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Author: Malecha, Clarissa, A.
Title: The Cultural Aptitude of School Counselors: A Review of Practical
Suggestions
The accompanying research report is submitted to the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Graduate School in partial completion of the requirements for the Graduate Degree/ Major: MS School Counseling
Research Advisor: Denise Brouillard, Ph.D.
Submission Term/Year: Spring, 2013
Number of Pages: 28
Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th
edition
I understand that this research report must be officially approved by the
Graduate School and that an electronic copy of the approved version will be made
available through the University Library website
I attest that the research report is my original work (that any copyrightable
materials have been used with the permission of the original authors), and as such,
it is automatically protected by the laws, rules, and regulations of the U.S.
Copyright Office.
My research advisor has approved the content and quality of this paper.
STUDENT: Clarissa A. Malecha
NAME DATE:
ADVISOR: Denise Brouillard, Ph.D
NAME DATE:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This section to be completed by the Graduate School This final research report has been approved by the Graduate School.
Director, Office of Graduate Studies: DATE:
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Malecha, Clarissa A. The Cultural Aptitude of School Counselors: A Review of Practical
Suggestions
Abstract
The lack of multicultural resources in education has led to school counselors that are not
prepared to lead competent school counseling programs which meet the needs of children in
Wisconsin. As Wisconsin rapidly changes in demographics, the needs of children and families
will undoubtedly change as well. This literature review contains relevant information for school
counselors in providing information regarding multicultural needs and practical implications.
Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, a leading researcher in multiculturism and the field of school
counseling, outlined a checklist to assess the multicultural competence of school counselors.
This research paper reveals practical solutions in attaining the program competence that
Holcomb-McCoy wrote about almost ten years ago.
Social poetry, storytelling, food based experiences, and community-family-partnerships
are explored to provide practical suggestions for school counselors struggling to maintain the
ever evolving multicultural standards of a global society. The school counselor’s role in the
United States educational system continues to diversify with the increasing numbers of students
from non-Caucasian descent. School counselors are becoming viewed as experts within their
school community concerning students’ cultural and social makeup and how that affects
academic performance.
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Table of Contents
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………2
Chapter I: Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….4
Statement of the Problem………………………………………………………………….7
Purpose of the Study………………………………………………………………………8
Research Questions………………………………………………………………………..8
Definition of Terms………………………………………………………………………..8
Assumptions & Limitations of the Study…………………………………………………9
Chapter II: Literature Review……………………………………………………………………10
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………10
School Counselors Training and Education……………………………………………...12
Storytelling……………………………………………………………………………….12
Sociocultural Poetry……………………………………………………………………...13
Food Based Experiences…………………………………………………………………15
Partnerships………………………………………………………………………………18
Chapter III: Summary, Critical Analysis, and Recommendations……………………………….22
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………22
Summary…………………………………………………………………………………22
Critical Analysis…………………………………………………………………………22
Recommendations………………………………………………………………………..24
References………………………………………………………………………………………..26
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Chapter I: Introduction
Many educational professionals, including school counselors, possess a strong desire to
address the multicultural aspects of the student body that they serve. To fill this desire they often
have to navigate paths on their own due to the fact that their master’s degree level training has
not prepared them to do so. This literature review will reveal ways to incorporate multicultural
education into a school counselor’s repertoire. School counselors can address the cultural
differences of their students through multicultural implications like storytelling, poetry, food, and
building strong partnerships between families and schools.
In an article written for the American School Counselor’s Association (ASCA),
Holcomb-McCoy (2004) compiled a checklist for school counselor’s ability to counsel students
from diverse backgrounds. Holcomb-McCoy (2004) suggested nine areas of competence, which
she listed as “multicultural counseling, multicultural consultation, understanding racism and
student resistance, multicultural assessment, understanding racial identity development,
multicultural family counseling, social advocacy, developing school-family-community
partnerships, and understanding cross-cultural interpersonal interactions” (Holcomb-McCoy,
2004, p. 178). In her research sifting through literature pertaining to multicultural school
counseling, these nine areas were developed as strong themes in the review. Holcomb-McCoy
(2004) provided a checklist with the nine areas and a total of 51 competencies to be met in order
to maintain a comprehensive and multicultural school counseling program.
In using Holcomb-McCoy’s (2004) research as a guide, this paper will explore culturally
responsive needs of a school district through community, family engagement, and multicultural
education. This research paper will provide strategies and ideas for school counselors to help
them positively impact multicultural students and families in their school district.
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There is an increasing amount of data that suggests that the people who make up the
United States of America are changing rapidly. According to the United States Census (2010),
there has been a 43.3% increase in Asian Americans and a 12.3% increase in African Americans
since 2000. In Wisconsin alone, several counties have rich depth in their racial make-up from
the reservations of the north to the urban areas of Milwaukee and Madison. According to
Wisconsin’s Information Network for Successful Schools (WINSS) website (2012), the 2011-
2012 school year data reported that 27% of the student body in Wisconsin accounted for students
from American Indian, Asian, Black, and/ or Hispanic heritages. Of those 27%, English
Language Learners (ELL) comprised only four percent. The student body was almost equally
split in regards to gender, with 48% of students being female and the remaining 52% being male.
Students with disabilities represented 14% of the student population. Forty-one percent of
students enrolled in the 2011-2012 school year were considered economically disadvantaged
(WINSS, 2012). The percentage of students who identified with a particular sexual orientation,
religion, or homeland was not reported.
This data indicated that a large majority, if not every school district in Wisconsin, was
affected by a diverse and interesting culture that makes up their school, their community, and the
families that they serve. Aligning with Wisconsin initiatives, it is imperative that these families
are integrated into the school environment. Wisconsin has initiated several programs and models
that take culture into account with planning and implementation. The first program, called
CREATE (2012), which stands for Culturally Responsive Education for All Training and
Enhancement of Wisconsin, aims to hear and respond to all the voices of every family in the
school district. CREATE strives to address the question of why children of diverse backgrounds
don’t achieve at the same level as their peers (CREATE, 2012). Programs like CREATE are
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about bringing schools together and bridging gaps to connect culturally diverse students and their
parents. Organizations like this and the Response to Intervention (RtI) program that are part of
Wisconsin’s Department of Instruction (DPI) clearly value the cultural competency of
communities and school districts. The RtI program of Wisconsin is an initiative that provides
supports to all students in academic and behavioral areas. Xu and Drame (2007) stated that, “RtI
is a multi-tiered intervention model that involves all students and teachers rather than only
students who are at risk for a disability” (p. 306).
In recent years, Wisconsin’s RtI program has become popular in schools statewide and
the program has roots in exploring culturally-based needs. The RtI model is based upon a belief
that if change is to be expected in student’s academic and behavioral success, educators must
take into consideration the cultural background of the student. Xu and Drame (2007) found that
“children with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds come to school with different
expectations and behaviors that are closely connected to their own culture, but schools often just
have one standard for them to follow” (p. 308). When children’s culture of home is not taken
into consideration in the planning of school activity, it is hard to attain 100% program
effectiveness. According to the Wisconsin RtI website, “culturally responsive practices account
for and adapt to the broad diversity of race, language and culture in Wisconsin schools and
prepare all students for a multicultural world” (Wisconsin RtI Center, 2012). Therefore, the RtI
model is important, because everything in the RtI model is anchored into a cultural lens.
Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction also recognizes the need for effective
cultural competence in education. Wisconsin’s DPI is currently collecting data regarding
cultural competence and professional development among student services personnel across the
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state of Wisconsin. The school counseling education consultant, Gregg Curtis, wrote in an
email,
Please help us get a sense of the knowledge, skill and confidence levels of student
services professionals across Wisconsin in order to connect our needs to future
professional development opportunities. The Student Services/Prevention and Wellness
team at the Department of Public Instruction asks for your participation in this survey.
(G. Curtis, educational consultant, personal email, October 23, 2012)
The survey will help the department to assess and improve the effectiveness of school counselors
in the field throughout Wisconsin.
School counselors train and practice within certain guidelines, much like any other
helping profession. School counseling abides by the American School Counselors Association’s
(ASCA) national model of practices. The model outlines ways in which school counselors
should spend their time through four parts, which are foundations, delivery, management, and
system support. The model outlines professional intentions such as advocacy, social justice, and
advisory councils. These needs must reflect the cultural makeup of the school and district for an
effective practice. In an article by Tim Grothaus for ASCA, [Grothaus (2012) explains], “…our
efforts to systematically improve multicultural relations, not just between racial or ethnic groups
but also with regard to social class, ability/disability, sexual orientation, and other cultural
identities” (p. 38) is a main goal of school counseling programs. For many school counseling
professionals this is a primary goal in practice.
Statement of the Problem
As the United States diversifies in culture, schools must respond in appropriate ways to
meet the needs of children and families. A vehicle for change within schools can be harnessed
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by school counselors with measures of more culturally responsive practices through multicultural
education, school-family-community partnerships, and improving cross-cultural interpersonal
interactions.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to highlight the lack of cultural competency within school
counseling and to explore the ideas, strategies, and initiatives currently working in Wisconsin
schools. This study will further highlight ways in which school counselors can implement model
programs and ideas within their schools to address the need for positive cultural engagement
within schools, families, and communities. This will be done through a literature review in the
spring of 2013.
Research Questions
There are three research questions this study will attempt to highlight. They are:
1. What do Wisconsin communities need to do to embrace every child?
2. How can Wisconsin communities bring cultures together?
3. What are some proven strategies in creating a culturally competent community in
Wisconsin school districts?
Definition of Terms
The following terms will be clarified for the purpose of this paper:
Culture. means “the ideas, customs, skills, arts, etc. of a people or group, that are
transferred, communicated, or passed along, as in or to succeeding generations” (Webster’s New
World College Dictionary, 2000, p. 353).
Family Engagement. Parental involvement and access to children’s school community.
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Multicultural / Multiculturism. In reference to Webster’s New World College
Dictionary (2000), multiculturalism means “the policy or practice of giving equal attention or
representation to the cultural needs and contributions of all the groups in a society” (p. 946).
Multicultural Family Therapy. According to Holcomb-McCoy (2004), multicultural
family therapy encompasses counseling that is “knowledgeable of the impact of culture/ethnicity
on the family counseling process and family rituals” (p. 180).
Assumptions
It is assumed that references used are accurate in their information.
Limitations
The limitations of this study are that resources may not provide a comprehensive picture
of the problem. Data from this literature review may not include large samples and
generalizability may be limited.
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Chapter II: Literature Review
This chapter will discuss several areas where cultural competence is needed in
comprehensive school counseling programs across the state of Wisconsin. The areas highlighted
in this section will include: school counselors training and education, storytelling and
sociocultural poetry in classroom guidance, using food to connect cultures, and partnerships.
The impact of these areas in cultural competence is an important issue for school counselors to
examine and include in their programs.
School Counselors Training and Education
To address, "how can school counselors increase their cultural competencies in schools?”
the research has leaned towards examining counselor education programs, professional
development opportunities, and educational pedagogy. Holcomb-McCoy (2004) reported that
the inclusion of multicultural content has been limited in counseling fields (p. 178).
School counseling as a profession is regulated by several associations, including the
American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American School Counselors Association
(ASCA), as well as the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational
Programs (CACREP) that accredits institutions where counselor education is taught. In an
article written by Cates, Schaefle, Smaby, Maddux, and LeBeauf (2007), the authors reported
that in 1999, CACREP made motions to include multicultural competencies within their
counselor educator programs across the United States. Programs were required to continually
update and report the multicultural benchmarks that they were meeting as institutions. Cates et
al. (2007) conducted a study to evaluate the multicultural measures of CACREP accredited
institutions. They found that, “students in the counselor education program who participated in
the current study had high levels of general and multicultural knowledge competency in
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comparison with national means” (2007, p. 35). What is meant by ‘national means’? Is this
compared to students in non-accredited programs? This data is very promising for the
profession, but Cates et al. (2007) suggested even more direct service with multicultural clients
in practicum and internship experiences at the graduate level was needed.
Counselor educator programs are the pinnacle of information on the school counseling
profession and are expected to stay current with major themes. In an article by Hipolito-
Delgado, Cook, Avrus, and Bonham (2011) the researchers explored improving counseling
students multicultural competence through a single cultural immersion program called the
Multicultural Action Project (MAP). Like other cultural immersion programs, MAP asked
students to directly experience a culture other than their own and document “their cognitive and
emotional reactions to the immersion experience” through weekly journal entries (Hipolito-
Delgado et al., 2011, p. 405). This type of assignment within multicultural education offers
students the experience to develop their awareness, knowledge and skills for becoming a
competent and well educated school counselor.
Within the ASCA (2012) national model, there are guidelines related to school
counseling objectives, school counselor time, and legal and ethical standards. As a professional
organization, ASCA (2012) stated that, “effective school counseling programs are a collaborative
effort between the school counselor, parents and other educators to create an environment that
promotes student achievement” (p. xii). As previously stated, school counselors tackle this
through the four parts of their national model that include: accountability, management, system
support, and foundations. School counselors are held to high objectives for meeting the needs of
their school counseling program as evidenced through the American School Counselor’s
Association (ASCA) national model.
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Storytelling
Sharing stories can be very culturally powerful in education. It is powerful because
importance sits on what types of stories are told and who tells them. If children only learn
stories through the dominant culture’s perspective they may feel that the stories that are told in
their homes or in their communities are not relevant or important. In the same token, if only
stories represented from the dominant culture are heard, children from other backgrounds might
never be heard. Jill L. Grant (2011) writes that, “storytelling in practice reflects power, as it sets
attention, expresses personal views, frames expectations, and shapes participation” (p. 408). As
mentioned earlier, the United States of America is evolving into a cultural representation of
many and no longer one. Storytelling is extremely important to many cultural groups in that it
makes up their histories and language. Voices from the Navajo Nation through music, Hmong
voices heard through story cloths, and social stories that came from enslaved African Americans
would not have been heard if not for storytelling. These experiences cannot be conveyed in
education if not present through curriculum.
Storytelling used in the classroom can create sensitivity for others when children tell
personal stories. Sermeno (2011) discussed the notion of using storytelling to build cultural
sensitivity in her work at international schools. She described cultural sensitivity as “the
capacity to respond to culturally different material in a tactful, respectful, and genuine way” (p.
11). Cultural sensitivity is an advanced skill that might not be able to be mastered in secondary
level education let alone in primary levels. However, school counselors, because of their unique
position within a school, can create opportunities for this skill to develop in their students.
Sermeno (2011) said that, “story telling festivals or simple informal sharing in a day room, can
expand our cultural sensitivity in unanticipated and powerful ways” (p.15). When educators
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allow students to develop listening skills through storytelling activities, they have encouraged
cultural empathy and sensitivity towards others. Personal storytelling among peers facilitated
through school counselors and teachers can allow for the process of building listening skills.
Sermeno (2011) went on to suggest that, “wilderness expeditions, retreats, storytelling sessions,
talent nights, art activities, and journaling can offer much needed space for connection” (p.11).
The cross-cultural connections made through these activities have a huge impact in fostering
culturally competent school counseling programs.
Storytelling not only provides a cultural context and sensitivity, but also acts in building
community. Berkowitz (2011) described work that she has done in early childhood education
telling stories instead of reading books. The act of oral storytelling is appealing because it
creates connection. Berkowitz spoke of this connection by saying that, “the children and I make
eye contact without a book between us” (p. 10). Storytelling “gives children an opportunity to
use their imagination, communicate effectively, increase their social awareness, and build
community” (p.10). As children sit together and listen to oral stories they build community
without even realizing it. This community piece of cultural competence strengthens cultural
programs and sensitivity between and within members of a school building.
Sociocultural Poetry
Ingram (2003), a counselor educator at Oregon State University, has brought the issue of
sociocultural poetry and counseling into the spotlight and how this style of poetry can penetrate
into multicultural education. Ingram (2003) described sociocultural poetry as “writings that
address the social, cultural, and racial lived experiences of members of oppressed groups” (p.
223). In this article Ingram (2003) went on to say that, “the goal of the method is to assist
individuals feel understood” (p. 224). School counselors can use sociocultural poetry to help
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students from oppressed populations feel heard and can use the piece to explore feelings,
thoughts, and personal expression.
To understand the poetry discussed, Ingram used a poem called Shelling Beans about the
experience of a young person of African American descent. From Ingram’s article (2005, p.17),
the first stanza of the poem follows:
Come son she said in a voice both nice and sweet,
Come sit here at the table
And help your ole’ mama while she still able
Chile’ what a day I’ve seen –
Grab that sack and help shell these beans!
This poem expressed the world that the young African American boy comes from
including his family relationships that are important to him, as well as a context of culture. This
writing describes the experience of a boy at a young age and how that has shaped the man he is
today. Poetry that encompasses relevant social and cultural aspects from a student’s perspective
can help school counselors in understanding the student’s self-identity in terms of race and
ethnicity. Holcomb-McCoy (2004) described the understanding of racial identity as an important
competency for school counselors to understand and meet professionally. She stated that, “a
significant challenge is for school counselors to acquire an understanding of racial/ethnic identity
development and then apply that knowledge to students’ issues and concerns” (Holcomb-
McCoy, 2004, p. 180). The development of a strong sense of self for culturally diverse students
is an important aspect gained through life experiences and expressed through sociocultural
poetry.
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In practical terms, Ingram (2005) suggested a four-step process that school counselors
could initiate in their schools to help explore some of the important aspects of students’ lives.
The steps to integrating sociocultural poetry into a school counseling curriculum are suggested
as:
1.) Select a poem that embodies the racial, cultural, and social history and experiences of
members of underrepresented and diverse populations.
2.) Employ the poem in the school counseling curriculum (e.g., guidance lessons, group
activities, individual counseling).
3.) Ask the student(s) to reflect on the life experiences of the people and/or groups
represented in the poem, including issues regarding race, culture, gender, and social history.
4.) Discuss the transformative nature of the poem in terms of motivation, social action, and
diversity awareness. (Ingram, 2005, p. 16)
Food Based Experiences
The use of food at social gatherings has always been a way to invite participants into the
group to feel welcome and appreciated. It has at times created room for conversations among
attendees. From potlucks at PTO meetings to school picnics, food has facilitated connections
between people, cultures and ideas. Culturally-based activities involving food are evidence
based practices in multicultural education. According to Sommer, Rush, and Ingene (2011),
food based assignments in multicultural counseling courses are becoming an experientially based
way to learn about the subject. The experts reported that, “research indicates that practices that
include opportunities for self-reflection and direct experience of varied cultures are especially
important in preparing counselors to demonstrate multicultural competence in an increasingly
diverse world” (Sommer et al., 2011, p. 261).
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However, as explained by Sommer et al. (2011), food-based experiences without a
context of dialogue and reflection about the cultural implications do not bring meaningful
understanding of that culture. Consuming a meal together instills the feeling of cohesiveness,
but without an educational component to the experience, the cultural awareness of the event is
lost on the members of the group. Sommer et al. (2011) found that several food based
assignments worked well in a university setting and allowed for discussion about culture and
tradition. One of the assignments asked students to, “…bring to class a food dish that they have
grown up with, or about which they feel most nostalgic” (Sommer et al., 2011, p. 269). This idea
is certainly relevant to university settings, but might be out of reach within most primary and
secondary schools in the United States due to lack of resources. School counselors can modify
the success of this assignment by using the school’s resources to create one event per semester to
educate students, teachers and staff, and the community about multicultural issues. School
counselors could work to connect the family and consumer education department of the school to
make collective meals that represent a few cultural dishes. The school’s history department
could educate students about the origins of the cultural cuisines represented. The English
department could use sociocultural poetry in their classrooms to make students explore their own
cultural backgrounds connected to food. The school counselor could also partner with relevant
community organizations to offer donations and volunteer time along with education about
specific resources in the school’s community.
Small partnerships within the school and across educational departments are seen to be
successful in numerous projects and vision that schools possess. A project in Detroit, Michigan
was examined by Ferreira, Grueber, and Yarema (2012) and described as an outdoor classroom
vision that shares, “a partnership formed between a local university, a school district, and a
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community organization in order to develop and implement outdoor classrooms and curriculum
in seven local elementary schools” (p. 49). The partnership then worked to develop curriculum
that would span content areas in the school while still focusing on the outdoors and the education
that it provides. For instance, “in language arts students can read and write about environmental
topics and issues, while in mathematics they might examine environmental data or simply
measure objects outside and use measurements to determine distances between objects or the
area and volume of such objects” (Ferreira, Grueber, and Yarema, 2012, p. 53). In creating a
multilayered system of partnerships within the school and within content areas as well as outside
of the school with local universities and organizations the school counselor has created a system
of learning experiences that create community and support. Ferreira et al. (2012) went on to say
that, “children become more motivated to write about something they are seeing and will better
remember the formulas to determine the area and volume when they practice such skills in the
context of determining how much wood or soil they will need to build plant beds for their school
gardens” (p. 60). Students from the Detroit area came together supported by their school and
community to learn in a larger way about the systems that work to make a successful school
garden.
One of the more fascinating ideas of this literature review comes from schools in the
United Kingdom. In an attempt to bring cooking skills, better nutrition, and multicultural
cohesion to secondary school children through cooking clubs, school districts found that
knowledge of the participants was increased tri-fold. According to Gatenby, Donnelly, and
Connell (2011), “multicultural after-school cooking clubs can play a key role in the development
of essential life skills and increase the knowledge and understanding of peers from different
cultural backgrounds” (p. 111). The clubs prepared dishes that reflected cultural events like the
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Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah, Chinese New Year, and the Muslim festival of Eid (Gatenby et
al., 2011, p. 110). Similar to Detroit’s idea of an outdoor classroom the experiences of
celebrating holidays with food formed partnerships within the community and taught students
more about cultural heritages that are represented in their schools.
Partnerships
Partnerships between families and schools are vital in creating cultural competence in
communities and the work of culturally competent school counselors. Holcomb-McCoy (2004)
addressed school-family-community partnerships as one of the nine multicultural competencies
for school counselors to incorporate into their programs. The collaboration between community
members, schools, and families creates safe spaces for cultural acceptance to grow. In an article
by Bryan and Henry (2012) the researchers explored the best practices for cultivating school-
family-community partnerships. They defined school-family-community partnerships as,
“collaborative initiatives and relationships among school personnel, family members, and
community members and representatives of community-based organizations such as universities,
businesses, religious organizations, libraries, and mental health and social service agencies”
(2012, p.408-409). These partnerships are crucial to culturally competent counselors being
effective in supporting students, families, school staff, and the community at large. School
counselors can use partnerships with the community to not only welcome and incorporate
diverse perspectives into their schools but also support and maintain a high level of academic
achievement among the student body.
Forming school-family-community partnerships are advantageous to school counselors
and the students that they serve, but there are a several barriers to creating partnerships that exist
in schools today. One barrier for parents not connecting with their child’s school might be the
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actual school building itself. According to Dotson-Blake, Foster, and Gressard (2009), school
counselors can help administrators with, “procedures, policies, and the physical structure of the
school to discern aspects of the environment that serve to separate parents and educators and
clearly give parents the message that they are outsiders” (2009, p. 11). School publications like
newsletters or parental permission forms, along with physical signs at school can be unclear to
families that have learned English as a second language. Language can be a second barrier to the
physical school space appearing less than inviting for culturally diverse families. Dotson-Blake
et al. (2009) discussed the effects that English only schools can have on Spanish speaking
Mexican families. Simple written instructions can cause a very intimidating experience for
families. School counselors can work to link parents who are English language learners with
parents who speak English regularly to improve their language skills and stay active in their
child’s school while offering collaboration time between two families that might not have
connected before.
School counselors have been traditionally seen, as professionals who have focused on
supporting students through increasing academic achievement, supporting
personal/emotional/social health, and preparing students for career and postsecondary planning,
and not as cultural change agents. With the adoption of the American School Counselors
Association (ASCA) national model and even in the most recent updated manual (2012), the
importance of including community partnerships is emphasized again and again as an important
role for a school counselor.
An important aspect of the ASCA national model is to include advisory councils in
school counseling management agreements. According to the ASCA national model, “an
advisory council is a representative group of stakeholders selected to review and advise on the
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implementation of the school counseling program” (2012, p. 47). Advisory councils are meant
to reflect the community that the school district resides in culturally, economically, and socially.
There should be special attention paid to the representation on the council, as well as the size,
goals, and objectives of the group. Advisory councils help to reinforce partnerships between the
school, family, and community that together are a community of voices in how children can
succeed as responsible learners.
It is very important that when forming an advisory council specific attention is made
towards how the group is formed and built. Bryan and Henry (2012) suggested, “a seven-stage
partnership model as a road map for school counselors to help navigate the process (p. 411). A
framework is needed when school counselors attempt to build a successful group of parents,
community members, and school staff to aid in partnering with the school and its programs. The
seven-stage partnership planning model includes, “(a) preparing to partner, (b) assessing needs
and strengths, (c) coming together, (d) creating shared vision and plan, (e) taking action, (f)
evaluation and celebrating progress, and (g) maintaining momentum” (2012, p. 411).
Advisory councils are one way to provide opportunities for the community to be involved
with the education of its children and the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is another. In an
article from PTOToday, Beck wrote, “once a PTO recognizes the need for multicultural
outreach, members must identify the best approaches for their particular population” (Beck,
2009). Beck suggested strategies like using common language, including food and fun, and most
importantly celebrating diversity. Beck (2009) gathered information from several schools
including Ellsworth school in Windsor, Connecticut that used “food to break barriers” by hosting
monthly dinners sponsored by families and their national cuisine. Regionally similar ways to
include family and food have been incorporated into Wisconsin school districts. Several districts
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across the state host family nights that are sponsored by civic clubs, church groups, or university
clubs or degree programs.
Partnerships are also important in providing resources to families that school counselors
serve. Holcomb-McCoy (2004) suggested that, “school counselors should be able to direct their
students’ families to community resources that will assist not only their children but also their
families” (p. 180). A healthy repertoire of culturally relevant community resources is vital to
diverse family participation in the school counseling program. School counselors should know
about the services that their community provides and be able to link families with those services
as need arises in school districts.
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Chapter III: Critical Analysis, Summary, and Recommendations
This chapter will condense the major themes explored in the previous literature review
section. It will explain the value of the information presented specifically for school counselors
within a comprehensive school counseling program. This section will also provide
recommendations for future research surrounding the topic of multicultural competence within
counseling.
Summary
Increasing multicultural competence in school counselors and school counseling
programs across the state of Wisconsin will take quality counselor educational programs, new
and comprehensive ideas like using sociocultural poetry or food in classrooms, and partnerships
with families and the community at large. These ideas woven together have the possibility of
strengthening a foundation to fulfill the vision that Holcomb-McCoy wrote about in her 2004
assessment of the competency of school counselors within multicultural education and
counseling. School counselors need to enhance their skills in multicultural competence to
achieve a comprehensive counseling program that works for all students that they serve.
Critical Analysis
School counselors can improve their cultural competence in a variety of ways collected
from the analysis of literature. The field of school counseling needs to contain more
opportunities for school-counselors-in-training to participate in multicultural experiences
throughout the coursework. This can be achieved, as mentioned previously, through cultural
immersion projects that increase knowledge, awareness, and practical skills in students of the
school counseling program. As seen in other areas of education one simple way to infuse
students multicultural knowledge is to present opportunities across all content areas being
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studied. When school counselors-in-training are exposed to various projects with themes rooted
in multiculturalism it is easier for the students to acquire knowledge, awareness, and practical
skills in the subject matter.
When universities participate in partnerships with local schools and community
organizations all stakeholders benefit. In the Ferreira et al. (2012) article about partnerships a
community in Detroit was brought together by aiding the school in accomplishing its mission of
creating an outdoor classroom experience where elementary students could learn through
projects like the school based garden. The university students get the unique opportunity to
teach school children of diverse backgrounds about nature and the outdoors. In this example the
project can be brought much further with food based experiences that might open up
opportunities for students and families to express their cultures and ways of life through food.
As the project progresses students can write about their experiences in ways that showcase their
point of view in terms of storytelling and sociocultural poetry.
Many major practical themes were found in the research, which included sociocultural
poetry and storytelling within guidance curriculum, introducing food based experiences, and
improving relationships among parents, school staff, and community members. Sociocultural
poetry, storytelling, and food based experiences could all easily be woven into elementary and
middle school guidance curriculum. At a high school level students could participate in these
activities in a classroom based way as well with the motivation, knowledge and push from the
high school counselor. Lastly, partnerships formed among parents, school staff, and community
members are extremely important connections for the school counselor to facilitate not only for
the school counseling program, but also for the community as a whole. School counselors are
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afforded the unique position to assist collaboration between all stakeholders so that everyone’s
voice can be heard.
Recommendations
Recommendations for further research on multicultural issues in counseling will always
be needed to provide effective counseling to the ever changing cultural make-up of the United
States and world as a whole. Holcomb-McCoy (2004) wrote a checklist for school counselors
related to multicultural competence and in the nine years since her article many of the
components of the checklist still need to be addressed through research.
First and foremost, school counseling educators and CACREP accredited programs must
commit to further research on how multicultural education enhances a school counselor’s skills.
Specific learning and training experiences for counselors-in-training must reflect cultural
competence across the disciplines in school counseling degree programs. As school based
programs like Response to Intervention (RtI) expand in school spheres, school counselors need
to be prepared to fit into the cultural piece of those programs. School counselors must receive
more in depth multicultural education to understand the cultural changes in the global world.
Professionals in education look to school counselors to be knowledgeable in how race,
ethnicity, power, privilege, and gender affect populations of school children. Active school
counselors must continue to develop skills through various professional development
opportunities. Holcomb-McCoy (2004) stated that, “as school counselors work with larger
numbers of ethnic minority students, they may need to alter their perceptions, learn to effectively
counsel and consult with diverse populations, become knowledgeable of other cultures and the
manifestations of racism, and assume the role of social change agent” (p. 182). The expected
knowledge of school counselors keeps expanding to include many diverse components and
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school counselor educators must be a part of that expansion process. Holcomb-McCoy (2004)
mentioned in her article that “school counselor educators must also show a high level of
commitment to produce competent school counselors capable of working with students from
various cultural and ethnic backgrounds” (p. 182).
Secondly, the contemporary school counselor must stay active and creative in his or her
field. School counselors must branch out of their comfort zone to provide opportunities for
students that give voice to a variety of families. Holcomb-McCoy (2004) stated that “the nature
of counselor-to-student interaction can promote a positive climate for counseling wherein
students feel affirmed and respected” (p. 181). School counselors can affirm and show respect
for their students when they include their cultural heritage and voice in the curriculum. Students
are able to show pride and experience through activities that revolve around familiar settings.
Through nature based or food based experiences families can show skill and representation of
their own personal story.
Lastly, the field of school counseling needs to embrace and expand partnerships to
succeed in providing multicultural competence in schools. As mentioned previously by Ferreira
(2012) partnerships with local universities, communities, and public schools afford
comprehensive school counseling programs the resources to offer children more opportunities
for cultural awareness and sensitivity. Programs that revolve around food, poetry, and
storytelling now have a stronger chance of coming to fruition within counseling programs.
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