PSYCHOLOGY 790 INTERNSHIP IN SCHOOL COUNSELING SAMPLE SYLLABUS

PSYCHOLOGY 790 INTERNSHIP IN SCHOOL COUNSELING SAMPLE SYLLABUS Course Description The school counseling internship provides an opportunity for students to implement and practice skills learned during academic coursework, while obtaining close supervision on and off site. Students will read current literature in the school counseling field and also will implement skills such as consultation, peer supervision, and program implementation/evaluation as outlined by ASCA The internship is an arranged, two semester supervised opportunity for the student to perform all the activities that a regularly-employed counselor in a school setting would be expected to perform. Students are expected to observe the schedule of the internship site, including their vacation and break schedule. An appropriate site location allows the student to obtain audio or videotapes for use in the supervision of the student's interactions with clients appropriate to school counseling. Also, students should be supervised on-site by school counselors who have been licensed as a school counselor for a minimum of two years. The internship requires a minimum of 300 clock hours each semester with a minimum of 120 clock hours of direct service work. Students complete two, 300-hour internships of the course of a year. Each internship will be at a different level (i.e. elementary, middle, or high). Over the course of the year, interns will engage in processes congruent with the ASCA National Model, such as: 1. a program review of the internship site school counseling program (using the components of the ASCA model); 2. a report and review of the school crisis plan; and 3. the design and implementation of a consultation project that includes a theoretically-based consultation and collaboration effort involving family, community, peer (as appropriate) and school constituencies. The course also entails about current research and best-practices relevant to school counseling, including, but not limited to topics such as: at-risk and resilient behaviors and interventions; multicultural competency in schools; meeting needs of diverse learners; accountability and school counseling programs; working with immigrant families; crisis and suicide prevention/intervention; learning disorders and mental health diagnoses of children and adolescents; school climate; technology; and abuse. Interns work to meet the developmental needs of students in areas of social, emotional, educational, and vocational wellness. Interns will be challenged to appropriately conceptualize student needs and collaborate with other professionals to best meet the identified needs of students. Before completing internship, students must complete the on-line version of the Child Abuse Recognition and Intervention training from the Virginia Department of Education (www.vcu.edu/vissta/training/va_teachers) and submit their certificate to the instructor. Required Readings **Note: textbooks required by individual professors may differ from this list Making Data Work, 2 nd ed. (2005). Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, 2 nd ed. (2005). Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association Articles chosen from Professional School Counseling on topics such as: -at-risk and resilient behaviors and interventions; multicultural competency in schools; meeting needs of diverse learners; accountability and school counseling programs; working with immigrant families; crisis and suicide prevention/intervention; learning disorders and mental health diagnoses of children and adolescents; school climate; technology; and abuse. 1

Course Objectives At the conclusion of the internship, students will have successfully: 1. Articulated their philosophy and/or theoretical approach to school counseling and explain the comprehensive and developmental as well as the ASCA National Model approaches to school counseling. EVALUATED AT BEGINNING OF INTERNSHIP 2. Demonstrated an appropriate level of counseling skill development for K-12 children and adolescents. EVALUATED THROUGHOUT TWO SEMESTERS OF INTERNSHIP 3. Critically evaluated their work as counselors-in-training using relevant theories and models of consultation and supervision. EVALUATED THROUGHOUT TWO SEMESTERS OF INTERNSHIP 4. Applied the practices suggested in the ethical guidelines (ACA, ASCA) using ACA s guide to ethical decision-making. EVALUATED THROUGHOUT TWO SEMESTERS OF INTERNSHIP 5. Addressed the needs of a diverse student population and cite current findings on special topics listed in the syllabus above (using appropriate conceptualization, treatment planning, consultation, and referral skills) EVALUATED THROUGHOUT TWO SEMESTERS OF INTERNSHIP 6. Reported on, critiqued, and developed a school counseling program using the ASCA National Model. EVALUATED AT END OF FIRST SEMESTER OF INTERNSHIP 7. Implemented an accountability exercise using GRIP (goal, results, impact statement, and program implications) EVALUATED AT END OF FIRST SEMESTER OF INTERNSHIP 8. Reported on, critiqued, and developed a school crisis plan, using The Crisis Management Workbook (Fairfax Crisis Plan) as a guide EVALUATED AT END OF SECOND SEMESTER OF INTERNSHIP 9. Designed and implemented a consultation project that includes a theoretically-based consultation and collaboration effort involving family, community, peer (as appropriate) and school constituencies. EVALUATED AT END OF FIRST AND SECOND SEMESTER OF INTERNSHIP 2

Additional Student Responsibilities 1. Fulfill the requirements for school counselor licensure in Virginia and the standards of James Madison University, which mandate that 300/600 hours of on-site hours be completed by the end of the semester. The hours should be served in a manner that is in accordance with your need for a variety of experiences and the needs of those within the school to which you have been assigned. 2. Develop and present an internship contract signed by the student and the on-site host. Negotiation and/or modification may be required prior to approval by the internship supervisor. The contract is due within two weeks of the beginning of the internship. A new contract must be prepared even if you are continuing with the same site and host. Contracts should detail the experiences in which you intend to participate and the services you will provide. They should include a balance of individual and small group counseling as well as classroom guidance. The contract will concretely state your intentions and will be signed by you, the site supervisor, and the University supervisor. Use guidelines attached. 3. Bring copy of professional liability insurance to first individual supervision session. 4. Fulfill the contract as agreed upon by the student, host, and university supervisor. 5. Develop and submit a written statement of individual learning goals for the internship. Goals should be clearly and specifically articulated and should address issues within such areas as counseling skills, self-awareness, case conceptualization skills, and/or professional awareness. This is due during the first supervision class. 6. Attend and actively participate in scheduled group sessions. All interns are required to maintain a minimum of 5 ongoing clients. These are clients with whom you have a minimum of 5 individual sessions each for a minimum of 3 contact hours. 7. Meet with the internship supervisor for bi-weekly supervision sessions during the semester and once individually during the semester 8. Submit a minimum of three audio and/or videotapes of client counseling sessions for review by the internship supervisor and classmates. TYPED tape write-ups must be submitted to your supervisor at least 48 hours prior to your individual supervision session. Tapes must be audible or they will not be counted; therefore, listen to your tapes. 9. For each tape submitted, you must complete and submit a legible written analysis of the taped session (use your preferred tape write-up format). You are expected to review your tape prior to submitting it. Your should listen to your own work before you complete the tape summary form! Inaudible tapes will not be accepted!! Tapes are expected to reflect your current level of skills and therefore must be no more than 2 weeks old when submitted. 10. Maintain either a typed or neatly written daily logbook that includes a description of your field experiences, the date of the field experience, the amount of time spent, and your reflections about the experience (longer reflection required at least once a week; otherwise, your logbook will be returned). You will submit your logbook to the internship supervisor for review at designated times throughout the semester. This log book will also contain a 3

running total of your hours and activities documented on the log sheet. See date sheet for due dates. 11. Schedule and attend weekly meetings with site host (one hour per week minimum). 12. Post and read weekly articles from Professional School Counseling as assigned (Spring 2010 complete other assignments instead) 13. Attend at least one professional development activity (either a training or a conference) related to counseling. You must provide evidence of attendance. 14. Complete a final exam (a counseling tape and a corresponding write-up guidelines to be provided) Evaluation There are two grades given for internship: Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U). A grade of S indicates satisfactory completion of all course objectives and additional student responsibilities. The following will each be causes of an unsatisfactory grade: 1. showing up late to supervision class more than two times 2. failing to turn in a tape on your due date (class members may mutually switch dates one week in advance, giving adequate time to assign readings, etc.) 3. missing class one time (if you must miss for an emergency, you must arrange to review class members tapes and submit an extra tape of your own) missing class more than once for an emergency will necessitate beginning the internship again in the spring 4. unsatisfactory counseling skills, case conceptualization, or ethical practices as demonstrated in tapes 5. failing to meet course objectives, fulfill requirements 1-14 and/or failing to turn in completed assignments on time. 6. reports of unsatisfactory work by site supervisor and/or failure to progress in your counseling work on-site 4

Notes, Schedule, and Due Dates 1. Elaine Almarode will be providing 2 day-workshops on classroom management. In lieu of internship hours and if your supervisor agrees, you can take these two days and count them towards your non-direct hours for internship 2. Please plan on presenting at the counseling spring symposium and on keeping the entire day open to attend colleague s sessions and supervision. 3. Each of you is listed as providing the structure for peer supervision. Please review a current article related to supervision and implement an approach or strategy that you find to be appropriate). 4. Some of the objectives in bold are reflected in the assignments below. These assignments can be included in your portfolio. Italics, bolded items denote items that are DUE on the listed day Class 1 -Individual Supervision this week -Bring individual goals and internship contract Class 2 (CIT Visit for Electronic Portfolios) -Log 1 due -Using A Practitioner s Guide to Ethical Decision Making from: http://www.counseling.org/resources/codeofethics/tp/home/ct2.aspx, write about how an ethical dilemma at your school was handled and evaluate the process based on these guidelines make notes for each step and note your reactions Tapes and structures supervision Class 3 -Using the ASCA National Model, compare and contrast your school s counseling program with the ASCA model. Make relevant recommendations for your school. Reid Lynn and colleague: Classroom Management Class 4 -Log 2 due (Guest Speaker for career) Tapes and structures supervision Class 5 -Bring example of GRIP exercise that you have carried out in your internship (see example at the end of the syllabus) -Supervisor eval of you due Interview Practice with Portfolios Class 6 Log 3 due Special Education Guest or another needed topic Tapes and structures supervision 5

Class 7 -Review The Crisis Management Workbook (Fairfax Crisis Plan) and compare/contrast with your school s crisis plan. Turn in bullet pointed list of similarities, of differences, and of recommendations for your current school. Tapes and structures supervision Class 8 (Symposium Day and Class) Tapes and structures supervision Class 9(TBA, can be coordinated with graduation day) Final tapes and papers due Log 4 (final logs) due Evaluation of site due Supervisor s evaluation of you due 6

SAMPLE FORMS FOR CLINICAL SUPERVISION: 7

INTERNSHIP DAILY LOG (You may modify this form as long as you record daily direct and indirect hours) Name: Date: Type of Activity (Supervision, Individual, Group, Consultation Other) Time spent Description of Activity (Client Initials, testing, etc) Total Hours this sheet: Total Indirect Hours this sheet: Total Contact Hours this sheet: Semester Total Hours: Semester Total Indirect Hours: Semester Total Contact Hours: Impressions or learning drawn from today's activities Concerns or questions arising from today's activities (JOURNAL WRITING DUE ONCE A WEEK) 8

I. TAPE CRITIQUE must be typed (use this format for your write-up to be distributed to all class members bring enough copies to class) Intern: Date: Tape #: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Client Initials: Session Length: Session Number with Client: 1. Background Information (client description, demographics, presenting issue or concern): 2. Session Notes (What was your goal for the session? How were you attempting to accomplish this goal? Behavioral observations. What happened?) 3. Conceptualization (Counselor s interpretation of what was happening with the client, hypotheses concerning possible treatment approaches) 4. Counselor s reaction to session (Thoughts and Feelings) 9

5. Future Plans and Goals 6. What counselor felt went well in the session and why: 5. What counselor would have done differently and why: 6. Rate Your Performance in this Session: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Explain your reason for this ranking. 7. Questions for feedback from your peers and supervisor 10

II. TREE METAPHOR FOR CASE CONCEPTUALIZATION Fill in information about client related to metaphor (soil, roots, trunk, branches, foliage) above Key: Soil (environment, SES, political realities, economic climate, cultural factors) Roots (family system support, school system support, peer support) Trunk (client behaviors, attitudes, skills, strengths, weaknesses, talents, disabilities, personal risk and protective factors) Branches (adaptations to society productive, isolated, level of risk for drop-out, substance abuse, sexual risk, violence, and suicide) Foilage, fruit, and flowers (healthy or unhealthy manifestations in behaviors, attitudes, skills, etc.) 11

Summarize client description based on tree metaphor: Soil: Roots: Branches Foilage/fruite/flowers Based on your assessment, what do you see as your specific duties as the gardener for this client? Provide a rationale for your responses. (Activity Based on At Risk Youth metaphor by McWhirter et al. (2004) 12

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: 13

Sample Contract: Sample Internship Contract I, Nancy George, will be completing a school counseling internship at James River Middle School during the Fall of 2009. My site supervisor will be Mrs. Joycelyn Painter, who is a licensed school counselor with at least three years of experience, and my university supervisor will be Dr. Michele Kielty Briggs. I will begin on August 27, 2009 and will end on December 10, 2009. I will be working a total of 300 hours during the semester and plan to be at the school for approximately 20 hours a week (8am-3pm Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday). As part of my requirements, I will be completing a total of 120 direct, contact hours. These hours will include individual counseling, small group counseling, and classroom lessons. I will also complete 180 indirect hours of school counseling work. I will complete duties agreed to with my site supervisor. I will spend one hour of one-on-one supervision time with my site supervisor, Mrs. Painter. I will also receive an average of 1.5 hours of supervision per week (3 hours every other week) from Dr. Briggs. I agree to contact both supervisors immediately if I feel I need to or have contacted Child Protective Services in the event of suspicion of abuse or neglect. My supervisors will support me in this process and will be available for assistance if needed. I will submit evaluations completed by my site supervisor twice during the semester and I will turn in an evaluation of my site as well. Any changes made to my schedule or contract will be made in writing by mutual agreement. Signed,, Internship student, Site Supervisor, University Supervisor 14

Sample Tape Permission: (form used must be approved by site supervisor and university supervisor) Date: Dear, My name is and I am a graduate student in the counseling program at James Madison University. I am a school counselor in training and am being supervised by who is the school counselor at school. I am also being supervised by Dr. Michele Kielty Briggs at James Madison University. I am looking forward to working with your son/daughter this semester. Because I am a counseling intern, I have to submit counseling audiotapes to Dr. Briggs. The purpose of these tapes is to evaluate my work as a counselor. The identity of my client will be confidential. The only person who would listen to these tapes is Dr. Briggs and immediately following our supervision session, I m required to erase the audiotape. By signing below, you are giving me permission to work with you son or daughter and audiotape our sessions. If you have any questions at all, please contact either my on-site supervisor, at or Dr. Briggs at 540-568-2553. I give permission to, a counseling intern at James Madison University to work with my son or daughter. I also agree that can audiotape his/her sessions with my child. I understand that the identity of my child is kept confidential and that counseling tapes are erased immediately at the end of my supervision session. Signed, 15

COUNSELING INTERN PERFORMANCE RATING FORM Intern Site Date / / Directions: Circle the number that reflects your rating of the intern s performance on that dimension. COUNSELING SKILLS 1. Empathic understanding 2. Genuineness with clients 3. Rapport 4. Clarity 5. Facilitation of clients insight and change USE OF SUPERVISION 6. Genuineness with supervisor 7. Self-awareness 8. Insight into clients 9. Insight into client/counselor relationships 10. Openness to feedback and suggestions WORK PERFORMANCE 11. Punctuality 12. Responsibility 16

13. Organization 14. Quality of writing (organization, clarity, mechanics) 15. Professional manner and dress 16. Cooperation 17. Ethics SUMMATION 18. Overall counselor effectiveness 19. Recommendation for internship grade 0 1 Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Comments and suggestions: Supervisor s Signature 17

EVALUATION OF INTERNSHIP SITE FORM Intern Internship Site Date / / Directions: Circle the number that reflects your rating of the internship site on that dimension. 1. Opportunities for counseling experiences 1 2 3 4 5 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent 2. Supervision 1 2 3 4 5 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent 3. Staff support 1 2 3 4 5 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent 4. Atmosphere 1 2 3 4 5 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent 5. Facility (space, materials, resources) 1 2 3 4 5 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent 6. Professionalism of staff 1 2 3 4 5 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent 7. Inservice training 1 2 3 4 5 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent 8. Overall quality of internship site 1 2 3 4 5 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent Comments and suggestions: Intern s Signature 18

GRIP EXAMPLE Goals (focus of project, participants, timeframe, ASCA standards addressed, program implications) *Relational bullying lessons will be delivered to sixth grade girls over the course of four weeks. There will be four classroom guidance lesson. These will address the ASCA National Standards for personal/social development, which guide school counseling programs to provide the foundation for personal and social growth as students progress through school and into adulthood. Results stated in measureable terms *80/100 sixth grade girls were present for all lessons. Every girl attended at least one lesson. Definitions for physical, verbal, and relational bullying as well as bystander were provided. Girls were given tools for combating bullying, such as using assertive verbal and body language, calling for mediation, role-modeling, getting a buddy or asking for adult help. Girls participated in role-plays to recognize various types of bullying and practice intervening for self and others. Impact statements (i.e. percent change) *Before the series of lessons, 60/100 sixth grade girls knew the definitions for all types of bullying by the end of the program 100/100 could define each type of bullying. This represents a 66.6% change in knowledge regarding bullying. Pre tests indicated that before the lessons, only 40% of girls felt comfortable knowing how to intervene if they were being bullied or if they saw another person being bullied. Post tests indicated that after the lessons, 90% said they felt comfortable intervening if bullied or witnessing bullying. This represents a 55.5% change in ability to intervene. Discipline referrals dropped 44% starting the week after these lessons were completed. Program implications *Based on the success of this program Mabry Middle School will institute a bullying prevention plan for all sixth grade girls. Results will be tabulated and the school will expand this program to other grades as well as to boys as needed. Discipline referrals will continue to be tracked. 19