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After completing the School Counselor Competency Assessment, I realized that I am familiar with many of my expectations, but numerous areas require me to understand better. I am most uncomfortable with and lack general knowledge of legal issues, policies, research, and educational systems. Before becoming a school counselor, I must learn more about the legal and policy aspects. I was unaware of all the responsibilities that fall upon school counselors, such as creating a personal growth plan. It is vital to grow and develop the more continually I continue to learn. All of this is crucial to my future success as a school counselor. My goal is to become more familiar with professional standards and competencies. I am more than ready to learn as much as possible in my education.

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Transforming High School Counseling: Counselors’ Roles, Practices, and Expectations for Students’ Success 

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Transforming High School Counseling: Counselors’ Roles, Practices, and Expectations for Students’ Success 

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Peer-reviewed article about the effectiveness of school counseling.

This article examines the expectations and role of a School Counselor with relation to high school students’ success. Therefore, I selected this article because it emphasizes the significance of school counselors and how its overall impact has helped students be more prepared for the future.

In the article it is stressed that school counselors are the least understood in the education system. Throughout the article it goes over the past roles of counselors and the current goals of progression. The article has parents, students and other staff members that were randomly selected, evaluate the current roles and goals of the counselors. In the results, it reflects that the main goal for counselors is to aid in the preparation for life after school ends for students and assist them with their own development. I am excited with the results of counselors helping students prepare for the future, but I am also aware that school counselors play a bigger part. When I was in school all my counselor did was help me get into college, but they were not there to aid in my mental health. My wish is that the article would’ve focused more heavily on the overall wellness of the student. My own counselor did not focus on this and I am hoping that this will not be the case for myself.

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Race and Gender-Science Implicit Bias Test Results 

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Race and Gender-Science Implicit Bias Test Results 

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My race implicit bias test results suggested that I have an automatic preference for dark-skinned people over light-skinned people. I did find this slightly surprising as I didn’t think I would have a preference for either individual. My beliefs are that everyone should be equal, and that race is not a factor that should be used when determining someone’s value. It does make me think that being a minority myself may have influenced my preference as I am used to being around other minorities compared to white people. I am hoping to change my perspective and that through more learning I will become unbiased.

For the gender-science implicit bias test, my results indicated no automatic association between females and males with science and liberal arts. This was not surprising to me as I do not believe that women and men should not sway career choices for individuals. It is my own personal belief that being a certain gender will sway someone to choose a different career, but I am aware that there are stereotypes that push individuals into bias. These are outdated views and should not continue to happen. Overall, it is important to honor diversity and the differences of beliefs of everyone. My goal is to help my students recognize these as good values to repeat and hold onto in their lives.

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It is my belief that all students should be given equal opportunities and always treated with the same respect as their peers. It is important to value their differences and to celebrate diversity in all aspects. I am dedicated to advocating for my students and their rights, specifically when they are unable to advocate for themselves. It is essential to promote a safe environment for my students that are unique to each student’s development and encourage them to follow their individual beliefs. Each of the students’ needs are essential to make sure that they pushed towards success and can be vital members to society.

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Freshman

Explain to them high school graduation requirements, analyze the transcripts, and talk about grade point average. It is important to talk about identify high school success skills and how they can be utilized. It is essential to speak with students about goals for high school and create an academic/career plan. This is the time to talk about what a school counselors’ role is in respects to the student and discuss the why when wanting to meet with the counselor.

Sophomore

This is typically the time when the focus shifts to post-secondary education or career focus. It is a time to talk about what college is and what it takes to get into a college of their choice. Discuss the difference between college types and what each one can offer the student. Talk about the different requirements such as grade point average and extracurricular activities.

Junior

Talk about after graduation life and what living on their own looks like. It is imperative for the students to start looking into testing that is required for college applications, along with preparing essays for applications. This is also the most common time for students to start exploring their sexuality and coming to terms with what type of person they are hoping to be. It is crucial as a counselor to talk with students about sexual health and safety.

Senior

Solidifying the college list and narrow down which college is the choice. It is important to discuss financial aid with students and discuss options for paying for school. Discuss scholarships and assist them with applications and support their needs for success. Also talk about additional supports for college including mental health stability and educational assistance. Make sure they are feeling ready and safe with their decision to move on from high school.