CLASSROOM STORIES: School Counselors Reflect

In this episode of Classroom Stories, students from Professor Megan Krell’s graduate class, Practicum in School Counseling, in Spring 2023 reflect on what they learned about being a school counselor. Plus, Professor Krell provides some insight into the evolution of the term and the role these educational professionals play.

Find out more about Fitchburg State's MS in School Counseling as well as other Graduate Degrees in Human Services -- at the Behavioral Sciences department website.

Episode Transcript here.

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About the Classroom Stories series:

Students come to Fitchburg State University for academic enrichment and the innovative pedagogy offered in its classrooms. Classroom Stories feature the work of students and learning communities and the exciting explorations in the content of the many disciplines available for study at the university.

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Transcript

[ upbeat Classroom Stories series theme fades in ]

[ 00min 07sec ] 

Prof. Megan Krell:
My name is Megan Krell, and I'm the instructor for the Practicum in School Counseling course. This is the culminating course and experience of the Masters in Counseling/School Counseling Track Program. This is a yearlong course where graduate students spend 600 hours at a local K-12 public school working alongside a school counselor supervisor and becoming part of the school counseling team.

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[ 00min 27sec ] 

Prof. Megan Krell:
School counselors support the academic achievement, social emotional development, and college and career readiness for all students in a school. They provide proactive, data driven interventions, advocate for students, focus on school improvement, and serve as leaders in the school building. 

Historically, the term guidance counselor was used to refer to counselors working in the schools. With the space race and the launching of Sputnik in 1957, the National Defense Education Act was then passed in 1958.  This brought a large emphasis on, as the outdated term suggests, guiding high academically achieving students into the math and science fields. This term has evolved to school counselor, as the scope of this role has evolved from having a reactive vocational focus to providing proactive, data driven supports for all K-12 students. 

The term school counselor better aligns with the intensive educational preparation for the role, as well as the focus on social justice and equity that school counselors embody.

You will hear from several students in my class [ seque music theme fades in ] describing what being a school counselor means to them and their biggest take away from the year.

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[ 01min 38sec ] 

Shea:
Hi, my name is Shea and I'm a School Counselor Practicum student, and I did my practicum at Hawthorne Brook Middle School. What being a school counselor means to me?  It means showing up for the school community and putting your energy towards the needs of the moment. One takeaway from this year is that in my journey to becoming an experienced school counselor, there will be a lot of bumps and many failures.  But if I am humble and open myself to the learning process, there's a lot of good that can and will be done.

[ 02min 03sec ] 

Nicolette:
Hi everyone. My name is Nicolette de Piller. I am a graduate student at Fitchburg State University. The first question was, what does a school counselor mean to me? I think it's being a helper and the best helper that I can be. It's being the best possible support and advocate for the students. I also just don't help the students.  I'm helping teachers, I'm helping parents. I'm helping administration, everybody in the school. 

My biggest take away from the year? So I did my practicum, 600 hours, in Millbury, Massachusetts.  And then, now I'm working at Oxford Public Schools. And the biggest thing that I learned this year was, honestly, how much that our students need us. They really, really, really need love, support – and just to have someone rooting for them.  They need that person who believes in them and just somebody that's on their side. 

A lot of kids, they hate “no,” and they hate “that's not true.” And “that's not the way things go.” But once you give your empathy, you give your support, and you're in their corner for them?  You are their person.

[ 03min 01sec ] 

And just to be able to make that connection with the student and build that rapport, that's really all they need to get through their day.  Like, if they're having a bad day, you can bring positivity and you can turn that day around.  You can remind them that there's a new day tomorrow. 

And just having them learn that they can trust you just because you've been there before and you're going to be there. You're going to be that constant person every single day that they see in school that shows up for them?  That's my favorite part of the job. I will always be there for them – no matter what.

[ 03min 28sec ] 

Sydney:
I'm Sydney Little, and I'm completing my Master's in School Counseling. Being a school counselor means having an opportunity to connect with people. It means having an opportunity to dive into a community and learn about its people. The kids, the parents, the educators, the staff, everyone. And that's really special. 

My one takeaway from this year is that students are struggling, people are struggling after the last few years.  But in between the hardship that's going on – [ upbeat Classroom Stories series theme fades in ] – there's growth and there’s silliness and there's passion. And it's a beautiful thing to be part of a school and witness what wonderful things come when you really get to connect and dive into a community.

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[ 04min 01sec ] 

Narrator:
For more information about the Master's of Science in School Counseling, visit the Behavioral Sciences Department in the School of Arts and Sciences at our website, www.fitchburgstate.edu.

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[ 04min 14sec ] 

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Shea:
This is Shea, Fitchburg State University, Class of 2023. You're listening to Perseverantia, the Fitchburg State Podcast Network.

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