Instruction in Guidance and Counseling

1. Definition: Instruction is the practice of teaching material to students in various ways until students demonstrate mastery of the concepts taught. Effective instructional practices allow students to connect the learning to background experiences, practice with the concepts in various ways, and receive feedback during practice (Rosenshine, 2012).

2. Application: Counselors in the school setting provide instruction on character education topics such as respect and responsibility. Instruction on these topics can take place in various settings. A lesson on respecting oneself could take place in an individual planning session. When working with students on respecting authority figures, this type of lesson could be best in a group session. Finally, a lesson on respecting others and creating a social contract could take place during a classroom lesson (ASCA Competencies, 2012).

3. Example: Creating an atmosphere of mutual respect in the classroom setting is critical in creating a safe learning environment. To do this, a school counselor will provide instruction on the topic of respect and have the class create a social contract. This activity is completed by first asking the students to brainstorm a list on chart paper of ways to show respect. To create buy-in, ask the students to agree on the list, and discuss ways to hold one another accountable to the agreed upon items. Finally, everyone in the class signs the list as a way of turning it in to a contract among the members of the class (The Flippen Group, n.d.).