Counseling Children SC 605

 

Course Description

This course provides an overview of theories and techniques of counseling elementary children in school settings. Emphasis will be placed upon the counselor’s role as a facilitator of normal developmental processes to promote academic success. Students will explore the evolving roles and responsibilities of elementary school counselors, including: curriculum development, parent and teacher consultation, parent education, researching such current tends as initiating and running guidance programs; normal (stages and tasks) and abnormal development; and individual differences. This course will incorporate special counseling issues such as effects of divorce, bullying, sexual abuse, poverty, ADHD, challenging behaviors, giftedness; crisis preparation and response; and evaluation procedures. The aim of this course is to provide a broad basis of knowledge for understanding the theory and practice of elementary school counseling. Current issues facing youth in the contemporary world are explored. The course will provide opportunities for student to practice applying counseling theories and designing interventions in the educational setting.

Objectives-CACREP 2009 standards

Identify and apply counseling and personality theories and trends as applied to children in school setting (CACREP A.1. C.1.M.4. )

Analyze the roles and functions of elementary school counselors including professional organizations and professional standards. (CACREP A.3.)

Appraise and foster positive staff relationships, teacher-student relationships, and student-student relationships (CACREP M.2.M. 3.)

Explain normal developmental stages and tasks and apply these stages to informed counseling techniques to assist with curriculum design. (CACREP K.4. K.3. L.1.)

Identify and apply strategies for verbal and non-verbal counseling techniques (CACREP D.1. D.2.)

Design, implement, manage, and evaluate programs for individual and small group counseling skills and transitional activities used in the elementary school setting. (CACREP C.2.,D.2.)

Identify and apply guidance activities to use in the elementary sc.hool setting for: self-esteem, social and emotional development, career awareness, sexual abuse prevention, family life, and peer counseling (CACREP C. 3. D.3. G. 1. M.8.)

Analyze different strategies on consultation regarding discipline problems and common classroom management issues found in the elementary school settings (M.1. M. 2. M.6. N.1, N.3.)

Explore and explain different approaches to issues including disabilities, mainstreaming, inclusion, separation and loss, racial prejudice, bullying and harassment, transition to adolescence, and crisis  ( CACREP A.6. C.5. E.2. G.3. H.2. H.3. I.1. K.1. K.3.K.L.3.O.5.)

Apply skills for record-keeping, goal setting, and evaluating outcomes for individual and group counseling as well as for curriculum and instruction of guidance units (CACREP C.2. D.4. O.3. P.1.)

Examine and apply ethical and legal issues concerning counseling with minors and confidentiality (CACREP A.2. B.1. D.1. E.1. F.1. )

Develop and implement a school emergency management plan in a time of crisis, emergency, or disaster. (CACREP A.7. C.6. D.3. D.4. M.9. ),

Apply skills necessary to build partnerships and conduct consultation with parents, teachers, and other helping professionals concerning students as well as to make appropriate referrals for specialized help when necessary. (CACREP A.3. B.2. C.4. D.1. E.2. E.3. E.4. F.4. M.1. M.2. M.3. M.4. M.7.)

Identify and explain strategies for the school counselor as educational leader in the school. (CACREP A.3. B.2.C.5. D.4. F.2. F.3. M.3. n.1. n.2. n3. n.4. n.5.)

Time Requirements

This course will be offered over a 15-week period and is a 45 hour 3 credit graduate course. Modules will be completed one per week.

Hardware and Computer Skill Requirements

Students may use either a Macintosh computer or a PC with Windows 2000 or higher. Students should possess basic word processing skills and have Internet access as well as an active email account. Students also are expected to have a basic knowledge of how to use a Web browser, such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, etc.

Curriculum Design

This course will emphasize the role of the counselor to identity and apply appropriate counseling skills with pre-K –elementary aged children, their families and other educational staff.  Students will be involved in a variety of tasks for completion of course requirements: readings, reports on readings, exams, journal and reflection entries, projects related to real world learning environments, and development of instructional counseling strategies for specific content areas.Participants model appropriate assessment concepts to educational scenarios in each module. This is an online forty five hour, three credit graduate level course completed over a fifteen-week period.

Course Materials

The required texts :

Counseling Children 7^th ed.(2007), by Charles L. Thompson and Donna A. Henderson AND

Enriching the Brain: How to Maximize every Learner’s Potential (2006), by Eric Jenson.

Online readings and Web site reviews (including journal articles and best practices from the body of educational research) will be assigned during the course to enhance learning. These readings will be presented as annotated Web sites within the course content.

Student Performance Requirements:

Students will complete assigned readings, written assignments, applications/practice/direct observations in the educational setting and forum postings (as required) in each module. Students will complete tests and special projects as listed in the module content.

Session Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Counseling Children

Objectives:

1. The student will recognize stressors in the child’s world and will see the need for supportive counseling.
2. The student will identify the basic process necessary for effectively counseling children.
3. The student will formulate a definition on how to change a child’s brain.

 

Module 2: The Process For Counseling Children

Objectives:

1. The student will explore and determine what effective counseling approaches to use with elementary students are.
2. The student will develop appropriate interviewing skills to use with elementary children and their families.
3. The student will analyze a general model to apply to counseling elementary students.
4. The student will develop skills in effectively evaluating the counseling process.
5. The student will explore myths behind the ‘fixed-brain’ theory.

 

Module 3: Counseling Theories and Techniques

Objectives:

1. The student will compare and contrast the following counseling theories and their application to the school counseling setting: Psychoanalytic, Gestalt, and Transactional Analysis.
2. The student will propose a theory of intelligence.

Module 4:  Counseling Theories and Techniques-continued

Objectives:

1. The student will compare and contrast the following counseling theories and their application to the school counseling setting: Person-Centered, Rational-Emotive-Behavioral, and Cognitive-Behavioral.
2. The student will develop an understanding of the science behind brain enrichment experiments.

 

Module 5: Counseling Theories and Techniques-continued

Objective:

1. The student will compare and contrast the following counseling theories and their application to the school counseling setting: Behavioral, Individual, and Family.
2. The student will identify the neuroscience behind changing a brain and develop strategies for the school counseling environment.

 

Module 6:.Counseling Theories and Techniques-continued

Objectives:

1. The student will compare and contrast the following counseling theories and their application to the school counseling setting: Reality, Brief and Personality Types.
2. The student will categorize factors of brain developmental and risk factors.

 

Module 7: Play Therapy and the School Counselor

Objectives:

1. The student will develop a basic understanding of play therapy and apply it to the school counseling setting.
2. The student will explore the process of understanding the brains of gifted children.

.

 

Module 8: Cultural and Ethical Issues in Counseling Children

Objectives:

1. The student will develop an awareness for and knowledge of how to approach counseling activities for children from a variety of cultures.
2. The student will explore the use of enrichment as an educational policy.

 

Module 9: Consultation, Collaboration and Group counseling with Children

Objectives:

1. The student will compare and contrast consultation, collaboration and group counseling techniques in the school setting.
2. Demonstrate the use of each technique in the school setting.

 

Module 10:  School Counseling Techniques For Children with Special Needs

Objectives:

1. The student will identify and apply school counseling skills for use when working with special needs children, their families and the school staff.
2. The student will develop techniques for working with the preschool and early childhood populations.

Module 11 Legal and Ethical Considerations for School Counselors

Objectives:

1. The student will Identify and apply ethical, legal, and diversity issues related to counseling elementary students.
2. The student will research and report on ethical issues found in the elementary school counseling setting.
3. The student will develop a plan to implement school and classroom solutions for the elementary school child.

Student Requirements

1. Students will complete weekly written assignments.                                                 25% of grade
2. Students will complete weekly application to educational setting.             25% of grade.
3. Students will complete forum postings and responses.                                10% of grade
4. Students will complete special projects and or exams.                                 40% of grade.

Grading:

100-93	A
92-85	B
84-77	C
76-69
69-

 

 

Proctored Exams:

General Information

Specific courses in each program require the completion of an online proctored exam using a Teacher Education University proctor via the ProctorU ^TM service. This serivce gives students the ability to take the proctored exam at a convenient time and location with the proctor viewing the student via Web cam.

 

Some Facts About the Exam

 

• Questions will reflect course content for modules 1-8.
• The content of the questions will reflect the type of assignments you completed in Modules 1-8, so it would be to your advantage to review your assignments prior to the proctored exam.
• This exam is designed to take approximately 2 hours to complete.
• Question types will include multiple choice, short answer, and essay.
• You will be able to log in to the exam the day after Module 8 assignments are due to your professor.
• Once you log in, the exam will only be available for 2 hours
• During the exam, you may use the course Web site for assistance, as well as other research sites such as Questia that may assist you in successfully completing the exam.

ProctorU^TM Technical Specifications and Instructions

The ProctorU^TM service requires equipment with the following specifications:

1. A high speed internet connection
2. A computer running Windows XP or later versions
3. A webcam with 640 x 480 pixel video resolution (provided by Teacher Education University upon student request)
4. Audio capabilities, either through the webcam or through a standalone microphone (most cams come with a built in mic)
5. Speakers must be connected to the computer and working
6. The ProctorU^TM program must be downloaded onto the computer (no installation necessary)

 

Each student will need to register for a free account with pupilcity at http://teu.pupilcity.com. 

Once an account is created, students should return to http://teu.pupilcity.com to schedule all exams at least seven full days before the desired exam time.  Students can change reservations until 24 hours before the exam, at which time they will need to contact pupilcity’s exam line at 205-870-8122. 

At the scheduled exam time, students should return to http://teu.pupilcity.com and follow the posted instructions to log into the assigned exam room.

Students should make sure their webcam and speakers are plugged in and turned on.  STUDENTS CANNOT TURN ON THE WEBCAM SOFTWARE BEFORE LOGGING INTO ProctorU^TM (this will create issues with the video feed).  Once in the room, students should follow the instructions to connect to the proctor and follow the verbal instructions to begin their exam.

 

Taking the Exam

The day after the Module 8 due date, course instructors will send students with the link to the exam.  Students will only be able to access the exam once.  They should not click on the link or attempt to open the Web page until they are ready to begin the exam.

Exam Rules

• The exam is designed to take approximately two hours to complete.
• Exams submitted more than two hours after they are initially accessed will not be accepted (proctors should carefully keep track of time spent on the exam).
• Students who do not propose a suitable exam site and possible proctor will not be allowed to take the exam.
• Students must not communicate with anyone regarding the exam, other than the proctor (or instructor or other designate), either verbally, electronically or otherwise, during the exam.
• The exam must be completed independently.
• Students must not discuss the curricular content of the exam with colleagues from class, either verbally, electronically, or otherwise, until after the final deadline for completion of the exam.
• If technical problems arise such that the student is unable to access the on-line exam, the proctor will notify the Teacher Education University staff, in order for the student to have an extended time period to complete the exam, if necessary.
• The proctored exam covers Modules 1-8.  It is not a closed book exam, students are free to use the textbook, browse the Internet, and the course Web site.  Because students will be tested on concepts, browsing absolutely does not help those who have not studied, but may be an aid to those who wish to occasionally clarify their thinking.
• Students and proctors may not remove a printed copy of the final exam from the exam site.
• If the exam is printed during the examination period, the copy must be destroyed by the student in site of the proctor before the student leaves the site of the final exam.
• It is recommended that students who may wish to browse during the exam open two copies of the browser during the exam (using one for browsing if necessary, and the other for the exam).
• It is recommended that students "save" frequently during the exam, or write down a few words to help remember which answer they have chosen for each question in the event that there is a power failure, or they accidentally close the browser window in which they are completing the final exam.

After The Exam

Upon completion of the exam, the student will log off from ProctorU^TM.  The instructor is notified that the exam is ready for grading.  Once the exam is graded, the grade will be posted in Maestro.

 

Student Academic Integrity

Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined in the Teacher Education University catalog and is subject to academic disciplinary action.

References

Online Resources

http://www.schoolcounselor.org (ASCA)

http://www.counseling.org (ACA)

http://www.responsiveclassroom.org

http://www.edtrust.org

http://www.sbac.edu (links to schools, calendars, resources for college)

http://www.cyberguidance.net/ (Bob Turba’s homepage-many resources for high

school guidance and counseling)

http://stats.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_over.htm (Careers for Kids)

http://www.itrc.ucf.edu/sunsations/ (Florida Sunshine State Standards)

http://jtc.colstate.edu/ (Journal of Technology in Counseling)

http://www.firn.edu/doe/sas/sasshome.htm (Student Assessment and

Performance)

http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml (No Child Left Behind Act)

http://www.tolerance.org/ (Teaching Tolerance)

http://www.character.org/ (Character Education)

http://www.flacounseling.org/ (Florida Counseling Association)

http://info.doe.state.fl.us/fsir/ ( Florida School Indicators-data to use on schools

and characteristics-helpful in planning counseling programs)

http://www.actsofkindness.org/ (Random Acts of Kindness materials-lesson

plans)

http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/read/edpicks.jhtml?src=fp (Improving Student

Performance)

http://www.florida.echoices.com/eChoices/eChoices.nsf/frmlogin?OpenForm

(Florida e-choices, a computer-assisted education/career program)

http://www.campustours.com/ (virtual campus tours)

http://www.facts.org

http://allpsych.com/disorders/dsm.html  Online Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

http://www.schoolcounselor.org/files/ethical%20standards.pdf –Ethical Standards for School Counselors.

Other References:

American School Counseling Association (2003). The ASCA National Model.

Alexandria, VA: Author

American School Counselor Association (1998, revised 2004). Ethical standards for school counselors. Alexandria, VA:ASCA.

American Psychiatric Association ( 2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. (4th Ed). Washington, DC: Author.

American Psychological Association. (2003). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Washington, DC: Author.

Beane, A.L. (1999). The Bully Free Classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit

Publishing.

Capuzzi, D. (Ed.) (2000). Youth at Risk: A Prevention Resource for Counselors,

Teachers, and Parents. (3rd ed.).

Charney, R. S. Teaching children to care. Management in the responsive

classroom (1991). Greenfield, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children.

Conari Press, Editors. Kids’ random acts of kindness. Berkeley, CA: Author.

Erford, B. (Ed). (2004). Professional School Counseling: A Handbook of

Theories, Programs, and Practices.

Foster, E. S. (1989). Energizers and Icebreakers. Minneapolis, MN: Educational

Media Corporation.

Gurian, M. (1997). The wonder of boys. New York: Tarcher/Putnam.

Hall. T. Kaduson, H. & Schaefer, C. (2002). Fifteen Effective Play Therapy techniques. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 33, pp. 515-522.

Kottman, T. (2001). Play therapy: Basics and beyond. Alexandria, VA:AmericanCounseling Association.

Kriete. R. (1999). The morning meeting book. Greenfield, MA: Northeast

Foundation for Children.

Landreth, G. (2002). Therapeutic limit setting in the play therapy relationship. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33, pp.529-535.

Myrick, R.D. & Erney, T. (2000). Caring and sharing: Becoming a peer

facilitator. Minneapolis, MN: Educational Media Corporation.

O'Connor, K. (2002) The value and use of interpretation in play therapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33, 523-528.

Perlstein, L. (2003). Not much, just chillin’: The hidden lives of middle schoolers.

Vernon, A. (1999). Counseling children and adolescents. (2nd ed.). Denver: Love.

Wittmer, J. & Clark, M.A. (2002). Teaching Children to Respect and Care for

Others. Minneapolis, MN: Educational Media Corporation.

Wittmer, J. & Thompson, D. (1995). Large Group Guidance Activities: a K-12

Sourcebook. Minneapolis, MN: Educational Media Corporation

(Florida Academic Tracking and Counseling website)

Wagner, William (2003). Counseling, psychology, and children. Upper Saddle River: NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Wicks-Nelson, R. & Israel, A.C. (2003). Behavioral Disorders of Childhood (5^th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.