Working with staff & students: a guide for College Advisors

1. Working with staff & students:a guide for College Advisors • Carolyn Hoy • Warwick School District • Gifted Support

2. 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

3. 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

4. Part I: Working with school professionals

5. Part I: Working with school professionals How popular culture portrays guidance counselors...

6. A typical guidance counselor?

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Advice from the pros

14. Part II: Working with Students

15. What are today’s high school students really like?

16. The contradiction of the teenager Aware of social problems and welfare of others Needtobeindependent High energy Avoid responsibilities Feelingseasily hurt by friends Long periods of idleness Withdraw and seek privacy Demand privileges Love danger, adventure Want to bepampered, protected

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. It might be something like this....

21. The College Application

22. 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

23. 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

24. Let’s look at student essays • Chris (wikispace Essay 1) • Ashlee (wikispace Essay 2)

25. 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

26. Use the wikispace! • www.collegeadvisors.wikispaces.com