IV-B: Abilities and Skills
An effective school counselor is able to accomplish measurable objectives measuring the following abilities and skills:
Direct Student Services
School Counseling Core Curriculum
IV-B-1. Implements the school counseling core curriculum
IV-B-1a. Identifies appropriate curriculum aligned to ASCA Student Standards
IV-B-1b. Develops and presents a developmental school counseling core curriculum addressing all students’ needs based on student data
IV-B-1c. Demonstrates classroom management and instructional skills
IV-B-1d. Develops materials and instructional strategies to meet student needs and school goals
IV-B-1e. Encourages staff involvement to ensure the effective implementation of the school counseling core curriculum
IV-B-1f. Knows, understands and uses a variety of technology in the delivery of school counseling core curriculum activities
IV-B-1g. Understands multicultural and pluralistic trends when developing and choosing school counseling core curriculum
IV-B-1h. Understands and is able to build effective, high-quality peer helper programs
Individual Student Planning
IV-B-2. Facilitates individual student planning
IV-B-2a. Understands individual student planning as a component of a comprehensive program
IV-B-2b. Develops strategies to implement individual student planning, such as strategies for appraisal, advisement, goal-setting, decision-making, social skills, transition or post-secondary planning
IV-B-2c. Helps students establish goals and develops and uses planning skills in collaboration with parents or guardians and school personnel
IV-B-2d. Understands career opportunities, labor market trends and global economics and uses various career assessment techniques to help students understand their abilities and career interests
IV-B-2e. Helps students learn the importance of college and other post-secondary education and helps students navigate the college admissions process
IV-B-2f. Understands the relationship of academic performance to the world of work, family life and community service
IV-B-2g. Understands methods for helping students monitor and direct their own learning and personal/social and career development
Responsive Services
IV-B-3. Provides responsive services
IV-B-3a. Lists and describes interventions used in responsive services, such as individual/small-group counseling and crisis responseIV-B-3b. Understands appropriate individual and small-group counseling theories and techniques such as rational emotive behavior therapy, reality therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, Adlerian, solution-focused brief counseling, person-centered counseling and family systems
IV-B-3c. Demonstrates an ability to provide counseling for students during times of transition, separation, heightened stress and critical change
IV-B-3d. Understands what defines a crisis, the appropriate response and a variety of intervention strategies to meet the needs of the individual, group or school community before, during and after crisis response
IV-B-3e. Provides team leadership to the school and community in a crisis
IV-B-3f. Involves appropriate school and community professionals as well as the family in a crisis situation
IV-B-3g. Understands the nature of academic, career and personal/social counseling in schools and the similarities and differences among school counseling and other types of counseling, such as mental health, marriage and family and substance abuse counseling, within a continuum of care
IV-B-3h. Understands the role of the school counselor and the school counseling program in the school crisis plan
Indirect Student Services
Referrals
IV-B-4a. Understands how to make referrals to appropriate professionals when necessary
IV-B-4b. Compiles referral resources to utilize with students, staff and families to effectively address issues
IV-B-4c. Develops a list of community agencies and service providers for student referrals
Consultation
IV-B-5a. Shares strategies that support student achievement with parents, teachers, other educators and community organizations
IV-B-5b. Applies appropriate counseling approaches to promoting change among consultees within a consultation approach
IV-B-5c. Works with education stakeholders to better understand student needs and to identify strategies that promote student achievement
Collaboration
IV-B-6a. Partners with parents, teachers, administrators and education stakeholders for student achievement and success
IV-B-6b. Conducts in-service training or workshops for other stakeholders to share school counseling expertise
IV-B-6c. Understands and knows how to provide supervision for school counseling interns consistent with the principles of the ASCA National Model
Direct Student Services
School Counseling Core Curriculum
IV-B-1. Implements the school counseling core curriculum
IV-B-1a. Identifies appropriate curriculum aligned to ASCA Student Standards
IV-B-1b. Develops and presents a developmental school counseling core curriculum addressing all students’ needs based on student data
IV-B-1c. Demonstrates classroom management and instructional skills
IV-B-1d. Develops materials and instructional strategies to meet student needs and school goals
IV-B-1e. Encourages staff involvement to ensure the effective implementation of the school counseling core curriculum
IV-B-1f. Knows, understands and uses a variety of technology in the delivery of school counseling core curriculum activities
IV-B-1g. Understands multicultural and pluralistic trends when developing and choosing school counseling core curriculum
IV-B-1h. Understands and is able to build effective, high-quality peer helper programs
Individual Student Planning
IV-B-2. Facilitates individual student planning
IV-B-2a. Understands individual student planning as a component of a comprehensive program
IV-B-2b. Develops strategies to implement individual student planning, such as strategies for appraisal, advisement, goal-setting, decision-making, social skills, transition or post-secondary planning
IV-B-2c. Helps students establish goals and develops and uses planning skills in collaboration with parents or guardians and school personnel
IV-B-2d. Understands career opportunities, labor market trends and global economics and uses various career assessment techniques to help students understand their abilities and career interests
IV-B-2e. Helps students learn the importance of college and other post-secondary education and helps students navigate the college admissions process
IV-B-2f. Understands the relationship of academic performance to the world of work, family life and community service
IV-B-2g. Understands methods for helping students monitor and direct their own learning and personal/social and career development
Responsive Services
IV-B-3. Provides responsive services
IV-B-3a. Lists and describes interventions used in responsive services, such as individual/small-group counseling and crisis responseIV-B-3b. Understands appropriate individual and small-group counseling theories and techniques such as rational emotive behavior therapy, reality therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, Adlerian, solution-focused brief counseling, person-centered counseling and family systems
IV-B-3c. Demonstrates an ability to provide counseling for students during times of transition, separation, heightened stress and critical change
IV-B-3d. Understands what defines a crisis, the appropriate response and a variety of intervention strategies to meet the needs of the individual, group or school community before, during and after crisis response
IV-B-3e. Provides team leadership to the school and community in a crisis
IV-B-3f. Involves appropriate school and community professionals as well as the family in a crisis situation
IV-B-3g. Understands the nature of academic, career and personal/social counseling in schools and the similarities and differences among school counseling and other types of counseling, such as mental health, marriage and family and substance abuse counseling, within a continuum of care
IV-B-3h. Understands the role of the school counselor and the school counseling program in the school crisis plan
Indirect Student Services
Referrals
IV-B-4a. Understands how to make referrals to appropriate professionals when necessary
IV-B-4b. Compiles referral resources to utilize with students, staff and families to effectively address issues
IV-B-4c. Develops a list of community agencies and service providers for student referrals
Consultation
IV-B-5a. Shares strategies that support student achievement with parents, teachers, other educators and community organizations
IV-B-5b. Applies appropriate counseling approaches to promoting change among consultees within a consultation approach
IV-B-5c. Works with education stakeholders to better understand student needs and to identify strategies that promote student achievement
Collaboration
IV-B-6a. Partners with parents, teachers, administrators and education stakeholders for student achievement and success
IV-B-6b. Conducts in-service training or workshops for other stakeholders to share school counseling expertise
IV-B-6c. Understands and knows how to provide supervision for school counseling interns consistent with the principles of the ASCA National Model