When I have been asked what I do for a living and I respond that I'm an elementary school counselor, I cannot believe what I hear! "Why on earth do we need counseling in the elementary school? What the heck do you do all day? Kids that age don't have problems yet!"
Well let me tell you what I attempt to do on a day to day basis. I get to school typically 30 minutes before my first meeting or duty and prep for my small groups for the day. I then attend a meeting on a student either thru special education, 504, or response to intervention (RTI). Did I also mention that I am the 504 coordinator at my school and that I am on the RTI Core committee? Depending on the meeting either student, teacher, and possibly even parent support is given. Minutes have to be typed/prepared and placed in the students file for data purposes.
Then I enter classrooms to conduct safety, anti-bullying and career guidance lessons. In between I enter classrooms and observe identified students in which I have received parental permission to conduct an on task observation. I observe the student, compile the information, and have to contact the parents/teachers to notify them of my findings. Sometimes this is by phone, but the majority of the time it is explained in a face to face meeting.
I then see specific students that I have scheduled in with parent permission. I see students for various reasons such as, but not limited to: anger management, self control/impulse control issues, self-esteem difficulties, lack of self-advocacy, coping skills surrounding anxiety characteristics, social skills deficits (initiating conversation, initiation activities, staying on topic, turn taking in activities/conversations, waiting, being honest, eye contact, identifying how they as well as others are feeling, perceptions/differences, and more). Most student's that I see have an individualized rubric rating scale on what I am working with on them, that their teacher completes weekly or tri-mesterly (student depending). Teachers complete one when I first begin to see the student and continue weekly/tri-mester. If it was decided that the rubric was to be completed weekly, I show and review the completed one to the student to inform them of their progress or lack of. Now that is data driven instruction!
Parents/guardians, doctors, outside counselors, DCYF, and other schools of former students contact me with questions about students in which I need to follow up with them on.
Because of what I do on a daily basis, my job does not end. I am constantly collaborating with others about students to help them reach their potential!
School counseling programs are collaborative efforts benefiting students, parents, teachers, administrators and the overall community. School counseling programs should be an integral part of students' daily educational environment, and school counselors should be partners in student achievement.
