The area that I feel needs improvement is the B-PF 4. Apply school counseling professional standards and competencies and B-SS 1. Design and implement instruction aligned to the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success in large-group, classroom, small-group, and individual settings.  I don’t have any hands-on experience with the areas of weakness listed above, but I do take the time to understand what is happening in education due to being a teacher. I will focus more on the ASCA mindsets and behavior to become equipped for what is happening in the sector of school counseling. Using many skills from teaching, such as lesson planning and presenting to a large classroom of students, implementing instruction aligned to the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors will come easy if I continue to learn about ASCA. Also, communicating with the teachers within the school can help the school counselor design and implement instructional strategies that work best for specific students.

I chose this article because, as a teacher pre-COVID, during COVID-19, and after COVID-19, I noticed a significant change in the students I worked with. I became curious to know how COVID-19 affected school counselors' duties.

Summarize the essential concepts.

An empirical study was published in 2020 and 2021 using an exploratory research design that discussed the concerns and findings on how COVID-19 restrictions affected youth in many ways. The non-standardized instrument uses three research questions RQ1: How has COVID-19 affected students' mental health, academics, and social skills in Tennessee? What issues presented the greatest concern, and how did interventions differ by grade level? RQ2: What interventions do school counselors in Tennessee use to assist students with COVID-19-related concerns, and how do interventions differ by grade level? RQ3: What barriers do school counselors in Tennessee report as interfering with their ability to address students' COVID-19 concerns? Do reported barriers differ by grade level? The survey was distributed to 19 school counselors in Tennessee. In conclusion, school counselors reported that students experienced negative changes such as tech addiction, suicidality, fear of COVID-19, anxiety, and depression. the youth developed unhealthy eating habits, increased screen time, decreased physical activity, academic delays, and social problems that escalated into mental health concerns. The study found that many adolescents developed a disconnect with friends, depression, and anxiety due to COVID-related fears and high school media usage. School counselors play a significant role in schools, as students spend most of their day at school and require mental health assistance in school rather than in a clinical setting. School counselors faced many barriers when students returned to school after COVID-19. One significant barrier they faced was the unmanageable caseloads; according to ASCA (2019), the counselor-to-student ratio recommendation was 1:250, yet the average ratio in the United States was 1:455. The research mentioned that school counselors' caseloads affected the student outcome and minority students in underresourced schools were disproportionately impacted by higher counselor ratios. COVID-19 has impacted both students and school counselors in Tennessee and worldwide.

Compare the information in the article with your experience with school counselors.

While being a teacher I've had many conversations with the school counselor at the school that I've worked at and she's expressed to me how detrimental COVID-19 has been to the students' well-being, especially children living in poverty and attending low-resourced schools. She has expressed how overbearing her workload has been due to her caseload. I think it is important that we also acknowledge how COVID-19 has impacted everyone mentally or financially. School counselors must stay vigilant as they continue to work in the field of education to help elevate some of the effects of COVID-19.

I chose this topic because I am aware that school counselors were significantly impacted by COVID-19. School counselors were crucial in supporting students' mental health during and after the pandemic. As a teacher, I noticed the change within my students, and many require school counseling services when returning to school after the pandemic. This article is relevant and insightful for a future school counselor. The article explains the strategies and interventions counselors use to address the psychological impact on students. This article provides information about school counselors' challenges and raises awareness about mental health support in school settings.  

Summarize important concepts.

The article focuses on the challenges that 207 school counselors in Tennessee faced while assisting students transitioning back to school from the disruption of COVID-19. Mental health, academic functioning, interpersonal skills, and interventions were surveyed using an exploratory survey. The results stated that there was a decline in students' mental health in all grades, which led to academic, social, and behavioral problems. School counselors faced larger caseloads, encountered barriers, and modified multiple resources to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. School counselors faced multiple barriers, the main one being a substantial increase in caseloads. ASCA recommends that counselor-to-student ratios not exceed 1:250, but the average is 1:450 in Tennessee. When counselors have high caseloads to take on, students in under-resourced schools are more likely to experience unfavorable educational outcomes, and their mental health needs may be overlooked or unmet. 87.4% of school counselors stated that students’ behavior was negatively impacted by COVID-19, along with social skills and socialization with peers troubled students, leading them to be more physically aggressive; there was also an increase in cyberbullying. The results of the study demonstrate a decline in student functioning, elevated depression, anxiety, substance use, and bullying. Tennessee school counselors experienced increased caseloads and had to take on non-counseling duties, leading to professional advocacy within the state and beyond.

Compare the information in the article with your experience with school counselors.

 Compare the information in the article with your experience with school counselors.

School counselors are important, especially during a crisis. During the 9/11 crisis, the school counselors at the school I attended as a little girl supported families by providing guidance and resources to families that were affected by the attack. Many people during this time lost family members and faced many challenges, such as being displaced. School counselors also provided emotional support to students who experienced fear, confusion, anxiety, and grief. As a child, during this time, I remember school counselors coming into the classroom to discuss the 9/11 crisis and providing information for parents. The help of school counselors during both COVID-19 and 9/11 helped families and students address their needs but also focused on providing coping skills and fostering healing and community in the midst of tragedy.

The school counselor, Brianna McElwee, created a lesson plan that will focus on 7th-grade students being able to identify what bullying is and ways to prevent bullying. Students would be provided with different scenarios and have to label and discuss whether it is bullying or not bullying. Students will then be provided a poster board in which they will come up with a scenario, and the class will have to figure out if it's bullying after the group discusses and displays the poster board.

The difficulty I may face when implementing this lesson plan is that students may not be interesting in the topic and therefore there may not be many participates. Placing students in groups may also be difficult becase some students may not want to cooperate with other students within their group. The best way to combat these difficulties is to speak with the teacher in advance, develop the groups together, and assign a participation grade or incentive for those participating in the group discussions and the activities.

My core belief is that all children can learn and succeed, regardless of their circumstances or background. Each child has a uniqueness in which their strengths and weaknesses challenge them to develop into their full potential. School should be where children acquire and develop critical thinking, socialization, and problem-solving skills. Every child should have access to opportunities and resources for success and should have access to a quality education.

Vision Statement:

My vision is to empower students to reach their full potential by providing equitable, resourceful, and student-focused counseling services. I strive to create a holistic environment where each student's voice is heard and nurtured, inspiring each student to reach both academic and personal success. I aim to build relationships with the school community and the student’s family through empathy and understanding. My vision is to cultivate each student's confidence, integrity, pride, and compassion. I would like to contribute positively by equipping students with skills and resources to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.