Rules For Posting To This Blog and Weekly Blog Question

1. Only use your first name (no last names, addresses, IM screen names, etc.)
2. Show respect and consideration of others when posting and commenting. This includes individuals, students, organizations, political parties, colleagues, etc.
3. Check all posts for spelling and grammar errors before posting.
4. Protect the privacy of others. Gain permission from other people before you write about them. Avoid sharing someone else's last name. Use job titles or pseudonyms when writing about experiences with your co-workers or students.
5. Watch your language. Use politically correct and non-offensive language.
6. Make sure you write about things that are factual.
7. Keep your postings education-oriented. Avoid discussing plans for the weekend, etc.

FINAL BLOG POST - OUR "DAILY TRIPLE" (DUE 12/1).
This week I would like you to use your imagination. You have just won the lottery and will leave your teaching post immediately to travel around the world. As you leave your keys you meet your replacement. You are asked to give this new teacher just ONE piece of advice. What would that be, and why? Enjoy your world expedition!

Blog Post - Week 7
This past week in my own teaching I felt a little disconnected which prompts my question to you, "What was the moment (or moments) when I felt most disconnected or disengaged as a teacher - the moment(s) I said to myself, I'm just going through the motions here?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 6
For the past couple of weeks you have experienced asynchronous online learning (doing modules by yourself). Previously this semester you have experienced synchronous online learning (all together in the Collaborate room). Which do you think is more effective and why do you think that? Which do you like better, and why?

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 5
This week we have what we call "open mic." You can write a post about anything related to your teaching that you would like responses from your classmates.

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 4
Here is this week's question: "What was the event that most took me surprise this week - and event that shook me up, caught me off guard, gave me a jolt, or made me unexpectedly happy?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 3
Please write a post about the following question, "In thinking about my past week teaching what is one thing I would do differently, and why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 2
Please write a post about the following question, " In thinking about my teaching activities this past week, of what do I feel most proud? Why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 1
Describe something you used in your program in the first weeks of school that you learned in the summer NTI program. How did it work? Did it get you off to a stronger start than last year?

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Rewards and Challenges

The challenges that I see and understand for school counselors are many. Their role is ever changing and is dependent of the culture of the school and community that they are in. They have to be flexible and willing to adapt to new issues, learn about new issues formally and informally in order to be "in touch" with their clientele.  That is another challenge, their clientele. That would include students, families, teachers, administrators and their community.  I feel that their roles and responsibilities are far too expansive, at least for the student counselor ratio  (1:550) that I see in local high schools. I think it challenging at best for them to conduct any  therapy in the daily routine of high school. The rewards, I  might image,would be similar to teaching in the sense of making the connection and influencing a student in a way that could change their future for the better. Helping students achieve a goal or make the best choices to get on  the pathway to make the goal a reality.

2 comments:

Ken said...

DAB I agree with your comments. I believe that the counselors responsibilities are far too expansive for the number of students that they serve. The fact that they also serve many different demographics each day adds to the work load and surely the stress. The job is not one that you can do it and forget it either, they must follow through or the effects can be devastating. Our young adults today are smart enough to realize and discern if we genuinely care, if they perceive or even suspect that we don't then whatever we say or do has little merit and influence.

Sherri said...

I think that even more than teachers, guidance counselors truly have at the heart of their "calling" the goal to see students succeed. DAB I agree with your opinions as well, in that there are so many challenges and the roles of the school counselor are so expansive that they must find it challenging to feel like they are doing any good at all. With technology, the adolescent environment seems to be changing faster than ever before and it is the guidance counselor's role to keep "in touch", and current with the student's world. I am teaching in my intro class the growth and development of the adolescent and have been talking about the risks for this age group. We have covered eating disorders, chemical dependence, and suicide. A student came up to me today and said I should include cutting. She's right. A good guidance counselor would have caught that.