Best Practices for Effective Secondary School Counselors

by Carla F. Shelton, Edward L. James

Overview

"Middle and high school counselors will find this book to be very helpful for its practical and hands-on approach."
—Karen Thompson, Assistant Professor Psychology&Counseling
Valdosta State University  

"This is a great collection of resources to aid secondary school counselors."
—John Littrell, Professor of Counselor Education/Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Iowa State University  

"This is an outstanding addition to the field."
—Greg Brigman, Professor of Counselor Education
Florida Atlantic University  

"The material is especially helpful because of the separation in grade levels.  I often find it difficult to find material specifically designed for transitions from ninth to tenth grade AND from sixth to seventh. This is one of the most valued sections of the book for me."
—Judy Buchholz, Ninth-Grade School Counselor
D. W. Holmes Junior High School, CA  

"This is a major contribution to best practices in school counseling."
—Gerald Monk, Professor of Psychology&Counseling
San Diego State University  

"…an invaluable resource for school counselors."
—Barbara Blackburn, ASCA Secondary Vice President and President Elect

Innovative and essential strategies for charting a course toward an effective secondary school counseling program!

The recent wave of accountability reform movements has largely overlooked the needs of middle and high school counselors, yet has generated daunting pressure for guidance programs to be standards-based and data-driven. Written from the perspective of a practicing, certified counselor, this guide contains essential information needed to implement the American School Counselor Association′s National Model and smoothly transition from service-based to program-based counseling. The book affirms that the school′s guidance and counseling program play an integral role in the instructional program and overall school success.

Best Practices for Effective Secondary School Counselors centers on six best practices and highlights specific action plans and examples for each one, allowing counseling staff to easily implement the comprehensive programs outlined.

Key features include:

• Time-saving checklists, surveys, and forms
• Straightforward tactics for applying six best practices
• Strategies for stress management
• Tips for writing successful letters of recommendation
• An extensive resource and Web site list

From evaluation, advisement and communication, to career education, transition, and professional development, this user-friendly text features relevant and proven solutions for counselors′ primary concerns.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483361154
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	11/02/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Carla F. Shelton has 11 years of teaching experience in the special education profession. She has taught students with disabilities in Grades 2–12 in resource, self-contained, and inclusion settings. Shelton is certified in the areas of specific learning disabilities, emotional/behavior disorders, mildly intellectual disabilities, elementary grades (P-8), school counseling (P-12), and educational leadership and supervision. She has served as a high school counselor for the past five years, working with students in Grades 9–12. Shelton is the author of Best Practices for Secondary School Counselors.

Shelton is knowledgeable in instructional techniques and best classroom practices that promote and foster student learning. She is skilled in designing and implementing strategies to assist students with disabilities in meeting academic and behavior goals and objectives, to bridge the gap between school and parents, and to assist students with the transition process from school-to-school and to postsecondary endeavors. Shelton has mastered the art of collaboration with regular education teachers and staff and works effectively with families of students with disabilities. She has presented at the High Schools That Work Summer Conference, the National Tech Prep Conference, the Georgia School Counselor Conference, and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Annual Conference. Shelton’s professional affiliations include the American School Counselor Association, Georgia School Counselor Association, National Tech Prep Network, and Professional Association of Georgia Educators. Finally, Shelton’s solid education background and broad-based educational experience is the foundation on which The Exceptional Teacher’s Handbook is built.

Edward L. James, Ed. S. has dedicated the last 35 years of his life to the education profession with the last 28 years dedicated solely to the field of school counseling.  He spent 5 years in the elementary/junior high setting and 23 years at the high school level.  He received his degrees from Georgia Southern College.  Edward is active in professional organizations both local and national.  He is a member of the American School Counselors Association, Georgia School Counselors Association, National Tech Prep Network, and Professional Association of Georgia Educators.  Presently, Edward is a high school counselor who is committed to school-wide advisement and middle to secondary school transition.  He is skilled in developing needs assessments, program goals/objectives, and implementation strategies.  Edward has served as a consultant for a number of schools in developing comprehensive adviser/advisee programs and he is deeply involved with the High Schools That Work reform model created by the Southern Regional Education Board. Edward’s knowledge, motivation, professionalism, and expertise make him an excellent co-author for Best Practices for Effective Secondary School Counselors. 

    As a writing team, the authors bring solid professional credentials and expertise in the field of school counseling as well as the perspectives of prior classroom teachers and parents to this project.  Carla and Ed’s shared beliefs, philosophies, and love for the profession of school counseling led to the writing of a book that epitomizes their common vision and charts a new course for high school counselors across the nation.

 

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
1. Best Practice 1: Utilize Data to Evaluate Program Effectiveness and Plan for Continuous Improvement
Section 1: Review the School Counseling Plan
Section 2: Develop a School Profile
Section 3: Obtain Stakeholder Perspectives
Section 4: Create a Self-Evaluation Instrument
Section 5: Formulate a Counseling Program Action Plan
2. Best Practice 2: Design and Implement a Comprehensive Advisement System
Section 1: A Schoolwide Advisement Program
Section 2: An Individual Advisement Program
Section 3: A Rising Ninth-Grade Advisement Program
3. Best Practice 3: Design and Implement an Extensive Career Education Program
Section 1: Basic Principles of Career Development
Section 2: Design Appropriate Career Development Plans for Middle and High School Students
Section 3: Design and Implement a Comprehensive Career Center
Section 4: Career Portfolios for Students
4. Best Practice 4: Create Transition Programs That Prepare Students for Success
Section 1: A Keystone Program for Rising Ninth-Grade Students
Section 2: A Credit Recovery Program for High School Students
Section 3: A Capstone Program for Twelfth-Grade Students
5. Best Practice 5: Establish and Maintain Communication With the School Community
Section 1: Establishing Communication
Section 2: Maintaining Communication
6. Best Practice 6: Design a Personal Plan for Professional Development
Appendix A: Stress Management for Secondary School Counselors
Appendix B: Writing Effective Letters of Recommendation
Form B1: Student Recommendation Worksheet
Form B2: School Profile
Resource B3: Tips for Writing Effective Letters of Recommendation
Resource B4: Word Bank of Adjectives
Resource B5a: Sample Letters 1
Resource B5b: Sample Letters 2
Resource B5c: Sample Letters 3
Resource B5d: Sample Letters 4
Resource B5e: Sample Letters 5
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

…an invaluable resource for school counselors.

Barbara Blackburn

This is an outstanding addition to the field.

Greg Brigman

This is a great collection of resources to aid secondary school counselors.

John Littrell

This is a major contribution to best practices in school counseling.

Gerald Monk

The material is especially helpful. I often find it difficult to find material specifically designed for transitions from ninth to tenth grade AND from sixth to seventh. This is one of the most valued sections of the book for me.

Judy Buchholz

Middle and high school counselors will find this book very helpful for its practical and hands-on approach.

Karen Thompson