Role of the School Counselor
The ASCA National Model (2012) describes the school counselor’s role in four core themes: leadership, advocacy, collaboration, and systemic change.
Leadership is defined as the process where an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal, this process is executed not by commanding others to make change but by teaching others. Leadership is also defined by opening people’s eyes and minds by teaching them different and new ways to see the world and direct them to new goals. These efforts are aided by providing motivation and discipline to achieve those goals and to then teach them to share their knowledge with others.
There are three types of leadership a school counselor should foster: structural leadership, human resource leadership, political leadership and symbolic leadership. Structural leadership is where school counselors build the foundation for an effective counseling program, design growth strategies for their program and implement effective school counseling programs. Human resource leadership is where the school counselor empowers others to believe in people, communicate that belief via a mission statement aligning with the school’s vision statement, being accessible to parents, staff and students, and empowering others to assist students in achievement, success and development. Political leadership is leadership occurs within an organization. This includes understanding the power distribution in the building, building connections with parents, administrators, teachers and board members, and advocating for student rights to a rigorous education. Symbolic leadership is where the school counselor leads by example, they follow the ASCA ethical guidelines and demonstrate high standards of professionalism, leadership and integrity.
Advocacy is a crucial part of the school counselors’ job. As educational leaders it is our duty to serve as advocates for every student ensuring that all students receive a rigorous and equitable education. School counselors believe, support, and promote every student’s opportunity for success in school. School counselors act with students by identifying barriers to student’s development. School counselors act as agents of change through indirect and direct services to students. School counselors advocate for social justice when they expand their cultural competence, acknowledge how prejudices and other forms of oppression effect students, address inequitable school policies are addressed and they contribute to creating systemic change that promotes equitable rigorous educational opportunities to close achievement gaps. School counselors advocate for systemic change in response to their students needs.
Collaboration is executed when school counselor’s work with many different agents to carry out their goals effectively. They work with principles, teachers, community partners, parents and students to ensure that all students have equitable access to a rigorous education. School counselors must work collaboratively with principles, teachers, parents and community members and must be the voice to ensure students receive needed resources. The text describes the job of a school counselor as the strongest advocate for children that lead change by creating a school culture that promotes equitable education for all children.
Systemic Change occurs when school counselors are positioned to identify systemic barriers to student achievement, collect data to attempt to overcome barriers and create a more equitable environment for all students to learn and develop in. School counselors can effectively execute this by first creating a vision for their school and ensuring that their vision is inline with the school systems, this collaborative effort can serve as an objective for the school as a whole to effectively meet. Through implementation of comprehensive school counseling programs, school counselors can work with students, parents, administrators, teachers and community to eradicate systemic barriers to learning and promote change that will create a learning environment in which all students can succeed.
American School Counselor Association (2012). The ASCA National Model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd. ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
Leadership is defined as the process where an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal, this process is executed not by commanding others to make change but by teaching others. Leadership is also defined by opening people’s eyes and minds by teaching them different and new ways to see the world and direct them to new goals. These efforts are aided by providing motivation and discipline to achieve those goals and to then teach them to share their knowledge with others.
There are three types of leadership a school counselor should foster: structural leadership, human resource leadership, political leadership and symbolic leadership. Structural leadership is where school counselors build the foundation for an effective counseling program, design growth strategies for their program and implement effective school counseling programs. Human resource leadership is where the school counselor empowers others to believe in people, communicate that belief via a mission statement aligning with the school’s vision statement, being accessible to parents, staff and students, and empowering others to assist students in achievement, success and development. Political leadership is leadership occurs within an organization. This includes understanding the power distribution in the building, building connections with parents, administrators, teachers and board members, and advocating for student rights to a rigorous education. Symbolic leadership is where the school counselor leads by example, they follow the ASCA ethical guidelines and demonstrate high standards of professionalism, leadership and integrity.
Advocacy is a crucial part of the school counselors’ job. As educational leaders it is our duty to serve as advocates for every student ensuring that all students receive a rigorous and equitable education. School counselors believe, support, and promote every student’s opportunity for success in school. School counselors act with students by identifying barriers to student’s development. School counselors act as agents of change through indirect and direct services to students. School counselors advocate for social justice when they expand their cultural competence, acknowledge how prejudices and other forms of oppression effect students, address inequitable school policies are addressed and they contribute to creating systemic change that promotes equitable rigorous educational opportunities to close achievement gaps. School counselors advocate for systemic change in response to their students needs.
Collaboration is executed when school counselor’s work with many different agents to carry out their goals effectively. They work with principles, teachers, community partners, parents and students to ensure that all students have equitable access to a rigorous education. School counselors must work collaboratively with principles, teachers, parents and community members and must be the voice to ensure students receive needed resources. The text describes the job of a school counselor as the strongest advocate for children that lead change by creating a school culture that promotes equitable education for all children.
Systemic Change occurs when school counselors are positioned to identify systemic barriers to student achievement, collect data to attempt to overcome barriers and create a more equitable environment for all students to learn and develop in. School counselors can effectively execute this by first creating a vision for their school and ensuring that their vision is inline with the school systems, this collaborative effort can serve as an objective for the school as a whole to effectively meet. Through implementation of comprehensive school counseling programs, school counselors can work with students, parents, administrators, teachers and community to eradicate systemic barriers to learning and promote change that will create a learning environment in which all students can succeed.
American School Counselor Association (2012). The ASCA National Model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd. ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.