11 Things to Add to Your Online School Counseling Program

When Covid-19 ballooned earlier this year, my colleagues and I swiftly shifted gears to continue student learning online. I recognized that I was not fully equipped in knowing how to transfer my counseling services 100% online. After brainstorming what to do pretty much for the entire month of March, I turned to videos and emails. I sent biweekly videos to students as well as biweekly to monthly emails to both students and parents. I was providing information on coronavirus, anxiety, organization, and time management. Compared to my colleagues who were subject teachers, I didn't have a set class schedule meaning I didn't have to prepare weekly lessons for students to follow. I felt quite astray in how I would support my students during this unusual time. So much of my work is through my physical presence, and frankly in March and April, I was lost.

During the summer, June through August, I prepared myself (still preparing) for online learning to continue in my school. Specifically, identifying my school counseling approach virtually. This was an essential step for me to take. I knew that I wasn't equipped for the abrupt shift in school moving from in-person and online and I assumed that our school like many others across the world would remain online into the school year.

Pinterest, Instagram, and Google were and are key educational resources I used to enlighten myself. YouTube "university"however, was the primary resource I used to know how I can support my students, colleagues, and school community. I'm still utilizing the different videos on YouTube that link to text-based reports and evidence-based practices to help me. Right now, I feel more confident in my previously learned and recently identified approach, tools, and resources to do my school counseling program online. Continually, I feel more confident in my identity as a school counselor working online. Before, I was astray not knowing what and how to do certain aspects of my job which effected my self-concept. Now, a little anxious for the school year, I feel more grounded in both my job and myself.

Now, here's a brief list of what I intend to implement or adjust in my school counseling program that is geared to online learning:

• Assign and teach online classes. Each grade level will be split into our school's grade level groupings (grade level a, grade level b, etc.) and placed into online classrooms

• Recorded and live instructional videos for my online classes - 5 to 12 minutes max!

• ASCA and ISCA-based (international since I work abroad) curriculum in the three main competencies - 1. academic, 2. social-emotional, and 3. college and career

  • curriculum lessons integrated with social emotional learning (SEL)

• Online check-in form for students, parents, and staff to request my support from academics, friendships, mental health, cyber bullying, and more

  • This includes needs assessments, student behavior forms, academic progress reports, and school counselor check-in request forms

• Making a Bitmoji character and Bitmoji classrooms for students to grab quick resolutions

• Teacher collaboration and consultation to uphold SEL in subject-based classes

• Monthly parent communication

  • through emails and mid semester feedback form

• Decorating my home and work offices despite online learning format

  • No plain walls! Decorate your school home!

• Less comparison and more professional development

  • Instagram looks amazing, but just do you and be you!

• Connecting with other school counselors at work and online for community support

• Bonus: OPTIMISM

  • don't get caught up in meme culture online or negative talk from your colleagues, this year will be just fine!

This list is brief. I will add, take out, and adjust a variety of tasks throughout the duration of online learning. Creating this list was from recognizing early on that I am and have been capable of moving my school counseling program online from the start. I was getting more lost when I was consuming Covid-19 information and online learning information concurrently. It took some time and still I was able to ground myself in my current reality of being a school counselor online, remain present for my students, colleagues, and parents, learn how to effectively do my work online, and stop comparing myself with other educators - all of this to improve my self-concept and regain my confidence as a person and as a professional. Easily said then done and yet I did it, I'm still doing it.

Mide, Miss InterEducation