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Content Knowledge for Other Professional School |
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PART I PROGRAM REVIEW: SCHOOL COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE PROGRAM How does the Conceptual Framework relate to the program? The School Counseling and Guidance Program, which has a mental health emphasis, at Gallaudet University is a dynamic and vital school related program. It reflects the changing nature and role of the school counselor in this 21st century so that the counselor can meet the needs of the changing student groups, their families, and even the changing roles of schools themselves in today’s world. Never has change been so great as in the world of deaf students in schools today. To paraphrase Dr. Tom Allen, Dean of the Graduate School at Gallaudet University, school placement has shifted from residential programs to more integrated and inclusive placements; cochlear implants are becoming more and more common and are an option for many deaf children today; globally ethnic diversity continues to increase while discrepancies are particularly wide for those deaf students from minority ethnic and racial backgrounds; the emergence of technologically oriented delivery systems for educational products has just begun. The world is changing and the school counseling program is a part of that change. As such, the Conceptual Framework for the school related programs is very relevant and directly tied to the philosophy and training goals for the Department of Counseling School Counseling program. While the Conceptual Framework gives a broad definition of the values and goals we strive for as a unit, such as involvement of the deaf community, ongoing collaboration with schools, and continuous improvement, the programmatic framework further defines and specifies its unique focus so that one might examine the strong knowledge base, the individual scrutiny of students, and the values instilled into each new professional entering the field. The School Counseling program flows into the Conceptual Framework of the school related unit, supporting a continuity of thought and a development within the training program of acquisition and application of skills for professionals entering the field of school counseling today.
PHILOSOPHY The theme for the School counseling program at Gallaudet University is as follows:
This theme reflects the philosophy of the program, defines the points of intervention along the continuum, focuses on the role of the professional, and leads to the attainment of the program objectives. This theme determines what/who our graduates should be upon completion of this program. The advanced program in School Counseling at Gallaudet University is the only professional preparation program of its kind in the world. The program strives to train school counselors to work with deaf, hard-of-hearing students and deaf students with special needs, their families, the educational systems of which they are a part, and the communities in which they live. It is our belief that development occurs within a context, and that school systems serve to meet the cognitive, social, and emotional needs of theses children. We believe that deaf professionals are the most appropriate role models, while hearing school counselors trained in deafness can be highly effective helpers also. Therefore, a secondary goal of this program is to increase the number of highly qualified school counselors trained in this program who are themselves deaf or hard-of-hearing, special needs deaf or hard-of-hearing, or minority deaf or hard-of-hearing. OBJECTIVES In order to reach our stated goals, a core course of counseling studies is required of all accepted students. In addition, courses in deafness and communication skills are also required. We believe that school counselors must be proficient in a variety of communication styles in order to be effective helpers. Communication is at the heart of our work as counselors. In the field of deafness, communication takes on an even more important role when there are so many choices regarding formal methods of communication, ranging from the oral method across the spectrum to ASL immersion. Families often need as much support as their children when making the choice of a communication mode based on the needs of their child. Within the program, individual needs of students vary, and for that reason, there is some flexibility within the prescribed program. Students may add areas of interest and specialization through elective course work, workshops offered on campus, and when approved, independent studies. The school counseling program prides itself on the integration of course work with field work experiences. One way in which this relationship is evident and is on the cutting edge of today’s world, in the use of technology, namely GDOC, for group supervision of students. On a weekly basis, students who are in the field outside of the Washington DC metro area, work with a faculty member for 1 and ½ hours in a live "chat room’. The participants, usually ranging from 4 to 6 people, have an on-line group discussion of their work, cases they are involved with, and professional exchanges and feedback with each other. Students who graduate from the program complete a minimum of 700 clock hours (Summers Only Students) ranging up to 950 clock hours (Full Time Students) of supervised experience prior to graduation. Sites and supervision styles vary, which is an important reflection of our belief that no one theory of intervention or counseling can help all children, just as no one approach to education is effective with every child. However, change - and all people are capable of change - is optimized through a relationship with a trained professional. The major responsibility of the school counselor is to provide for the social and emotional needs of the student, screen for and detect serious personal or emotional problems, and make appropriate referrals. In addition, it is our belief that school counselors are responsible for initiating and implementing preventative guidance activities that are intended to lessen future developmental challenges and prepare youngsters for their future career and family responsibilities. KNOWLEDGE The broad knowledge base of the School Counseling program includes a working knowledge and understanding of human development throughout the lifetime of an individual, as well as an understanding of the many ways deafness or disabilities can impact this process. Further, the program includes an understanding of systems: school systems, family systems, and communities, and the unique interplay between individuals and the systems in which we all function. Counseling skills are developed for specific intervention when something goes wrong in a person’s life, as well as skills for coping on a daily basis and the development of prevention strategies. Finally there is a strong emphasis throughout the School Counseling training program on self-awareness and self-understanding, and commitment to the profession of counseling throughout one’s life. To this end, there are eight major competencies that determine program objectives and outcomes for the School Counseling program. Our graduates are professionals who are competent in these areas: Counseling with Individuals and Groups (COU 721,732,751, 795, 740, 790); Career and Transition Counseling (COU 734); Assessment and Referral (COU 748, 712); Family Counseling (COU 715); Consultation Skills (COU 712, 737, 758 ); Guidance Program Planning and Development (COU 737); Diverse Populations and Individual Differences (COU 758, 795.01); and Prevention and Intervention (COU 712, 721, 737).
SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM (Full Time Option) Fall Semester Spring Semester Summer Semester Fall Semester Spring Semester Total Credit Hours 70
Since 1997, the core program of study for the School Counseling program has remained strong. A few modifications, however have been made to the program. Specifically, because of the trends in changing student population and diverse needs of students in the 21st century, there is a greater need for intervention and advanced skills when working with a school aged population. Beginning in the Spring of 2002, "Advanced Skills in School Counseling" will replace "Foundations of Helping Skills II". This newer course is more focused on the actual acquisition and development of counseling and therapeutic skills in working with children. These skills will further be enhanced by the additional required course, "Play Therapies",(Spring 2002) a course required of all school majors. Again, the intent of these courses it to further define skills needed by school counselors who are working primarily with children who oftentimes have limited language due to their hearing loss. For full time students, an additional second fieldwork experience of 100 - 150 clock hours will be added into the program. This new practicum will provide even more opportunities for exposure to a school aged population for a longer period of time. Further, the substance abuse course (COU 728), which has been an elective offering, will now be required of school majors and will be modified to focus on children and youth. The group course (COU 751) will be modified to add intervention strategies in a group setting.
The School Counseling program requires a minimum total of 700 - 950 clock hours of supervised work with children in school setting. Of this total, a minimum of 300 clock hours must be spent in the provision of direct services to children in the form of individual counseling or group counseling. This is in accordance with the standards established by the Council for the Accreditation and Certification of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP). For the full time student, the first formal experience, Practicum (COU 740), is a 200 clock hour placement performed during the second semester of study. Students are placed in a local K - 12 school setting 2 days a week for the full semester, and are assigned to a practicing experienced school counselor in this setting for supervision. Responsibilities are gradually increased as the student spends more time on site. Of the 200 hours, a minimum of 60 hours must involve direct service to clients. The second practicum experience is provided during the fourth semester of study and provides additional experience on site and the opportunity for more ongoing in depth contact with clients in the school setting. Students in the Summers Only program enter the program with at least 3 years of experience in schools working with deaf and hard-of-hearing students. In order to recognize and give credit for the previous work experience and exposure to school aged children and school systems, one 100 clock practicum is required. Again, at least 60 hours of this total must involve direct service to clients. Internship (COU 790) is done during the final semester of study in a school setting outside of the Washington DC metro area. This experience is a full time, 600 clock hour experience. At least 240 hours of this total must involve direct service to clients. Again, the intern is under the direct supervision of a counselor on site, and is additionally supervised weekly through the use of an on-line "chat room/forum setting" called GDOC. This mandatory group supervision time is supervised by a faculty member and is further supported by written logs and individual contact with the same faculty member in the Department of Counseling.
The school counseling program strives to create partnerships throughout the Washington DC metropolitan area. The District of Columbia deaf and hard-of-hearing students are primarily served by the Laurent Clerc Center which is located on the Kendall Green campus. Most students complete at least one fieldwork experience at this site. Additionally, when enough deaf and hard-of-hearing students are identified at a local DC public school, a practicum student is placed at that identified school. Most recently, this was the case at Miner Elementary School in Northeast DC. In the metropolitan area, students are also placed in public schools in northern Virginia where there is an extensive hearing impaired/deafness program. In order to balance their experience, students are also placed for practicum in one of the two area residential schools for the deaf: The Maryland School for the Deaf at Frederick and/or at Columbia. Contact between the school counseling program and the wide variety of sites is ongoing due not only to supervision opportunities in the field, but also to the initiation of supervisor training workshops offered by the Department of Counseling each semester. This provides an ongoing opportunity to exchange ideas among supervisors in the geographic area, as well as an opportunity for all of us in supervisory roles, to continue the development of our supervisory skills. Additionally individual contact between faculty and site supervisor is of an ongoing nature as evidenced by communication through email, phone calls and personal visitations to the site.
The faculty in the Department of Counseling actively seeks out feedback about the program from a wide variety of sources, and implements the feedback whenever possible. Our first source of feedback is from the students themselves. We solicit feedback formally through course evaluations and informally through class discussions, and when possible, implement changes. In fact, one of the recent changes to the curriculum, the replacement of "Foundations of Helping Skills II" with "Advanced Counseling Skills with Children" is an example of the value we place on student feedback. Likewise, feedback from supervisors in the field is highly valued. This is obtained through ongoing contact with supervisors who are working with current students. In part, we ask for information about strengths and weaknesses not only of the individual student, but in their training and preparation for the field. This again is conducted formally through evaluations and informally through conversation. Additionally, during the Supervisors Training workshops, which are held each semester, structured discussions take place in which specific feedback is solicited from the supervisors in attendance. National and Regional conferences are also an opportunity to discuss the program and solicit feedback from current and past supervisors and former graduates. Another form of feedback is obtained from employers of our graduates. Usually this occurs through a phone conversation in which we ask specifically about the preparedness of our graduates as they enter the job market. When weaknesses are sighted, we strengthen the aspect (s) noted in future trainees. Of course, feedback from our graduates who are in the field is greatly valued. This is solicited through phone calls, email exchanges, and a formal survey of graduates which is currently in the process of being implemented. Alumni gatherings at national and regional conferences have proven to be an excellent source of feedback, information and recommendations from those in the field. Formally, we use a variety of sources. An important source of feedback is a result of professional reviews by outside certification/accreditation bodies. For example, we were successfully reviewed by CACREP in May and are in the process of implementing some of the recommended changes and adaptations the site team suggested. This type of feedback is immensely helpful. The School Counseling program and all programs within the Department of Counseling were also recently reviewed internally with regard to university priorities. Again, the feedback from peers within the same university setting was invaluable. Furthermore, the self-study process for CACREP and this current process for both NCATE and NASDTEC are very helpful in encouraging the faculty to discuss the program fully, from our basic program philosophy to our individual course objectives. Refinement of our concepts and curricula are usually a natural outcome of this process. Another source of feedback results from scores on two national examinations our graduates sit for: one is the Praxis examination, both the general exam and the specialty examination, while the other is the National Counselor Examination (NCE). Scores on these two examinations reflect an understanding of the field of counseling and give an objective measure or caparison of performance of our students as compared to the greater whole. Feedback from the NCE office indicates that proportionally, our graduates do very well on the national counselor examination. In general, the majority of our students fulfilled the required scores on the Praxis examination which is required by the District of Columbia. Again, these are a concrete, objective measure of the basic knowledge base of our students graduating in the field of counseling.
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EXHIBITS
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[Gallaudet
Campus Overview] [Professional
Education Overview] [Partners in Education]
[NCATE Overview] [Conceptual
Framework] |
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Graduate
School and Professional Programs Website
designed by Susan J. King, GSPP/TIS for NCATE at Gallaudet University,
Last updated: 2/5/02 |
