School Counselor Field Experience Practicum Manual Field Experience for the School Counseling Practicum (CNDV 5390) Spring and Fall 2015

Transcription

1 School Counselor Field Experience Practicum Manual Field Experience for the School Counseling Practicum (CNDV 5390) Spring and Fall 2015 *The Field Experience and Practicum Manual are subject to revisions. Please keep updated with new information as it becomes available. Revised 1/8/2015

2 Table of Contents Part I: Overview Conceptual Framework and Mission of University Educator Preparation Program... 1 Mission Statement of the Department of Counseling and Special Populations... 1 Accreditation and State Standards... 1 CACREP Learning Outcomes in Practicum... 2 Professional School Counseling Certifice Standards... 2 Terminology for Understanding the Practicum Experience... 3 School Counselor Candidate Information... 5 Supervisor Information... 5 Faculty Supervisor... 5 Field Supervisor... 6 Site and Administrator as Supervisors... 6 Possible Districr Requirements... 7 Site Supervisors and Supervision Process... 7 Use of Competencies and State/National Madates... 7 Roles and Responsibilities of the Site Supervisor... 7 Suggested Topics and Experiences to Utilize During Supervision... 8 Role of the Instructional Associate... 9 Prerequisites and Requirements... 9 Professional Liability Insurance Supervision Candidate Performance and Disposition Review Candidate Evaluations from Site Supervisor Field Supervisor and Site Supervisor Evaluation from Candidate TK-Account and Assessment Portfolio Assessment Portfolio Review Process Remote Proctoring for Certification Pretest- Proctor U Web Camera, Microphone, and Internet Browsers for Adobe Connect Field Experience/Practicum Hourly Requirements Documenting the Practicum Experience... 14

3 Clarification of Direct and Indirect Hours Examples of Other Activities Requirements for Formal Observations and Interactive Conferences Field Supervisor Initial Contact Scheduled Pre-Observation Conference REFLECT Model for Field Observations Preparing for Formal Observations To Prepare for Formal Observation To Prepare for Formal Observation To Prepare for Formal Observation Three Required 45-Minute Observations Interactive Conferences Schedule for Each Interactive Conference Suggested Format for Interactive Conference Meetings Triadic Supervision Model Guidelines for Peer Feedback Guidelines and Process for Field Supervisor Technology Documentation of Field Observations Requesting Accommodations in Accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Part II: Professional Responsibilities Professional and Ethical Guidelines Maintain and Advocate Confidentiality Reporting Abuse of Children, Elderly, or Disabled Persons Assessing and Responding to Crisis Professional Organizations Candidate Conduct and Development Policies Counseling and Special Populations Department Candidate Development Policy Academic Grievances Part III: Credentials School Counselor Certification Certification Process for Texas Residents To Apply for Certification in Texas... 27

4 Apply with Texas State Board of Educator Certification School Counselors Seeking Licensure in Texas Part IV: Resources and Other Information Acknowledgement of Manual Receipt (Appendix A) Site-Supervisor Agreement (Appendix B) FERPA Agreement (Appendix C) Site Supervisor Acknowledgement of Training (Appendix D) Practicum Activity Log (Appendix E) Site Supervisor Mid-term Evaluation of Practicum Candidate (Appendix F) Group Supervision Log (Appendix G) Site Supervisor Final Evaluation of Practicum Candidate (Appendix H) Candidate Evaluation of Site Supervisor/Site (Appendix I) Candidate Evaluation of Field Supervisor (Appendix J) Field Supervision Rubric for Formal Observation and Interactive Conference (Appendix K) Candidate Summary of Personal Disposition (Appendix L) Counseling Practicum Consent for Audio-Video Recording (Appendix M) Diversity Report (Appendix N) School Counseling Delivery System Sample Activities (Appendix O)... 58

5

6 Part I: Overview Professional school counselors hold one of the most responsible, challenging, professionally, and personally satisfying positions in U.S. public schools. The field experience, also referred to as professional practice (CACREP, 2009), provides candidates with the opportunity to apply coursework, theory, and develop skills under supervision. Professional school counselors are expected to provide a systematic program for helping all candidates to acquire skills for success in academic, career, and social and emotional development (ASCA, 2012). Conceptual Framework and Mission of University Educator Preparation Program The conceptual framework of the Lamar University Educator Preparation Program illuminates the vision of the faculty, as they are engaged in teaching, research, and service. The undergraduate and graduate programs utilize a variety of delivery systems to prepare educators and leaders for a changing world by requiring them to demonstrate core knowledge, content proficiency, pedagogical techniques and strategies, communication and leadership skills, technological and analytical abilities, and professional dispositions. Lamar University educator preparation candidates develop habits of mind needed for lifelong learning and respond to the ever changing diverse needs of EC-12 candidates and the schools that serve them. Mission Statement of the Department of Counseling and Special Populations Our mission in the Department of Counseling and Special Populations is to prepare candidates to become highly skilled, culturally competent, ethical professionals who enhance human development in a dynamic, global community. One way that we are working within our mission is by providing high quality, accessible, convenient, and relevant educational opportunities through our Academic Partnership programs. Whether you decide to become an on-campus or an online candidate, our role is to prepare you to be a leader in your designated area. The Counseling and Special Population (COSP) Department faculty members adhere to the scholar practitioner model of training. The goals of the department are to graduate candidates who have extensive knowledge in their respective professional areas, possess competent skills in providing professional services, and are committed to the advancement of their respective professions. Candidates work with faculty members who are involved in their professions at national, regional, and local levels. Thus, candidates are exposed to an array of classroom and other experiences in teaching, research, and professional practice. These diverse and wide opportunities prepare candidates for a variety of career opportunities within their respective professions. Accreditation and State Standards The field experience has been designed to address the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), now known as the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), National School Counselor Performance Standards, Texas State Standards (Texas Administrative Code [TAC] and State Board of Educator Certification [SBEC]), and the professional knowledge, skills, and practices outlined by CACREP (2009) standards to promote the academic, career, and personal/social 1

7 development of all K-12 candidates. Following are the websites available for your reference. Candidate learning outcomes are identified in the course syllabus and aligned with each of the state agency and accrediting organizations. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Standards for the School Counselor Certificate in Texas (SBEC): oc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=7&ch=239&rl=15 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP): CACREP Learning Outcomes in Practicum Practicum is a course (CNDV 5390) that includes field experience. Learning outcomes of the field experience, as delineated in the course syllabus, are as follows: 1. Expand upon skills developed during other courses (CACREP II.J.3.b.). 2. Relate theory to practice (CACREP II.J.3.a). 3. Evaluate their professional growth and specific career goals (CACREP II.3.c.d). 4. Consult with appropriate individuals (CACREP II.J.3.c.8.b). 5. Gain increased understanding of the relationship of administrative functions to the counselor role (CACREP II.J.8.b). 6. Acquire greater knowledge of and experience in the application of a variety of intervention strategies (CACREP II.J.3.a.d.e). 7. Gain an understanding and appreciation of professional, ethical, and legal issues and behavior (CACREP II.J.3.a.d.e). 8. Gain understanding of multicultural and diversity issues and needs (CACREP II.J.2.a.3.d). 9. Expand knowledge and application of technology in counseling and assisting clients/candidates (CACREP II.J.3.a.b). 10. Function as a professional counselor in an approved clinical/school setting (CACREP II.J.3.b). Professional School Counselor Certificate Standards (TAC, ) The practicum is organized to give the future counselor experiences related the Professional School Counselor Competencies. 2

8 Competency 1- Human Development The school counselor understands processes of human development and applies this knowledge to provide a developmental guidance program, including counseling services that meets the needs of all candidates. Competency 2- Candidate Diversity The school counselor understands human diversity and applies this knowledge to ensure that the developmental guidance and counseling program is responsive to all candidates. Competency 3- Factors Affecting Candidates The school counselor understands factors that may affect candidates' development and school achievement and applies this knowledge to promote candidates' ability to achieve their potential. Competency 4- Program Management The school counselor understands how to plan, implement, and evaluate a developmental guidance program, including counseling services that promote all candidates' success. Competency 5- Developmental Guidance Program The school counselor knows how to provide a comprehensive developmental guidance program that promotes all candidates' personal growth and development. Competency 6- Counseling The school counselor understands how to provide effective counseling services to individuals and small groups. Competency 7- Assessment The school counselor understands principles of assessment and is able to use assessment results to identify candidates' strengths and needs, monitor progress, and engage in planning to promote school success. Competency 8- Collaboration with Families The school counselor knows how to communicate effectively with families and establish collaborative relationships that enhance work with candidates. Competency 9- Collaboration with Others in the School and Community The school counselor understands how to work collaboratively with other professionals and with community members to promote positive change and to facilitate candidate learning. Competency 10- Professionalism The school counselor understands and complies with ethical, legal, and professional standards relevant to the profession. Terminology for Understanding the Practicum Experience CAPSTONE Project: This is the accumulation of all projects, forms, documents, resources and other information uploaded into your presentation portfolio in TK20. This project is worth 300 points, gradually submitted throughout the course, and is graded by three blind reviewers at the end of the semester. Certification Preparation Exam/Pretest: This is an 80 question preparation exam, where you must get 60 questions correct (75%). Course Instructor: This is the professor of record the student will meet with each week for 1.5 hours of group supervision. Group supervision is mandatory in this course. All course content 3

9 questions are directed towards this individual. Their contact information is on the getting started page and posted in announcements. Field Work: Also known as your practicum site, is where you will be gaining counseling experience working with the total system- students, parents, teachers, administrators, community members, other professionals, and colleagues within the school district. Field Supervisor: This individual is separate from the IA and course instructor. Students will meet with the field supervisor four separate times. The first meeting will consist of an orientation. The other three formal meetings will be to review and get feedback during your interactive conference. The field supervisor will grade and score all three 45 minute recorded videos, Provide feedback, and post scores in TK20. Formal Observation: School counselor candidates are expected to video-record three 45-minute videos (135 minutes total) of a selected counseling activity, such as individual or group counseling. When this recording is submitted to the field supervisor, the process of a formal observation begins. Group Supervision: This is the weekly Adobe connect Web conference with your instructor that will last 1.5 hours. Group supervision is mandatory. You will need a minimum of 15 hours in group supervision ever the 11 weeks. IA: The IA or instructional associate/assistant, will be grading the CAPSTONE application assignment uploads, discussion boards, and final project points. This individual can answer questions about the course and grading completed within blackboard. Their contact information is on the getting started page and posted in announcements. Interactive conference: This is in addition to on-site supervision and group supervision. Over the course of the 11 weeks you will meet with your assigned field supervisor on three separate occasions for a one-hour interactive conference. The interactive conference will be to discuss your 45 minute recorded video (formal observation) that is posted in blackboard and scored by the field supervisor in TK 20. All feedback received during this conference needs to be shared with your on-site supervisor. On-site supervision: This is in addition to group supervision. You must meet 1 hour each week with your own site supervisor at your school. On-site supervisor/mentor: This is the individual who has signed and agreed to be your site supervisor at the students chosen location. The student is required to meet with her on-site supervisor/mentor each week for at least an hour of supervision. The on-site supervisor will also sign off on all documentation. Portfolio Reviewer: Assigned faculty member from the Counseling and Special Populations Department. Presentation Portfolio: Is a part of the electronic database, TK20, designed to house all the required documents and is created on your behalf. 4

10 School Counselor Candidate Information Practicum candidates are charged to do the following, professionally and accurately. Practicum candidates: Agree to read their practicum manual upon receipt (see Appendix A) Are open to feedback, including areas of growth and professional identity. Stay organized, and brings to site supervisor meetings hour logs, and ideas for contributing to the campus mission plan and the comprehensive school counseling plan. Remain positive when working with site supervisors and other professionals in the school setting. Seek opportunities to work with students and their families. Are innovative, knowledgeable of the ASCA National Model, and creative school leaders. Document all hours on the practicum hours log. Align all practicum hours log activities to the 10 professional school counselor competencies. Are responsible for setting up regular meeting with site supervisors. When these meetings are cancelled, the candidate is responsible to follow-up and reschedule. Explain their approach for working with candidates, including theoretical approach, and ASCA candidate competencies. Represent the profession, themselves, and their coursework with the highest of standards. Are expected to use the Lamar University for all course and field experience correspondences. Supervisor Information The following individuals oversee the field experience/practicum. All supervisors listed herein should have a model of supervision they have adopted to monitor the growth and progress of the candidate. Faculty Supervisor Each practicum course is assigned a university professor, who has a doctorate in counseling or related field, has advanced credentials, or experience within the school settings. The professor oversees your entire practicum experience for an 11-week period of time and conducts supervision each week, for an hour and a half, making certain the course expectations are fulfilled by each candidate. Additionally, each professor will conduct two required site visits, virtually or via phone, and make contact with your site supervisor to ensure your development and growth is appropriate. This should occur mid-term and toward the end of the semester. Further, faculty supervisors will complete dispositions in TK20 on each candidate in addition to the candidate s self-reflection of disposition. The faculty supervisor will work with field supervisors, site supervisors/mentors, and instructional associates to ensure adequate growth and development is being obtained by the school counselor candidate. 5

11 Field Supervisor A field supervisor is an individual hired by Lamar University responsible to provide verbal and written feedback for observable skills demonstrated by the candidate during the field experience. The field supervisor will post their contact information in Blackboard under the announcements section for all students to utilize if needed. Candidates are assigned a field supervisor who will coordinate your submission of three required 45 minute video-recordings and will schedule three interactive conferences to provide you with feedback on the observable skills and competencies delineated in the developmental guidance program and ASCA model. Candidates will be required to meet with their field supervisor to 1. generate and answer questions about skills measured during the observation 2. make arrangements if an interactive conference meeting is missed 3. make certain feedback and notices are in TK20 related to the three observations and associated meetings 4. provide the site administrator (Principal) and site supervisor (school counselor) with documented feedback related to the candidate s feedback received during their observations. Field supervisors will copy your faculty supervisor on all correspondence sent, via , to site supervisors or administrators. Site and Administrator as Supervisors The site supervisor will coordinate the field experience to the multiple roles of a school counselor, which align with the unique setting, counseling program goals, district procedures and expectation, and state and national models of counseling such as American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and the Developmental Guidance Program (DGP) for the state of Texas. The administrator is the campus principal that oversees the total operation of the school building. Candidates should provide both the site supervisor and site administrator with information about the Lamar University School Counselor Program and their professional goals, as they align with the campus mission and vision. Candidates should also provide site supervisor with the acknowledgement of training form and the video link to review the training required before a signature can be provided on the acknowledgement form. No electronic signatures on any documents, as original signatures are required. Candidates will secure a site supervisor and campus principal agreement (see Appendix B). Candidates should seek a site supervisor with the following (CACREP, 2009 Standard, II C. 1, 2, and 4) qualifications: 1. A Master s degree in counseling or a related profession with equivalent qualifications which include the appropriate certification (school) and/or license in the respective state of the site 2. A minimum of 2 years of professional experience as a school counselor 3. Willingness to attend the Lamar online brief training for site supervision 4. Willingness to host weekly supervision meetings and provide feedback to school counselor candidate. 6

12 Finally and most rarely, a site supervisor may encounter special circumstances (i.e. removal from a campus/position or premature birth/labor of a child). Please discuss, early-on, with your site supervisor an alternative plan, just in-case one is needed so that interruption in your hour accumulation does not occur. Possible District Requirements Candidates must be informed that occasionally the school district they wish to complete their practicum requirements, or that they are employed, may require an Affiliation Agreement. A broadly used definition describes this as a contract between the university and a facility where university departments want to send university students for course-related and graduate required off-campus fieldwork experience. If this is the case in your school district, please notify your faculty supervisor and copy Dr. Carl Sheperis at csheperis@lamar.edu, who directly handles all related correspondence and documentation. Additionally, keep in mind that some districts may have a method for placing school counselor candidates into specific campuses. This means you may not be able to obtain required hours for practicum at the campus you are currently employed. Please remember that when recording these videos, it is only required that you video-record yourself and not the student. Campus administrators, site supervisors, and parents/guardians of these students need to clearly understand that the purpose of the video-tape is about your personal and professional growth. Site Supervisor and Supervision Process Candidates are required to secure a site supervisor before submitting the required documents to TK20 for Practicum. The site supervisor agreement is located in appendices of this handbook. Both the campus administrator and the site supervisor must agree to the site agreement, keeping in mind the school district may have their own method of placing school counselor candidates. Use of Competencies and State/National Mandates Candidates should utilize the competencies from the ASCA National Model and Developmental Guidance Program from the state of Texas to integrate and discuss in pursuit to fulfill course requirements. The candidate should plan the supervision session with his/her site supervisor to align with individual planning, responsive services, guidance curriculum, and system support, along with providing a rationale for this activity. Roles and Responsibilities of the Site Supervisor Site supervisors play an important role in the success of the school counseling program. The site supervisor role is to provide support and direction for interns in their efforts to develop increased knowledge, skills, and personal qualities appropriate to the role of the professional school counselor. All site supervisors should have a School Counselor Certificate and two years school counseling experience. Exceptions can be made in the case that the site does not employ or have access to a certified school counselor and are made on an individual basis. Candidate must receive prior approval on these situations. Practicum candidates will be responsible to provide the link to site supervisor to view the Site Supervisor/Mentor Training and follow-up with them to sign the Documentation of Site 7

13 Supervisor Training. This training can be found on the Lamar University Department of Counseling and Special Populations website or the following URL links to access the site supervisor training video: The site supervisor should sign the acknowledgement of training (see Appendix D) and provide coaching for strengths and for areas needing improvement. This coaching is accomplished by meeting regularly with the intern to discuss and facilitate the intern s experiences. The site supervisor should establish open, two-way communication and trust in the relationship with the intern. As the site supervisor critiques activities, the focus should be on developing leadership knowledge and competencies. The site supervisor should discuss with the intern the tasks in which he or she is engaged and help the intern learn from these experiences and verify the hours earned in the campus-supervised activities at the end of the practicum. Site Supervisors: Share their school counseling background and experiences in order to help the intern understand the legitimate role of school counselor. Provide personal insights regarding the profession in a comfortable, trusting atmosphere. Introduce school counselor candidate to key personnel and familiarize them with the school and policies that guide the counseling program. Explain their style and techniques and share their counseling goals for their school and for candidate development. Observe and oversee the work of the intern, review intern s log, and offer suggestions for growth. Assist the intern to find time to complete the practicum and develop the competencies that beginning school counselors much possess. Make an honest appraisal of the intern s performance as a developing professional. Keep the designated administrator abreast of counselor intern s progress. Notify the chair of the Lamar University Department of Counseling and Special Populations (see site supervisor agreement) of any major difficulties or problems. Site supervisors are one of the most important people in the induction of new counselors into the profession. We and our candidates are honored to have mentors to help with the task of induction into the school counseling profession. Suggested Topics and Experiences to Utilize during Supervision There are many topics that the site supervisor and candidate should discuss within the 11-week period of time. Additionally, you will discover other examples of other activities later in the manual. Following are a list of considerations, however, not exhaustive in nature. Supervision meeting dates, times, and location Establishment of goals and objectives for both supervisor (who should truly utilize the candidate for support in the counseling program) and candidate (who should have an idea of desired experiences during practicum) 8

14 Models of supervision Counseling skills Counseling activities and strategies Counseling interventions District guidance and counseling handbook or procedures State-mandated curriculum and topics (Developmental Guidance Program) Theoretical framework or perspective American Counseling Association and American School Counselor Association Codes of Ethics and competencies (ethical and legal considerations) Multicultural implications or culturally appropriate interventions Student and school counseling program advocacy Impact of campus culture on counseling Assessment and program evaluation Special education and transition services Team-based meetings Understanding personal issues, morals, and values, and their impact on effectively counseling students Co-facilitating counseling or observing candidate s skills Provide multiple resources Use of technology in the counseling office (or prohibited use with students) Evaluation Process (Midterm and Final Examination) Role of the Instructional Associate An instructional associate is an affiliate of our academic partnership and will be responsible for grading all assignments and discussion boards submitted in Blackboard and TK20. They will utilize rubrics in doing so, and when necessary, provide you with feedback on the completion of your assignments. The instructional associate will post contact information in Blackboard at the beginning of the semester. Please be advised that instructional associates defer to the instructor s final decision regarding specific matters. Prerequisites and Requirements Candidates are eligible to apply for practicum after the successful completion of nine courses and meeting all program requirements, yet should follow the schedule outlined by the department. Additionally, candidates are expected to meet all of the course requirements, such as discussion boards, reflections, certification preparation exam (pre-test), and CAPSTONE project. Also, course requirements include field experience and maintaining proper documentation of such. Candidates must have secured a site and a site supervisor, who is a certified school counselor with at least two years of teaching experience. Candidates may have more than one site, keeping in mind that the required paperwork must be submitted reflecting two sites and supervisors. Candidates should review the orientation video as follows: The candidate will be responsible to submit required documents, with necessary and original signatures, and recommended file names, to TK20 by day 7 of the first week of practicum (CAPSTONE Part I): 9

15 1. Site Supervisor Agreement 2. Proof of Liability Insurance 3. FERPA Acknowledgement (see Appendix C) 4. Diversity Report 5. Acknowledgement of Practicum Manual 6. Site Supervisor Acknowledgement of Training (please this form) If the six required documents listed above are not in TK20 by the end of the first week of practicum, the field experience or the candidate will not be able to proceed in the course. Specifically, no field experience can begin until all required documentation is submitted. Additional documents required by mid-semester are the midterm evaluation (see Appendix F) completed by the site supervisor, along with the completion of a resource assignment and professional weblink/website. These evaluations should be uploaded to TK20 by day 7 of week 6, with necessary and original signatures, and recommended file names (CAPSTONE Part II). Further documentation needed are seven examples of work, which were completed in previous classes. The examples of work are described in the course shell, and should be uploaded to TK20 by day 7 of week 9 with recommended file names (CAPSTONE Part III). The final documents required, with necessary and original signatures, and recommended file names, are to be uploaded day 7 of week 11, with necessary signatures and recommended file names, are as follows (CAPSTONE PART IV): 1. Documentation of formal observations and interactive conference feedback (Observations 1-3) 2. Practicum Hours Log (see Appendix E) 3. Site Supervisor Final Evaluation of Practicum Student (link must be sent to site supervisor) 4. Practicum Student Evaluation of Site Supervisor and Site 5. Group Supervision Log 6. Students Field Supervisor Evaluation Candidates must have all incompletes removed prior to applying for practicum. The field experience in school counseling follows an academic calendar, and therefore candidates can only participate in field experience during the fall or spring term, which only begins in August and in January. The duration of the course is 11 weeks. In some cases, candidates will be allowed to enroll in their final two courses at the same time as they enroll in practicum. This is called concurrent course enrollment, allowing students to take up to six additional hours, totaling nine hours including practicum. Students who are concurrently enrolled should take those courses during AP I and AP II only. Students should not attempt to take any additional courses during AP III, as they will be unable to complete all course requirements prior to graduation and commencement ceremony. For information specific to all other course start dates, please see the schedule at: 10

16 Professional Liability Insurance Prior to seeing clients, proof of professional liability insurance must be uploaded to your TK20 account. Professional organizations, such as the American Counseling Association (ACA) offers candidate member benefits and reduced rates for candidates in graduate program practicum courses (See This insurance must be $1,000,000/$3,000,000, which is the standard amount for policy coverage. Supervision Candidates must attend and document all required supervision meetings as part of the field experience/practicum. Supervision meetings are held weekly, in a face-to-face capacity, with the candidates site supervisor for 1 hour and should be documented on your practicum log as indirect hours. In the practicum course, faculty supervisors will divide your supervision group into students, require that you meet via Adobe Connect for 1.5 hours, and document this experience on the group supervision log (Appendix G). Candidates will also meet with the field supervisor for an interactive conference (minimum of 15 minutes each) after the field supervisor has had an opportunity to view the 45-minute video recording (formal observation). Candidate Performance and Disposition Review In addition to the tape-recorded counseling sessions and observations, candidates are evaluated with respect to characteristics/disposition in the areas of professional responsibility, competence, comportment, and integrity at three different points during the program, two of which are aligned with the field experience. Candidates will provide a self-assessment of personal disposition at the time they submit each of the three observations for review. It is important that at all times, practicum candidates demonstrate professional identity and professionalism. This includes correspondences and other discussions. Candidate Evaluations from Site Supervisor Each site supervisor will complete two candidate evaluations, a mid-semester and a\ final evaluation. These evaluations are confidential, and should be discussed in detail before the site supervisor completes these on the behalf of the school counselor candidate. These evaluations should reflect accurate documentation, which reveals strengths and weaknesses of the candidate. Field Supervisor and Site Supervisor Evaluation from Candidate At the completion of the three submitted 45 minute video-recordings and interactive conference, your field supervisor will send you a link that allows you to evaluate your field supervisor. A Likert scale of questions related to your experience will be asked. This evaluation must be completed before a grade will be issued in the practicum course. You will also have an opportunity to provide your feedback on your experience with your site supervisor and the site where you obtained your hours. All evaluations provided should be honest and should respond to the question asked, in a factual, accurate way! Please avoid responding based on emotional experience! TK-20 Account and Assessment Portfolio It is important to stay current with your TK-20 account and upload all documentation pertaining to coursework and practicum hours. Please make certain that the needed documentation to begin practicum is uploaded by the end of the first week. Also, please visit this link for instructions and watch the tutorial for further detail. 11

17 Be mindful, that in the assessment portfolio, always click Save and NOT Submit. Although the instructions outlined in the TK20 section of this manual state to click submit, please wait just in case changes need to be made your portfolio. If you click submit, it does not allow you to go back and make changes. This documentation is mandatory for graduation and certification purposes. See the following weblink as reference: Assessment Portfolio Review Process Candidates are required to upload required documentation to their assessment portfolio. The purpose of this review is to ensure that you have the required documentation for your field experience, housed in a central location, along with demonstrating representative samples of work completed throughout the program. Your portfolio has four parts to it, and a final review takes places at the end of the course. Three faculty members are anonymously assigned to your portfolio, and will issue a score out of 300 possible points. Scores will be averaged, providing one overall score obtained on this assessment portfolio. Remote Proctoring for Certification Pretest- Proctor U A form of remote proctoring will take place for your completion of the final examination. Remote proctoring is a cloud-based method to ensure the integrity and security of an online examination. A nominal fee of $15.00 is required, along with obtaining at least a 75% on the final examination (60 points out of 80 points). It is up to the candidate to schedule this, as an account must be set-up through Proctor U. Please visit the website at All students are given two attempts to obtain the needed score on this exam in order to become eligible for credentialing in the state of Texas. Students will be able to register for the certification preparation exam beginning January 20, 2015, but will not be able to take the exam until after February 1, 2015 through April 1, Web Camera, Microphone, and Internet Browsers for Adobe Connect Due to the nature of online supervision and distance learning, candidates will be required to purchase and install a web camera and microphone on their computer, used as a video recorder with capability to create an MP4 file. Please make certain you have Google Chrome or Firefox as the internet browser utilized for Adobe Connect. 12

18 Field Experience/Practicum Hourly Requirements TAC RULE (SBEC) For candidates seeking professional certification as a superintendent, principal, school counselor, school librarian, or an educational diagnostician, each educator preparation program shall provide a practicum, as defined in of this title, for a minimum of 160 clock-hours. As required by the Lamar University School Counselor Program, 60 of the 160 hours must be direct contact hours and the remainder 100 hours can be indirect hours. Candidates who are seeking certification in other states are responsible to investigate and log the required direct hours accordingly. For example, if a state requires 80 direct hours, that candidate must design the practicum experience with the site supervisor to include the extra direct hours. Candidates are encouraged to dedicate routinely at least 6 direct contact hours and 10 indirect contact hours per week (see What are Direct and Indirect Hours) for 10 weeks. Supervision meetings with site supervisors and field supervisors can be logged as indirect contact hours. Following are only suggested guidelines to earn the 160 Practicum hours. Candidates can count three required 45-minute formal observations as part of the practicum and can be recorded as direct hours. work with candidates in activities that should relate to four broad areas of school counseling such as individual planning, responsive services, system support, and guidance curriculum. Examples are personal or academic planning; intervention or crisis counseling; guidance delivery and group counseling; and individual counseling responding to specified needs. These activities should be planned with your site supervisor based on standards outlined in this manual and the mission/vision of your Comprehensive School Counseling Program. plan the hours with your site supervisor, and these experiences should address identified campus needs and priorities and be related to the standards outlined in this manual. only earn hours at the discretion of your site supervisor. Some candidates might find that they earn more than 160 hours, yet hours should align with the ASCA (2012) components, SBEC (2008) standards, and CACREP (2009) standards. However, candidates who begin Practicum and do not complete the required 160 hours by the end of the course will fail and be required to retake the course. Practicum has been considered of the highest importance as you begin to work in the school setting delivering services to candidates and consulting with parents, teachers, administrators, or appropriately designated others based on candidate and school needs. These activities should be focused on candidates and their well-being and age-appropriate development in the academic, social-emotional, and career areas. The practicum experience and course is organized around the four components of a school counseling program: 1. Developmental Guidance Curriculum 2. Individual Planning 3. Responsive Services 4. System Support 13

19 Documenting the Practicum Experience It is the responsibility of each candidate to stay organized with respect to documenting the field experience/practicum hours and required observations. Candidates will document direct and indirect hours, related competency, and hours acquired for the minimum of 160 hours. An Excel spreadsheet will be provided to document hours and related competencies for field experience and can be found in Blackboard under logs and documents. Only original signatures should be affixed to documentation. Clarification of Direct and Indirect Hours Generally speaking, direct hours are time spent on task working face-to-face with students, family, teachers, collaborating with school partners, stakeholders, holding meetings, or other engaged activities. Please keep in mind that the students you are counseling should NOT be persons assigned to during that school year and that parent permission must be obtained (see Appendix M). You might keep a running log using a numeric system of.25 for 15 minutes,.5 for 30 minutes,.75 for 45 minutes, and 1 for an hour. The following table presents examples of indirect and direct activities, and in no-way deemed as absolute: Indirect Activity Using the phone to locate services or a referral for a candidate. Planning the calendar year for guidance activities. Entering at-risk information or grades into a database. Writing thank-you notes to parents who participated in a career fair. Making copies of flyers to publicize mix-it-up lunch. Professional development in school counseling or related area. Filing notes after a small group session with candidates. Meeting with your site supervisor to discuss your activities. Direct Activity Speaking with this candidate briefly in the hall (.10 unit) about the phone call or other matter. Reviewing coursework or career assessments with a candidate in your office. Conducting a new parent orientation focused on support for candidates. Consulting with a teacher to plan the career fair and benefits to candidates. Being in the cafeteria and facilitating discussion with candidates at mix-it-up lunch. Presenting at a faculty meeting to share results of a survey on school climate. Being a group leader discussing character education in line with a school mission. Meeting with a candidate to discuss social/emotional, career, or academic plans in the role of a counselor. Examples of Other Activities This list is a resource to candidates and their site supervisor of other activities to consider for hour accumulation. Only based on the examples provided above, can you and your site supervisor agree on whether or not activities are counted as direct or indirect hours. 14

20 Academic Planning/Six or Four Year Planning Assessment/Test Interpretation ARD Meeting/RTI Referral Process/504 Meeting Behavioral Observations/Behavior Planning Career and College Readiness/Post-Secondary Opportunities Classroom Guidance Lessons Consultation/Collaborative Meeting District Counselor Meetings Faculty/Staff Training Family Counseling Group Counseling Individual Counseling Parent Conferences Parent Workshop or Training Peer Mediation/Advisory/Advising Programs Program Coordination Record Keeping Referral Services Responsive Services Scheduling/Candidate Placement Candidate Success Initiatives/Grade Placement Committee (SSI) Testing Coordination Transition Program/Meetings Requirements for Formal Observations and Interactive Conferences Field supervision of each candidate shall be conducted with structured guidance and regular ongoing support of an experienced educator who has been trained as a field supervisor [TAC (f)]. Field supervision is required, and the process of it must be performed accurately. This component of practicum should be viewed as an approach to documenting observable skills, standards, and competencies, along with the opportunity to receive feedback from your field supervisor and peers. Field Supervisor Initial Contact The initial contact by the field supervisors may be made by telephone, , or other electronic communication, with the assigned candidate, and must occur within the first three weeks of the assignment. The field supervisor will also make initial contact with your site supervisor in order to open the lines of communication, which fosters transparency in your process of growth and development. Finally, a pre-observation conference will be scheduled during this time. Scheduled Pre-Observation Conference The purpose of the pre-observation allows for an overview of the formal observation and interactive conference requirements. It is an opportunity to meet your field supervisor in Adobe Connect and to be introduced to the method of scheduling future observations (e.g. using Google Docs). Furthermore, it orients you to the use of technology, initiates a chance to discuss expectations, offer strategies of success for upcoming interactive conferences, and hopefully reduces some of the anxiety and fear associated with this overall process. 15