Counselor Time Use

School counselors ASCA Recommends Spend 80 percent of their time in direct service (contact) with students Because resources are limited, school counselors’ time should be protected; duties need to be limited to program delivery and direct counseling services. Non- counseling activities should be re-assigned whenever possible.

Inappropriate (Non-counseling) activities Registering and scheduling all new students Administering cognitive, aptitude and achievement tests Performing disciplinary actions Sending home students who are not appropriately dressed Teaching classes when teachers are absent Computing grade-point averages Maintaining student records Supervising study halls Clerical record keeping Assisting with duties in the principal’s office Working with one student at a time in a therapeutic, clinical mode

Appropriate (Counseling) responsibilities Designing individual student academic programs Interpreting cognitive, aptitude and achievement tests Counseling students with excessive tardiness or absenteeism Counseling students with disciplinary problems Counseling students about appropriate school dress Collaborating with teachers to present guidance curriculum lessons Interpreting student records Ensuring student records are maintained in accordance with state and federal regulations Assisting the school principal with identifying and resolving student issues, needs and problems Collaborating with teachers to present proactive, prevention-based guidance curriculum lessons

How Do You Spend Your Time DEMONSTRATING HOW WE SPEND OUR TIME CAN HELP COUNSELORS ADVOCATE FOR MORE COUNSELOR RELATED DUTIES

Program Tasks GUIDANCE Definition: Activities that help all students make educational, career and personal-social decisions.  Examples: Group guidance: Peer mediation training, learning strategies, anger management, career interest inventories, learning styles assessments, career exploration, postsecondary education exploration. ¡Individual guidance: Assistance with course selection, test interpretation, educational / career planning assistance

Program Tasks cont. COUNSELING Definition: Activities that help some students overcome social and/or personal problems that interfere with learning. Examples: Individual counseling Group counseling Crisis counseling Consultation Referrals

Program Tasks cont. ADVOCACY Definition: Activities that help create a school environment supportive of high achievement for all students. Examples: Participation in and/or facilitation of school improvement initiatives Promotion of the concept of high achievement for all students Advocating for a supportive learning environment for all students Promotion of an understanding of various ethnic or cultural groups Assistance for teachers who are striving to help all students learn.

Program Tasks cont. MANAGEMENT Definition: Activities, complete “behind the scenes” that support the guidance, counseling and advocacy initiatives. Examples: Evaluation: Analyzing student 1) achievement, 2) choices, 3) mastery of guidance indicators. Analyzing 1) program design, 2) effectiveness of activity providers. Record Keeping: Writing individual and group counseling case notes, keeping a counselor time-use log; maintaining a record of student mastery of guidance indicators. Preparation: Creating guidance lesson plans, scheduling career speakers, writing a counseling program newsletter. Networking: Attending counseling department meetings, attending faculty meetings, networking within the community. Professional Development: Workshops, peer coaching, courses, conferences, reading

Program Tasks cont. NON-PROGRAM TASKS Definition: Activities unrelated to guidance, counseling, or advocacy. These activities do not help students master guidance indicators or overcome problems that interfere with learning. Examples: STAR/CAHSEE administration Special education administration Student records (report cards, GPA calculation, honor roll calculation Substitute teaching Master scheduling (scheduling teachers) Organizing awards programs Data entry

Are We Using Our Time Effectively

Data On My Time Use DEMONSTRATING HOW WE SPEND OUR TIME CAN HELP COUNSELORS ADVOCATE FOR MORE COUNSELOR RELATED DUTIES

Data About My Time Use Data was taken over a month long period Areas Starting 3/2/2009 – 4/17/2009 Areas Guidance Counseling Management Advocacy Non-Program Activities

Data About My Time Use Data was taken over a month long period Starting 3/2/2009 – 4/17/2009 Hours Spent on Average Guidance – 11.66 Counseling – 5.33 Management – 6.25 Advocacy – 7.5 Non-Program Activities – 12 (includes ASA)

Data About My Time Use Data was taken over a month long period Starting 3/2/2009 – 4/17/2009 Recommended Percentages - based on 36 hour work week Guidance – 30% Counseling – 35% Management – 15% Advocacy – 5% Non-Program Activities – 15%

Data About My Time Use Data was taken over a month long period Starting 3/2/2009 – 4/17/2009 Actual Percentages - based on 36 hour work week Guidance – 27.5% Counseling – 12.5% Management – 14.75% Advocacy – 17.25% Non-Program Activities – 28.25%

My Percentages Compared to Recommended

Going Further Do a survey…do kids want more counseling Then use the data to drive access to the counselor Attaching time use to what kids need http://mpusdcounselors.pbwiki.com/Home