Transcript No Slide Title

SCHOOL
PSYCHOLOGISTS:
Helping children
achieve their best.
In school. At home.
In life.
© 2003 National Association of School Psychologists
What is a School Psychologist?
School Psychologists
understand that all children learn when given:
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Adequate supports and resources
Recognition of their individual needs
Connection to and trust in adults
Opportunities to achieve
Acceptance and encouragement
Cooperation between school and home
School Psychologists
link mental health to learning and behavior to promote:
• High academic achievement
• Positive social skills and behavior
• Healthy relationships and connectedness
• Tolerance and respect for others
• Competence, self-esteem, and resiliency
Why Children Need School Psychologists
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Learning difficulties
Behavior concerns
Fears about war, violence, terrorism
Problems at home or with peers
Depression and other mental health issues
Attention problems
Poverty
Diversity, cultural and language barriers
What Do School Psychologists Do?
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Assessment
Consultation
Prevention
Intervention
Education and training
Research and program development
Mental health care
Advocacy
Assessment
School psychologists work with children,
parents and staff to help determine a child’s:
•Academic skills
•Learning aptitudes and styles
•Personality and emotional development
•Social skills and behavior issues
•Learning environments, school climate
•Special education eligibility
Consultation
• Help teachers, parents, and administrators
understand child development and learning
• Provide positive alternatives for helping
children with learning and behavior problems
• Strengthen working relationships among
educators, parents, and community services
Prevention
• Implement programs to build positive
connections between students and adults
• Identify potential learning difficulties early
• Design programs for children at risk
• Help adults to address problem behavior(s)
• Foster tolerance and appreciation of diversity
• Create safe, supportive learning
environments
Intervention
• Work face-to-face with children and families
• Develop individualized solutions for learning
and adjustment
• Plan and implement crisis response
• Provide
– Counseling
– Social skills training
– Behavior management solutions
Education
Train teachers and parents in:
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Teaching and learning strategies
Parenting techniques
Classroom management techniques
Working with exceptional students
Strategies to address substance abuse and
risky behaviors
• Crisis prevention and response
Research and Program Development
• Recommend and implement evidence-based
programs and strategies
• Generate new knowledge of learning and
behavior
• Evaluate effectiveness of programs and
interventions
• Contribute to school-wide reform and
restructuring
Mental Health Care
• Deliver school-based mental health services
• Coordinate with community resources and
health care providers
• Partner with parents and teachers to create
healthy school environments
Advocacy
NASP and state professional associations are
dedicated to advocacy
School Psychologists Encourage/Sponsor
• Appropriate education placements
• Education reform
• Legislative involvement
• Community services and programs
• Funding for adequate resources
Where Do School Psychologists Work?
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Public and private schools
Private practice
Colleges and universities
Community mental health centers
Institutional/residential facilities
Pediatric clinics and hospitals
Criminal justice system
Public agencies
Examples of efforts in our
school(s)
How school psychologists [insert
activity]
• [You can highlight a program or
intervention that you currently do at your
school to address a particular issue or use
the following issue specific slides as
examples.]
School psychologists
help prevent bullying
• Develop and institute school-wide
prevention programs/codes of conduct
• Train students on conflict resolution and
social problem solving
• Educate teachers to recognize warning signs
and intervene immediately
• Work individually with students who are
victims or bullies
School psychologists help prevent
and respond to crises
• Collaborate with school staff and district
administration to develop a comprehensive crisis
response plan
• Help identify those who are most distressed and
need interventions or referrals
• Provide training on effective coping skills
• Offer group and family interventions
• Provide follow-counseling/support after a crisis
• Offer information and referrals for those who
need further help
School psychologists promote
cultural competence
• Provide students culturally and linguistically
appropriate assessment and intervention services
• Understand how cultural issues relate to mental
health and learning
• Respect and respond to children’s diverse needs
• Support culturally and linguistically appropriate
communications with parents
Ethnicity of the U.S. Population
Ethnicity
%
White/Caucasian
70.7
Hispanic/Latino
12.5
Black/African-American
12.3
Asian-American/Pacific Islander
3.6
American Indian/Alaskan Native
0.9
Source: 2000 U.S. Census
Linguistic Diversity
• 17.9% of the U.S. population over the age of five
speaks a language other than English at home
• Approximately 11% of the U.S. population is
foreign born
For example, more than 100 foreign languages are
spoken by students in the Fairfax County Public
Schools in VA.
Source: 2000 U.S. Census
School psychologists support the mission
of schools and families because:
• Children with difficult challenges need
effective solutions
• Parents need ideas for addressing behavior,
learning, and mental health problems
• Teachers need help working with students’
varied educational needs and behaviors
• Society needs mentally healthy, welleducated children
“School Psychology is like growing a
garden, because you have to do a lot of
ground work before you can see the
rewards and see growth … with the
children, staff, and community, but the
results are definitely worth it!”
--Sarah D’Elia, EdS, School Psychologist,
Braintree, MA
What are the similarities and
differences between
school psychologists
and
school counselors?
Both school psychologists and school counselors:
• Consult with teachers on classroom
management and children’s behavior
• Educate parents on handling behavior and
social issues
• Develop and implement school-wide
programs
• Help children with problems such as peer
issues, bullying, and stress
Differences
• School psychologists tend to work with
children experiencing more severe and
intense problems
• School psychologists typically work in
several schools with multiple age groups,
whereas school counselors work in one
school with a single age group
Differences
• School psychologists conduct assessments
of children’s learning, behavior, and mental
health problems
• School psychologists work as a member of
a team to determine eligibility for special
education and evaluate progress
• School counselors help students with course
selection and career/college advisement
School psychologists and school
counselors often work together as
a team to support children’s
needs.
How does a school psychologist differ from a
child psychologist?
School psychologists focus on how social emotional
issues, family problems, neurological factors,
and mental illness affect learning and behavior
Child clinical psychologists:
• Usually work in a hospital, mental health center,
private clinic, or university setting
• Are not typically trained in education, instruction,
or classroom management
• Do not focus primarily on the multiple factors that
affect learning
To contact your school
psychologist
[ADD NAME and CONTACT
INFORMATION HERE]