Changing Schools, Changing Counselors: A Qualitative Study of School Administrators’ Conceptions of the School Counselor Role

2005 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2156759X0500900
Author(s):  
Ellen S. Amatea ◽  
Mary Ann Clark
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
School Counselor ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Role Expectations ◽  
Specialized Knowledge ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Counselor Preparation ◽  
Counselor Role ◽  
Changing Schools

This qualitative study utilized a grounded theory methodology to assess the conceptions about the school counselor role held by 26 administrators employed in public elementary, middle, or high schools. The study was designed to build a deeper understanding of how school administrators conceptualized the school counselor role. Four distinctive role sets were found. They were differentiated in terms of primary work activities valued, extent of counselor-staff work role coordination, and type of specialized knowledge required. Findings suggest that there is a need for a more conscious development of counselor leadership skills and role expectations by counselors themselves and by counselor preparation programs.

A Clear and Consistent Focus on Students: Principals’ Perceptions of the Role of School Counselors

2020 ◽  
pp. 105268462097206
Author(s):  
Travis Lewis ◽  
Karen D. Jones ◽  
Matthew Militello ◽  
Randy Meisenhelder
Keyword(s):  
School Counselors ◽  
Q Methodology ◽  
School Counselor ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
School Principal ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
School Communities ◽  
Principal Preparation Programs ◽  
Grade Levels

As greater emphasis is placed on addressing critical school issues such as school-based mental health, violence prevention, and the effects of trauma, the utilization of school counselors should be examined to ensure that these uniquely-trained professionals are mobilized by school administrators to engage these issues. Q methodology was employed to explore how a convenience sampling of 32 current principals across varying demographics and grade levels conceptualize the role of the school counselor. The results of this study provide a rich understanding of how principals view school counselors in relation to the needs of their respective school communities. Evident is a clear and consistent emphasis of principals on the need for school counselors to have a strong rapport with their students. Discussed are additional steps that may be considered in further advancing the relationships between these two types of professionals, as well as insights to inform school principal preparation programs in how school leaders can appropriately utilize student services personnel.

Democracy, Power, and Authority: The Development of a Conceptual Basis for Shared Professionalism between Teachers and Administrators

1996 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P. Ericson ◽  
Stacey E. Marlow
Keyword(s):  
School Administration ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Educational Practice ◽  
Teacher Empowerment ◽  
Role Expectations ◽  
Teacher Professionalism ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Educational Authority ◽  
Administrator Education ◽  
Zero Sum

Overlooked in the recent literatures on the enhancement of teacher professionalism and the changing role of school administrators is the task of rooting such newer ideas in a conceptual framework that would underwrite and give much needed coherence to these ideas. Despite redirections of some existing administrator education preparation programs that move away from emphasising “managerial/supervisory” aspects of school administration, the notion of principal, etc., as authoritarian leader is still ubiquitous in educational practice. The literature on teacher “empowerment,” however, suggests that there should be major, if not radical, changes to the roles and relationships of teachers and school administrators. Some researchers of teacher empowerment issues and school administration have argued that increasing democratic relations between teachers and administrators require that school administrators “should lead from behind” in bottom-up structures of decision making, while the more daring question the need for school administrators at all. This paper examines some of the issues involved. In arguing that both teachers and school administrators have role expectations grounded in a set of moral ideals and commitments external to their current and historic roles, we seek to advance the development of a framework that grounds and makes sense of the call for greater teacher autonomy and empowerment, while establishing the need for and authority of school administrators. In doing so, we attempt to show that educational authority is not an all or nothing, zero-sum, game, but that, because rooted in external ideals and commitments, it is something that requires shared professionalism between teachers and administrators. It is a shared professionalism that features different, but mutually supporting, realms of educational authority.

Democratic Leadership and Places to Practice It

1996 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul E. Heckman
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Community Change ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Administrator Preparation ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Democratic Leadership ◽  
Administrator Preparation Programs

The renewal or reform of public schools and their communities calls for a moral democratic concept of leadership, which includes the principles and practices of caring, trust, social justice and collaborative inquiry. In contrast to the bureaucratic concept of leadership that has prevailed in public schools and placed a few people in leadership roles, a democratic concept involves everyone and requires the development of leadership skills in teachers, school administrators, students, parents and neighborhood residents. Such a concept can best be served by a merger of teacher and administrator preparation programs, so that future teachers may develop as leaders as well as followers, and future administrators may develop as followers as well as leaders. In such a merger, there must be community and school forums in which preservice teachers and administrators may practice for their future roles and extend the democratic concept of leadership to students, parents, and neighborhood residents. Efforts of one eight-year school and community change initiative, which is now in its sixth year, indicate the type of forum that might effectively serve this need.

Transforming School Counselor Preparation Programs

2002 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 169-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Hayes ◽  
Pamela O. Paisley
Keyword(s):  
School Counselor ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Counselor Preparation ◽  
School Counselor Preparation

School Counselors’ Experiences With Ethical Decision Making

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 2156759X2110186
Author(s):  
Glenda S. Johnson ◽  
Lucy L. Purgason
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
School Counselors ◽  
School Counselor ◽  
Ethical Decision ◽  
Ethical Decision Making ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Ethical Guidelines ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Counselor Preparation ◽  
School Counselor Preparation

Using a purposeful, convenience sampling method, we explored six school counselors’ experiences of ethical decision making. We used a transcendental phenomenology research method and identified the themes of consulting, referring to ethical guidelines, documenting, contributing factors, and engaging in professional development. This article discusses implications for school counselor preparation programs and practicing school counselors.

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