How Elementary Counselors Help

    • Elementary School Students’ Developmental Needs
      The elementary years are a time when students begin to develop their academic self-concept and their feelings of competence and confidence as learners. They are beginning to develop decision-making, communication and life skills, as well as character values. It is also a time when students develop and acquire attitudes toward school, self, peers, social groups and family. Comprehensive developmental school counseling programs provide education, prevention and intervention services, which are integrated into all aspects of children’s lives. Early identification and intervention of children’s academic and social/emotional needs is essential in removing barriers to learning and in promoting academic achievement. The knowledge, attitudes and skills students acquire in the areas of academic, career and social development during these elementary years serve as the foundation for future success.

      Meeting the Challenge
      Elementary school counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse student population. Elementary school counselors don’t work in isolation; rather they are integral to the total educational program. They provide proactive leadership that engages all stakeholders in the delivery of programs and services to help students achieve school success. School counselors align with the school’s mission to support the academic achievement of all students as they prepare for the ever-changing world of the 21st century. This mission is accomplished through the design, development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive, developmental and systematic school counseling program. ASCA’s Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success are the foundation for this work. The ASCA National Model: A Framework For School Counseling Programs (ASCA, 2002), with its data-driven and results-based focus, serves as a guide for today’s school counselor who is uniquely trained to implement this program.


      Elementary School Counselors Implement the School Counseling Program by Providing:

      School SEL Curriculum

      • Academic support, including organizational, study and test-taking skills
      • Goal setting and decision-making
      • Career awareness, exploration and planning
      • Education on understanding self and others
      • Peer relationships, coping strategies and effective social skills
      • Communication, problem-solving and conflict resolution
      • Substance abuse education
      • Multicultural/diversity awareness
      • Individual student planning

      Academic planning

      • Goal setting/decision-making
      • Education on understanding of self, including strengths and weaknesses
      • Transition plans

      Responsive Services

      • Individual and small-group counseling
      • Individual/family/school crisis intervention
      • Conflict resolution
      • Consultation/collaboration
      • Referrals

      System Support

      • Professional development
      • Consultation, collaboration and teaming
      • Program management and operation


      Elementary School Counselors Collaborate with:

      Parents
      Parent education 
      Communication/networking 
      Academic planning 
      College/career awareness programs 
      One-on-one parent conferencing 
      Interpretation of assessment results


      Teachers
      Classroom SEL lessons and activities
      Academic support, including learning style assessment and education to help students succeed academically 
      Classroom speakers 
      At-risk student identification and implementation of interventions to enhance success


      Administrators
      School climate 
      Behavioral management plans 
      Schoolwide needs assessments 
      Student data and results 
      Student assistance team building


      Students
      Peer education 
      Peer support 
      Academic support 
      School climate 
      Leadership development
      Community
      Job shadowing, service learning 
      Crisis interventions 
      Referrals 
      Parenting classes 
      Support groups 
      Career education

      **These examples are not intended to be exhaustive.


      Why Elementary School Counselors?
      Elementary school years set the tone for developing the knowledge, attitudes and skill necessary for children to become healthy, competent and confident learners. Through a comprehensive developmental school counseling program, school counselors work as a team with the school staff, parents and the community to create a caring climate and atmosphere. By providing education, prevention, early identification and intervention, school counselors can help all children achieve academic success. The elementary school counselor holds a master’s degree and required state certification in school counseling. Maintaining certification includes on-going professional development to stay current with education reform and challenges facing today’s students. Professional association membership enhances the school counselor’s knowledge and effectiveness.

      Explanation of Dual Relationships
      According to the American School Counseling Association (ASCA), a dual relationship is one in which a school counselor is concurrently participating in two or more roles with a student. School counselors work in both a counseling and teaching capacity every day at school. There may be times when a student is participating in a whole group lesson that operates similarly to a reading or social studies lesson, in an educational setting. Other times, a student may be in the counseling office to participate in individual or small group counseling, in a therapeutic setting. Other examples of dual relationships can include, but are not limited to, going to the same religious services outside of school or even a counselor's own child attending the school they work at.