Melissa Ramirez

Role of the School Counselor Final Reflective Paper

CSPU 515

Brandman University
 To begin with, in the future I see myself working as a guidance counselor at the high

school or elementary level. Throughout my educational journey I have learned about the various

roles of a school counselor. I have seen the educational and social emotional services that

counselors provide to students and staff. I have experienced how different a school counselor’s

day can be and the vital role of a counselor at a school. Likewise, while observing counselors I

have been able to understand both the formal and informal responsibilities of a school counselor.

As I have learned about the school counseling profession, I have thought and planned my future

as a school counselor.

In a future work setting as a school counselor, I see myself taking on both preventive and

reactive measures. As an elementary or high school counselor I would hope to take on a

preventative stance. I have learned that as school counselors we can shape and impact the future

of the students. Thus, I would want to focus on establishing positive coping skills, appropriate

social skills, while promoting safety and acceptance on campus. School counselors are expected

to deliver classroom and school lessons. My background as a substitute teacher, has taught me

that students are more responsive to interactive material and/or activities. I have observed an

elementary counselor, create board games and/or change board games to reflect the theme of the

movie Inside Out. The counselor taught students about emotions using the popular film. As a

school counselor I would hope to deliver instruction in interactive classrooms activities and

school wide assemblies to successfully impact students.

Moreover, as a future high school counselor I view myself advocating for educational

equity. I have learned about the importance of advocating for all students and providing equal

opportunities to all students in regard to a student’s transition after high school. As I completed

my observation hours, I observed a high school counselor provide a student who was indecisive
about going to college or enlisting in the military with all the requirements he need for both. The

counselor listened to the student and did not appear to be biased, she wanted to make sure that

the student had two options and a variety of opportunities after high school.

I also view myself valuing individual and group counseling. My background as an

MSW, has made me aware of the social/emotional issues students are living with and the

importance of addressing all aspects of a student’s wellbeing. I have attended meetings with the

counselors and administrative staff where it has been discussed that these two issues are

prominent on a high school campus. I noticed that administrators would look to counselors and

referred to them as the first line of defense when schools address these two issues. As a high

school counselor, one role I will take on is advocating to further address issues of bullying and

suicide. As a previous therapist intern on a high school campus, I have developed PowerPoints

and activities geared towards high school students. I hope to use my background as an MSW and

my knowledge on these two issues to deliver appropriate schoolwide presentations to decrease

the incident rates and effectively deliver preventative services as a counselor.

I have observed counselors conduct risk assessments on students, it is an unfortunate

reality. Counselors are responsible for conducting risk assessment on both young children and

adolescents at schools. As a future counselor I will be providing counseling services that will be

reactive in nature after a risk assessment. As an effective school counselor, I will also include a

preventive component after a risk assessment. Hence, I will ensure that a safety agreement is in

place and a re-entry meeting is scheduled. I have experienced how vital preventative and reactive

measures are after a risk assessment is conducted. I observed a re-entry meting and noticed how

the meetings facilitated a student’s return to school. As a counselor, one of my responsibilities

will be to provide students with appropriate referrals for long term counseling.
 Furthermore, I see myself having a positive and open relationship with my colleagues. As

an MSW, I was a part of an interdisciplinary team. This experience taught me how to value

different stakeholders and the importance of working as a team for the population we served.

Based on my observation, I have learned that is important to establish rapport with other

counselors as a new counselor and to appropriately offer one’s expertise. My background as an

MSW, provides me with a unique opportunity to be able to inform my future colleagues of the

role of mental health on a school campus. As, I was doing my observation hours, my supervisor

asked me about conducting suicide assessments and follow-up procedures.

Likewise, I have worked on a high school campus for the past five years. I have learned

and experienced the different personalities and work ethics of staff members. Thus, I have

learned how to work with people that do not value every program or my expertise on campus. In

the classroom discussions and role plays, I have also learned how to address concerns I have

with my colleagues respectfully. I also hope in the future to advocate for myself, through this

credential program I have been educated on the importance of advocating for ourselves and the

role of a counselor. Counselors need work with their colleagues. It is vital for counselors to be

able to work and communicate with teachers, administrative staff and other faculty members.

As a future school counselor, I hope to have a close relationship with the students on my

caseload. I have experienced first-hand while completing my observation hours about the

importance of establishing rapport with students. There is one school counselor at the high

school, that a lot of students feel comfortable discussing social/emotional hardships with. The

counselor has been very visible on campus, he has lunch at the lunch area, and he makes weekly

visits to the stem classrooms to greet his students. The school counselor embodies the essence of

a good school counselor. Through my experience and education, I have learned that school
counselors should be approachable, available and supportive. As a future counselor, I will strive

to embody these three characteristics. As I observed and read about a counselor’s role, I learned

about the importance of utilizing a solution focused approach when counseling students. I have

observed counselors use solution focused approach to address both academic and

social/emotional issues. This approach will be a staple of my counseling sessions in the future; I

know that this approach is appropriate and effective for all students and it can be used to address

a variety of concerns.

To this end, a counselor’s role also includes being supportive of families and the

community. As a counselor, I would like to meet with families and community members when

possible to understand their concerns and views. An effective counseling program involves

having communication and a good relationship with the community. As a bilingual individual, I

have experienced that Spanish speaking families are more likely to attend events or meetings that

will be held in both English and Spanish. As a school counselor I will use my bilingual skills to

invite and communicate the Spanish speaking community. Another role of a school counselor is

to provide students and families with appropriate referrals. Hence, I will ensure that I have

community referrals that meet the economic, language, and specific needs of families.

In conclusion, my past and current experiences in the school counseling profession have

shaped my view of the profession and the roles of a school counselor. As a future school

counselor, I will apply what I have learned in both my academic courses and my experiences to

effectively fulfill the multiple roles of a school counselor.