As school counselors have transitioned away from their previous title of “guidance counselors,” their duties and crucial role in the campus environment have changed dramatically to match student needs. However, not all students, parents and educators know the breadth of responsibilities school counselors take on to ensure positive outcomes across all grade levels.
Through Lamar University’s online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Counseling and Development with a Specialization in Professional School Counseling program, graduates learn not only the ins and outs of the school counseling profession but also how to combat common misconceptions and prevent misunderstandings among peers.
What Is School Counseling?
School counseling began in U.S. schools around the early 1900s when administrators and teachers began offering vocational and career guidance to students in a formal capacity. Over time, education leaders decided to establish a comprehensive approach to school counseling in the 1960s and 1970s, according to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). By the 1990s, counselors began advocating for a shift in terminology for their job titles.
Their reasoning for the change came from the duties attributed to guidance counselors in the past, considered less broad and impactful than the work being done by these professionals. In contrast, the modern school counselor is equipped to provide data-driven services to all students with concrete measurements for effectiveness, such as improved attendance, behavior or classroom performance.
While guidance counselors were previously viewed as operating in isolation from other elements of the student’s learning experience, they were actually collaborating with other educators and serving in campus leadership roles, according to the ASCA.
Since 2001, the federal government has recognized the terminology switch. Many states have adopted formal qualifications and programs for school counselors, which include responsibilities for identifying absenteeism, addressing social and behavioral issues in the classroom, helping students obtain necessary accommodations and providing instruction on psychological topics to individuals and small groups.
Common Misconceptions About School Counselors
One common myth about school counselors is that they work solely with students to address behavior or academic issues. Counselors frequently collaborate with a wide range of people to ensure student needs are met. Those individuals could range from parents and teachers to counselors in private practice, healthcare staff, social workers or even government officials to determine a path forward for students.
School counselors are also often mistaken for in-school therapists who can provide diagnoses that will then lead to in-class mental health and educational support. In fact, school counselors are not licensed to provide these diagnoses. However, they are often well-positioned to connect students and parents with critical resources like the child’s teacher or potential private providers who can recommend interventions to help the student succeed.
Most of all, school counselors are often mistaken for performing the same job duties as guidance counselors, the position that preceded modern school counseling. School counselors must now complete enhanced educational requirements compared to their guidance counselor predecessors and are regularly evaluated based on student achievement data.
Gain Professional Counseling Expertise With Lamar University
Lamar University’s online M.Ed. in Counseling and Development – Professional School Counseling program addresses those educational requirements. Prospective counselors must complete rigorous coursework like the following: Child and Adolescent Counseling; Advanced Ethics in Mental Health Counseling; Research and Program Evaluation; and Marriage, Couple & Family Counseling. Students also complete a residency, a 15-week practicum and a 15-week internship that prepares them for the School Counseling Certification and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas.
Graduates of Lamar University’s program learn the elements that make a successful school counselor while also understanding how to combat potentially harmful misconceptions about the profession. Upon graduation, they have the tools to confidently implement culturally competent interventions that lead to positive student outcomes.
