Program Course Information:

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1 1 Program Course Information: PROGRAM: M.Ed. in School Counseling EDUC 702 SECTION 001 COURSE TITLE: Introduction to Strengths-Based School Counseling, Summer I -2014, 3 semester hours DAY, TIME, LOCATION: Mondays-Fridays 9:00-11:50am, CCEE (5/27-6/13) INSTRUCTOR NAME and CONTACT INFORMATION: Patrick Akos pakos@ .unc.edu Office Hours: By appointment DATE SYLLABUS REVISED: April 2014 COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course covers an introduction to counseling with a specific focus on Strengths-Based School Counseling (Galassi & Akos, 2007). Professional issues in school counseling are discussed, including counselor s roles, ethical and legal issues, licensure and credentialing, and accreditation. REQUIRED TEXTS/READINGS: Stone, C. (2009). School counseling principles: Ethics and law, 2 nd ed. Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association. *American School Counselor Association (2012). The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Third Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author. *Galassi, J., & Akos, P. (2007). Strengths-Based School Counseling: Promoting Student Development and Achievement. Mahwah, MJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. * both required for the program and used in multiple classes; listed in the student handbook Supplemental readings or websites will be provided. The course Sakai page is located at: Recommended Resource American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6 th ed. Washington D.C.: Author. METHODS OF INSTRUCTION Course will include a variety of instructional methods including, but not limited to, lecture, cooperative learning groups, role-play, case studies, guest speakers, class discussion, and panel debates. UNC-CH School of Education Conceptual Framework: Preparing Leaders in Education The School of Education is committed to the preparation of candidates who can assume leadership roles in the field of education. Such preparation is accomplished through the coherent integration of the abilities and predispositions of candidates, the knowledge and abilities of faculty, and the contextual elements of academic and field settings. Candidates accept their professional responsibilities and focus their expertise and energy on supporting Birth-12 student development and learning. They must work to maintain a meaningful involvement in activities within schools and in partnership with parents and the community. The growth and development of candidates is promoted through curriculum, instruction, research, field experiences, clinical practice, assessments, evaluations, and interactions with faculty and peers. All of these elements work together to build a solid foundation for exemplary practice in education, creating educational practitioners who are prepared to better serve children, families and schools, as well as business and agencies of government within North Carolina, across the nation and throughout the world. For Equity and Excellence Preparation of educational leaders for today's society is based in values of equity and excellence that assure our candidates' and their students' future success. Attending to the challenge of promoting both equity and excellence is imperative. To address only one of these goals would, on the one hand, sacrifice those put at risk by social and cultural hierarchies in society or would, on the other hand, fail to press for the highest possible levels of accomplishment. Equity and excellence must be pursued concurrently to

2 assure that all students are well served and that all are encouraged to perform at their highest level. 2 Within the School of Education, equity is seen as the state, quality, or ideal of social justice and fairness. It begins with the recognition that there is individual and cultural achievement among all social groups and that this achievement benefits all students and educators. Equity acknowledges that ignorance of the richness of diversity limits human potential. A perspective of equity also acknowledges the unequal treatment of those who have been historically discriminated against based on their ability, parents' income, race, gender, ethnicity, culture, neighborhood, sexuality, or home language, and supports the closure of gaps in academic achievement. Decisions grounded in equity must establish that a wide range of learners have access to high quality education in order to release the excellence of culture and character which can be utilized by all citizens of a democratic society. Within the School of Education, excellence is seen as striving for optimal development, high levels of achievement and performance for all and in all that is done. In preparatory programs across grade levels, curriculum and instruction furthers excellence when it moves a learner as effectively as possible toward expertise as a thinker, problem solver and creator of knowledge. Excellence entails a commitment to fully developing candidates, not only academically but also in moral and political senses. In a Democratic Society The preparation of exemplary practitioners in education to meet the challenges of equity and excellence is best accomplished through preparation for a democratic society. Democracy around the globe is an ideal, one with the potential to meet the needs, recognize the interests and establish the rights of all citizens. Education is a necessary foundation for this ideal, and both must be subscribed to and participated in by all. School of Education Conceptual Framework Principles The School of Education is committed to diverse, equitable, democratic learning communities. As a result, candidates are expected to acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and dispositions that prepare them to support the development and education of all students. The School of Education uses the following unit principles, applicable at all program levels, to identify the knowledge and skills that are central to preparation of candidates. It is the School of Education 19s goal that candidates will become leaders supporting and promoting the development, teaching and learning of all students in multiple contexts. 1. Candidates possess the necessary content knowledge to support and enhance student development and learning. 2. Candidates possess the necessary professional knowledge to support and enhance student development and learning, including meeting student needs across physical, social, psychological, and intellectual contexts. Candidates incorporate a variety of strategies, such as technology, to enhance student learning. 3. Candidates possess the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct and interpret appropriate assessments. 4. Candidates view and conduct themselves as professionals, providing leadership in their chosen field, including effective communication and collaboration with students and stakeholders. SOE Conceptual Framework Dispositions Certain dispositions are essential to prepare leaders who support equity and excellence in education within a democratic society. Dispositions are beliefs that foster commitments, leading to actions within educational environments with students, colleagues, families, and communities. Candidates strengthen these dispositions as they think deeply, reflect critically and act responsibly in their professional practice. These dispositions are interconnected with knowledge and skills; specific dispositions connect to and exemplify unit principles, facilitating their enactment in particular programs. 1. Candidates will exhibit behavior that demonstrates a belief that all individuals can develop, learn,

3 and make positive contributions to society. 2. Candidates will exhibit behavior that demonstrates a belief that continuous inquiry and reflection can improve professional practice. 3 UNC-CH School Counseling Program Conceptual Framework: Preparing School Counselors The M.Ed. program in School Counseling at the University of North Carolina is predicated on the Strengths-Based School Counseling (SBSC) model that asserts that the school counselor s primary role is to promote and advocate for positive youth development for all students and for the environments that enhance and sustain that development. The SBSC approach characterizes positive youth development as nurturing and enhancing empirically identified student strengths or competencies rather than focusing on student weaknesses and problem areas. SBSC provides a framework to guide the practice of school counseling in the 21st century that is both compatible with and operationalizes many of the features of the ASCA National Model for School Counseling Programs. Strengths-based school counselors employ a variety of direct (e.g., counseling, classroom guidance) and systemic (e.g., consultation, advocacy) level interventions to promote culturally relevant student development in the academic, personal/social, and career domains. The strengths-based perspective identifies the counselor as a school leader who works with students, teachers, administrators, parents, and other members of the community and promotes strengths-enhancing environments for all students. SBSC is guided by six principles listed below. The Six Guiding Principles of Strengths-Based School Counseling Promote Context-Based Development for All Students Contemporary developmental theorists and researchers emphasize the influential and interactive role that context (e.g., culture) and environment play in human development. Thus, school counselors should acknowledge and seek to incorporate contextual factors in their efforts to facilitate positive development for all students. Promote Individual Student Strengths Strengths-Based School Counseling focuses on helping students build on or further enhance their current culturally relevant strengths and competencies as well as develop additional ones that have been shown to be associated with positive development. Promote Strengths-Enhancing Environments Strengths-enhancing environments are associated with positive youth development; therefore, an important function of the school counselor is to actively promote these types of environments through leadership, collaboration, advocacy and other system-level interventions. Emphasize Strengths Promotion over Problem Reduction and Problem Prevention Rather than placing the school counselor in a reactive mode of functioning by focusing on problem prevention and remediation, Strength-Based School Counseling focuses on promoting positive development which allows the school counselor to assume a more proactive role and serve a much larger number of students. Emphasize Evidence-Based Interventions and Practice Adhering to the premise that research knowledge provides the most reliable source of guidance in determining appropriate and effective interventions, the strengths-oriented school counselor is committed to evidence-based practice. Emphasize Promotion-Oriented Developmental Advocacy at the School Level In Strengths-Based School Counseling, school counselor s advocacy efforts will focus primarily on lobbying for system policies and environments that enhance development for all students and secondarily on identifying and removing barriers. The school counselor s advocacy is concerned with assuring access, equity, and educational justice for all students.

4 Course Standards & Objectives: Learning Opportunities: (Relevant 2009 CACREP Standards) 1. Students will understand history and philosophy of the counseling profession. (CACREP IIG1a) 2. Students will understand professional roles, functions, and relationships with other human service providers, including strategies for interagency/interorganization collaboration and communications. (CACREP IIG1b) 3. Students will understand professional organizations, including membership benefits, activities, services to members, and current issues. (CACREP IIG1f) 4. Students will understand professional credentialing, including certification, licensure, and accreditation practices and standards, and the effects of public policy on these issues. (CACREP IIG1g) 5. Students will understand the role and process of the professional counselor advocating on behalf of the profession. (CACREP IIG1h) 6. Students will understand advocacy processes needed to address institutional and social barriers that impede access, equity, and success for clients. (CACREP IIG 1i) 7. Students will understand ethical standards of professional organizations and credentialing bodies, and applications of ethical and legal considerations in professional counseling. (CACREP IIG1j) 8. Students will understand history, philosophy, and trends in school counseling and educational systems. (CACREP School A1) 9. Students will understand ethical and legal considerations specifically related to the practice of school counseling (CACREP School A2). 10. Students will understand roles, functions, settings, and professional identity of the school counselor in relation to the roles of other professional and support personnel in the school. (CACREP School A3) 11. Students will understand professional organizations, preparation standards, and credentials that are relevant to the practice of school counseling (CACREP School A4) 12. Students will understand current models of school counseling programs (e.g., American School Counselor Association [ASCA] National Model) and their integral relationship to the total educational program (CACREP School A5). 13. Students will understand the operation of the school emergency management plan and the roles and responsibilities of the school counselor during crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events. (CACREP School A7) 14. Students will demonstrate the ability to articulate, model, and advocate for an appropriate school counselor identity and program. (CACREP School B2) 15. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply and adhere to ethical and legal standards in school counseling. (CACREP School B1) 16. Students will demonstrate the ability to use procedures for assessing and managing suicide risk (CACREP School D4) 1. Presentation (May 29 th and May 30 st ; everyone should be prepared on May 29 st ) The presentation should answer the question: Why school counseling? (Each student will have a maximum of 5 minutes) The presentation should provide a concise summary about: o Why you desire to help students, parents, and school staff in K-12 schools (please explain your preference for level of school counseling - elementary, middle, or high school); o A hypothesis about what strengths and weaknesses as a helper you possess at this point, and; o How faculty and your peer cohort can help you achieve your professional goals. The presentation can be in any format powerpoint, prezi, other; and alternative type of presentations are welcomed (e.g., a prepared video, narrated photo montage, etc.) 4 CACREP Standard: CACREP IIG1b, CACREP School A3 2. Professionalism and ASCA National Model Quiz (June 4 th ) A quiz on professional organizations and related concepts (e.g., certification) and the ASCA National Model as referenced in readings, websites, and our associated class lecture and discussion. Questions will be formatted in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, T/F, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank and short answer.

5 CACREP Standard: CACREP IIG1j, CACREP School A2, CACREP School A Strengths-Based School Counselor Paper and Presentation (draft due June 6 th, presentations & final paper due June 13 th ) The paper should explain what the strength-based school counselor is and why it is the ideal role. (Maximum of 13 pages including title page, abstract, and references) The paper should be written in APA (6 th edition) format. Papers that exceed page limits will be returned un-graded. All papers should be fastened with a staple (no binders please). The paper should synthesize major professional knowledge in school counseling. The paper should be based on class readings, class discussion, and outside research in academic journals such as Professional School Counseling and the Journal of Counseling and Development (Journal of Positive Psychology, etc). It is expected that papers will include at minimum 5 refereed journal references ( ). Authoritative books may also be used as references The paper should culminate in a convincing argument for the strengths-based school counselor within the ASCA National Model. The paper should not be an outline or reiteration of school counseling models/theories (e.g., ASCA model, SBSC text), but research, innovation and integration of strength-oriented concepts into the role of the school counselor. It is not possible to be fully comprehensive in scope, but it should be clear and compelling. Several drafts are recommended and necessary for concise and articulate writing. Students will also lead/contribute to a minute structured group presentation to the class. In groups by level (elementary, middle, and high school), students will analyze ideas in the group and share themes addressed in their papers. Groups will identify and present a group consensus to the class (a one page handout for each group is required for the presentations). It is expected that outside class time will be needed to plan and prepare this presentation. A format and structure for each of the presentations will be provided for you on June 7 th CACREP Standard: CACREP IIG1b, CACREP IIG1h, CACREP IIG1i, CACREP School A3, CACREP School B2 4. Final Legal/Ethics Case Response and Exam (June 14 th ) During the last class session, you will complete an exam concerning legal and ethical issues in school counseling. Additionally, you will be given hypothetical legal/ethical issues to which you will prepare a case response. CACREP Standard: CACREP IIG1j, CACREP School A2 Requirements: Attendance and Course Participation Attendance is essential. Absences greatly interfere with your learning and participation is necessary and part of your final grade. Student Performance Evaluation Criteria and Procedures Attendance and Course Participation = 5pts Presentation (Why school counseling) = 10pts Quiz (ASCA National Model) = 15pts Paper (strengths-based school counselor) = 30pts + 5pts for group presentation Final exam = 35pts ( is an H, is a P, is an L, below 80 is an F or incomplete) Schedule: To be fully prepared, assigned readings should be completed prior to class. Class Date Topic Assignment May 27 You as a Professional Helper History & philosophy of counseling -History & philosophy of school counseling -Professional preparation, licensure, credentials -Course syllabus -Professional organizations, related professions -Student course goals -Review UNC SC website, handbook **CACREP IIG1f, CACREP School A4

6 **CACREP IIG1f, CACREP School A4 6 May 28 May 29 May 30 June 2 June 3 June 4 June 5 The School Counselor Role -Comprehensive developmental guidance programs -Ed Trust Transforming school counseling initiative -Results based guidance -Research skills - APA style *MIDDLE SCHOOL PANEL-11am *Program Orientation: 6-8pm **CACREP IIG1a, CACREP IIG1g, CACREP School A1, CACREP School A4 The School Counselor Role - The ASCA National Model part I -Accountability and research in school counseling *Why school counseling presentations - Part I (5 min) *ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PANEL-11am **CACREP IIG1b, CACREP IIG1h, CACREP IIG 1i, CACREP School A3 The School Counselor Role - The ASCA National Model part II -NC DPI guidelines and Common Core -Strengths-Based School Counseling part I *Why school counseling presentations Part II (5 min) *HIGH SCHOOL PANEL-9am **CACREP IIG1b, CACREP IIG1h, CACREP IIG 1i, CACREP School A3 *ASCA National Model Quiz The School Counselor Role -Strengths-Based School Counseling part II -Contemporary Trends (NSCOA, etc.) **CACREP IIG1b, CACREP IIG1h, CACREP IIG 1i, CACREP School A3, CACREP School A5 Legal/Ethics Introduction -ASCA ethical standards -Ethical decision making **CACREP IIG1b, CACREP IIG1h, CACREP IIG 1i, CACREP School A3 Legal/Ethics Confidentiality **ASCA Ethical Standards: A1, A3, A8, B1, D1, D2, E1, F1, F2, G *Role Draft Due Legal/Ethics Privileged Communication & Courts Role paper discussion -Group presentation format assignments **ASCA Ethical Standards: A7 Legal/Ethics preamble -Handouts and Sakai - Cohort picture ENERGY WED J Section A 1-5 -ASCA National Model book & website -Handouts and Sakai Section A ASCA National Model book & website -Handouts and Sakai - Submit level choice Section B & C Section D,E,F,G -Ethics 1 ENERGY WED J -Ethics some of 4, 5 -Ethics 3, 6

7 7 June 6 June 9 June 10 June 11 June 12 June 13 **ASCA Ethical Standards: A7 Legal/Ethics Child Abuse, FERPA -ES case sample **ASCA Ethical Standards: A2, A6, A8, B2 Legal/Ethics Suicide/Violence -Suicide assessment practice -HS case sample -School safety legislation/crisis planning **ASCA Ethical Standards: Legal/Ethics Sexual Harassment, GLBTQ issues -MS case sample -School counselor role draft revisions back **ASCA Ethical Standards: Counselor vs. Educator Legal/Ethics Special Education, IDEA, 504, Test/Assess, Dual Relationships, Referrals, Multicultural, Consultation, Reporting, SBSC in practice **ASCA Ethical Standards: A4, A5, C1, C2, E2 Professional role presentations/discussion (MS) 20 min. Professional role presentations/discussion (ES) 20 min. Professional role presentations/discussion (HS) 20 min. -Legal/Ethics Review -Time in class for course evaluations Legal/Ethics Exam & Case Response Pick up role papers, exams, & final grades (Peabody Hall mailboxes, Monday June 17 th, 5pm) -Ethics 2 -Ethics 4, 10 -Ethics 8, 9, 11 ENERGY WED J -Ethics 7, 12 Role papers due Disability Services Information: Honor Code Information: If you have medical conditions and/or disabilities that may affect participation or require reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to this course, please notify the instructor if you wish to have special accommodations in instruction or evaluation considered. The Department of Disability Services provide accommodations and services which may include, but are not limited to, note-takers, alternative testing, accessible class materials, and interpreters. They may be contacted at: , disabilityservices@unc.edu, or Your full participation and observance of the honor code is expected in this class and all others at the University. Honor Code violations will be handled seriously. Students are urged to become familiar with its terms. If you have questions about your responsibility under the honor code, please bring them to your instructor or consult with the office of the Dean of Students or the Instrument of Student Judicial Governance. If you require further information on the definition of plagiarism, authorized vs. unauthorized collaboration, unauthorized materials, consequences of violations, or additional information on the Honor Code at UNC, please visit Additional Reading & Coleman, H. L. K. & Yeh, C. J. Handbook of School Counseling. New York: Routledge, 2008.

8 Reference Material: Dollarhide, C. T. & Saginak, K. A. (2011). Comprehensive school counseling programs: K-12 delivery systems in action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. 8 Erford, B. (2009). Orientation to the counseling profession: Advocacy, ethics, and essential professional foundations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill. Erford, B. (2010). Professional school counseling: A handbook of theories, programs, and practices. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed. Hermann, M. A., Remley, T. P., & Huey, W. C. (2010). Ethical & legal issues in school counseling. Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association. Sabella, R. A., (2005). School counseling principles: foundations and basics. Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association. Sink, C. (2005). Contemporary school counseling: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Lahaska Press.