Statement of Professional Preparation and Goals
As stated in my self evaluation, I have identified three out of the twelve State of Iowa School Counseling Standards as areas in need of improvement: standard 6, assessment and evaluation; standard 9, classroom management; and standard 10, curriculum. As you read through each of my reflections on the individual standards you will see why I chose these three standards as areas in need of improvement and my plans for additional growth in each area. Here I will briefly summarize my plan for reaching success in strengthening these three standards in the future.
The first standard that I chose as an area in need of improvement is standard 6, assessment and evaluation. The specific competencies that I believe I need to work on strengthening are: competency 2 – demonstrate an understanding of the proper administration and uses of standardized tests and competency 5 – apply assessment information in program design and program modifications to address students’ needs. My plan for strengthening standard 6 in the near future is to utilize more of the standardized testing information available to me. For example, I could utilize the Heartland Education Assessment Resource Toolbox (H.E.A.R.T.), which allows me to easily retrieve and chart assessment scores of Colo-NESCO CSD students. My long-term plan for strengthening standard 6 is to continually seek out professional development opportunities to learn more about assessment and evaluation and how I can utilize this in my work as a professional school counselor. I also plan to continue to network with other counselors and work on ways to improve my data collection and evaluation process.
The second standard that I chose as an area in need of improvement is standard 9, classroom management. The specific competencies that I believe I need to work on strengthening are: competency 1 – apply effective classroom management strategies as demonstrated in classroom guidance and large group guidance lessons and competency 2 – consult with teachers and parents about effective classroom management and behavior management strategies. My plan for strengthening standard 9 in the near future is to spend time observing the teachers I work with so that I can learn which classroom management techniques work best with the students I serve and integrate these techniques in a way that works well for me. My long-term plan for strengthening standard 9 is to continue to seek out professional development opportunities where I can learn more about classroom management and practice these skills.
The third standard that I chose as an area in need of improvement is standard 10, curriculum. The specific competencies that I believe I need to work on strengthening are: competency 1 – write classroom lessons including objectives, learning activities, and discussion questions; competency 2 – utilize various methods of evaluating what students have learned in classroom lessons; competency 4 – design a classroom unit of developmentally appropriate learning experiences; and competency 5 – demonstrate knowledge in writing standards and benchmarks for curriculum. My plan for strengthening standard 10 in the near future is to continue to incorporate various programs that are aligned with the ASCA National Model into the K-12 school counseling curriculum at Colo-NESCO CSD. My long-term plan for strengthening standard 10 is to continue to seek out professional development opportunities that will help me strengthen my lesson planning skills and help me develop a comprehensive school counseling program that meets the developmental needs of all of the students I serve.
The first standard that I chose as an area in need of improvement is standard 6, assessment and evaluation. The specific competencies that I believe I need to work on strengthening are: competency 2 – demonstrate an understanding of the proper administration and uses of standardized tests and competency 5 – apply assessment information in program design and program modifications to address students’ needs. My plan for strengthening standard 6 in the near future is to utilize more of the standardized testing information available to me. For example, I could utilize the Heartland Education Assessment Resource Toolbox (H.E.A.R.T.), which allows me to easily retrieve and chart assessment scores of Colo-NESCO CSD students. My long-term plan for strengthening standard 6 is to continually seek out professional development opportunities to learn more about assessment and evaluation and how I can utilize this in my work as a professional school counselor. I also plan to continue to network with other counselors and work on ways to improve my data collection and evaluation process.
The second standard that I chose as an area in need of improvement is standard 9, classroom management. The specific competencies that I believe I need to work on strengthening are: competency 1 – apply effective classroom management strategies as demonstrated in classroom guidance and large group guidance lessons and competency 2 – consult with teachers and parents about effective classroom management and behavior management strategies. My plan for strengthening standard 9 in the near future is to spend time observing the teachers I work with so that I can learn which classroom management techniques work best with the students I serve and integrate these techniques in a way that works well for me. My long-term plan for strengthening standard 9 is to continue to seek out professional development opportunities where I can learn more about classroom management and practice these skills.
The third standard that I chose as an area in need of improvement is standard 10, curriculum. The specific competencies that I believe I need to work on strengthening are: competency 1 – write classroom lessons including objectives, learning activities, and discussion questions; competency 2 – utilize various methods of evaluating what students have learned in classroom lessons; competency 4 – design a classroom unit of developmentally appropriate learning experiences; and competency 5 – demonstrate knowledge in writing standards and benchmarks for curriculum. My plan for strengthening standard 10 in the near future is to continue to incorporate various programs that are aligned with the ASCA National Model into the K-12 school counseling curriculum at Colo-NESCO CSD. My long-term plan for strengthening standard 10 is to continue to seek out professional development opportunities that will help me strengthen my lesson planning skills and help me develop a comprehensive school counseling program that meets the developmental needs of all of the students I serve.