The Difference You Make
By Brian Mathieson | December 2017
School counselors are making a difference with students every day. You are the voice for students who need additional social/emotional support. You are promoting career/college readiness for all students. You are teaching lessons to ensure that all students have the knowledge and skills they’ll need to be successful in high school and beyond.
It is past time for us, as a profession, to share the difference we make with students. We need to get very comfortable sharing our charts and graphs, our action plans, and our SMART goals. We need to change the culture to ensure that this is a regular feature wherever and whenever school counselors meet. Here is what I suggest:
Remove the Fear
First, we need to remove the fear factor from sharing our results. One of my favorite quotes is from Dr. Jay Carey, who said, “Good people can have bad data.” Many factors contribute to student success and sometimes, despite our best efforts, we don’t see the results we planned for. If we do not have the courage to share and reflect on our results, however, we cannot improve. I encourage you to use all your training to create the psychological safety and relationships necessary to get very comfortable sharing your results.
Schedule an Opportunity
Second, I encourage you to put an opportunity to share your results on the calendar. This can take several forms. For instance, you can organize an advisory group and schedule a fall meeting to describe your program and what you can to do for students, then a spring meeting to share your results. You can also form a professional learning community with a group of school counselors and plan a celebration at the end of the year when you’ll share. Another idea is to schedule a meeting toward the end of the year with your building principal. This can be paired with a meeting to discuss your annual agreement in the fall. Regardless of what you decide, I’m a big believer in “beginning with the end in mind” by scheduling something that will hold you accountable for sharing.
Have Some Fun
Sharing what you’ve done for students shouldn’t be drudgery. Make it a celebration. Bring food, play music, and include pictures if appropriate. Laugh at your missteps. Focus on growth and establishing best practices.
Kick It Up a Notch
When you’ve become comfortable sharing your results colleagues in your building and district, you’re ready to kick it up a notch. It’s time to present to the school board or the superintendent. You may be ready to put yourself out on social media. Or, you may even be ready to apply for the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation from the American School Counselors Association.
I believe that the strongest form of advocacy for both the profession and the students we serve is to share our results. We need to reach that tipping point when the majority of us are comfortable doing so and make it a regular part of our school year. Make a commitment to sharing the impact you are having with students.
Contact Brian Mathieson, Ed.D., NBCT, WSCA president, at brianmathiesonwsca@gmail.com or on Twitter at @MathiesonBri
It is past time for us, as a profession, to share the difference we make with students. We need to get very comfortable sharing our charts and graphs, our action plans, and our SMART goals. We need to change the culture to ensure that this is a regular feature wherever and whenever school counselors meet. Here is what I suggest:
Remove the Fear
First, we need to remove the fear factor from sharing our results. One of my favorite quotes is from Dr. Jay Carey, who said, “Good people can have bad data.” Many factors contribute to student success and sometimes, despite our best efforts, we don’t see the results we planned for. If we do not have the courage to share and reflect on our results, however, we cannot improve. I encourage you to use all your training to create the psychological safety and relationships necessary to get very comfortable sharing your results.
Schedule an Opportunity
Second, I encourage you to put an opportunity to share your results on the calendar. This can take several forms. For instance, you can organize an advisory group and schedule a fall meeting to describe your program and what you can to do for students, then a spring meeting to share your results. You can also form a professional learning community with a group of school counselors and plan a celebration at the end of the year when you’ll share. Another idea is to schedule a meeting toward the end of the year with your building principal. This can be paired with a meeting to discuss your annual agreement in the fall. Regardless of what you decide, I’m a big believer in “beginning with the end in mind” by scheduling something that will hold you accountable for sharing.
Have Some Fun
Sharing what you’ve done for students shouldn’t be drudgery. Make it a celebration. Bring food, play music, and include pictures if appropriate. Laugh at your missteps. Focus on growth and establishing best practices.
Kick It Up a Notch
When you’ve become comfortable sharing your results colleagues in your building and district, you’re ready to kick it up a notch. It’s time to present to the school board or the superintendent. You may be ready to put yourself out on social media. Or, you may even be ready to apply for the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation from the American School Counselors Association.
I believe that the strongest form of advocacy for both the profession and the students we serve is to share our results. We need to reach that tipping point when the majority of us are comfortable doing so and make it a regular part of our school year. Make a commitment to sharing the impact you are having with students.
Contact Brian Mathieson, Ed.D., NBCT, WSCA president, at brianmathiesonwsca@gmail.com or on Twitter at @MathiesonBri