Chapter 4

It is interesting to read the case studies in this book. I would love to get some insightful answers on a Solution Focused way to help Ty out with his problems and where to head as a counselor. I am concerned that a number of counselors that I have run into tend to be like Bob from the case study. I am hoping that is not where the majority of school counselors end up just because the school is broken and they are forced to go down a road they don’t want to be at. It concerns me that so many counselors have gone to school and learned ways to provide assistance academically, socially, and with career development and it seems as though I do not see many of those practices being put into place. Hopefully I will see more of those schools as I work in more districts throughout this program. Do you feel as though they have not been trained properly or do you feel as though the broken schools are forcing them to go down the avenue they are in? In conducting my interviews of current school counselors I am surprised to hear their answers. I would have thought I would have heard more responses that were student centered and focused on ways to help them succeed with their problem. Instead I feel as though I have met more practicing counselors that are like Bob in the case study from the book. It concerns me because I am afraid that the broken school system may mold me into a practicing school counselor that is not in it for the proper reason of helping guide and facilitate the student to foster growth. As a teacher I constantly reflect back to Howard Gardner and the eight multiple intelligences for ways that a student can learn. Reading this chapter made me realize that I need to keep those styles in the back of my head constantly in order to help students in their journey through life. Students will all deal with problems differently and will need assistance in different ways to help get through a difficult situation that they may be in. While running small groups I need to make sure to vary our sessions to spark interest and growth in the given area. In keeping this in my mind it should help me to know the student’s emotions and help to motivate them in wanting to make changes in their life. Dollarhide, C. & Saginak, K. (2012). Comprehensive School Counseling Programs: K-12 Delivery Systems in Action (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.