23 Mar Early in the course, arrange for a face-to-face interview with a certified school counselor on your campus

 

CNDV 5304 Program Key Assessment

School Counselor Interview and Reflection Paper

 

Early in the course, arrange for a face-to face or online interview with a certified school counselor on your campus. This person will potentially be your Site Supervisor in your program of study when you enter the field experience. Therefore, you should be accommodating and respectful for the time he/she spends with you. If you have any questions about the credentials of your interviewee, be sure to discuss them with your professor early in the course.

 

You should arrange to speak to the professional school counselor for approximately 30

minutes to one hour. You will be discussing the work setting, its mission and goals,

organization and structure, students served, and his/her position and job duties.

The content of your interview with this professional should allow you to create a final

report. The questions below provide a framework for your interview and will help in

creating a final report. You are not required to record or transcribe the interview, yet you

will need to take copious notes. Yet, if you do record the interview, you must have the

written consent (an email is appropriate) of the school counselor with whom you interview.

You may find that you use some direct quotes, but will essentially be sharing your

impressions from the interview in your paper.

 

The first two questions require some research on your school/district before the interview.

 

Interview Questions

 

Descriptive Information/Introduction

1. Review the information gathered before the interview with the school counselor. Is

the information I collected accurate (the school counselor name, district, level of

school, and description of demographics of students)?

2. What do the most recent state standardized test results indicate about this school

district and this school?

 

Role of the School Counselor

 

3. What do you see as the main role of a school counselor?

4. What do you think is the most important characteristic of a school counselor?

5. How does the school counselor help in preventing school violence?

6. What is your school counseling/educational philosophy?

7.. What is the counseling theory or approach that you most closely follow?

8. How do you develop a positive relationship with students in individual counseling?

Small group counseling?

9. What can you tell me about developing transition plans?

10. How do you deliver college and career readiness and planning to the students on

your campus?

11. How do you divide your time between meeting the immediate needs of the students

and keeping up with the paperwork?

12. What technology applications do you see useful in your work?

13. How do you see the role of the school counselor in advocating for students? Tell me

about your community resource list. Which resources do you commonly refer students and their families?

14. How should I approach individual student planning as a future counselor?

15. What is your role regarding standardized testing?

16. How does the counselor’s role impact school climate, student success, and diverse

student populations on campus?

17. How do you handle an irate parent?

18. How do you handle a passive or uninvolved parent?

 

School Counseling Program

19. Which components of ASCA Model or the Texas Model have you implemented? If the counselor has not implemented any, ask: Are there any other models used in the district? If so, which model?

20. How does this program support the school’s academic mission?

21. How do you evaluate your school counseling program?

 

Leadership Role

22. What does the word “leadership” mean to you? How does the word “leader” fit into

your role as a school counselor? If the school counselor does not consider

himself/herself a leader, ask: What would you like for your role as a leader in the

school to look like or resemble?

23. How do you advocate for your profession as a school counselor

on your campus and in your district?

24. What is the role of the school counselor in relation to teachers, parents, the

community, administrators, and other counselors?

 

Additional Information: Is there anything else that comes to mind that you want me to know?

 

Reflection

Review the areas listed above with respect to your interview. What are your impressions of the information shared with you in each area as it aligns with the ASCA National Model or Texas Model? Reflect on the process of becoming a professional school counselor. What have you learned as the result of this information-gathering activity? What challenges do you foresee?

 

Your final report is an integrated product based on the results of the interview and the

school counseling models and concepts presented in the course. Ideally, your report should

be in APA format and read as a synthesis of your interview impressions, concepts relating

to community needs, and theoretical concepts associated with a comprehensive school

counseling program. It is not a critique of the school counseling program. It is a critical

analysis of the variables that contribute to implementing a comprehensive developmental

guidance program.

 

The assignment is due in Blackboard by 11:59pm CST on Day 7 of WEEK 4. Worth 200 points.