PROFESSIONALISM

RESEARCH PROJECT

Reliability and Dependability

By: Jessika Allen

CURRENT PROBLEMS COUNSELORS

FACE
- Counselors may face a problem with being reliable and
dependable.
- Counselors are busy and have many task. This may look like they
arent dependable.
- The lack of visual presence may be misinterpreted as lacking in
dependability to some.

IDEAS FROM OTHERS

- Bain from the Texan A&M University-Kingsville says that building a network support
for students is a delicate and deliberate aspect of the school counselors role.
Becoming familiar with the resources both in and out of school can often help build
the bridge (Bain 2016). Counselors should be reliable and dependable to their school
and community.
- In the current climate of educational accountability, schools are challenged with
meeting an increasing number of students academic and mental health needs while
resources for these services have stagnated or decreased (Maag & Katsiyannis,
2010). To assist teachers with student needs, counselors should be dependable to
help and assist all types of learners and students from all different types of
backgrounds.
- Such divergence has resulted in what Bridgeland and Bruce deemed an unclear
mission (p. 4) for school counselors, giving the profession an appearance of one that
is lacking in identity (Schimmel, 2008). The absence of a clearly communicated and
unified role, and the perceptions of stakeholders in regards to this dilemma, is at the
heart of why school counselors have largely been omitted from educational directives
and reform (Bridgeland & Bruce, 2011).

WAYS TO HELP THE

PROFESSION
- Be there for the teachers, students, and parents.
- Meet with teachers and discuss needs they have within their classroom
and offer support in the classroom.
- Plan and provide guidance lessons to address the teachers needs of the
students.
- Place a mailbox outside your office so students can feel they can reach out
to you at any time.
- Be seen by parents. It is important that parents know you are ready and
present in the school and their childs life.
- Host parent sessions in the evenings at school to encourage parent
involvement in their childs education journey. Parents will know you are
reliable when they see you present.

REFERENCES
Bain, S. F. (n.d.). School Counselors: A Review of Contemporary Issues. Retrieved June 3,
2016, from http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/121274.pdf
Bridgeland, J. M., & Bruce, M. (2011). 2011 national survey of school counselors: Counseling at
a crossroads. New York, NY: The College Board. Retrieved from
http://www.civicenterprises.net/MediaLibrary/Docs/counseling_at_a_crossroads. pdf
Maag, J. W., & Katsiyannis, A. (2010). School-based mental health services: Funding options
and issues. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 21(3), 173-180. doi:10.1
177/1044207310385551
Schimmel, C. (2008). School counseling: A brief historical overview. (Doctoral dissertation
summary, West Virginia Department of Education). Retrieved from:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/counselors/history.html