Running head: PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR PORTFOLIO

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Department of Counseling

PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR PORTFOLIO

Tyler Hansen
CSLG 7141
Fall 2014

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PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR PORTFOLIO

INTRODUCTION

Tyler Hansen
CSLG 7141
Fall 2014

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As schools systems have grown and evolved over time, so have many of the roles that
support these systems. One role in the school system that has grown in need as more individuals
started attending schools is that of a school counselor. It is thought that the profession surfaced
out of need once higher education emerged (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). Vocational guidance
seemed to be necessary once more career paths developed and individuals desired assistance in
pursuing them. The first addition to the school counseling profession came in the 1950s when
school counselors position descriptions started to include a mental health focus (Dollarhide &
Saginak, 2012). Later in the 1970s the position description was developed further once school
counselors started to observe a need for programming in their schools (Dollarhide & Saginak,
2012). As is apparent, the role of the school counselor developed over time and in parallel with
the growing school systems.
It is most important that our roles and expectations are constantly redefined by those who
we serve. For example, in todays schools, the profession of school counseling is widely defined
by the need of the students. The American School Counseling Association National Model
outlines the framework for comprehensive school counseling programs in four parts: foundation,
management, delivery, and accountability. The foundation of each school counseling program is
further outlined by the ASCA National Model in three parts.
The first of the three parts is Program Focus, in which the school counselor recognizes
the needs of the school and its students and designs and coordinated goals, programs, and
mission statements accordingly (ASCA, 2012). The second focus for the foundation of the
school counseling program is Student Competencies. ASCA believes that the growth and
development of each student functions in three domains: academic, career, and personal/social

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development (ASCA, 2012). It is the responsibility of the school counselor to ensure that the
school is meeting the needs of their students in each of these areas. The final foundational point
in the comprehensive school counseling model is Professional Competencies. In this the
competencies and ethical guidelines of the school counselor are outlined by ASCA in order to
ensure professionalism and full accountability of our counselors in our schools.
The second of the four components of a comprehensive school counseling program is
Management. In order to constantly assess our progress and growth as a school, the
implementation of assessments are a necessity (ASCA, 2012). Assessments allow us as school
counselors to comply with ASCAs expectation that we are managing data driven programs and
outreach tools. Management tools allow us to assess our influence as counselors, and also other
pieces of our schools programs that need to work for our students to increase academic
performance and personal growth.
In addition to implementing management tools and assessments of overall success, we as
counselors must also fully involve ourselves in the success of individuals by meeting them on
their levels. This comes in the third component of Delivery. ASCA defines the properties of
delivery as ensuring that all students core curriculum needs are met, that we are involved in the
future planning and goal setting of each child, that we are responsive and flexible when needed
for individual or group counseling, attending to crisis situations, and also providing indirect
services to students using collaboration in projects such as college admissions (ASCA, 2012).
The final of the four components is Accountability. This component involves the honest
interpretation of the assessments we run and observe (ASCA, 2012). It is important that we be
honest with ourselves and our schools about what is working for our students and what is not.

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We design our programs based on previous data in hopes that we can improve the experience for
our students, and that they will achieve more.
Though the position of the school counselor encompasses extensive responsibility, rarely
ever will these important measures be taken alone. One of the most important pieces of
successful schools is collaboration. It is important to involve political figures, administrators,
teachers, parents, and our communities in order to best serve our students and their needs. The
school counselor is often responsible for serving as a liaison to each of these parties. Most often
school counselors are those people who are fit to inspire those of the private sector to donate
time, money, supplies, and serve as a resource for their students (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012, p.
27). Ideally each school district would have equal opportunity for outside influence, community
involvement, and government funding but this does not happen.
The ways in which our government taxes and allocates money to school is always a topic
of heated discussion. These educational policies not only directly effect the schools but also
those professionals who work there. In terms of the school counselor position, some schools
cannot afford to hire more than one counselor or anyone at all with the funding that they are
awarded by the government (Obama, 2014). This creates increased tension when counselors are
forced to be responsible for more than they can possibly accomplish, and for more children than
they can possibly assist to the level at which they require (Obama, 2014). First Lady Michelle
Obama spoke at the 2014 ASCA National Conference in Orlando, Florida about this need for
more counselors, better counselors, and more resources for those already attempting to make a
difference. In order to provide the most comprehensive and updated care and assistance to our
students, we must use data driven techniques, assessments, and interventions. The assessment of

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data is essential in our constant and consistent assessment of techniques, systems, professional
and student development in our schools. Data collection allows for accountability and
implementation of new measures in order to best serve our students. The school counseling
profession is ever evolving and developing with higher need. It is important to be recognized as
an essential position by our nation and political stakeholders in order to gain appropriate funding
and support in the future. As more expectations are placed on our youth, they will in turn require
more assistance to achieve those goals and cope with the stressors of them.

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References
American School Counselor Association (2012). The ASCA National Model: A Framework for
School Counseling Programs, Third Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author.
Dollarhide, C.T. & Saginak, K.A. (2012). Comprehensive School Counseling Programs: K-12
Delivery Systems in Action (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
Obama, M. (2014, July 7). FirstLady [Video file.] Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=h-zh0NAB3O4

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PROFESSIONAL MISSION STATEMENT

Tyler Hansen
CSLG 7141
Fall 2014

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PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR PORTFOLIO

I believe that every child has the ability to succeed in this world. With the right
guidance, support, and challenge each child can believe they can achieve the goals that they set
for themselves. It is my personal mission to inspire students to be individuals that they would
idolize, to assist them in their many transitions, and to facilitate opportunities which they
deserve. I will do this by putting all students in contact with the highest standards of academic,
personal, and social achievement. I will do all of this in trust of my own professional
competencies and with the trust of our institution as a collective.

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PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT

Tyler Hansen
CSLG 7141
Fall 2014

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It is the mission of Parkersburg Catholic High Schools counseling program to provide

opportunities among all facets of development in order to foster the development of fully
rounded individuals. Our program sets out to accomplish much for and with our students.
Though we believe that our students can do much for themselves, we also believe in the value of
assistance. As a counseling program we intend to assist each student with the transition to both
college and high school. We also aim to assist with physical, emotional, spiritual, and academic
development. This includes providing answers to questions that students have, and to ones that
they have not yet asked. We will also provide our students with challenge in order to help them
grow as individuals in their values, academics, and place in this world. It is a strong belief of our
program that we can do all of this by serving as advocates for every student. In our vision
advocacy includes providing comfort and a sense of security to all students in times of crisis,
celebration, and day to day life.
In order for us to accomplish each of the goals that we set with our students and faculty, it
is important that we follow the guidelines of a comprehensive counseling program. In order for a
school counseling program to be comprehensive, it must be: holistic, systemic, balanced,
proactive, infused into the academic curriculum, and reflective (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012).
We will use these qualities to shape our four main programming components: curriculum,
responsive services, student planning, and system support (ASCA, 2012). Though all of these
components are necessities, curriculum programming and student planning are the main focus of
our schools mission.

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In accordance with the ASCA National Model, we will continue to evaluate our
curriculum initiatives and redesign them based on data profile reviews (ASCA, 2012). Our
curriculum programming includes activities such as:
Providing students with free college preparatory exam workshops
Evaluating existing curriculum standards and practices through data collection
Facilitate new means of training for our educators and welcome new empirically backed
methods
Plan regular school wide assemblies to provide insight into new issues and goals
Provide faith based religious counseling in accordance with the standards of the Diocese of
Wheeling-Charleston.
At Parkersburg Catholic High School, we pride ourselves in our college preparatory
status. It is our goal that each student who attends be prepared for a post secondary education. To
assist in this preparation, our school counseling program will:
Provide college visit opportunities to all junior and senior students
Provide FAFSA and other financial aid workshops for students and parents
Work to create and plan challenging schedules for each student on their individual levels and in
line with their personal goals
Provide assistance, individualized, and specialized peer and professional tutoring to any
students who require or desire it
Organize career workshops, informational sessions, and guest speakers to inform and inspire
students

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Though our primary focus is to help shape our students into individuals with plans of post
secondary education, we also vow to assist our students with all personal areas of development
including responsive services. In support of our students and faculty we will:
Provide personal, social, and academic counseling to individuals, groups, and families
Address disciplinary and code violations through personalized meetings
Create success plans for each student grades 7-12
Crisis management and referrals to community professionals
Advocate for each child in order to ensure maximum success of each individual in areas of
academic, social, and physical development.
We as a faculty pride ourselves in the care that we provide to our students. We are
passionate, educated individuals who strive to continue to grow with our students. In order to
accomplish these goals we want to provide our entire student support system with its own system
support. This would include programming such as:
New professional development workshops
Facilitating PTA meetings
Inservice training days
Working with existing community service programs and projects
With each of these objective programming points as defined by the ASCA National
Model and in accordance with Parkersburg Catholic High Schools mission statement, we aim to
provide each of these services to our students, faculty, and families of PCHS. We are of the firm
belief that development of healthy individuals is shaped by many different individuals and
experiences.

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References
American School Counselor Association (2012). The ASCA National Model: A Framework for
School Counseling Programs, Third Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author.
Dollarhide, C.T. & Saginak, K.A. (2012). Comprehensive School Counseling Programs: K-12
Delivery Systems in Action (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

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ETHICAL/LEGAL ISSUES AND THE PROFESSIONAL

SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Tyler Hansen
CSLG 7141
Fall 2014

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Our professional school counseling program closely adheres to the Code of Ethics set by
the American Counseling Association (ACA) as well as those outlined by the American School
Counseling Association (ASCA). Of the six main purposes that the ACA notes that their Code of
Ethics serves, the message we identify is that the Code outlines our responsibilities as
professional counselors, provides us with guidance in times of difficult decision making, and
outlines the rights of our clients in reference to confidentiality and care (ACA, 2014). In addition
to the ACA codes, as school counselors we also have our own codes more specific to school
counseling which are outlined by ASCA. As school counselors we are to facilitate the growth and
development of our students. We do this through providing each child with equal opportunities,
information, confidentiality,and care (ASCA, 2014).
Our promise of confidentiality to all students and families is enhanced, protected, but
sometimes also determined by the many other federal legislation acts. These include the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment
(PPRA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the current Title X codes.

Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

This piece of legislature set forth in 1974 with recent modifications in the Grassley
Amendment states that federally funded schools access to students records who were provided a
federally funded education is the right of the government after a student reaches the age of 18.
(Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012.) Students and Parents have all right to confidentiality of records

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and this prevents students records from being able to be released to any third party without
consent of parents of minors or the adult student. (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012.)

Protection of Pupil Rights Act (PPRA)

This Act was put into place in order to protect the rights of students and parents when
participating in federally funded surveys, inquiries, data collection, or evaluations. This act
rehires parental consent when any of the following information could be revealed in
participation.

1. Political affiliations
2. Mental and psychosocial problems
3. Sex behaviors and attitudes
4. Illegal, antisocial, self incriminating, and demeaning behaviors
5. Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family
relationships
6. Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers,
physicians, and ministers; or
7. Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program
or for receiving financial assistance under such program). (Department of Education)

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

IDEA outlines how schools are to design programs to suit and provide assistance to those
individuals with disabilities. This act requires each individual student with a medically

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determined disability to have their own Individualized Education Program or (IEP) in order to
ensure that they move through their schooling as smoothly and uninterrupted as possible. We as
counselors must use a multifaceted approach to ensure that all of our students needs are met and
in the ways that they require. (Department of Education, 2011.)
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
HIPAA was instated in 1996 to allow patients more privileges and protection with their
personal medical records. In 2003, the Department of Health and Human Services set new
standards to ensure all patients have the rights to access and control how their medical records
are used and shared. This act allows patients to view their records and request corrections if the
information listed appears to be incorrect. HIPAA also ensures confidential communication and
limits the information that may be shared between medical providers. (U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services).

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References
American Counseling Association, (2014). Code of Ethics. Retrieved September 30, 2014 from
http://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/ethics.
American School Counseling Association, 2010. Ethical Standards for School Counselors.
Retrieved September 30, 2014 from http://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselorsmembers/legal-ethical
Dollarhide, C.T. & Saginak, K.A. (2012) Comprehensive school counseling programs: K-12
delivery systems in action. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
US Department of Education, (n.d.) Protection of pupil rights amendment. Retrieved September
30, 2014 from http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ppra/index.html?exp=4
US Department of Education, (n.d.) Building the legacy: IDEA 2004. Retrieved September 30,
2014 from idea.ed.gov
US Department of Health and Human Services, (n.d) Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule.
Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/summary/
index.html

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Professional Disclosure Statement

Tyler Hansen
thansen2@uncc.edu
Education and Experience:
I completed my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 2014 from West Virginia
University and am now pursuing my Master of Arts degree in School Counseling and the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In my undergraduate experience I have had
opportunities through AmeriCorps to work with underrepresented youth in schools that were in
primarily impoverished areas in West Virginia. I have also shadowed counselors in a juvenile
drug court program in Wood County West Virginia, which works to rehabilitate adjudicated
juvenile drug offenders.

Licensure and Credentialing

I am currently working towards a Master of Arts degree in School Counseling at the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Post-graduation my plan is to work to obtain
Licensure as a Professional Counselor.

Role as a School Counselor

As a school counselor it is my ultimate goal to ensure that each child receives an
advocate. I will provide opportunities, programs, counseling services, both group and individual,
support in decision making, facilitation of individualized learning plans as needed, and overall
successful, challenging, and warm experience to grow with. I will work with all parents,

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guardians, teachers, administrators, stakeholders, and community leaders to ensure the

development of our children is extraordinary.

Counseling Philosophy and Services

My philosophy in counseling stems from and is guided by a Rogerian perspective. I
believe that we are constantly working towards an ideal self-image and that we require
individuals in our youth and in our lives to provide us with opportunities and information to help
us to shape our selves. It is important that all parts of an individual be addressed in times of
growth and change and so that is my goal as a counselor. I will provide those opportunities and a
broad spectrum of information to our students through programming, classroom visits, career
fairs, and drop in office hours to enable students, parents, and the like of our community to feel
secure in their quest for knowledge and self-discovery. In addition to educational outreach I will
also provide group, individualized, crisis, and academic counseling services to all students.

Ethics
I follow the Codes of Ethics for both the American Counseling Association (ACA), and
the American School Counseling Association (ASCA). I am also legally bound to abide by the
codes set forth by the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA), the Protection of Pupils
Rights Amendment (PPRA), the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Title IX regulations.

Informed Consent and Limits of Confidentiality

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Whenever legally and ethically possible I will always ensure your childs confidentiality
in session and in their records. I want to provide a welcoming and accepting environment that
you and your child feel completely comfortable expressing personal values and expectations. All
information will be kept as confidential as the law allows, but with minors and in school setting
there are some situations when I must comply with the release of information and/or serve as a
mandated reporter. These situations include:
If your child expresses intent to harm his or her self and/or any other individual.
If your child expresses or I feel that they have been abused in any way.
If a court requires that I release their educational records which include session notes.
If your child is involved in group sessions with other individuals sharing information openly
with others.

Complaint Procedures
If you are unhappy with the level of care or wish to speak with me about enhancing your
childs experience, you may contact me at any time via email, phone, or setting up an
appointment. If you have concerns with my performance beyond that you may contact the ACA
or ASCA.

Please sign below to show that you have read and accept the terms of the services provided
through our school counseling program. This will also serve as your informed consent for any
counseling services for you and your student.

Students Signature_______________________________ Date:____________________

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Parent/Guardian Signature_________________________ Date:____________________
Counselors Signature_____________________________ Date:____________________

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NATIONAL AND STATE STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL

GUIDANCE & COUNSELING

Tyler Hansen
CSLG 7141
Fall 2014

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PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR PORTFOLIO

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

Tyler Hansen
CSLG 7141
Fall 2014

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It is the ultimate goal for any school that every student has an equal opportunity to
succeed. It is the position of the Professional School Counselor to advocate for every student and
ensure that appropriate steps are taken on an individual basis to ensure success in academia,
personal/social development, physical development, and all other areas to build an excellent
foundation for a lifetime. Success is measured in many domains, but that of academia is the one
we concern ourselves with for each student, every day.
As Professional School Counselors 80 percent of our work is in student services. We are
here to ensure that children are advocated for on all levels, especially academia. We are here to
try to close the gaps in education that disables all students from succeeding at an equal level as
their peers. Below I will provide an example of an academic intervention with a student to
illustrate some steps that we take for all students when assistance is needed.
Relevant Background and Demographic Information
Maria is a fourteen-year old female who is currently a freshman at Parkersburg Catholic
High School. Maria has historically struggled in Mathematics throughout all of her schooling,
but has been able to get by with one-on-one tutoring from her parents and instructors until this
point. Previously Maria has excelled in areas of English, Science, and Art which has assisted in
bringing her GPA above average even with her below average Mathematics grades. Recently, the
school counselor has been contacted by many of Marias teachers and her parents expressing
concerns that she is not receiving enough individualized attention and is falling behind in more
than one class. Maria currently has a failing grade in Algebra which if not brought up, will
disable her from being able to move up a level in Math next year and keep her from continuing to
play varsity volleyball and basketball.

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Prior to Session 1
The school counselor contacts Maria and her parents to set up a meeting to discuss the
concerns that have been brought to her attention. After meeting with Maria and her parents, they
all mutually decide to participate in some academic counseling and her parents sign the
informed consent paperwork enabling Maria and Ms. Hansen to begin working together in the
counseling setting.
After Maria leaves to return to class, Marias parents proceed to give Ms. Hansen some
additional information about their home life, and about Maria personally. Marias mother
explains her loss of the recent Mayoral election in their city could have potentially had an
impact on Maria because she herself has felt depressed and unable to find work. Marias father
also mentions how Maria has seemed down after her sister left for college. He explains that
Maria and her sister seemed to get a lot closer over this past summer and she often says how she
misses her. Marias father also mentions that she and her older brother, Christian who is a
sophomore, share the same friend group and Maria has started dating a boy in Christians class.
Marias mother mentions how she feels that Maria is preoccupied with texting, hanging out with
her boyfriend, and doing other things than homework at home. She says she spends a lot of time
alone in her room, and some days only comes out to eat if she isn't away at a volleyball game.
Ms. Hansen says that she appreciated Marias parents openness to discussing their home life
and their daughter and she will work with Maria.
Guidelines for Counseling Sessions
Session 1: 40 Minutes

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In this session my main goal is to meet with Maria and make her feel comfortable in the
counseling process. She should feel comfortable and safe talking to me about anything that she
chooses. In this session we will also talk about how counseling can help her through this tough
situation as well as empower her to succeed on her own.
At this time I would invite Maria to share any details about her life that she chooses. I would
ask her how her experience as a freshman has been so far this year and if there are any things
that she has faced that have been difficult for her besides school work.
If she wants to talk about her home life or any other areas I will do my best to make her feel
comfortable in doing so. Assuring her that talking with someone is normal and actually very
helpful to talk to someone.
I will ask her to explain, to her comfort level, what the issues in her academics are and how she
feels about where she stands in school currently, what her favorite subjects have been in the
past, how academics differ now compared with her past experience in middle school, and at
what points did she feel herself falling behind.
After we explore the areas that she is having difficulty with, we will outline some achievable
goals for Maria and steps we will take together to get there.
Examples of these could be:
Turning in assignments on time
Linking up with a peer tutor or teacher for subjects such as math on a bi-weekly basis
before school and during study hall.
Creating an organization agenda to be signed off by each teacher each day with
homework assignments and completed work.

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Starting a journal each day with a short entry about what she did in class that day, what
confused her, and any questions she has for the teacher or tutor.
Arrange for weekly progress reports to go home to parents to show work, assignments,
and difficulties each week.
After I go over these potential interventions with Maria, I will then give her a list in writing to
review with her parents. I would thank her for her meeting with me today and ask her to please
bring back the paper signed with the interventions she is interested in using to our meeting next
week.
Session 2: 40 Minutes
In this session I would return to the items that we addressed in the last meeting and review
Marias decisions about the next course of action to take.
After going through the decisions with her I would collaborate with Maria, other teachers, her
parents, and potentially a specialist to ensure that Maria receives the type of educational tools
she needs in order to learn in her way.
I will ask Maria if she and her parents have talked any further about anything that we have
discussed, if she has talked with any of her teachers, if she feels any better or differently than
she did a week ago.
At this point we would talk about the intricacies of each of the interventions and what it will
look like on a day to day basis.
For peer tutoring we would be working with members of the National Honor Society which
would be a junior or senior at school who excels in the areas she is struggling in. I would
work with a member who I think would best fit her personality and learning style. Most

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likely someone who she knows and is comfortable with who is also on her volleyball team
if that is something that she would prefer.
I would also demonstrate to her exactly how calendaring and writing in an agenda works.
most likely I will already have sessions set up for small groups on this and set up a time
when she could attend if that is something I feel she would need beyond our meetings.
We would also talk about what conversations will be happening with her teachers. How I
will reach out to them to let them know generally that we are working together and that
their collaboration to help her is needed. They are going to be more than willing to help as
long as we ask.
We will talk about the progress reports not as punishment but as a way for us all to be
aware of how she is doing.
In this session we can get started on all of these things as well as talk about any of the
situations or items she wishes to.
Session 3: 40 Minutes
This session would mainly focus on how our interventions have worked so far and how we
should adjust them. Are there more things we need to do? Is it too much and can be cut back?
I would discuss Marias progress as given to me by her teachers with her and ask her if she
feels that the comments are accurate.
We can talk about she is dealing with the other events in her life and talk about how those
influence her school work.
We can also talk about specific items in the interventions that she likes and dislikes, if she feels
that she is relating well to her tutor or if she needs help.

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With her knowledge and permission, I would contact her parents to talk about progress that has
been made. Depending on how she is doing in Mathematics and with her history of difficulty in
that subject we could talk about further testing for a potential Learning Disability or refer for
more professional and directed tutoring if necessary.
Follow up:
I would follow up with Maria based on decisions she has made and progress made in school in
weeks to come. I would also follow up with her parents and teachers to check for
improvements or changes and move on based on those assessments
I would have Maria evaluate me as a counselor and the program which we set up together in
the format of an assessment.
I would continue to keep in contact with Maria throughout the school year about academics
and other items if she so wished to talk about them.
We would monitor grades together in order to assess the effectiveness of the interventions
School counselors are responsible for setting up and executing these action plans for all
students when needed. In Marias case, the changes in her home life and a new school
environment were a lot to take in all at once. Maria benefited from some organization and
someone to talk with about issues that she generally would talk with her older sister about over
the summer. As a school counselor, it is my job to assess these pieces that affect students on a
personal development level and work to provide resolution to situations and feelings that can
often feel overwhelming and out of control in the lives of young people.

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It is important to our Comprehensive School Counseling Program and to our school that
we are assisting in the development of well-rounded and empowered young people. We want to
ensure that all of our student feel safe and heard. Though we believe that our programs we
provide for all students are extremely beneficial, we recognize that different factors of each
students life may require individualized attentions or a different learning style. In these cases we
are more than happy to facilitate an environment in which each student feels comfortable and can
succeed.

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CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Tyler Hansen
CSLG 7141
Fall 2014

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It is the responsibility of the professional school to design programs and lessons to assist
in the development of career awareness in students. ASCA National Standards outline three main
standards for career development:

Standard A: Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to
knowledge of the self and to make informed career decisions.

Standard B: Students will employ strategies to achieve future career goals with success
and satisfaction.

Standard C: Students will understand the relationship between personal qualities,

education, training and their world of work.
Below are three sample lesson plans designed using the standards above and the sub

standards that are listed in each description. Each lesson plan can easily be molded to fit
particular childrens needs and level of desirable challenge. These lessons are not meant to be
graded, but to be informative. Any of these lessons could be used with grades ten through twelve
in conjunctions with English, Economics, or Mathematics courses or on their own. The ideal
outcome of each is that students feel more informed and comfortable about career paths and how
to access information to learn about different areas. It is especially important to stress the variety
of careers that are available and that many options are available to each person based on their
strengths and interests.
Hypothetical Career Planning
Purpose:
The purpose of this lesson is to expose students to ways in which they can research
careers, information pertaining to them, and look at general ideas of what a future in those career

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would look like. This lesson plan will provide the information and experience to fulfill the ASCA
National Student Standards outlined in section C:B1 Acquire Career information. Some specific
sub standards that will be met are:
C:B1.2 Identify personal skills, interests and abilities and relate them to current career choice
C:B1.3 Demonstrate knowledge of the career planning process
C:B1.4 Know the various ways in which occupations can be classified
C:B1.5 Use research and information resources to obtain career information
C:B1.6 Use the internet to access career planning information
C:B1.7 Describe traditional and nontraditional career choices and how they relate to career
choice
C:B1.8 Understand how changing economic and societal needs influence employment trends
and future training
C:B2.1 Demonstrate awareness of the education and training need to achieve career goals

The Lesson: Career Plan

This lesson will take the time of one class period and is intended for 10th grade students ideally
executed in a computer lab with a computer for each student.
In this lesson, students will use the internet to search for information about 3 chosen careers of
interest.
The school counselor would begin by briefly speaking about careers and how it is important to
begin thinking about them now. The school counselor would then do a quick demonstration of

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how to research information online via websites such as career.org based on areas of current
interest or more specific career paths
Information to search and find answers for the following:
Post secondary schooling requirements
3 potential schools/programs you would apply to
Average cost of schooling/tuition/training
Average time to become certified/earn a degree
Average wages/salary earned in careers
Students would compile information into a worksheet
Afterwards, students would present to a small group (1) of their (3) career options and explain
the steps to move towards that career.
Post lesson, students will compete a survey rating the effectiveness of the lesson and how they
personally benefited or did not from the lesson.

Resume Writing
Purpose:
As outlined by the ASCA National Student Standards in section C:A.2 Develop
employment readiness, it is important for us to not only expose our students to the available
opportunities and career paths, but to also teach them the intricacies of attaining those goals. One
of the most important pieces required in pursuing post-secondary education and many career
paths is knowing how to not only professionally present yourself in person, but also on paper.
The specific substandard met in this lesson is:

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C:A2.6 Learn how to write a resume

The Lesson: Resume writing

This lesson is designed for 10th grade students and would ideally be executed in a computer
lab with the assistance of their English teacher.
This lesson is designed to take one class periods time
In the beginning of the session each student would be given a worksheet with information to
fill out that is needed for a resume including sections:
Objective - what types of experiences are you looking for?
Education - what education have you received so far? Any special training or anticipated
graduation date.
Experience - any work or volunteer experiences with dates
Activities - any activities, sports, clubs, or groups you are a member of and participate in
Achievements - any items you have been recognized for.
At this point students will be given a paper copy of a sample resume to reference
Next, the school counselor would walk the students through going into the computer program,
Word and selecting a resume template.
The students will then work to input the information that they wrote down on their worksheets
and put it into the template.
The school counselor and English teacher will walk around and provide guidance when sought
and also assess each students work for errors or places for improvement or embellishment.

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At the end of the session the students will be able to save their document for reference later and
also print two copies of their resumes, one for themselves and one for class.

Career Exploration
Purpose:
The purpose of this lesson is to show students how to explore what different careers are
available and to show them how their skills and interests that they have now can match up with
and lead to successful careers in many different fields. The lesson is designed to be
individualized and a fun way to explore careers and fields that students may have not known
about before. This lesson meets the requirements outlined in the ASCA National Student
Standards under C:A1 Develop Career Awareness. More specific standards are:
C:A1.1 Develop skills to locate, evaluate and interpret career information
C:A1.2 Learn about the variety of traditional and nontraditional occupations
C:A1.3 Develop an awareness of personal abilities, skills, interests, and motivations
C:A1.8 Pursue and develop competency in areas of interest

The Lesson: Career Clusters Activity & Career Search

This lesson will take place in two parts, each the time of one class period. This lesson is
designed for any level of high school, but 9th or 10th grade would be best suited.
For the first session:
Using the short tests and information on www.educationplanner.org students will log onto to
the computers and take the Career Clusters Activity quiz

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This quiz will ask them about their areas of interests, personal strengths, and academic
strengths to gauge their top five cluster areas.
From here the students can look at the career catalog on the site and learn about the different
careers that are in each of their cluster areas.
Students will choose one career to work with for the next session
The School counselor will ensure that each student in the class has a different career choice
The second session will be used to present ideas to the class (Career Fair)
Each student will give a brief summary of the position (1-2 minutes) in front of the class
depending on the size of the classroom
Each student will write down 5 other careers that sound interesting to them personally and
explain why
This exercise will allow students to share information and gain insight into many different
career choices

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References
American School Counselor Association (2004). ASCA National Standards for Students.
Alexandria, VA: Author

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PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Tyler Hansen
CSLG 7141
Fall 2014

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As school professionals we believe that a well-developed child stems from three main
areas of growth: Academic, Career, and Personal/ Social. The ASCA National Model Standards
for Personal/social development are outlined in (3) main areas.

Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to
help them understand and respect self and others.

Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve
goals.

Standard C: Students will understand safety and survival skills. (ASCA, 2012)

In this section I will focus on the importance of Personal/ Social development and how we can
use small groups to provide direct student services to those students who can benefit from it.
A common need for intervention among secondary school aged adolescents is peer
meditation. For the purposes of this example I will provide a scenario in which a small group
may be created and used to help resolve conflicts and provide tools for developing young people.
Scenario:
Multiple teachers have come to the school counselor with complaints about a group of
9th grade girls who have been participating in bullying and harassment behaviors. In addition to
the complaints of teachers, other students have also expressed to school counselors that they
have witnessed or have fallen victim to the behaviors of this group of girls. The behaviors
include but are not limited to: verbal abuse and taunting, physical taunting, teasing, and
destruction of property.

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After conversations with the school administrator, the school counselor learns that the
behaviors of these girls have behaviors and appropriate disciplinary action has been taken,
including enrollment in the Anti-Bullying session. The administrator gives the school
counselor permission to start a different group with permission of the girls parents. The school
counselor calls each of the girls parents to brief them on the situation and obtains permission in
writing to proceed with the group activities.
For this small group, the ASCA standard that we will primarily focus on is PS:A. More
specific standards that will be addressed and met in this small group include:
PS:A1.1 - Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person
PS:A1.2 - Identify values, attitudes and beliefs
PS:A1.4 - Understand change is a part of growth
PS:A1.5 - Identify and express feelings
PS:A1.6 - Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
PS:A1.7 - Recognize personal boundaries, rights and privacy needs
PS:A1.8 - Understand the need for self-control and how to practice it
PS:A1.9 - Demonstrate cooperative behavior in groups
PS:A1.10 - Identify personal strengths and assets
PS:A1.11 - Identify and discuss changing personal and social roles
PS:A2.1 - Recognize that everyone has rights and responsibilities
PS:A2.2 - Respect alternative points of view
PS:A2.3 - Recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual differences
PS:A2.6 - Use effective communication skills

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PS:A2.7 - Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal behavior
PS:A2.8 - Learn how to make and keep friends
(ASCA, 2012)

Session 1: Talk about yourself

One of the most important concepts to begin with when addressing problem areas in
childrens behavior is their basic needs. The concepts of many therapies involving children are
rooted in Reality Therapy and Choice Theory (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2010). Because of
personal content that would be present in this session, a confidentiality agreement would need to
be signed by all of the students and their parents before proceeding with any part of the session.
To begin this session, I would bring a worksheet for each of the girls to gauge how well their (5)
Basic Needs, according to Glasser (As cited in Seligman & Reichenberg, 2010, p. 342), are being
met at this time.
The (5) Basic Needs are:
Survival:
In basic questions I would ask about how much they get to eat every day, how many hours they
sleep each night, and how safe do they feel at home and at school.
Love & Belonging:
These questions would ask about their relationships with their families, friends, and significant
others. According to Choice Theory, issues are rooted in our relationships with others and our
need belong.
These questions are intended to gauge how healthy the relationships are in each of their lives

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Power:
In this portion I am looking to gauge activities in each of their lives where they believe they
possess a certain amount of strength or mastery, and also find that they work well with others.
Freedom:
These questions are intended to gauge how much control over their own lives they feel like
they have including choices and ability to make their own decisions.
Fun:
These questions are used to gauge how many fun activities they perceive in their daily lives.
This stems from the need to entertain ourselves and others.
After completing the questionnaire, we would talk about areas in our daily lives that we
need to change, would like to change, and things that happen in our daily lives that we are
unhappy about. Examples of these things could include:
Getting enough sleep at night and how to manage time to do that
Working to listen to and understand what people are saying verbally and nonverbally, to be
more supportive of others, and build lasting and healthy relationships.
Participate in activities that you enjoy and feel you are strong in. Possibly a subject in school
where you could share your knowledge with others in the form of tutoring.
Talk about activities that you enjoy doing, areas where you would appreciate more freedom in
your life, and how to build trusting relationships with others so that you can receive more
freedoms.
Designate activities to participate in that are healthy, fun, and fulfilling.

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This session is designed to refocus energy being used to hurt and disturb others back to
the self and self-development. Identifying personal values, relationships, and other items that are
important to each individual can help each individual move toward acquiring that self-knowledge
which is integral to then acquiring healthy interpersonal skills. Towards the end or post session I
would require individual evaluations from the students, their parents, and referring teachers
about changes in thoughts and outward behaviors to assess the effectiveness of the sessions.

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References:
American School Counselor Association (2004). ASCA National Standards for Students.
Alexandria, VA: Author.
Seligman, L. & Reichenberg, L. (2010). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy Systems,
Strategies, and Skills. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.

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SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION

Tyler Hansen
CSLG 7141
Fall 2014

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