the ASCA National Model’s guidelines, will provide teamwork, support, leadership and systematic change 

within a scaffold indicative of the program foundation, management system, and accountability delivery 

system (ASCA, 2005). As I work hard to earn my credentials, I am doing these exact things and am hoping to see increased student achievement, fewer student discipline problems, and increased graduation rates because of my interactions. We are 8 months into the school year with less than 2 months to go. As it relates to this article, I am hopeful that my efforts will improve student attainability.

I believe that all students are capable of learning and achieving. Each student, however, is unique. Starting with the home environment, students come to us with a wide variety of backgrounds: some have been read to every night and have all of their basic needs met; some have their basic needs met but have not had any academic experiences; some have not had their basic needs met and need to have those needs satisfied in order to reach their potential. Social interactions also play a large part in a child's upbringing. While some students begin getting acclimated to school in their preschool years, others are kept home well into their school age years. Even within that range, there is a wide variety of experiences students can gain. Some have social groups/play dates and others have had very little interaction with people outside their immediate family. All of these factors combine to form the foundation of a child and give them a jump start on their success at school. For these reasons, educators and counselors must be ready and willing to meet a child where they are: to scaffold the curriculum and add supports and accomodations when necesssary. Some will need extensions of the curtriculum while others will need simplifications. When a child's needs are met and educators are willing to scaffold the curriculum, I believe all children are capable of achiving academic success. Some will do exactly that, while others will make deliberate choices to not do their work, not engage in activities, etc. In these cases, interventions are necessary. Sometimes interventions are successful, but other times a student fails, despite the supports in place. Sadly, sometimes students slip through the cracks. Each individual case is different and must be viewed as such.

School counselors can advocate for students to be sure their needs are met and that they are offered the resources and supports they need in order to be successful. In my current position, advocating for students includes talking to teachers on a student's behalf when there is a situation preventing them from being successful. Although I do not share confidential or personal details, I am usually able to get extra help or time for the student when the teacher might have otherwise been less flexible. This is just one way that school counselors can advocate for students. A second way that counselors can adovcate for students is by attending IEPs or Behavior Intervention Plan meetings. Sometimes counselors have seen a different side of the student and can provide insight, advice, or ideas to help the student be more successful. A third way counselors can advocate for students is by reaching out to parents on a student's behalf when the student is struggling. Sometimes students come to us first, but it is our responsibility to inform parents when certain situations present such as (but not limited to) thoughts of self harm or suicide. We can advoate for students to get additional help from wrap-around services in the community.

Ethical standards must guide the work of the school counselor in order "to maintain the high standards of integrity, leadership and professionalism" (American School Counselor Association, 2016). Counselors must be highly trained and have studied these standards as we have an obligation to uphold them. When situations arise, counselors should lean on the ethical standards and ask other professionals when unsure. 

I believe that school counselors should believe in and support all students. Counselors should advocate for the best interest of all students and implement a data-informed, inclusive counseling program that supports students' academic, social, and emotional emotional wellness in addition to career readiness. In total, school counselors should be uphold the ASCA ethical standards in order to maintain best practices.

American School Counselor Association. 2016. ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/f041cbd0-7004-47a5-ba01-3a5d657c6743/Ethical-Standards.pdf.

     As a former teacher, I worked very closely with our school counselors. They assisted me in behavior plans for students, meetings with parents, observations in the classroom, and just getting ideas from in general. Our counseling staff is amazing, and I have learned so much from them through the years. I have great mentors and a support system that are ready to help me embark on this journey. Most of our school counselors also have their clinical degree and practice in the evenings or weekends to supplement their income. They have found it to be a very rewarding career pathway, and I am excited to hopefully join them someday.

      When I am stressed, I know it. My shoulders and neck tense up. My heart rate increases, and I probably seem distracted, when in fact, I'm probably very focused. I deal with stress pretty well but know my limits and sometimes forget to say no. I know that time management and staying organized are two essential elements to helping me through this program. I also need time outside and away from technology and demands from work. Walking daily with my husband and our dog are definitely ways that I can meet this need. I also enjoy listening to relaxing music and doing yoga. Recently, I've upped my yoga game to some more strenuous cardio and weights. I know that continuing to maintain a healthy lifestyle will help me manage stress.