Educating and Curriculum Delivery

The chapter on educating and curriculum delivery hit home due to my experience as a teacher.  I liked how Dollarhide and Saginak (2012) distinguished the difference between the word “teach” which means, “to give instruction to, to guide the studies of” whereas “educate” means “to advance the mental, aesthetic, physical or moral development of; to qualify by instruction for the business and duties of life” (pg. 141).  We need to remember that counselors are not there just to counsel but also educate the youth of today.  As a whole school and community we are all educators.  With that being said, in regards to the case study that was presented in the beginning of the chapter, I feel as though you cannot point blame.  We should be working as a team instead of pointing fingers.  We educate children on various subjects throughout their lives and it there choice whether to listen or learn on their own.  Obviously, we want them all to make good choices but ultimately the decision is theirs.  One way that counselors play a role in educating the students is through classroom lessons.  Dollarhide and Saginak (2012) brings up the fact that through this they need to make sure that counselors are careful when creating curricula to ensure that it meets the competencies that are defined in ASCA.  Some ideas that were discussed in the chapter were coping strategies, appreciation for diversity, conflict resolution, healthy choices, etc. 

Next, when Dollarhide and Saginak (2012) discussed the design of learning experiences, it was at that point where it hit home.  Essentially, they are breaking down in how the lesson should be developed.  As a counselor you need to believe in what you teach and determine the purpose of what you’re teaching before you begin.  You can do that by establishing learning objectives so that at the end of the lesson you can determine whether what you wanted to get across did.  An important factor to remember is that you want to implement a lesson that is engaging to the students and meet all types of learners through visual, auditory, and tactile.  In addition, when planning a lesson you want to ensure that you have all materials needed so that use your time wisely and have a well planned, organized lesson.  Finally, the only battle that the counselors face is when to implement the lessons.  This is one of the barriers that Dollarhide and Saginak (2012) bring up as a barrier for school counselors.  For me, guidance is a lesson for the students so there is a block of time that is set aside for the counselor once a month.  In conclusion, we need to remember how important it is to educate the students and meet all their needs.              

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