Exceptional Learners
School counselors have a responsibility to serve ALL students, especially students with various exceptionalities (both abilities and disabilities). These exceptionalities can include developmental, emotional/behavioral, intellectual, and physical disabilities, as well as students with special gifts and talents (Chen-Hayes, Ockerman, & Mason, 2014). Students with exceptionalities can face many barriers in school related to their academic, career, and personal/social well-being, one of the most common and damaging being others' low expectations (Hallahan, Kauffman, & Pullen, 2015). Although it may seem that only students with disabilities face these types of barriers, students with special gifts and talents may also struggle with "boredom, personal/social challenges, and/or behavioral incidents when their needs are not met" (Chen-Hayes et al., 2014, p. 285). These challenges can sometimes be so overwhelming that they lead to students dropping out of school (Rock & Leff, 2011).
Surprisingly, the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the national accrediting body for school counseling programs, does not yet require any specific coursework in working with students with disabilities or exceptionalities (CACREP, 2016; Chen-Hayes et al., 2014). Thus, many school counselors are ill-equipped to effectively work with exceptional learners. In their book titled 101 Solutions for School Counselors and Leaders in Challenging Times, Chen-Hayes et al. (2014) present a few "best-practices" for school counselors to utilize when working with exceptional learners:
Surprisingly, the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the national accrediting body for school counseling programs, does not yet require any specific coursework in working with students with disabilities or exceptionalities (CACREP, 2016; Chen-Hayes et al., 2014). Thus, many school counselors are ill-equipped to effectively work with exceptional learners. In their book titled 101 Solutions for School Counselors and Leaders in Challenging Times, Chen-Hayes et al. (2014) present a few "best-practices" for school counselors to utilize when working with exceptional learners:
- Transition Planning - Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are required to have a plan in place (by age 16) outlining specific services that will aid them in navigating the transition from high school to college and/or a career. As a part of the IEP team, school counselors should share their expert knowledge related to college and career readiness and collaborate with special education teachers, who also possess their own expertise related to the unique needs of students with disabilities. (To learn more about transitions for students with disabilities, check out my School Transition Plan page)
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- Advocating for "counseling" to be listed in students' 504 Plans and/or IEPs, rather than "individual counseling" - This allows school counselors to offer counseling groups, when appropriate, which encourages students with disabilities to interact with each other (and sometimes their peers without 504s/IEPs), promotes inclusion, and frees up time for school counselors to provide more school counseling core curriculum lessons that reach ALL students.
I actually lucked into taking a course in this subject area during my last semester of my graduate program, as our program is beginning to shift and require different coursework. During my internship, I have been able to put the knowledge I gained from this course into practice by collaborating with teachers and parents, participating in 504 and IEP conferences, and advocating for students with disabilities. Using my strengths-based theoretical perspective, I have advocated for accommodations that will best help students utilize their strengths to overcome areas of weakness. Specifically, after a few weeks into the school year I began meeting regularly with a student who has a seizure disorder. His mother wanted him to get some extra support in hopes of improving his grades. We worked on learning various organization, time-management, and planning techniques and then putting those skills into practice. Unfortunately, our efforts in individual counseling were not enough and he was continuing to struggle in a majority of his classes. Thus, at the start of spring semester I began advocating for further assistance by first talking with the student about how he felt his disability was impacting his learning. I collaborated with the student's mother and increased her awareness of the options that were available to help her student, including testing for special education services, which she was interested in pursuing. The process of completing testing and setting up an IEP conference can take up to 60 days, so my site supervisor and I decided that the student needed some other sort of assistance to help him while we waited on this process to unfold. In just two days I was able to set up and lead a 504 conference in which the team decided on certain accommodations that could make these next 60 days more manageable for the student. It was definitely a challenge getting all of these plans in place and gathering support, but it was a rewarding experience to practice being a change agent for equity.
References:
Chen-Hayes, S., Ockerman, M., & Mason, E.C.M. (2014). 101 Solutions for School Counselors and Leaders in Challenging Times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). (2016). CACREP 2016 Standards. Retrieved from www.cacrep.org
Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2015). Exceptional learners: An introduction to special education (13th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Rock, E., & Leff, E. H. (2011). The professional school counselor and students with disabilities. In B. T. Erford (Ed.), Transforming the school counseling profession (3rd ed., pp. 314-341). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Chen-Hayes, S., Ockerman, M., & Mason, E.C.M. (2014). 101 Solutions for School Counselors and Leaders in Challenging Times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). (2016). CACREP 2016 Standards. Retrieved from www.cacrep.org
Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2015). Exceptional learners: An introduction to special education (13th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Rock, E., & Leff, E. H. (2011). The professional school counselor and students with disabilities. In B. T. Erford (Ed.), Transforming the school counseling profession (3rd ed., pp. 314-341). Boston, MA: Pearson.