Counseling Free-Write

Throught this practicum experience I have come to fully realize just how much responsibility school counselors truly have. I have also come to understand how people who are not counselors understand so little about the job description yet think the know ~everything~. For instance, a couple weeks ago a situation came up where immediate actions had to be taken and authorities became involved. It is impossible to bring people in our school without the whole school community becoming in the know at what is ging on, or at lest what they think might be going on. People that I rarely see came up talking about what happened and had their story and was trying to explain what they thought should have been done to handle the situation. I made absolutely no response to their conversation and in my mind I cracked up at just how much people think they know compared to what they really know about a situation. In a way I was aggravated too. We deal with people from young to old, but nonetheless, people. I was aggitated to think how quickly some people dismiss that idea that people are people regardless. 

I have also had peole come up tp me and want to know when I will become a school counselor. I just reply to them that I don't know and will have to wait and see. Then the response I get is "well I hope you learned how to put a video in and let the class watch it, since that all you will have to do around here..." Again, I chuckle in my mind because statements like this come from the people who have no idea what a school counselor truly does.

So the metaphor in counseling for me, I link it back to my background of growing up on a farm, Counselors are cultivators. You work through challenges sometimes slowly and always with purpose and the outcome will be more productive, stronger, and able to stand on it's own.

Ice Breaker

Just a quick note about an effective ice breaker that can get a group engaged in conversation:
Fact or Fib

This ice breaker game is also commonly known as "two truths and a lie." Have everyone in the group sit in a small circle facing each other. Players then take turns telling the rest of the group three facts about themselves, including two truths, or facts, and one lie, or fib. Begin with yourself to give an example. Try to come up with two true facts that might seem unrealistic, such as "I have swum with sharks" or "I was an extra in a movie." Add a third fib, such as "I have three brothers." See if the group can guess which fact is a fib. Then continue the game, with each player reciting three facts, and the group guessing which fact is the fib.

Read more: Ice Breaker Games for Small Groups | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6079729_ice-breaker-games-small-groups.html#ixzz2BJCv6lni

 

This is an ice breaker that doesn't recquire a lot of props or anything special that you would need to purchase!

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying

Cyber bullying is an issue that school counselors have to deal with on a daily basis it seems. Cyber bullying is a real problem that cannot be taken lightly. Cyber bullying has also changed how a school counselor has to think about bullying in general. School counselors have to educate students what cyber bullying is and what can happen legally as a result of cyber bullying. I don’t think that most students (or their parents for that matter) are aware of the implications that can come from cyber bullying. If I was given the task of addressing cyberbullying to my school I would start in the beginning of the year and work to educate teachers what examples of cyber bullying are and to make them aware of what could be happening online. Next, I would work with each grade level of students and design age appropriate activities and lessons that would let kids know about cyberbullying and the signs and what to do if a situation occurs. I think that the older students need to have a clear understanding of what can happen if they are the cyber bully as well. This may mean having to include a visit from a student resource officer or state police. Cyber bullying cannot be depicted as an unimportant idea that happens in other places and not here or led to be a cartoonish idea. There needs to be a clear understanding of online etiquette, and a foundation of knowledge of what can happen to cyber bullies and victims, and a route to report instances of cyberbullying.

Continued Learning as a Professional

Once this practicum course has ending I will continue to learn as a professional. Learning as a professional to me means that I will work to gain more knowledge and insight to school c counseling. Ways that I can gain more knowledge is to utilize the resources that I currently have. I have gotten to know some of the other counselors in my district and their experience is much greater than mine and I know that I still have a lot to learn from my professional peers. I think that it is important for me to belong to professional organizations like Kentucky School Counselors Association and the American Counseling Association. These organizations will serve as a reliable resource to new studies and research and current information. I will also need to seek out Professional Development as well. Professional developments will provide me with opportunities to meet knowledgeable peers in the field and provide interactions with other counselors that I might not otherwise have. As a lifelong learner I will also work independently to stay up to date on research, studies, and information that will benefit me in the counseling line of work. I have to maintain a vigilance to learn on my own and not solely depend on organizations and pd’s for my continued learning.