Preparing School Counselors for Group Work

Abstract

The American School Counselor Association has endorsed group work as an important component of school counseling programs, and research has demonstrated the effectiveness of group work in schools. Yet there is still considerable variation in practice of group work in schools. The type of group training preservice school counselors receive is an important factor. School counselor educators should maximize the one group course format by integrating and sequencing content most appropriate for school counseling, linking and infusing group principles in all coursework, especially practicum and internship classes, and consider group leadership skills and competencies in admission and programmatic decisions. This manuscript presents a one-course infusion model for preparing school counselors for group work.

Keywords:

• school counseling
• group work
• school counselor education and training
• preservice training

Notes

Patrick Akos is an assistant professor in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Gary E. Goodnough is a professor in the Department of Counselor Education at Plymouth State College. Amy S. Milsom is an assistant professor in Department of Counseling, Rehabilitation, and Student Development at the University of Iowa.