It is my core belief that all children can learn if they have the appropriate resources especially if they are being guided in the right direction regarding career and academic success. Not only through those avenues but also through counseling on a psychological level to promote the best and most adequate support possible while meeting the needs of the students. I believe that all students are unique, and when given a safe, nurturing environment they will succeed to their fullest potential and should have adequate access to a high-quality education. 

      From my experience working with children and youth in transition with developmental and intellectual disabilities as a Registered Behavioral Technician with their IEPs and needs for Applied Behavioral Analysis when monitoring Autistic behaviors and other related disorders, it is determined that not all students work at the same pace as others and that is simply ok because children develop differently in terms of their cognitive, developmental, and social abilities. That is why it is important as a School Counselor to implement effective strategies to ensure that all students are learning at a tempo that they can understand/comprehend, and maneuver tailored to their individual capabilities while having the most adequate learning process and while achieving academic success/excellence as possible. 

    The role of the School Counselor in advocacy is truly significant in terms of advocating for every student and understanding how that student performs both academically and socio-emotionally in compliance with standard B-PF 8 (American School Counselor Association, 2019). According to London and Deweck, 2005 it is stated that a student might be academically competent and can perform successfully academically, if they are not socially regulated, they may face issues that only the school counselor can address According to Abreu et. al., 2016, it is important to recognize the bullying that arises in schools due to there being several LGBTQAI+ students and it is imperative that School Counselors are creating and implementing safe spaces, policies, and procedures for these individuals to feel secure in their own respective learning environments (Abreu et. al., 2016, p. 327).

      What I hope to accomplish as a School Counselor is to advocate for those students who have difficulty focusing on individual tasks and those who tend not to have a voice while promoting mental health awareness in my community. All students have the right to be heard and treated with respect and as a School Counselor, it is my duty to ensure that the student's needs are being met. Therefore, I must act as an advocate to promote adequate care and support when it comes down to the students' socio-emotional well-being, academic performance, and career readiness. It is important to work in collaboration with the school team and the students’ families to ensure better access to resources within the school system. School Counselors “should take the lead in creating school-wide taskforces to assess school climate and prioritize social justice programming, while also building relationships with community organizations to advocate for their students” (Abreu et al., 2016).

Ethical Standards 

      The ASCA ethical standards guide school counselors by “providing the expectations for school counselors to follow and assisting in communicating expectations to all stakeholders (ASCA, 2016). The ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors also “provides support and direction.” (2016). The ASCA ethical standards “guide school counselors’ decision-making and help standardize professional practice to protect both students and school counselors” (ASCA, 2019, p. 15). It is important to take these ethical standards into consideration when decision-making and implementing effective school evidence-based curriculums for the respective students.

Abreu, R. L., Black, W. W., Mosley, D. V., Fedewa, A. L. (2016). LGBTQ youth bullying experiences in schools: The role of school counselors within a system of oppression. Journal of creativity in mental health, 11, 3-4, p. 325-342.

 

American School Counselor Association (2019). The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Fourth Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author.

 

            The results that I obtained from the ASCA Counselor Professional Standards Competency Assessment were surprising since I have never thought about my strengths and areas for improvement as a school counselor until now. My experiences as a Dedicated Aide have dived me into the school systems and I see how this has helped me establish my core beliefs about students in their learning environment.  

When looking at the ASCA Counselor Professional Standards and Competency Assessment, I believe the school counselor mindsets M1-M7 are well established in my core beliefs about children and adolescents in the learning environment (ASCA, pg. 95, 2019). The other areas that I am well versed in are B-PF 6, I think that I am successful at demonstrating A through D and F. I am competent in that area because I’ve lived in three different demographics here, Puerto Rico, and New York, which has expanded my knowledge of different cultures. For B-PF 7 I’ve had leadership roles but not on this scope and for B-PF 8 I’ve demonstrated advocacy with clients on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other related disorders like intellectual and developmental disabilities and with students as a Dedicated Aide by supporting them with their goals.

            The areas that I feel I need the most improvement are B-PF 1 A through F, I haven’t had the chance to implement these strategies but I know that when I do I’ll be effective at it (ASCA, pg. 96, 2019). B-PF 2 A through I, I would like to know more about understanding educational systems, legal issues, policies, research, and trends in education. Although I have researched many of these as in undergrad, I haven’t had the chance to implement them at all (ASCA, pg. 96, 2019). There are other areas that I haven’t touched but when the time comes, I know I’ll be competent enough to execute these tasks as a Professional School Counselor. B-PF 4 through B-PF 5 are not in my wheelhouse yet, but they will once the time comes. The competencies for B-SS 1 through 6 I haven’t had the chance to explore yet and as for B-PE competencies, I am not there yet. I do feel confident that I will be prepared to tackle all of these areas once I become a Professional School Counselor in the near future with my prospective students.

References:

American School Counselor Association (2019). The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Fourth Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author.