Entirely Elementary...School Counseling: Post #2: ASCA 2013 "Quote Notes" and Other Learnings

Time to share with you some more of the thought provoking speaker quotes and other learnings from the ASCA 2013 Annual Conference. Check out Post #1 for information regarding Day 1 and part of Day 2 of ASCA13!

Monday, July 1, 2013

1. Working With Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) (Dr. Stephanie Carter-Larson)

Access the handout on the ASCA website. Click on the conference picture and then click on the mobile app. You can search for handouts based on Day and Session.
"Severity is in the symptoms of the disorder - not the disorder itself"
So, state, "The symptoms are severe." Better to use the descriptors High Functioning and Low Functioning
Toys - "average kiddo (when given a toy) uses the toy as it is to function and look at others for their reactions and support. A child on the Autism Spectrum will dissect the toy's details."
Developmental Trajectories -

Typical trajectory - become experts on people
ASD- become experts on things (objects, history, stacking, parts of world, areas of interest, etc.)

Asperger's (in DSM-V not a separate category - Autism Spectrum Disorder)

"Want desperately to have friends but miss the mark with social cues. Miss the understanding in the different meanings. Don't hear the nuances in voice."
"Problem - if you are not interested in dinosaurs and you come play with me (an ASD kiddo) - we have a problem because I am playing dinosaurs (dinosaurs only)."

No medication for ASD. But, co-morbid disorders may be medicated (anxiety, depression, etc.)
High correlation between ASD and gastro-intestinal problems
The earlier you intervene the better the prognosis
RtI does NOT apply for ASD
Higher functioning ASD kiddos usually not identified until 1st or 2nd grade
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) strategies - most significant, highly effective technique; teachers need to go to ABA workshops
"(In schools) there is a disconnect between what I'm supposed to do in reading/math and getting behavior and communication under control."
CDC numbers - 1:88 children affected; Recent government survey of school age children 1:50 children affected
A number of interventions listed on handouts. Here are a few examples...

Bring students in before school starts to tour building
Assign a peer mentor
Assign these students into "community classrooms"
When working with these kiddos, have them use something in their hands: fidget, other play-modalities, Play-Doh/Model Magic, clay, etc.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

1. Keynote Speaker - David Marcus - Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist (www.davemarcus.com)

Wrote the book Acceptance (see link below)
"It's about educating the whole kid."
"Many stories have negative beginnings with amazing results."
What do we need to do...

"We have to get beyond labels."
"We have to do a better job engaging kids who are disengaged."
"We have to let others know what we do."

"Accountability by the way the government defines it is NOT going to engage those 20%-30% of kids who are disengaged."
"(When people suggest ideas for substantial/real change) We spend so much time saying NO! Why don't we find ways to say YES?"
Do practical things - hands on learning
Question from a school counselor in the audience - "How do we engage the disengaged teacher?"

Response - "Elicit parents to do this work." "You pick up the crap when there are bad teachers."
www.ratemyteacher.com

"What you are doing as elementary school counselors is vital."
"We need to change the way we are educating school counselors and how it (school counseling) is taught. School counseling has changed - dealing with more family issues."
Question from a school counselor in the audience regarding the media

We could use a media relations workshop
"Need to get good news out to journalists."
Bloggers - School Counseling and Education
"Education is fundamental to our success in our country."
"We need kids who are critical thinkers and who are well emotionally and socially. YOU go beyond filling in those little circles."
"Pull off labels."

2. Creative Counseling Techniques for Working with Parents (Dr. Chris Schimmel and Dr. Ed Jacobs)

Get the handouts from the ASCA Website.
Four M's of Impact Therapy

Multi-Sensory - mind and ears
Motivational - use your voice, face, passion and energy
Marketing - sell the idea you can be helpful - I can help you.; Need to believe in your product; Need to present it that way
Maps - THEORY; need to have that map in your head (for example, Adlerian)

"You may only get one shot with a parent. When he/she leaves you, you need to make sure they left with something. This is not just YOU listening."
When closing the session ask - "Tell me what was helpful today. Tell me 2 things you will try this week. When I see you in the hallway next week, what will you tell me you tried?"
Need to know the Stages of Change (Prochanska) because you need to understand what stage of change the parent is in to determine if they are really ready to make a change.

Pre-contemplation - Parent might say - Why are you calling me again? You need to do your job and fix this problem!"
Contemplation - Parent might say - I'm not quite sure what is going on with my kids. Maybe they are disrespecting me...
Preparation
Action - So, you would do an action activity with a parent in pre-contemplation stage
Maintenance
Termination

Questions to ask parents:

"What piece do you want help with?"
"Are you willing to learn some new things about parenting that may be helpful?"
"When kids misbehave, there is a purpose and we are going to work together to figure out the purpose."
"Where did you learn how to parent? Is there a manual?...."

4 Goals of Misbehavior: attention, power (intervene by giving choices), revenge, displaying inadequacy
3 Parenting Styles: Giving In, Giving Orders, Giving Choices
All kinds of visual techniques (this is KEY) and hands on techniques in the handouts and in the book - Impact Therapy (see link below).
"You need to get their attention."
The book: Creative Counseling Techniques (see link below) has many of the same techniques and clearly explains their use with students.