Christmas For Sale

Christmas is celebrated during December 25th. In Christian’s it’s Jesus Christ’s birthday. It is the most celebrated holiday wherein everyone makes this as a very especial day. It’s a time when it feels good to give, when grievances are abolished and feel that everything will be alright. Christmas is not about the gift’s tat we receive. It is a chance for us to start a new life, forget about the past experiences that makes us in pain. It is about forgiving the people that hurt us, and make a mew start to be connected with them. A time to appreciate the people around us, that give reasons to be happy and being a part of our life. Especially to have time to bond with our family and let them feel that they are loved. Christmas is a time of renewal and to have peace in our heart.

Everyone is excited in the coming of December. We make our life very busy. We have different ways to celebrate this memorable day. It is tradition to us to celebrate Christmas by going to church, we are completing the 9 days attending mass. Some are busy in decorating home wherein they put Christmas tree, Christmas light, Belen and also lucky charm. Some are having home to home Christmas carol. Some are spending their time in helping those people in need. The godfather and godmother are busy in buying clothes and toys, wrapping gifts for their godchild. The families are also find time to attend Christmas party, and also time to share the feast. And for the employers these are their awaited events wherein they receive the Christmas bonus.

We tend to think of Christmas as a time for children, but for me Christmas is for everyone. It’s a time for us to enjoy life not only during this day but also everyday. We should keep in mind that Christmas is not only for the gifts. We should not focus on the material thing, we still bless even though there is no gift at all. We cannot measure Christmas on the things that we received from our parent’s, godparent’s etc. Feast that we have in neither our table nor the lot’s of decorations that we have in our home. It’s about how we cherished the moment to each other. Importantly is to recognized Jesus Christ’s birth. Thank to God for the life that He gave us and for the blessing’s that we receive. The essence of Christmas is to make the life of others to be meaningful, love them and having peace in our heart.

Management Of Learning Experience (MOLE)

Based on our Happy Thoughts I realized that life has its best, pains, failure and everything but its natural, its God’s way to teach us how to make higher 1-step higher after we fall. Whatever the problems that we experienced we still bless and be thankful to God because we still alive and there is a reason to be happy despite of the hindrances that comes in our lives. We are not alone facing those difficulties in our life God is always there with a helping hand, silently loving, He is ready to help us and guide us in our path. He will not let us to be drowned in our problems. Maybe those problems, trials, obstacles, struggles- are serves as an ingredients’ to make our life meaningful and to remind us that God is not forgotten. With God all things makes possible just pray and trust Him, He knows the best for us.

HAPPY THOUGHTS

BIRTHDAY
A simple greeting makes me happy. I’m happy during my birthday especially when my mother prepares my favorite foods and my friends were invited. This is the time that we were together and set aside the problems or activities in school and because of being curious I started to drink the bar when Lean’s 18th birthday and it continues every time I attend birthday party.

FAMILY
I’m happy when they are happy. They are my inspiration. I hope that someday I give back what they had done for me.

NEPHEW
Everyday he makes me smile. Every time I go home and tired at school when I see him he lessens the stress that I felt.

FAMILY FEUD AND OTHER FRIENDS
Thank you for the time that we shared together and sorry for the bad things that I’ve done. Keep in touch!

GOD
Life is nothing w/out God. I’m thankful every time I woke up in the morning because of the new day that He had given to us. Every time there’s a trial I talk to Him first and ask His guidance and give me a strength to face all the challenges that comes to our life.

HINDRANCES

• Time
• Money
• Fear
• Family problem
• Personal problem

SOLUTIONS

• Be strong and be optimistic
• Study hard
• Pray and trust God

Everything that happened to us God has a purpose. All problems that come to our life are only His way to test our strength and I know that He will not give the challenges that we cannot know how to handle it. The more problems we overcome the stronger that we become because God knows the best for us.

PROBLEM CHECKLIST

Individual Problem Checklist

Emotional Concerns

feeling anxious or uptight
excessive worrying
not being able to relax
feeling panicky
unable to calm yourself down
dwelling on certain thoughts or images
fearing something terrible about to happen
avoiding certain thoughts or feelings
having strong fears
worrying about a nervous breakdown
feeling out of control
avoiding being with people
fears of being alone or abandoned
feeling guilty
having nightmares
flashbacks
troubling or painful memories
missing periods of time - can't remember
trouble remembering things
feeling numb instead of upset
feeling unreal, strange or foggy
feeling depressed or sad
being tired or lacking energy
feeling unmotivated
loss of interest in many things
having trouble concentrating
having trouble making decisions
feeling the future looks hopeless
feeling worthless or a failure
being unhappy all the time
dissatisfied with physical appearance
feeling self critical or blaming yourself
having negative thoughts
crying often
feeling empty
withdrawing inside yourself
thinking too much about death
thoughts of hurting yourself
thoughts of killing yourself
frequent mood swings
feeling resentful or angry
feeling irritable or frustrated
feeling rage
feeling like hurting someone

__________________________________________________
Behavioral and Physical Concerns

not having an appetite
eating in binges
self induced vomiting for weight control
using laxatives for weight control
eating too much
eating too little
losing weight
gaining weight
trouble sleeping
trouble falling asleep
early morning awakening
sleeping too much
sleeping too little
lack of exercise
not having leisure activities
smoking cigarettes
temper outbursts
aggressive toward others
impulsive reactions
trouble finishing things
working too hard
using alcohol too much
being alcoholic
using drugs
driving under the influence
blackouts - after drinking

_______________________________________________
Intimate Relationship Concerns

feeling misunderstood in relationship
not feeling close to partner
trouble communicating with partner
not trusting partner
lack of respect by partner
partner being secretive
lack of fairness in relationship
problems with dividing household tasks
disagreeing about children
lack of affection
unsatisfactory sexual relationship
lack of time together
lack of shared interests
jealousy in relationship
frequent arguments
trouble resolving conflict
partner being demanding and controlling
partner putting you down
violent arguments
emotional abuse in relationship
physical abuse in relationship
sexual abuse in relationship
partner having alcohol or drug problem
self or partner having an affair
feeling uncommitted to relationship
wanting to separate
discussing separating or divorce
problems with in-laws
problems with ex-partner
problems with step parents
children having special problems

_________________________________________________
Sexual Concerns

worrying about getting pregnant
having miscarriage(s)
choice of birth control
having an abortion
not able to become pregnant
not enjoying sexual affection
too tired to have sex
too anxious to have sex
feeling a lack of sexual desire
wanting to have sex more often
feeling neglected sexually
feeling used sexually
feeling unable to have orgasm
being unable to sustain an erection
feeling negatively about sex
When Growing Up to Present Time:
being physically abused - by whom?
being emotionally abused - by whom?
being sexually abused - by whom?
having an alcoholic parent - which?
having a drug abusing parent - which?
having a depressed parent - which?
having a parent with emotional problems
having parents separate or divorce
close family member dying - who?
felt neglected or unloved - by whom
having an unhappy childhood
having serious medical problems
having learning problems
having emotional problems
having attempted suicide - when?

SUMMARY: COMMON PROBLEMS IN ECED CHILDREN

COMMON PROBLEMS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

1. Sleep Problem- The most frequent sleep difficulty is wakefulness at night, which is most frequent between the ages of 1 and 4 years.
2. Temper Tantrum- The immediate cause is often unwitting reinforcement by excessive attention and inconsistent discipline on the part of the parents.
3. Pica- Pica is the eating of items generally regarded as inedible, for example soil, paint, and paper.
4. Sibling Rivalry- Children at this age are normally self-centered and may not understand why they have to share your attention. They may feel neglected or jealous and may regress in many of their behaviors.
5. Child Abuse- Child abuse is more than bruises and broken bones. While physical abuse might be the most visible sign, other types of abuse, such as emotional abuse or child neglect, also leave deep, long lasting scars.
6. Hitting- is often a direct communication of frustration when a child is not getting his way. Young children often hit because they cannot speak the words to communicate their irritation.
7. Biting - Typically, this is a developmental teething issue and not behavioral. However, like hitting, it is an easy way for children who do not have verbal skills to express anger or frustration.
8. Taking Toys- Children under the age of three are still learning the basic concept of sharing. Children do not share their toys at home in an only-child situation, thereby making sharing in preschool a foreign concept to them.
9. Not Following Directions- Following directions is very difficult for children under two years of age as their main focus is to explore and sense the world around them. However, children over two years, while still curious, should understand boundaries and rules when told to do something.
10. Personal Aggression- Children who suck their thumb, grind their teeth, pull their teeth or rock or bang their heads include some of the negative habits that puts parents and other adults on edge.

SOCIAL PROBLEM

Working with Shy or Withdrawn Students
This digest focuses on the middle range of such students, who are commonly described as SHY (inhibited, lacking in confidence, socially anxious) or WITHDRAWN (unresponsive, uncommunicative, or daydreaming) and suggests strategies for working with these students.

Children's Peer Relationships
Children who are unable to form close or satisfying relationships with peers should be of concern to parents and teachers alike. For one thing, these children miss out on opportunities to learn social skills, skills needed to initiate and maintain social relationships and to resolve social conflicts, including communication, compromise, and tact.

Peer Conflicts in the Classroom
Traditionally, many adults have viewed conflicts between children as undesirable and have tried to prevent them or to intervene. Recent theory and research, however, suggest that peer conflict contributes to children's development and represents an important form of social interaction.

Bullying
Bullying can take many forms; racial discrimination and sexual harassment are examples of abuse students can face. Child rearing influences, the characteristics of the child, and factors of the environment are cited as possible reasons why children bully. Most bullying occurs in the school environment so how schools respond to such interactions impacts the school climate.

PHYSICAL PROBLEM
The area of physical development can be divided into two main areasGross Motor Development Fine Motor Development

There are also two areas, which can affect a child's ability to learn and may contribute to difficulty with physical tasks. These are:
Attention Skills
Sensory Integration

• Gross Motor Development
• Fine Motor Development
• Visual Motor Skills
• Grapho-Motor Skills
• Motor Planning
• Attention Skills
• Sensory Integration

Here are some examples:
• Touch - A child might be sensitive to the feel of objects against his skin. He might hate activities such as dress up, pretend play with makeup, or arts and craft activities that involve working with playdough or clay. A child who is overly sensitive to touch may overeact when touched even lightly on the shoulder by a teach or a friend. A child who is underly sensitive may have no reaction if he falls or hurts himself.
• Smell - A child might react strongly to unusual or strong smells or not seem to notice even unusual smells such as food burning or gas leaking.
• Taste - Some children are particularly sensitive to the taste of different foods.
• Sight - Strong lights or certain types of colors may bother a child.
• Hearing - A child may be disturbed by sudden or loud noises.
• Position in Space - Some children have difficulty evaluating how much space is needed to reach a certain item. This would include putting a pegboard down on the table without tipping it over, judging if there is room for a child to crawl underneath a jungle gym and sitting down on the center of the chair. A child who seems to eternally "miss the chair" when sitting down may be having difficulty in this area.
• Movement - an overly sensitive child may fear climbing on a jungle gym, and have difficulty with gross motor activities. An underly sensitive child may be fidgety, jump on the couch all afternoon, and have difficulty sitting down to do table activities such as a puzzle.

EMOTIONAL PROBLEM

1. Childhood bipolar disorder- This childhood emotional problem can be hard to diagnose, because its symptoms are also symptoms of many other childhood emotional problems.
2. Childhood depression- This childhood emotional problem is considered serious, but it can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are not unique.
3. Autism- These autism behaviors include trouble interacting socially, obsessive and competitive behavior and difficulty with nonverbal and verbal communication.
4. Childhood schizophrenia- This emotional disorder often affects a child's ability to develop normal social, educational and emotional skills and habits.
5. Tourette syndrome- This emotional problem is also considered a neurological disorder.

Common Problems of Children

Common Problems of Children

It's common for preschool children to exhibit behavioral problems, as the result of increased interaction with others and not knowing how to communicate their needs effectively. The majority of common behavioral problems are exhibited in children 18 months and older.

1. Hitting is often a direct communication of frustration when a child is not getting his way. Young children often hit because they cannot speak the words to communicate their irritation.

2. Biting Typically, this is a developmental teething issue and not behavioral. However, like hitting, it is an easy way for children who do not have verbal skills to express anger or frustration.

3. Taking Toys Children under the age of three are still learning the basic concept of sharing. Children do not share their toys at home in an only-child situation, thereby making sharing in preschool a foreign concept to them.

4. Temper Tantrums are attention-gaining tools for children to get their way. Children realize quickly that teachers are more likely to give in the louder the tantrum is and the longer it lasts.

5. Not Following Directions Following directions is very difficult for children under two years of age as their main focus is to explore and sense the world around them. However, children over two years, while still curious, should understand boundaries and rules when told to do something.

6. Personal Aggression Children who suck their thumb, grind their teeth, pull their teeth or rock or bang their heads include some of the negative habits that puts parents and other adults on edge. What may look like self-aggression is typically a bad habit a child formed and will most likely grow out of it. The article "Bad Habits, Annoying Behavior," published by the University of Michigan Health System, states that calling attention to the offending behavior, shouting or disciplining a child usually does not stop the habit. Instead, they suggest offering praise and encouragement when the child ceases the behavior.

Common Behavior Problems of Children

These can be usefully classified into psychosocial disorders, habit disorders, anxiety disorders, disruptive behaviour and sleeping problems.
Psychosocial disorders These may manifest as disturbance in:
• Emotions e.g. anxiety or depression
• Behaviour e.g. aggression
• Physical function e.g. psychogenic disorders
• Mental performance e.g. problems at school
This range of disorders may be caused by a number of factors such as parenting style which is inconsistent or contradictory, family or marital problems, child abuse or neglect, overindulgence, injury or chronic illness, separation or bereavement.1

The child's problems are often multi-factorial and the way in which they are expressed may be influenced by a range of factors including developmental stage, temperament , coping and adaptive abilities of family, the nature and the duration of stress. In general, chronic stressors are more difficult to deal with than isolated stressful events.

Children do not always display their reactions to events immediately although they may emerge later. Anticipatory guidance can be helpful to parents and children in that parents can attempt to prepare children, in advance, of any potentially traumatic events e.g. elective surgery or separation. Children should be allowed to express their true fears and anxieties about impending events.

Young children will tend to react to stressful situations with impaired physiological functions such as feeding and sleeping disturbances. Older children may exhibit relationship disturbances with friends and family, poor school performance, behavioural regression to an earlier developmental stage, development of specific psychological disorders such as phobia or psychosomatic illness.

It can be difficult to assess whether the behaviour of such children is normal or sufficiently problematical to require intervention. Judgement will need to take into account the frequency, range and intensity of symptoms and the extent to which they cause impairment.
Habit disorders These include a range of phenomena that may be described as tension reducing.

Tension reducing habit disorders
Thumb sucking Repetitive vocalisations Tics
Nail biting Hair pulling Breath holding
Air swallowing Head banging Manipulating parts of the body
Body rocking Hitting or biting themselves

All children will at some developmental stage display repetitive behaviours but whether they may be considered as disorders depends on their frequency and persistence and the effect they have on physical, emotional and social functioning. These habit behaviours may arise originally from intentional movements which become repeated and then become incorporated into the child's customary behaviour. Some habits arise in imitation of adult behaviour. Other habits such as hair pulling or head banging develop as a means of providing a form of sensory input and comfort when the child is alone.

• Thumb sucking - this is quite normal in early infancy. If it continues it may interfere with the alignment of developing teeth. It is a comfort behaviour and parents should try to ignore it while providing encouragement and reassurance about other aspects of the child's activities.

• Tics - these are repetitive movements of muscle groups that reduce tension arising from physical and emotional states, involving the head, the neck and hands most frequently. It is difficult for the child with a tic to inhibit it for more than a short period. Parental pressure may exacerbate it while ignoring the tic can reduce it. Tics can be differentiated from dystonias and dyskinetic movements by their absence during sleep.

• Stuttering - this is not a tension reducing habit. It arises in 5% of children as they learn to speak. About 20% of these retain the stuttering into adulthood. It is more prevalent in boys than girls. Initially it is better to ignore the problem since most cases will resolve spontaneously. If the dysfluent speech persists and is causing concern refer to a speech therapist.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety and fearfulness are part of normal development, however, when they persist and become generalised they can develop into socially disabling conditions and require intervention. Approximately 6-7% of children may develop anxiety disorders and of these 1/3 may be over-anxious while 1/3 may have some phobia. Generalised anxiety disorder, childhood onset social phobia, separation anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and phobia are demonstrated by a diffuse or specific anxiety predictably caused by certain situations.

School phobia occurs in 1-2% of children of which an estimated 75% may be suffering some degree of depression and anxiety. Management is by treating underlying psychiatric condition, family therapy, parental training and liaison with school to investigate possible reasons for refusal and negotiate re-entry.
Disruptive behaviour

Many behaviours, which are probably undesirable but a normal occurrence at an early stage of development, can be considered pathological when they present at a later age. In the young child many behaviours such as breath-holding or temper tantrums are probably the result of anger and frustration at their inability to control their own environment. For some of these situations it is wise for parents to avoid a punitive response and if possible to remove themselves from the room. It is quite likely that the child will be frightened by the intensity of their own behaviour and will need comfort and reassurance. While some isolated incidents of stealing or lying are normal occurrences of early development they may warrant intervention if they persist. Truancy, arson, antisocial behaviour and aggression should not be considered as normal developmental features.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder This is characterised by poor ability to attend to tasks, (e.g. makes careless mistakes, avoids sustained mental effort) motor overactivity (e.g. fidgets, has difficulty playing quietly) and impulsiveness (e.g. blurts out answer, interrupts others). For the diagnosis to be made, the condition must be evident before age 7 years, present for >6 months, seen both at home and school and impeding the child's functioning. The condition is diagnosed in 3-7% of school-age children.

Methylphenidate (initiated by specialists only) is a stimulant medication that provides reduction of symptoms, at least in the short term.2 Management usually includes family therapy (a programme of behavioural modification for the child and the parents), although further research confirming its benefits is needed. 3,4,5 Essential fatty acids may alleviate some symptoms.
Sleeping problems

Sleep disorders can be defined as too much or too little sleep than is appropriate for the age of the child. By the age of 1-3 months the longest daily sleep should be between midnight and morning. Sleeping through the night is a developmental milestone but at the age of 1 year 30% of children may still be waking in the night. Stable sleep patterns may not be present until age 5 years but parental or environmental factors can encourage the development of circadian rhythm.

Sleep disturbance can have a deleterious affect on the cognitive development of children, as well as the functioning of the parents. One study of 2-3 year olds found a significant link between sleep disturbance and emotional and behavioural disorders.7 Other links include memory loss and obesity.

Regular bedtimes, quieter activities and the creation of marked differences between the sounds, activities and light levels associated with night time sleeping and daytime activities may help to encourage better sleep patterns. A solid evidence base now supports the use of behavioural treatments in infants and pre-school children (under 5).All of these are based on the objective of the parents gaining control of the bedtime routine. They include unmodified extinction (ignoring the child's cries but monitoring for illness or injury), modified extinction (ignoring the child for a specified period of time) and positive routines (doing some quiet pre-sleep activity and ensuring that falling asleep is associated with a positive parental-child interaction). One study found that parental interventions that encourage independence and self-soothing were associated with extended and more consolidated sleep compared to more active interactions that were associated with shorter and more fragmented sleep.

Hypnotherapy has been found to be of benefit in school-age children.

The BNF for Children states that the use of hypnotics, except for occasional short-term treatment of night terrors and sleep-walking, is never justified.However, it is recognised that the treatment of paediatric insomnia is an area that needs further research.

Melatonin is sometimes of benefit in sleep disorder associated with visual impairment, cerebral palsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. It is unlicensed for this indication and specialist supervision is recommended for initiation and monitoring.

Emotional Problems in Children

Emotional problems in children have become more widely recognized. A child's emotional problem can become a chronic problem if it's not attended to properly and in a timely manner. Many adult emotional problems can also affect children, but these problems may not be as easily recognized in children. Some emotional problems in children can be treated quite easily, but some require long-term care that can be complicated.

Childhood Bipolar Disorder

1. Childhood bipolar disorder is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem can be hard to diagnose, because its symptoms are also symptoms of many other childhood emotional problems. Common symptoms include mood swings, irritability, episodes of extreme happiness and episodes of severe depression. Childhood bipolar disorder is a serious condition and should be treated as such. Treatment most often includes a combination of medication (sometimes more than one) and behavior therapy (teaching the child how to handle certain situations better).

Childhood Depression
2. Childhood depression is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem is considered serious, but it can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are not unique. Common symptoms include irritability, fatigue, hopelessness, social withdrawal and poor performance in school. Childhood depression is most often treated with medication and behavior therapy.

Autism
3. Autism is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem is often serious and consists of three distinctive behaviors. These autism behaviors include trouble interacting socially, obsessive and competitive behavior and difficulty with nonverbal and verbal communication. Medications (often more than one) and behavioral and educational therapies and interventions are used to treat autism. Family counseling is also used to help families learn about autistic children and to help them cope.
Childhood Schizophrenia

4. Childhood schizophrenia is an emotional problem that can affect children. This emotional disorder often affects a child's ability to develop normal social, educational and emotional skills and habits. Children with emotional disorder often have difficulty performing daily tasks, think and act irrationally and have delusions and hallucinations. Childhood schizophrenia is most often treated with a variety of treatments including medications (most often antipsychotics) and psychotherapy (teaches the child to cope with the illness and its challenges).

Tourette Syndrome
5. Tourette syndrome is an emotional problem that can affect children. This emotional problem is also considered a neurological disorder. Tourette syndrome is characterized by stereotyped and repetitive vocalizations and involuntary movements referred to as tics. Tourette syndrome is most often treated with a combination of medication and psychotherapy.

sample guidance program

High School Guidance
Program

Guidance Curriculum
Individual Planning
Responsive Services
System Support

High School Guidance Counselors deliver the comprehensive guidance program to students in grades nine through twelve in a manner that prepares students for post secondary opportunities.
High School Counselors must have the following qualifications, (All high school counselors in Northside I.S.D)
• are professional educators,
• have earned a Master's Degree,
• are specifically trained in counseling techniques,
• Are certified as school counselors by the Texas Education Agency.
High School Counselors address their continuing professional growth through:
• Inservice training
• Workshops
• Local, state and national conferences
• Continuing Education
• Inter-school counselor meetings
• Current professional literature and media information
• Presentations to professional groups
• Technology networking
Students may see the school counselor through...
• A student self referral
• A teacher referral
• A parent referral
• A counselor request
• An administrator request
Students may want to see the counselor for many reasons, including assistance with:
• Problem-solving by exploring alternatives to make appropriate decisions.
• Developing positive attitudes towards self and others.
• Establishing personal goals.
• Developing educational plans and in selecting the related courses based on individual interests and talents.
• Interpretation of results of standardized tests.
High School Counselors across the district provide similar services tailored to the educational level and to the student and campus needs. To find out more about the guidance program at each high school campus, click on the link below to go to the NISD High School Websites.

Guidance Curriculum
High School Counselors teach the guidance curriculum and assist teachers with guidance-related curricula. The following are examples of the topics that are addressed in class guidance sessions.
• Academic support
• Career pathways
• Character development
• Decision-making
• Developmental assets
• Goal-Setting
• Graduation requirements
• Study skills
• Understanding academic records
• Conflict management
Individual Planning
High School Counselors provide individual or group assistance with educational planning and career exploration. Sample activities include the following:
• 9-12 Pre-registration activities such as course selection and review of graduation requirements.
• Special events such as college and career days, financial aid programs and elective fairs.
• Assistance to students with information for special programs such as dual credit, transition/IEP needs.
• Student/parent conferences to address educational and career planning.
• Freshman Conferences to orient students to high school.
• Sophomore conferences to review student Graduation Status Report (GSR), to interpret the standardized test scores and to provide career guidance.
• Junior Conferences to review the GSR, to provide college, career and relevant testing information.
• Senior Conferences to review the GSR, provide post-secondary education admissions information, as well as scholarship and financial aid information.
Responsive Services
High School Counselors provide students with counseling services, either individually or in groups, to address relevant adolescent issues as a result of student, teacher, parent and/or administrator concerns, or for crisis response. Examples of concerns students may bring to the counselor's office include the following:
• Conflict mediation
• Dropout prevention
• Financial assistance
• Peer relations
• Progress toward graduation
• Schedule issues or changes
• Social issues
• Teen parenting
• Violence and drug abuse issues
Counselors also provide consultation services to parents and teachers.
Additionally, counselors may refer students (and when needed, their families) to other programs for other resources or services such as:
• Safe and Drug Free Program,
• Gifted and Talented Program,
• Special Education Services,
• HORIZONS Program, (perhaps link to their website)
• Other district and community resources and services.
System Support
High School Counselors coordinate with school and community to bring together resources for students. Counselors provide information about:
• AP Testing Schedule
• Exit Level TAAS testing schedule
• Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT) testing schedule and preparatory classes
• PSAT Test Schedule
Counselors organize or assist with many activities on behalf of students with other campus, district and community groups. Examples include:
• Ninth Grade Orientation (see campus website for information)
• Parent Programs, such as Financial Aid Night and Junior Parent Programs
• High School Guidance Program Open House
• Partnerships with community businesses
• Mentoring Programs
• Career-Tech Expo
• College Night
• Communication networks with college and military representatives
• School Advisory Team
• Safe and Drug Free School and Communities Program Advisory Council
• National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ) Student Training Program
• Junior Achievement
• NISD programs and resources, Compensatory, Special Education, optional high school and testing programs, etc.
Counselors provide consultation and training services to school staff and parents. Topics they address can include the following:
• Developmental Assets
• Multicultural/Diversity training
• Guidance program information
• New teacher training
• Signs and symptoms of substance abuse and violence
MICHIGAN COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDANCE & COUNSELING PROGRAM

The educational system of this country is under almost continuous attack from outside societal forces. Educators are asked to do more and more with ever diminishing resources. The educational system is held responsible for responding to a variety of social problems in addition to teaching those basic educational skills necessary for the United States to compete effectively in a global economy. Every day classroom teachers, school administrators and school counselors must deal with the consequences of dysfunctional families, drugs, gangs, violence, latch-key children, teenage suicide, teenage pregnancy, and other social conditions which threaten the growth and development of young people in this country. All components of our educational system must search out new and innovative methods and procedures for responding to the challenges posed by current social conditions. School counselors, who are equal partners in the educational system, have developed interventions to make positive, practical contributions toward helping our educational system meet these challenges as effectively as possible. School counselors believe that teaching life skills is inherent in the curriculum of counseling and is critical to preparing students for life. It is with this rationale, that a comprehensive and developmental school counseling program is advocated for every school.
A grass roots effort aimed at meeting these educational challenges began in the Fall of 1990 when a committee was formed to work on a comprehensive guidance and counseling program for Michigan schools. The membership of the Michigan Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program Committee was comprised of practitioners from the Michigan School Counselor Association (MSCA), all practicing school counselors, counselor educators, and guidance administrators. This committee was charged with developing a comprehensive guidance and counseling program that met four basic conditions:
1. It is specific enough to provide clear guidelines for school counselors to follow in developing comprehensive, developmental/preventative guidance and counseling programs for their schools.
2. It is general enough to allow school counselors to develop standards and benchmarks which reflect the unique needs and characteristics of the student populations being served.
3. It provides a structure for school counselors to use in explaining the purposes of the guidance and counseling program and the functions of counselors to students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members.
4. It provides a framework which would enable school counseling programs to demonstrate accountability.
The Program
The program that has been developed reflects a change from the traditional/remedial emphasis of counseling to a more contemporary developmental/preventive emphasis. Historically, school counselors were seen as providing a set of ancillary services which were considered useful but not essential to be education enterprise. Today's social realities dictate that the old ways of conceptualizing school counseling are no longer valid. Prevention-oriented programs, which stress collaboration with other educational professionals and which are seen as integral parts of the educational process, are mandatory if the next generation of young people are to be allowed to realize their potential with respect to academic, personal/social, and career development. Prevention assumes a place of central importance in contemporary school counseling programs because many of the problems facing young people today are both too dangerous and too difficult to deal with when allowed to grow unchecked during the formative years.
Program Defined
A comprehensive guidance and counseling program is a systematically designed set of components, which includes a counseling curriculum, responsive services, individual planning, and systems support that empowers professional school counselors to assist students in meeting their academic, personal/social, and career needs from kindergarten through grade 12. It is developmental in design in that it offers sequentially planned activities which meet the needs of children and adolescents as they grow and progress from one grade level to the next.
It addresses the needs of all students by helping them to acquire and apply knowledge of self and others, develop competencies in career/life planning, and achieve educational success.
Philosophy
The philosophy of a comprehensive guidance and counseling program is based on two assumptions: (1) that each individual student is unique and (2) that individuals normally grow an develop in ways similar to those of other individuals their same age. Thus, a comprehensive guidance and counseling program contains components that address the individual and group needs of children and adolescents. The professional school counselor has the major responsibility for the design and implementation of the program. However, administrators, teachers, psychologists, social workers, nurses, parents, and community resource persons also have a significant responsibility. As stated in the Wisconsin Developmental Guidance Model (1986), "A systematic approach to guidance can help make certain that the skills of the counselor are used to optimum advantage; that the invaluable work of social workers, nurses, and psychologists interfaces with the guidance program; that the classroom teacher's important guidance role is strengthened; and that parents and other community resource people are kept informed and urged to participate more actively in the education of children" (p.v).
THE IOWA COMPREHENSIVE COUNSELING AND
GUIDANCE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

PROGRAM COMPONENTS
A comprehensive program is based on learning in three areas of development: personal/social, academic, and career. Program components serve as the structure to achieve the learning goals. Gysbers and Henderson
(1997, 2000) identified the following components: guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services, and system support. Even though Gysbers and Henderson focused on pre-kindergarten through
12, their work is also applicable to community college counseling and guidance programming

GUIDANCE CURRICULUM
This component is the heart and soul of the developmental piece of a comprehensive program. Included in this component will be standards and benchmarks by grade level so that there is a scope and sequence.
Once these standards and benchmarks are identified, activities to achieve them are developed. These activities are generally implemented in 30-45 minute weekly or bi-weekly classroom guidance sessions which are for all students. Since the counselor cannot do all the classroom guidance, plus all the other counseling responsibilities, teaming with teachers is critical. The curriculum can be developed by the counselor or as a joint teacher-counselor effort. Counselors can train teachers in effective facilitation skills. If activities have well-defined objectives and learning outcomes, specific procedures, and discussion questions, there is very little difference between teaching a language arts lesson and teaching a guidance lesson: both emphasize awareness, knowledge, and skill. At the middle school and high school levels, an advisor-advisee system is often an effective way to implement a systematic program. With this integrated system, one teacher would meet weekly or bi-weekly with a group of 10 to 15 students and conduct a lesson, followed by discussion.

Lessons such as these may also be implemented in small structured groups of six to ten students. These sessions basically serve the same purpose as classroom guidance; the advantage being that with fewer students there is more opportunity for discussion and personalization. It is important to note that these types of groups are for all students and are preventive and more educational in nature, in contrast to groups that are formed in response to a problem that is already beginning to emerge.
This component should also include parent/family education programs at all levels. These programs can be delivered in two ways: through large group informational sessions, where a topic that is particularly relevant to a group of parents or families is presented; or through small group sessions of six to ten people. Small groups may be ongoing for six to eight weeks; one topic or a series of topics can be explored. The topics can be general topics such as discipline or developmentally relevant topics such as how to handle adolescent mood swings or how to deal with the transition out of high school. Small groups may also be structured as support groups, where a group of parents or families with a common need meet for support and sharing. An example of this type of group would be groups for parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or a group for families dealing with substance abuse or divorce, for example.

This component also includes conducting inservice with teachers, administrators, and school support staff. Characteristic traits at developmental stages, effective conflict resolution or classroom management strategies, and communication techniques are typical areas of counselor expertise that are pertinent to others and can be shared in informal discussion groups or structured presentations. By getting involved at this level, the counselor is perceived as a leader who contributes to the overall school climate, and as a result, guidance programs are viewed as an integral component of the educational environment.

This component is different from the other three in several ways:
1. There are specifically planned activities in this component that are curriculum based lessons.
2. Teachers will do more of these tasks than those in other components because while they can be trained to do classroom guidance, it takes extensive training found in masters degree programs to do individual and small group counseling, for example, teachers are not permitted or qualified to do individual counseling.
3. This component, more than any of the others, focuses on prevention. The intent is to systematically present students with information and skills that they can use to address typical developmental problems; the hope is that as they learn what is “normal” and learn ways to deal with these issues that they will develop the ability to deal with similar problems in the future.
4. Standards and benchmarks in this component are generally based on what research tells us about developmental tasks all children and adolescents need to master. Therefore, they are based on what all students need. In contrast, a needs assessment would be done to identify deficits and specific areas that some children may need more help with, or areas that would be specific to a certain community, or in response to a crisis, for example.
These needs would be addressed in classroom guidance lessons or in small group counseling sessions specifically designed to focus on these issues, or through school prevention programs targeting problems such as substance abuse, teen pregnancy, or drop-out rates.
5. Activities in this component are done on a systematic basis and are for all students, whereas this might not always be the case in other components. The curriculum addresses developmentally appropriate concepts for each grade level in the three domains:
1. Personal/Social Development
• Self-concept, self-awareness, self-acceptance
• Emotions/emotional maturity
• Interpersonal relationship skills
• Problem solving/decision-making skills
• Behavior management
• Personal safety
2. Academic Development
• Attitudes that contribute to lifelong learning
• Skills for improving learning such as time management and persistence
• Study skills for school success
• Academic goal setting
3. Career Development
• Career exploration
• Career planning and goal setting (see Appendix)
• Career preparation

INDIVIDUAL PLANNING
The activities in this component are also providing for all students and serve to guide them in developing and attaining their personal/social, academic, and career plans. Major activities in this component include orientation programs for students transferring to the school, for students entering preschool or kindergarten, and for students transitioning from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high school. These orientation sessions should not only address the informational aspects of the transition such as the layout of the building, but also emotional issues such as anxiety about the transition.
Another key activity at the junior and senior high levels is educational planning, which could include working with students on scheduling and course planning; helping with post-secondary planning, placement, and financial aid; and career information.
Testing, interpretation, and dissemination of standardized test results may also be included in thi component. Counselors need to be careful that this component does not consume a disproportionate amount of their time. Many of these activities can be done in small or large group sessions. Other school personnel or clerical staff can also assist with scheduling and test dissemination and interpretation.
Oftentimes academic advising can be done through an advisor-advisee program where the counselor serves as a consultant and coordinator, but the advisor actually works directly with the student.
These delivery methods directly address the team concept inherent in the comprehensive guidance philosophy and free the counselor to carry out other important functions of the developmental program (for an example of individual planning forms, see Appendix).

RESPONSIVE SERVICES
The purpose of this component is to assist students who have problems that interfere with their healthy personal, social, educational, or career development.
Counselors will work with students individually or in small groups to provide them with skills to help them prevent a problem from becoming major, or they may work with them to identify remedial interventions to address more serious concerns or problems that have resulted in unhealthy choices. For example, a student who is suddenly finding herself experiencing more conflicts with her parents might learn some effective communication skills to help her deal with the problem before it becomes major. In this case, the counselor is able to help her prevent the problem from becoming worse. If the student had already been kicked out of the house or beaten up in a fight with her parents, more significant remedial action would be called for. Problems students present in the responsive services component include normal developmental problems that they are not coping with successfully as well as more serious problems such as depression, eating disorders, test anxiety, or grief and loss issues. Problems may b in the areas of personal development, issues with selfesteem, pregnancy/sexuality, and substance abuse for example.
Students may also experience problems in social development such as parental divorce, violence, peer problems, or sibling problems. They may also have problems in educational development such a school phobia, test anxiety, or with achievement and motivation. In the career development area, they may be dealing with analyzing interests and aptitudes or deciding on post-secondary options for example.
Counselors intervene not only individually or with small groups of students who have a similar need (i.e., divorce support groups, groups for children of alcoholics), but they also may consult with teachers a work with parents and families to help them address students’ needs. In addition, they may refer students to other agencies for more specialized support (i.e. eating disorder programs, mental health centers wh counselors specialize in treating suicidal or addicted adolescents).
Also included in this component is the counselor’ role in the school crisis intervention plan. Every school needs to have a plan in place in case a tragic event occurs (death of a student or teacher, community disaster, etc.). Teams of school personnel and outside resource personnel need to be trained in advance about how to follow the crisis plan. The counselor can serve a key leadership role in helping develop the plan and training personnel.
Work in this component, unlike in the curriculum component, does not consist of planned activities of anticipated topics. The counselor responds to what students present, and those problems rang from difficulty coping with normal developmental issues to more serious situational crises.

SYSTEM SUPPORT
This component encompasses support services that the counseling/guidance program provides to other educational programs such as testing, vocational education, special education, and gifted education. It also includes support that the guidance program needs from the system in terms of management activities.
Examples of management activities might include having adequate facilities and a budget, structures that support the program such as advisory committees, time allocation for various counseling- related duties and responsibilities, public relations efforts to promote the program, and program articulation and management. The support services that the guidance program provides to the school often involve the counselor(s) as coordinator, linking services both in the school and community to help address needs of special needs and gifted students.
This component does not involve as much direct work with students; rather, the focus is on articulation, management, and coordination of the program to assure that it is an integral part of the school structure. The counselor is a key member of school improvement, discipline policy, and behavior management teams.

COMPREHENSIVE COUNSELING/GUIDANCE PROGRAM
OVERVIEW

FRAMEWORK
PROGRAM
DELIVERY
COMPONENTS DOMAINS RESOURCES

Conceptual Framework
• Mission Statement
• Rationale
• Benefits
• Assumptions
Structural Framework
• Steering Committee
• Advisory Committee
• Staffing Patterns
• Budget
• Guidance Resources
• Facilities
Guidance Curriculum
• Classroom
• Presentations
• Structured Groups
Individual Planning
• Educational
Planning
• Advisement
• Assessment
Responsive Services
• Individual Counseling
• Small Group
Counseling
• Consultation
• Referral
• Collaboration
System Support
• Management
• Public Relations
• Professional
Development
• Evaluation
Areas
• Personal/Social
Development
• Academic
Development
• Career
Development

Human
• School
• Community
• Business and
Labor
Political
• School Boards
• Legislature
• Policy
Financial
• State Funding
• Grants
Technological
• Equipment
• Management
Information
Systems

SUGGESTED TIME DISTRIBUTION
Percentages
Elementary
School
Middle/Junior
High School
High
School
Post-
Secondary
Guidance Curriculum 40 35 25 15
Individual Planning 10 25 35 35
Responsive Service 35 25 25 35
System Support 15 15 15 15
Totals 100 100 100 100
Adapted from the Utah and Texas Models for Comprehensive Guidance

story

STEP 1:
The Great Father
Step 2:
Mr. Reyes is a fisherman. He is the one taking good care of his five children because his wife passed away three years ago. Every morning Mr. Reyes and his eldest son go on the sea to catch fish. After being hauled from the sea the fish are put on ice. Then, they sell this fish to the market in a low cost. Mr. Reyes doesn’t mind the tiredness only his goal is to have an income to support the everyday needs of his family. His eldest son is 15 yrs. Old while the youngest is only 6 yrs. Old. His income is not enough to sustain the needs of his family so that if he has time, he works in the farm. Even though sometimes they experienced scarcity they lived happily and they have time for bonding and spend time to each other.
STEP 3:
NEGATIVE POINT:
The salary of Mr. Reyes is not enough for them to sustain the needs of his family.
POSITIVE POINT:
Even if the father is tired of working, he fined another job to have an extra income. And he has time to be with his family.
STEP 4:
I relate myself to the story because I grew up in a province and also the occupation there is fisherman. My father also is the one who support our needs.
STEP 5:
The moral of the story is give value to your father and appreciate the things they do for us. And don’t waste the money for nothing because it’s hard to earn money.