WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Department of Counseling & Student Affairs INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELING -- CNS 550 Instructor: Vernon Lee Sheeley, Ph.D. Gary A. Ransdell Hall, 2018, E-mail: vernon.sheeley@wku.edu Phone: 270-745-4953 (or 4777) Fax: 270-745-5031 Office hours: Mon.-Fri. (mornings until noon or after) CNS 550. Introduction to Counseling: The history and overview of the counseling profession, current trends and work settings for counselors. Professional roles and functions, including school counselors, other professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists. Introduction to professional organizations, legal and ethical issues, and certification and licensure issues. Course Purpose: This course will orient class members to the profession of school counseling. Course work will introduce professional expectations and responsibilities of school counselors, fundamentals of the profession, academic, career and affective concerns of children and adolescents, legal and ethical issues specific to school counseling, and multicultural considerations. Students will also be introduced to licensing and certification requirements and advocacy policies and processes to enhance client growth and build the profession. Course Objectives: This course is designed to meet the following 2009 Standards of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP): Core Curriculum Knowledge Outcomes: Section II.G.1 PROFESSIONAL ORIENTATION AND ETHICAL PRACTICE a. history and philosophy of the counseling profession; b. professional roles, functions, and relationships with other human service providers, including strategies for interagency/inter-organization collaboration and communications; f. professional organizations, including membership benefits, activities, services to members, and current issues; g. professional credentialing, including certification, licensure, and accreditation practices and standards, and the effects of public policy on these issues; h. the role and process of the professional counselor advocating on behalf of the profession; j. ethical standards of professional organizations and credentialing bodies, and applications of ethical and legal considerations in professional counseling; Section II.G.5 HELPING RELATIONSHIPS a. an orientation to wellness and prevention as desired counseling goals; b. counselor characteristics and behaviors that influence helping processes; f. a general framework for understanding and practicing consultation; Section II.G.8 RESEARCH AND PROGRAM EVALUATION a. the importance of research in advancing the counseling profession.
School Counseling Program Area Knowledge Standards FOUNDATIONS A. Knowledge 1. Knows history, philosophy, and trends in school counseling and educational systems. 2. Understands ethical and legal considerations specifically related to the practice of school counseling. 3. Knows roles, functions, settings, and professional identity of the school counselor in relation to the roles of other professional and support personnel in the school. 4. Knows professional organizations, preparation standards, and credentials that are relevant to the practice of school counseling. 5. Understands current models of school counseling programs (e.g., American School Counselor Association [ASCA] National Model) and their integral relationships to the total educational program. M. Knowledge 4. Understands systems theories, models, and processes of consultation in school system settings Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, class members will be expected to: 1. Articulate general of the history and philosophy of the counseling profession (II. G.1.a; SC A.1) 2. Demonstrate an understanding of the role and function of the professional school counselor within the school setting (II.G.1.b; SC A.2.3) 3. Recognize the school counselor s professional roles, duties and functions as they pertain to collaboration with other educational and human service providers (II.G.1.b; SC A.3) 4. Develop a self-care, stress management plan appropriate to their role as a school counselor (II.G.5.d) 5. Articulate the importance of continuous professional development, including professional organizations, membership benefits, activities, services to members, and current issues (II.G. 1.f; SC A.4) 6. Recognize different types of professional credentialing, including certifications and licensure, accreditation practices and standards (II.G.1.g; SC A.4). 7. Recognize the role and process of the professional school counselor advocating on behalf of the profession and students (II.G.1.h; SC M.4) 8. Understand a general framework for consultation and collaboration in school counseling systems (II.G.5.f) 9. Articulate how the implementation of the ASCA National Model and ASCA National Standards are integral to and support the educational mission of schools (CACREP SC.A.5) 10. Articulate importance of needs assessment and program evaluation to advance the profession (II.G.8.a). Faculty and Department Responsibilities: A student s this program is contingent upon the student s ability to meet the requirements and expectations of a professional counselor, as delineated by professional organizations such as the American Counseling Association (ACA)
and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Areas of expectation include but are not limited to issues such as ethical and legal responsibilities, competence, and client respect and care. Counselor educators are bound by the ACA code of ethics to recommend remediation or to refuse endorsement of a problematic counselor-in-training. These factors are evaluated based on a class member s performance, academic behaviors, personal and professional behaviors and awareness, and impact on others, as well as the ability to accept personal responsibility and feedback. Commitment to Professionalism: All students are expected to maintain the highest professional and ethical standards. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the Western Kentucky University (WKU) Code of Ethics at: http://wku.edu/judicialaffairs/?page id=70. Class Attendance: Throughout the semester, weekly attendance and class participation are expected. One absence may be allowed without a grade deduction, however the final grade may be lowered for additional absences.. Assigned Text: Erford, B. T. (2011). Transforming the school counseling profession, 3 rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall. Other Recommended Readings: American School Counselor Association (2005). The ASCA National Model: A framework for school counseling programs, 2 nd ed. Alexandria, VA Author ASCA Ethical Standards ASCA Position Statements (http://www.schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?contentid=178 Miller, L. L. (1970). Counseling leads and related concepts: A glossary of terms designed to reduce semantic confusion in counseling. Laramie, WY: D.R.D. Stone, C. B., & Dahir, C. A. (2007). School counselor accountability: A measure of student success. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall. Other readings as assigned including the New York Times (issues supplied by the instructor) Instructional Strategies: Mini-lectures, videos, assessment inventories, large and small group discussions/presentations, individual conferences with students, internet research, reading and written assignments, and guest lecturers may be utilized. Course Requirements: a. Participation/In-class Activities (Each student is expected to participate in all assignments, discussions, and activities and be prepared to contribute meaningfully at those sessions.) b. Course Projects (Each student selects and reviews text chapters with other class members.) c. Skills Demonstration (Each student prepares a developmental guidance/counseling handout, distributes a hard copy to all class members, and explains the use.) d. Journal Articles (All students select and read at least two journal articles, present an abstract of each to the instructor, and review with the class.) e. Critical Experience Performance #1 f. Critical Experience Performance #2 f. Professional Performance Review (Student evaluation will also include the results for this.)
Course Evaluation Criteria and Procedures: Course Requirement Grading Scale a. Participation/In-class Activities 10 % b. Course Projects 10 % c. Skills Demonstrations 10 % d. Journal Articles 10 % e. Critical Experience #1 (class presentation) 25 % f. Critical Experience #2 (final exam) 25 % g. Professional Performance Review 10 % Total 100 % Grading Scale: A=90-100%; B=80-89%; C=70-79%; D=60-69%; F= below 60% Critical Performances: With two critical experiences, class members are asked to assess their conceptualization of school counseling-related concepts and skills, as well as an ability to apply the base learned to build professional identity, based on the CACREP standards for this course. Students are to submit their critical experiences electronically through the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences electronic portfolio system.
General Instructions: This critical performance requests you to prepare a position paper (4-6 pages max) and present a summary of the results (one page, front and back max) to each class member and the instructor along with your class presentation that explains your strong views about best practices and use of a counselor s time in the school setting. Interview practicing counselors for input, include your own personal and professional experiences and base your position on literature (your text or other sources). Explain and defend how what you are strongly concerned about will support the educational mission of your school and students. The rubric rating is attached. This electronic submission is due October 17, 2011. CNS 550 Critcal Performance #1 Evaluation Rubric STANDARD exceeded the requirements for this exemplary base of school counseling, as well as an ability to conceptualize and apply this into a scholarly paper Section II.G.5 a. an orientation to wellness and prevention as desired counseling goals; b. counselor characteristics and behaviors that influence helping processes; f. a general framework for understanding and practicing consultation; SC A. -1. Knows history, philosophy, and trends in school counseling and educational systems. met the requirements for this satisfactory base of school counseling, as well as an ability to conceptualize and apply this. met less than satisfactory requirements for this minimal base of school counseling, as well as a minimal ability to conceptualize and apply this. 2. Understands ethical met minimal requirements for this little and unsatisfactory base of school counseling, as well as an inability to satisfactorily conceptualize and apply this.
and legal considerations specifically related to the practice of school counseling. 3. Knows roles, functions, settings, and professional identity of the school counselor in relation to the roles of other professional and support personnel in the school. 4. Knows professional organizations, preparation standards, and credentials that are relevant to the practice of school counseling. 5. Understands current models of school counseling programs (e.g., American School Counselor Association [ASCA] National Model) and their integral relationships to the total educational program. SC M. 4 Understands systems theories, models, and processes of consultation in school system settings.
In this second critical performance, you are to write a reflection paper (4-6 pages max) about progress of the school guidance and counseling movement throughout the past hundred years. Conduct research on the history of professional counseling issues, government influence and support of counselors, legal and ethical codes, licensure issues, theories of counseling, and professional counseling organizations. The rubric is attached. This electronic submission is due October 27, 2011. CNS 550 Critical Performance #2 Evaluation Rubric STANDARD exceeded the requirement s for this exemplary base of school counseling, as well as an ability to conceptualiz e and apply this into a scholarly paper. Section II.G.1 a. history and philosophy of the counseling profession; b. professional roles, functions, and relationships with other human service providers, including strategies for interagency/interorganizatio n collaboration and communications; met the requirement s for this satisfactory base of school counseling, as well as an ability to conceptualiz e and apply this. met less than satisfactory requirement s for this minimal base of school counseling, as well as a minimal ability to conceptualiz e and apply this. met minimal requirements for this little and unsatisfactor y base of school counseling, as well as an inability to satisfactorily conceptualize and apply this. f. professional organizations, including membership
benefits, activities, services to members, and current issues; g. professional credentialing, including certification, licensure, and accreditation practices and standards, and the effects of public policy on these issues; h. the role and process of the professional advocating on behalf of the profession; j. ethical standards of professional organizations and credentialing bodies, and applications of ethical and legal considerations in professional counseling; Section II.G.8 a. the importance of research in advancing the counseling profession. Rubric Rating: Please refer to the rubric for the Professional Performance Review, which is printed in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs Graduate Student handbook (pp. 35-37). The PPR rubric is used at the close of every course to evaluate each student s the program. Electronic Mail (e-mail) is the official means of communication with class members. A student s failure to receive or read official university communications sent to the student s official e-mail address does not absolve the student from knowing and complying with the content of the official communication. It is recommended that students check e-mail messages regularly. Academic Integrity and Plagiarism: Academic integrity is an essential component of an academic community. Every class member is responsible for fostering and maintaining a culture of academic honesty by committing to the academic values of honesty, integrity, responsibility,
trust, respect for self and others, fairness, and justice. In addition, members are expected to abide by the code of ethics for their profession and the student code of conduct for the university. Violations of academic integrity include cheating, plagiarism, or lying about academic matters. Plagiarism is defined ass any use of another writer s words, concepts, or sequences of ideas without acknowledging that writer properly. This includes not only direct quotations of another writer s words, but also paraphrases or summaries of another writer s concepts or ideas without acknowledging the writer properly (i.e., citing them). Cheating includes behaviors such as giving or receiving data or information under any circumstances not permitted by the instructor. Lying about academic matters includes falsification of data or information as part of an academic exercise, or knowingly providing false information to a faculty member. Class members who have plagiarized an assignment or otherwise cheated in their academic work or examination may expect an F for the assignment in question or F for the course, at the instructor s discretion. All incidents of cheating or plagiarism, reported by the instructor, will follow the Student Remediation Process as described in the departmental Graduate Student Handbook. Please note: The University uses web-based products to detect plagiarism. Self-plagiarism: This term is defined by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6 th ed.) as authors presenting their previously published work as new scholarship (p. 16). It is thus unethical for students to use work previously submitted to meet a course requirement (e.g., a course paper to meet a course requirement in another course. Doing so will result in remediation procedures. Graduate students are advised that self-plagiarism will be treated as plagiarism and that the same disciplinary procedures will be used as those implemented for plagiarism. A tutorial is posted online in the Student Handbook. In the Statement of Understanding Form you sign regarding responsibility for policies and procedures presented in the handbook, the following statement and signature line is included: I also attest that I have successfully completed the plagiarism tutorial as required by the department and will be held responsible for upholding department and university standards for ethical behavior and academic integrity. Signed Informed Consent: Students enrolled in counseling classes and programs are expected to exhibit personal qualities and characteristics consistent with effective functioning as a helping professional. Some classes require learning experiences which focus on self-understanding or growth. The letter grade awarded for a class may not reflect an evaluation of personal qualities needed to function as a competent counselor. Admission of a student to a counseling class or program of study does not guarantee completion or graduation; assessment of a student s fitness is an ongoing process, and students should be aware that the instructor has a continuous responsibility to make such an assessment. The syllabus and grading requirements may be changed if unforeseen extenuating circumstances occur. If such an event occurs, class members will be properly informed. Disability Accommodations: Students with disabilities who require accommodations
(academic adjustments and /or auxiliary aids or services for this course) must contact Coordinator Matt Davis in the Office for Student Disability Services (OSDS), Suite 200A, Downing University Center. The OSDA telephone number is (270) 745-5004 (or 5-5004 from on campus) V/TDD. Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Coordinator. Course Schedule (Date, Course Objective(s), Class Content, and CACREP Standards) 8/29 Obj. 1 Chapter 1 (Erford) Introductions, Review Syllabus, Counseling Leads, and Transforming the Counseling Profession (II.G.1.b.f; SC.A.3). 9/5 Labor Day (no class) 9/12 Obj. 1, 2, 4 Chapter 2 (Erford) Historical Roots of School Counseling and Future Issues (II.G.1.a; SC.A.1) 9/19 Obj. 2, 9 Chapter 3 (Erford) The ASCA National Model (II.G.1.b; SC A.3; II,/G,5,f) 9/26 Obj. 1, 3 Chapter 4 (Erford) Outcomes Research on School Counseling (II.5.f) 10/3 Obj. 2, 5, 6 Chapter 5 (Erford) Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in School Counseling (II.G.1.j; SC.A.2) 10/10 Obj. 2 Chapter 6 (Erford) Culturally Competent School Counselors (II.G.5.b) 10/17 Obj. 5 Chapter 7 (Erford) Leadership and Achievement Advocacy for Every Student (II.G.1.h) (Submit first critical performance at http://edtech2.wku.edu/portfolio. *) 10/24 Obj. 7, 8 Chapter 8 (Erford) Systemic, Data-Driven School Counseling Practice and Programming for Equity (SC A.5) 10/31 Obj.2, 3 Chapter 9 (Erford) Developmental Classroom Guidance (SC M.4) 11/7 Obj. 2, 10 Chapter 10 (Erford) Counseling Individuals and Groups in School (SC M.4) 11/14 Obj. 6, 9 Chapters 11-12 (Erford) Promoting Educational and Career Planning in Schools and Consultation, Collaboration, and Parent Involvement (SC A.5) 11/21 Obj. 5 Chapters 13-14 (Erford) Accountability: Evaluating Programs, Assessing Needs, and Determining Outcomes and Systemic Approaches to Counseling Students Experiencing Complex and Specialized Problems (SC A.4) 11/27 Obj. 2, 10 Chapter 15 (Erford) The Professional School Counselor and Students with Disabilities (II.G.5.b) (Submit second critical performance at ttp//edtech2.wku.edu/portfolio.*) 12/5 Obj. 2, 10 Chapter 16 (Erford) Helping Students with Mental and Emotional Disorders (SC M.4) *If you have not registered for the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences professional education electronic portfolio system, create a new student account. Note the directions at http://edtech2.wku.edu/portfolio/studenthelp/student_instructions.php. Your paper should be saved as a Microsoft Word document. Student login (You need your WKU ID and password.) Cns. 550 (Click on View Critical Performances. ) You will see project. Click on Upload/View Files. Follow directions to upload your document. (This will be like adding an e-mail attachment.)