Working with staff & students:a guide for College Advisors

Carolyn HoyWarwick School District

Gifted Support

Curriculum vitae

BS in Ed Communications Indiana University of PA

M Ed in Gifted Education, Millersville University

• Adjunct professor, Gifted Education, Millersville

High school teacher since 1978

• Taught English at rural high school 78-91

• Taught SAT preparation (reading/writing) since ‘91

Worked with ESL (English as a Second Language) students

• Worked with identified gifted since 1999

• Supervised Service Learning Program since 2002

Agenda

Working with school professionals

Guidance counselors, teachers, others

Resources for more assistance

Working with students

College essay writing resources

Writing letters of recommendation

Resources for you and students

Part I: Working with school professionals

How popular culture portrays guidance counselors...

Part I: Working with school professionals

A typical guidance counselor?

The reality

Too many students for work load

Social-emotional counseling

College advice/career guidance

Letters of recommendation

PSSA, SAT, PSAT, other standardized tests

Score reporting/data analysis on testing

Multi-tasking, impromptu work

Lack of respect from faculty

Teachers are targets

• PA Department of Ed budget cuts have left many school districts in a bind

• Programs are mandated and no longer funded

• State law does not allow tax increases• Budgets are ridiculously tight• Teachers will be doing more for less

To work effectively with school professionals...

Do your homework!

Respect the professionals’ experience, age, talents

Defer to the proper channels before making decisions

Be honest, always

To work effectively with school professionals...

Do not fall into the trap of gossip!

Try to avoid negative staff members

The secretary and custodial staff can be your best friends

Accept constructive criticism

Find ways to de-stress

To work effectively with school professionals...

Come up with solutions to problems and present them as possibilities

Your knowledge of technology may be more advanced; tread lightly

Use assertive, as opposed to aggressive or passive aggressive, techniques

Aggressive vs. Assertive

Assertiveness: helps you to communicate, clearly and with confidence, your feelings, needs, wants and thoughts, in addition to acknowledging the needs of others.

Ability to state your opinions without feeling self-conscious; express your emotions openly.

Make clear to others how you wish to proceed in all aspects of your life.

Shows you value others, respecting their right to an opinion as well.

2006-2008 Earthcommunications.com

Advice from the pros

Part II: Working with Students

What are today’s high school students really like?

The contradiction of the teenager

Love danger, adventure

Need to be independent

High energy

Want to be pampered, protected

Withdraw and seek privacy Demand privileges

Avoid responsibilities

Aware of social

problems and

welfare of others

Long periods of idlenessFeelings easily hurt by friends

In working with students...

Understanding today’s teen

Over stressed and over scheduled

Hyper-sexualized

Technologically connected

Friends are the new family

More dedicated and harder working

In working with students...

Avoid stereotyping from clothing, music

Treat each as an individual

Respect their choices

Issues of confidentiality

Listen to them, reflect back to them

In working with students...

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Remember it’s not about you

Dealing with student personality conflicts: rise above it

It might be something like this....

The College Application

Help with college essays

Common Application questions

• Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you

• Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence

• Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.

• Topic of your choice.

• musi

Help with college essays

Do’s and don’ts for essay writing• Step One: brainstorming

Step Two: selecting the topic

Step Three: writing the essay

Suggestion: have a seminar for students and use the Essay Edge curriculum to assist in writing essays

Let’s look at student essays

Chris (wikispace Essay 1)

Ashlee (wikispace Essay 2)

Writing Letters of Recommendation

Know your client! (letter of rec form)

Use impeccable grammar/mechanics

Be honest

Highlight a student’s positives

Explain any red flags on a transcript

EXERCISE: profile of students, let’s write a letter

Use the wikispace!

• www.collegeadvisors.wikispaces.com