Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy and approach to classroom instruction developed from my previous clinical training as an intern at a substance abuse outpatient facility. In this role, I facilitated daily psychoeducational groups of 10-15 patients in the intensive outpatient program (IOP). I worked with patients to help them become empowered and recognize their resilience and ability to develop effective coping strategies to maintain their recovery. My approach to teaching emphasizes:
Roles and Responsibilities of Counselor Educators
As a gatekeeper of the profession, it is important for me to ensure that the students I teach are being trained to become multiculturally competent and ethical counselors. As such, I am required to help students develop and enhance their knowledge of the counseling profession and increase their counseling competency and skills. CACREP, the accrediting body for counselor education programs and the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics provide requirements for the content and instructional methods used to educate counselors-in-training. For more information, the link to the ACA Code of Ethics have been provided below.
- developing a sense of community
- active engagement and participation among the community of learners
- the use of assessments as feedback to improve teaching and learning
Roles and Responsibilities of Counselor Educators
As a gatekeeper of the profession, it is important for me to ensure that the students I teach are being trained to become multiculturally competent and ethical counselors. As such, I am required to help students develop and enhance their knowledge of the counseling profession and increase their counseling competency and skills. CACREP, the accrediting body for counselor education programs and the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics provide requirements for the content and instructional methods used to educate counselors-in-training. For more information, the link to the ACA Code of Ethics have been provided below.
Pedagogical Approach to Teaching and Instructional Methods
The primary pedagogical theory that drives my teaching methods is based upon Gloria Ladson-Billings’ Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (also known as culturally responsive teaching). When I was asked to help create the syllabus for the career counseling course, I was elated. One of the first things I noticed about the previous syllabus that had been given to me to review was that it was missing explicit career development information for marginalized and underserved individuals. For instance, there were no career topics addressing career counseling for racial and ethnic minorities or LGTBQ individuals. This was something that I had to discuss with my teaching instructor. I was able to incorporate three additional lessons that include more multicultural career counseling topics than the previous syllabus. Also, the case scenarios I provide for classroom instruction include students from various racial, ethnic, geographical, and socio-economic backgrounds.
One of the key propositions of this theory is the “conception of self and others.” One of the ways I demonstrate this is by viewing my pedagogy as art. I love creating content and activities for the course. This process is unpredictable and dynamic, like counseling. The next proposition of this theory is the emphasis on social relations within the classroom. One of the aspects of my teaching philosophy is to develop a sense of community. In the classroom, I encourage a community of learners rather than competitive, individual achievement. I also encourage collaboration among students in every class through assignments and in-class activities. The third and final proposition of this theory is based on conceptions of knowledge. This includes the idea that knowledge is not static, it is shared, recycled, and constructed. I encourage students to engage content through in-class individual and group activities. I believe that using this pedagogical approach will create an atmosphere of transformative learning for my students because they will be able to increase their empathic understanding and multicultural counseling competency to address the needs of diverse students and clients they will work with in the future.
The teaching methods relevant to counselor education that I am using and will continue to use as a counselor educator include both a teacher-centered approach and a student-centered approach. Some of the methods I use include the following:
The primary pedagogical theory that drives my teaching methods is based upon Gloria Ladson-Billings’ Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (also known as culturally responsive teaching). When I was asked to help create the syllabus for the career counseling course, I was elated. One of the first things I noticed about the previous syllabus that had been given to me to review was that it was missing explicit career development information for marginalized and underserved individuals. For instance, there were no career topics addressing career counseling for racial and ethnic minorities or LGTBQ individuals. This was something that I had to discuss with my teaching instructor. I was able to incorporate three additional lessons that include more multicultural career counseling topics than the previous syllabus. Also, the case scenarios I provide for classroom instruction include students from various racial, ethnic, geographical, and socio-economic backgrounds.
One of the key propositions of this theory is the “conception of self and others.” One of the ways I demonstrate this is by viewing my pedagogy as art. I love creating content and activities for the course. This process is unpredictable and dynamic, like counseling. The next proposition of this theory is the emphasis on social relations within the classroom. One of the aspects of my teaching philosophy is to develop a sense of community. In the classroom, I encourage a community of learners rather than competitive, individual achievement. I also encourage collaboration among students in every class through assignments and in-class activities. The third and final proposition of this theory is based on conceptions of knowledge. This includes the idea that knowledge is not static, it is shared, recycled, and constructed. I encourage students to engage content through in-class individual and group activities. I believe that using this pedagogical approach will create an atmosphere of transformative learning for my students because they will be able to increase their empathic understanding and multicultural counseling competency to address the needs of diverse students and clients they will work with in the future.
The teaching methods relevant to counselor education that I am using and will continue to use as a counselor educator include both a teacher-centered approach and a student-centered approach. Some of the methods I use include the following:
- Direct Instruction: Lecture/presentation-style (using Google slides to present and discuss content relevant to course readings and specific populations (i.e., elementary school students, college students). With this teaching method, I always use some form of technology (i.e., internet, iPads, apps, online career assessments)
- Inquiry-Based Learning: Engaged pedagogy – used to help students play an active and participatory role in their own learning process (i.e., class assignments and discussions)
- Cooperative Learning - Emphasizes group work and reciprocal teaching. When using this method, class members are learning from their peers and are responsible for their own learning and development.
Models of Adult Development and Learning
The model of adult development and learning that seems the most relevant and accurate to me is the integrated approach to adult learning. This approach takes a holistic view and emphasizes the intersections of mind, body, spirit, and sociocultural influences that affect adult development. Because I am teaching a career counseling course, this model seems most appropriate because it focuses on transition, flexibility, and adaptability which are central themes in career development. Additionally, I heavily emphasize that career counseling and personal counseling are not dichotomous but that they are interconnected and both topics must be discussed in the course. The following article from Counseling Today emphasizes this approach to career counseling.
The model of adult development and learning that seems the most relevant and accurate to me is the integrated approach to adult learning. This approach takes a holistic view and emphasizes the intersections of mind, body, spirit, and sociocultural influences that affect adult development. Because I am teaching a career counseling course, this model seems most appropriate because it focuses on transition, flexibility, and adaptability which are central themes in career development. Additionally, I heavily emphasize that career counseling and personal counseling are not dichotomous but that they are interconnected and both topics must be discussed in the course. The following article from Counseling Today emphasizes this approach to career counseling.
Screening, Gatekeeping, Remediation, and Evaluation Functions Relevant to Teaching Future Counselors
The types of screening, remediation, and gatekeeping functions that are relevant to teaching counseling students begin with addressing possible impairment. There is no explicit definition for impairment in the counseling profession. When it comes to addressing impairment, Glance et al. (2012) suggest that counselor educators “clarify whether the student is unable or unwilling to perform at an acceptable level, whether the student’s current level of functioning is temporary or chronic, or whether previously functional behaviors have diminished or never existed in the first place” (p. 4).
An informal screening that we do at each class is to assess the self-care practices of students. At the beginning of class, we ask students to share a self-care activity and/or positive experience that they’ve had from the previous week. Two approaches have been used for this screening. The first approach requires students to share out loud with their classmates. The second approach requires students to write down their self-care activity or positive experience on post-it notes and place on the board. This informal screening helps students to be mindful of their self-care and think introspectively about how to incorporate self-care into their busy lives. It is vitally important for counselors-in-training to learn how to develop regular health habits to prevent burnout and/or impairment and promote counselor wellness.
Reference:
Glance, D., Fanning, G., Schoepke, A., Soto, W., & Williams, M. A. (2012). Gatekeeping in counselor education. VISTAS Online, 1, 1-14
The types of screening, remediation, and gatekeeping functions that are relevant to teaching counseling students begin with addressing possible impairment. There is no explicit definition for impairment in the counseling profession. When it comes to addressing impairment, Glance et al. (2012) suggest that counselor educators “clarify whether the student is unable or unwilling to perform at an acceptable level, whether the student’s current level of functioning is temporary or chronic, or whether previously functional behaviors have diminished or never existed in the first place” (p. 4).
An informal screening that we do at each class is to assess the self-care practices of students. At the beginning of class, we ask students to share a self-care activity and/or positive experience that they’ve had from the previous week. Two approaches have been used for this screening. The first approach requires students to share out loud with their classmates. The second approach requires students to write down their self-care activity or positive experience on post-it notes and place on the board. This informal screening helps students to be mindful of their self-care and think introspectively about how to incorporate self-care into their busy lives. It is vitally important for counselors-in-training to learn how to develop regular health habits to prevent burnout and/or impairment and promote counselor wellness.
Reference:
Glance, D., Fanning, G., Schoepke, A., Soto, W., & Williams, M. A. (2012). Gatekeeping in counselor education. VISTAS Online, 1, 1-14