After reading "Kanika's Conundrum" and the
importance of becoming aware of your strengths and weaknesses at the various
levels, I was able to relate to the elementary and high school components due
to my teaching experience. In regards to
the elementary setting, it is important to understand that you are working with
students through the largest span of their development. Dollarhide and Saginak (2012) state that the
goals that are focused on during this level are building self-concepts,
learning to get along with peers, developing morality and values, achieving
personal independence, and developing healthy attitudes towards social
groups. To achieve these goals I would
need to work with all students in whole class discussions, small groups, and
individual counseling. Observing and
speaking to my counselor, bouncing ideas and speaking to her about situations
that I notice in the classroom has made me feel more comfortable with entering
the level of elementary. When I was at
the high school I was not sure what went on at the younger levels and having
that experience I feel helps me in the long run. Even though, I am only going for my
elementary certification, I still question which level I would rather be
at. Just as Kanika, I do feel that I
have a level that I would not feel comfortable which is middle school. I feel as though I would rather be with the
younger students examining and guiding them through their development or with
the high school students aiding them in discovering who they are and what they
want in life. The focus in high school,
as Dollarhide and Saginak (2012) bring up is search for identity, independence,
self-definition, and creating meaningful relationships to make a unique
contribution in life. When working at
the high school I came across some of these issues with my learning support
students. It is amazing when you can
guide these students and help them make a difference in this world. Throughout the examples of the various
comprehensive school counseling program, I noticed that overall they believe
that all students are able to learn and can be given the opportunity to be
successful in this world with the proper support. As future school counselors, we need to always remember the reasoning of
why we do what we do. We are here for
the students to ensure their success and support them in their
development. Finally, to relate to this
chapter I felt that the panel was helpful in giving us real life situations to
reflect on when looking to enter the counseling field. It is vital to reflect on you learning and
identify strengths and weaknesses and be aware of where you would be a perfect
fit. I feel confident in my journey and
look forward to the experience that has yet to come.
Dollarhide, C. & Saginak, K. (2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs: K-12 delivery
systems in action (2nd ed.). Upper
Saddle River NJ
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