Prescriptive or non-prescriptive, delivery models are to fall into one of these two categories. Why? How is it that there is no in-between? I agree that there needs to be details in what to do and what not do, guidelines on how to spend your time, and what type of activities to be engaged in as school counselors. However, I believe there also needs to be some degree of the school counselor aligning with the needs of the students and school. I have trouble defining myself as one who is purely prescriptive or non-prescriptive. I do admit that I lean a little more towards structure and consistency, but my desire for justice, for the students, will keep me looking at the non-prescriptive models and wanting to incorporate aspects of their delivery systems.
I really grabbed onto the idea of an advisory program, the teacher-advisor program (TAP) specifically. Considering the many stories I have heard from adults about how someone made an impact in their life while in school, it only seems logical to recruit teachers and even staff or administrators to take on a group of students that they will find ways to meaningfully connect with over the course of the students' academic careers and hopefully beyond. I do not necessarily agree that it should be contained within a "homeroom" period. I envision a connection that would go deeper and more personal for the student rather than be couched in guidance lessons with a large group. This idea of course seems a bit lofty since there is only so much time in the school day.
We have discussed numerous times the importance of developing positive working relationships with teachers, staff, and administration as well as many other stakeholders. Upon reading about collaborative counselor-teacher relationships, I recalled one of the last counselors I observed in a middle school. I was pleased to sit in on one of the "team" meetings where all the teachers for eighth grade met with the school social worker and school counselor. This was a small school with an eighth grade class of approximately 125 students, so there were only four teachers present, one from each of the core subjects. Through the course of the meeting, teachers highlighted certain students and the concern they held for him or her. Discussion and next steps followed each concern. If this is not already happening within the school I find myself working in, then I hope to implement it. It may not be conducive in this format for high school, but with a little finagling, I hope to find a way so that there is regular conversation about various student needs and concerns.
We continually read about effective models, delivery systems, frameworks, and so forth. We also repeatedly hear how little time school counselors have, as was such again in this week's article (Schawallie-Giddis, ter Maat, & Pak, 2003). What I would like to understand or see is the evidence of efficiency, of course after effectiveness. I believe that we may be fighting a losing battle when it comes to implementing anything other than what is already established within a school out of fear, stubbornness, or simply lack of understanding. School administrations seem to have their own idea of what works and do not have the desire to utilize something such as the ASCA National Model that may cause things to change especially since they know very little of the model. Schwallie-Giddis and colleagues (2003) suggest leadership teams to educate and collaborate so that the vision of the National Model can be turned into action. That is a little scary as a new counselor-in-training. I want an effective model with a delivery system that is efficient and I know that the first couple of years I will need to focus on acclimating myself to the school's culture, pattern of operation, and idiosyncrasies. What I need to be cautious with is falling into the trap of complacency.
Dollarhide, C. T. & Saginak, K. A. (2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs: K-12 delivery systems in action (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Schwallie-Giddis, P., ter Maat, M., & Pak, M. (2003). Initiating leadership by introducing and implementing the ASCA National Model. Professional School Counseling, 6(3), 170-174.
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