to get what they need. My love for Special Education and English Language Learners will lead me to participate with these groups of children because I remember what it felt like to be young and alone and unsure of my English. I will be their advocate until they have the language to communicate their needs. If I can be the person children come to because they feel safe and trust me, then I will be able to guide them emotionally and academically.

I have never met a School Counselor who was not passionate about helping students succeed. It would be impossible to follow the ASCA (American School Counseling Association) National Model if one did not feel driven to work with children. Following the Ethical Standards of Confidentiality, supporting student development, and encouraging lifelong learning is innate to my character. Working with children who have undergone trauma such as abuse or harm from themselves or others will be difficult to contend with. I know they are realities and I hope I have a strong school community that can rally around families in times of crisis. If not, I will do my best to build a community that does.

As a School Counselor, I will provide a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate school counseling program to every child in my school community. I will walk with every student as they create an individualized path to success.

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I chose this article because I plan to be a school counselor in an elementary school and because I see the importance of collaboration between counselors and teachers. When teachers and counselors use a team approach to assist students, the teacher’s perception of school counselor impact (SCI) increases, and the students succeed.

This article described a four-year study that asked whether teachers would have a higher regard for school counselor impact (SCI) if they were able to collaborate and teach lessons focused on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) skills. The study involved one hundred and twelve teachers, some of whom were in the control group. The control group did not work closely with the school counselor but was required to teach SEL lessons. The test group of teachers and counselors were given professional development training and the counselors were present when the teachers taught a series of lessons focused on problem-solving, academics, and other SEL skills. Overall, the data showed that teachers had an increased perception of school counselors and their role in the school setting (Villares et al., 2020)

I have worked in two schools in my career. In my district, school counselors are required to handle all 504 Plans. The meetings take up approximately one day per week and additional time for paperwork. This makes it impossible for them to deliver services 80% of the time, as is emphasized by the ASCA (American School Counseling Association) National Model. I see why counselors might be assigned this duty, but I know the students would benefit from more counselor time in the classroom and in small group settings. The school counselor in my school tries to deliver one classroom lesson per class per week. She also has small groups she meets with during lunches. However, I do not know how often she is able to collaborate with teachers. I have seen her step in when teachers are concerned about a specific student or when students have challenges that arise during the school day. I am curious about other schools in my state and whether counselors can collaborate with teachers on a larger scale.

Reference List

Villares, E., Brigman, G., Webb, L., Carey, J., & Harrington, K (2021). A randomized control trial of teachers’ perceptions on school counselor impact. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation, Volume 12, ( 2) , 105-116. DOI: 10.1080/21501378.2020.1788929