With character education as one of the fastest growing reform movements in education today, counselor educators and counseling students need to be informed and cognizant of various character education programs. Currently, more than 30 states mandate some aspect of character education and school counselors are frequently responsible for introducing…

School counselors are beginning to find family counseling an effective and needed skill. Moreover, family counseling represents a distinctive alternative for resolving persistent problems in the schools. Re-training opportunities for school counselors wanting to engage in family counseling have been limited. With appropriate training,…

This digest identifies the issues which must be addressed to make instruments and procedures for assessing school counselor performance efficient, fair, valid, and useful. (BH)

For many years, gender equity has pertained primarily to improving education and career opportunities for females. Recent studies, however, provide evidence that boys no longer hold an advantage. Based on extensive analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Study, the High School & Beyond, and the National Education Longitudinal Study, it…

Too often parents, teachers, and even counselors assume that underachievers are students who can, but simply don't (or won't) achieve. But student underachievement is a complex problem that defies a "one size fits all" solution. Although past research has extensively explored and documented the links between personal and social variables…

This document highlights progress in sex equity over the past 15 years, examines the current status and trends, and describes the role of counselors and educators as change agents in reducing sex bias. (NB)

There are numerous benefits to be gained by the school counselor who chooses to do action-oriented research. Program evaluation and planning are facilitated through the use of measurable student outcomes obtained through action-oriented research. Collaborative research efforts are made possible by data gained through action-oriented research.…

This digest focuses on supervision issues for school counselors. It begins by addressing the need for professionally appropriate supervision to nurture school counselors' professional development. A section on the process of school counselor supervision begins by looking at clinical, developmental, and administrative supervision. The purpose of…

School counselors are often consultants for parents and teachers on problems that children and adolescents face. Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is one such problem. It is frequently misunderstood, presenting a challenge for parents and teachers alike. The counselor is a resource for initial identification and interventions at home and in the…

This fact sheet examines age differences in children's reactions to parental divorce, in-school reactions, and the school role in helping these children cope. The school counselor's role is examined in working with school administrators, teachers, parents, and children. Individual and group counseling with children are discussed. Ten suggestions…

This digest considers the school counselor's role in helping students to acquire the basic skills they will need throughout their lives. A contemporary definition of basic skills includes not only the modern versions of the "three Rs" (reading, writing, and computing), but also encompasses a variety of attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors…

Career counseling in middle and high schools should be tailored to the unique characteristics of adolescents during those tumultuous years when they begin to learn more about themselves. Establishing a rapport and building a relationship are key first steps for school counselors working with adolescents and their career aspirations. Individuals…

This digest summarizes ethical and legal issues affecting school counselors. It emphasizes the importance of ethical standards, and of knowing the content, purposes, and limitations of professional codes of conduct as general guidelines for addressing difficult issues. Advice is offered on how to address colleagues' unethical behavior, and on…

School counselors have always considered themselves to be change agents. Historically, that change has been related to helping an individual become aware of behaviors or attitudes that might be affecting his/her success and then guiding that individual into new ways of acting or thinking. This skill is transferable to affecting change in the…

Terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC, and the continued threats of terrorism have the potential to engender negative psychological effects upon school age children and their families. School counselors and mental health professionals working with children need to be knowledgeable regarding interventions which allow students to…