School Counselors' Perceptions of Their Academic Preparedness and Job Activities

Abstract

School counselors are trained in academic preparation programs for future job activities. However, job expectations taught in such programs can differ from actual school counseling activities. This article reports the findings of a national survey of school counselors' (N = 1,052) perceived preparation and practice.

School Counselor Consultation Preparation: A National Study

“…With regard to topics, surveyed programs reported most frequently emphasizing consultation related to student behavior and achievement. This emphasis on behavior‐based consultation corresponds with school counselors’ recent accounts regarding the frequency of engaging in consultation about student behavior (e.g., Goodman‐Scott, 2015), thus demonstrating the alignment between preparation and practice.…”

“…Due to increased demands, including high caseloads, school counselors need to find efficient strategies for serving students, such as consulting with stakeholders. School counselors report consultation as their most frequent job activity, yet they feel the least prepared for this task compared with other recommended activities (Goodman‐Scott, 2015). The purpose of our study was to examine the current status of preservice school counselor preparation specific to consultation, filling a void in the literature.…”

“…Specifically, the participants reported “often” or “always” consulting with teachers (78.8%), parents (69.3%), or principals (55.4%). Similarly, in another study, school counselors ( N = 1,052) indicated that their most frequent job activity was consulting with school staff regarding student behavior (Goodman‐Scott, 2015).…”

“…By consulting with teachers and caregivers, school counselors equip consultees with skills to directly support students (Brigman & Webb, 2008; Cholewa, Goodman‐Scott, Thomas, & Cook, 2017). Findings from two national studies suggested that consultation is a frequent and common practice for school counselors (Goodman‐Scott, 2015; Perera‐Diltz et al, 2011). For instance, in their study of school counselors ( N = 1,262), Perera‐Diltz et al (2011) found that 79% of participants reported engaging in consultation with stakeholders.…”

“…Of these 22 topics, the composite score for consultation preparation ranked 15th. Last, Goodman‐Scott (2015) found that school counselors ranked the effectiveness of their consultation preparation lower than the preparation related to any of the other recommended school counselor job activities.…”