Developmental Curriculum

After reading Chapter  9 in Dollarhide & Saginak (2012), I thought a lot about the section on Delivering the Curriculum.  The curriculum is a huge part of the comprehensive school counseling program yet in many situations it is not being fully utilized.  I thought that this section provided a good background and insight into the importance of an effective classroom and the way the information is being taught.

As school counselors we will be expected to come into classrooms every once in a while to teach the students about essential developmental issues such as community, self-esteem, individuality, bullying and career focus.  The more understanding I am gaining about the school system, the more I am recognizing that delivering the students this curriculum can really make a difference in the environment.  Dollarhide & Saginak (2012) mention that a teacher, counselor or teacher-counselor team can provide the lessons and that they all can be beneficial to the students.  The situation that seems most helpful to me is the teacher-counselor team.  If the students see their teacher working with the counselor in a positive way then they can feel more supported when meeting with the counselor.  Another reason that this interaction can be positive, is that teachers learn more about what the counselor is all about and can benefit from implementing some of the counselor's ideas in the classroom.  The teacher is also likely to allow their students to see the counselor when needed and for a greater support system to form within the school.  "In many cases, teachers are already presenting topics from the developmental curriculum, but they may not recognize it as such" (Dollarhide & Saginak, p.152, 2012).  The majority of a school counselor's lessons fit into the academic curriculum that a teacher is already presenting.  Adding in the developmental part can provide application and allow the students to relate things they have learned to their own lives.

One very important part of an effective classroom and effective teaching is respect both personally and intellectually.  When students feel they are being given respect, they are more likely to return the favor and will get more out of the classroom.  Personal respect refers to a student's individual perspective and being allowed to share their own views and feel supported within the classroom.  Often times this is not the case because all students are not given the opportunity to share and be accepted.  While doing a developmental lesson, I feel that is something very important that can be taught to the students about respecting each other and our differences.  Intellectual respect is about understanding a person's intellectual functioning and being able to match their level.  Part of this involves letting the students know what will be discussed and asking them to join in on the conversation.  From my own personal experience when a teacher informs me of how a class will be run and what I can expect from the lesson it gives me more motivation to pay attention and participate.  I feel that I am being included in the discussion and given the chance to share my own views.  This is also why classrooms work better when students are considered collaborators rather than listeners or learners.  If they are allowed to collaborate in the learning environment, they become more involved with what they are being taught.

Students also feel a greater connection to the classroom when their teacher or school counselor is up to date on what is going on in their world.  When you better understand where your students are coming from it is easier to relate to them and for them to look up to you.  As a young school counselor it will be easier for me to relate to the world they are growing up in because I have/am growing up in it as well.  The term that is referred to in Dollarhide & Saginak (2012) is "withitness".  This means that a counselor or teacher has social insight and understands what is going on with their students.  Students will be more willing to communicate and confide with teachers and counselors who fit into this category.  I do feel that this is a great advantage to being as young as I am in this field.

Dollarhide, C. & Saginak, K. (2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs: K-12 delivery systems in action (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.