Carol Dahir, Ed.D.
Associate Professor
School Counselor Education
New York Institute of Technology
[email protected]
What is the Purpose of Guidance
Curriculum in your School Counseling
Program?
•Creates opportunities for students to achieve the
standards and acquire skills in academic,
personal/social and career domains
•Allows the counselor to interact with students in a
proactive, preventative manner
•Effective and efficient use of counselor time
•Promotes collaboration with faculty
Why Bother?
Negatives
Positives
 It’s too hard to get into the
 Help teachers understand that
classrooms
 I don’t have the time
 The teachers take a break the
second I walk in
 I never taught in a classroom
your work COMPLIMENTS
academic instruction
 More students will benefit – not
every student needs individual
counseling but they need life
skills/prevention skills
 Co-plan and c0-facilitate &
teachers will see the relevance of
your work to theirs
 Work with a colleague
(counselor or teacher until you
are comfortable
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And to Blow Off Misconceptions….
What do counselors do?
 Why aren’t they there when
I’m looking for them?
 I can’t believe s/he didn’t get
back to me yet.
 They aren’t helpful…
 They have it so easy…
 I wish I had an office…
 One kid at a time – how easy!
 What are they really doing?
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4
School Guidance Counselors
in NYC Public Schools (NYCDOE &
the UFT, 2007)
The School Guidance and Counseling Program
 provides students with knowledge and skills to be effective
learners and contributing members of the school
community
 is an integral part of the total education program
 guarantees student access to the counselor and the
counselor access to the student
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School Guidance Counselors
in NYC Public Schools (NYCDOE &
the UFT, 2007)
 provides developmental as well as prevention and intervention
services
 is continuously refined through evaluation which addresses the
changing needs of children
 is intended to impact every student
Find the brochure at
http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/6942ED99-3D0F-4CA6-B2D3FC98B1DAE809/24834/UFTguidanceBrochure.pdf
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Not being able to do
everything is no excuse for
not doing everything we
can! (author unknown)
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New York State Model for
Comprehensive K-12 School
Counseling Programs
Model Components:
Determining The Need
Foundation
Delivery System
Managing The System
Accountability
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The NYSSCA
Model (2005) is
based on the
ASCA National
Model (2003)
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Aligning New York State and
School Counseling Domains
Academic Domain:
Academic Intervention Services
K-12 Academic and Graduation Requirements
Personal/Social Domain:
Youth Development
Character Education
SAVE Legislation
Career Domain:
Career Plan Initiative
CDOS
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What is Guidance Curriculum?
Structured experiences
presented systematically
to all students through
classroom and group
activities.
Aligned with student
development: academic,
career, personal-social
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The National Standards are
statements of what all
students should know and
be able to do as result of
participating in a school
counseling program.
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Academic Development
Standard A.
Students will acquire the attitudes,
knowledge and skills that contribute to effective
learning in school and across the life span.
Standard B.
Students will complete school with
academic preparation essential to choose from a wide
range of substantial post-secondary options,
including college.
Standard C.
Students will understand the
relationship of academics to the world of work, and to
life at home and in the community.
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Career Development
Standard A.
Students will acquire the skills to
investigate the world of work in relation to
knowledge of self and to make informed career
decisions.
Standard B.
Students will employ strategies to
achieve future career success and satisfaction.
Standard C.
Students understand the
relationship between personal qualities, education,
training, and the world of work.
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Personal-Social
Development
Standard A.
Students will acquire the attitudes,
knowledge and interpersonal skills to help them
understand and respect self and others.
Standard B.
Students will make decisions, set
goals and take necessary action to achieve goals.
Standard C.
Students will understand
safety and survival skills.
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How to Deliver Curriculum
 Classroom Instruction
 Group Activities
 Interdisciplinary Curriculum
Development (NYS Standards)
 Parent Workshops and Instruction
Necessary Steps


Choose standard and competency to address
with administration and faculty
Things to ponder:
Who could I collaborate with on the faculty?
What do the students need to know or do at
the end of my lesson(s)?
How will I know the students applied the
learning?
Other things to consider…
Involve your principal
How will I deliver this lesson?
What kind of activities will the students complete?
What materials do I need?
How will I know if the lesson is successful?
(Accountability!)
Collaborating for Common
Goals
When the principal and school counselors meet and
agree on program priorities, implementation strategies,
and the organization of the counseling program, you will
produce the desired results for students. The services
and activities are aligned with each building’s CEP
(Comprehensive Education Plan).
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Sample Instructional Strategies
Role play
Interviews
Diversity/respect for all
Ethical decision making
Conflict resolution
Integrating music, art or poetry
Journal writing
Discussions
Internet Search
Literature
Accountability
Pre/post tests
Observations
Teacher input
Rubrics
School report card comments
School report card data
Challenges of Presenting Curriculum
Changing the mindset of administration, faculty
Controlling your schedule
Managing a calendar
Collaboration and teaming
Students taking the lessons seriously
Overcoming personal anxiety
Let’s Write Curriculum!!
Look at the Scope and Sequence
Develop ideas for a lesson plan or
two….
Connect these to your GUIDANCE Curriculum
 Student data
 School Repot card
 CEP
 School counseling curriculum
 Scope and sequence
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What Needs to Change in YOUR
SCHOOL to Implement a Guidance
Curriculum?
 Attitudes
(Which ones and whose?)
 Behaviors
(Which ones and whose?)
 Teaming
(New or revisited collaborations?)
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What Do YOU Need to Do to Make
This a Reality?
 Know your building CEP goals
 Identify Academic, Career, and Personal-Social




Development Priorities
Brainstorm who needs to be involved and
identify resources
Determine next steps
Identify potential challenges and opportunities
Monitor Results (MEASURE)
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“Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.”
~Henry Ford
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