EDUC 701: PRACTICUM IN SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COUNSELING

The primary goal of this supervised practicum is to facilitate student (hereby referred to as supervisees) professional development in the area of school counseling. Supervision will enhance counselor behavioral and cognitive competencies, and promote accountability in the area of school counseling programs. The purpose of a counseling program in a school setting is to promote and enhance learning. To that end, the supervisees (to the degree allowable in their school setting) will facilitate student development in three broad areas: academic, career, and personal/social development.

Objectives:

1. Supervisees will apply theoretical concepts and principles learned in previous course, lab, and field work in as many counseling areas as possible in the school site, and in a sound and reasonalbe manner,

2. Supervisees will apply communication/counseling skills learned in previous course and lab work in a sound and reasoned fashion.

3. Supervisees will apply knowledge and skills in student needs assessment,

4. Supervisees will apply knowledge and skills in program needs assessment,

5. Supervisees will develop, implement, and evaluate primary counseling prevention programs,

6. Supervisees will identify student secondary prevention needs and develop, implement, and evaluate appropriate interventions,

7. Supervisees will aplly knowledge and skills in referral and coordination activities,

8. Supervisees will assist students in effective home-to-school, school-to-school, and school-to- school transitions,

9. Supervisees will engage in consultation, coordination, and collaboration with teachers, parents, administrators, and other pupil personnel service providers in order to assist in student learning,

10. Supervisees will set their own professional goals to be accomplished during practicum, and actively engage site and university supervisors in assisting with meeting these goals,

11. Supervisees will keep accurate program notes and records, primarily in accordance with the regulations of their site placement.

12. Supervisees will participate in group supervision and individual case consultation.

13. Supervisees will practice in a manner consistent with ASCA, ACA, & ACES ethical guidelines, and

14. Supervisees will develop skills and competencies specific to their particular placement site.

Assignments & Schedule:

1. Practicum Contract (handout). In addition to the areas covered in the contract, also include 3-4 behavioral and/or cognitive goals that you want accomplish during your practicum experience. Please have the contract prepared and ready for the first site visit by me, so that the three of us can sit down, discuss it, and sign the contract. Contract is to be prepared on school letterhead.

2. School Counseling Program Assessment: The goal of this assignment is for you to determine the degree to which the program at your site is consistent with those promoted by  Gysbers & Henderson 1994; Rye & Sparks, 1991; ASCA, 1997, and others. Its purpose is to give you an idea of what it will be like to actually accept a school counseling position--become aware of that program's own history and members of the school community's perceptions of  the school counselors' role and functioning----all which may or may not be compatable with  comprehensive developmental guidance programs.

In order to complete this assignment you will proceed as follows:

a. review (or become familiar with ) readings pertaining to comprehensive developmental   guidance programs,

b. in collaboration with your group members, determine an appropriate plan of action
for assessing the program (chapter 4 in Gysbers & Henderson will be the primary
guidline for this plan),

c. present your plan (for feedback purposes) to the praticum group,

d. collaborate with your site supervisor regarding the assessment of the program,

e. gather and analyze your assessment data,

f. write your assessment report, which will include recommendations for moving the
program toward becoming a more comprehensive developmental program,

g. present your report to the practicum group,

h. present your report to your site supervisor, and

i. turn in a copy of your report to the university supervisor.

3. Individual Supervision: Supervisor and supervisee will meet for individual supervi-
sion at the supervisee's counseling site and/or at the university. During these meetings, pleasehave available the following:

a. one audio or video tape for review.
b. room/office available for supervision.
c. 1 hour allotted for supervision.

4. Peer Feedback: Supervisees will be observed by a peer (teaching assistant) at the school site. The purpose of these observations will be provide supervisees with more feedback than usual, and more specific to actual training.

a. Prior to peer observation supervisees are to provide peers with the appropriate paper work; i.e., for classroom guidance--the guidance lesson plan. There will be no individual counseling observations.

b. After observations peers will give feedback pertaining to the supervisee's plans--to what degree were the plans carried out.

5. Group Supervision: Group supervision will take place during the scheduled
weekly periods. Supervisees will sign up early during the semester for work review times. If for some reason, you are unable to bring a tape/work example for review, please make a change with another class member at least one week before the scheduled review.

a. we will have 2 reviews during each group super-vision meeting.

b. provide all group members with a copy of Work Review Form.

6. Practicum Evaluation: Supervisees are to complete the Practicum Evaluation: Supervisee Form. This will provide you with the opportunity to assess your own experience utilizing the same criteria as that which the site supervisor will evaluate your professional development during the practicum experience.