All About School Psychology
School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and support learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school.
School psychologists receive specialized advanced graduate preparation that includes coursework and practical experiences relevant to both psychology and education. School psychologists typically complete either a specialist-level degree program (at least 60 graduate semester hours) or a doctoral degree (at least 90 graduate semester hours), both of which include a year-long 1200 hour supervised internship. Graduate preparation develops knowledge and skills in data-based decision making, consultation and collaboration, effective instruction, organization, prevention, intervention, mental health, learning styles, behavior, research, and program evaluation.
School psychologists must be credentialed by the state in which they work. They also may be nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board (NSPCB).
What School Psychologists Do
School psychologists work to find the best solution for each student and situation; they use different strategies to address student needs and to improve school and district-wide support systems.
School psychologists work with students individually and in groups. they also develop programs to train teachers and parents about effective teaching and learning strategies, techniques to manage behavior at home and in the classroom, working with students with disabilities or with special talents, addressing abuse of drugs and other substance,s and preventing and managing crises.
In addition, most school psychologists provide the following services:
Consultation
Collaborate with teachers, parents, and administrators to find effective solutions to learning and behavior problems.
Help others understand child development and how it affects learning and behavior.
Strengthen working relationships between teachers, parents, and service providers in the community.
Evaluation
Evaluate eligibility for special services.
Assess academic skills and aptitude for learning
Determine social-emotional development and mental health status.
Evaluate learning environments
Intervention
Provide psychological counseling to help resolve interpersonal or family problems that interfere with school performance.
Work directly with children and their families to help resolve problems in adjustment and learning.
Provide training in social skills and anger management.
Help families and schools manage crises such as death, illness, or community trauma.
Prevention
Design programs for children at risk of failing at school.
Promote tolerance, understanding, and appreciation of diversity within the school community.
Develop programs to make schools safer and more effective learning environments.
Collaborate with school staff and community agencies to provide services directed at improving psychological and physical health.
Develop partnerships with parents and teachers to promote healthy school environments.
Research and Planning
Evaluate the effectiveness of academic and behavior management programs.
Identify and implement programs and strategies to improve schools.
Use evidence-based research to develop and/or recommend effective interventions
Growing Up is Not Easy
All children and adolescents face problems from time to time. They may:
Feel afraid to go to school
Have difficulty organizing their time efficiently
Lack effective study skills
Fall behind in their school work
Lack self-discipline
Worry about family matters such as divorce and death
Feel depressed or anxious
Experiment with drugs and alcohol
Think about suicide
Worry about their sexuality
Face difficult questions, such as applying to college, getting a job, or quitting school.
School psychologists help children, parents, teachers, and members of the community understand and resolve these concerns. The following situations demonstrate how school psychologists may typically approach problems.
Family Problems
The teacher noticed that Carla, an able student, had stopped participating in class discussions and had difficulty paying attention. The school psychologist was asked to explore why Carla's behavior had changed so much. After discovering that Carla's parents were divorcing, the school psychologist provided counseling for Carla and gave her parents suggestions for this difficult time. Carla's behavior and self -esteem improved, and she felt more secure about her relationship with her parents.
School psychologists can be trusted to help with delicate personal and family situations that interfere with schooling.
Reading Problems
Tommy's parents were concerned about his difficulty in reading. They feared that he would fall behind and lose confidence in himself. In school the teacher noticed that Tommy understood what was presented in verbal form, but that he needed the help of his classmates to do written work. After observing Tommy and gathering information about his reading and writing skills, the school psychologist collaborated with his parents and teachers to develop a plan to improve his reading and writing. The plan worked and both tommy's reading and his self- esteem improved.
School psychologists can help prevent future problems when they intervene with learning problems early on.
Resource
The National Association of School Psychologists:
suite 402, 4340 East West highway
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 657-0270
www.naspoline.org
NASP represents and supports school psychology through leadership to enhance the mental health and educational competence of all children.
This handout was developed by Arlene Silva, University of Maryland school psychology graduate student intern at NASP office (summer 2003), with contributions from NASP staff and leadership.
School psychologists receive specialized advanced graduate preparation that includes coursework and practical experiences relevant to both psychology and education. School psychologists typically complete either a specialist-level degree program (at least 60 graduate semester hours) or a doctoral degree (at least 90 graduate semester hours), both of which include a year-long 1200 hour supervised internship. Graduate preparation develops knowledge and skills in data-based decision making, consultation and collaboration, effective instruction, organization, prevention, intervention, mental health, learning styles, behavior, research, and program evaluation.
School psychologists must be credentialed by the state in which they work. They also may be nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board (NSPCB).
What School Psychologists Do
School psychologists work to find the best solution for each student and situation; they use different strategies to address student needs and to improve school and district-wide support systems.
School psychologists work with students individually and in groups. they also develop programs to train teachers and parents about effective teaching and learning strategies, techniques to manage behavior at home and in the classroom, working with students with disabilities or with special talents, addressing abuse of drugs and other substance,s and preventing and managing crises.
In addition, most school psychologists provide the following services:
Consultation
Collaborate with teachers, parents, and administrators to find effective solutions to learning and behavior problems.
Help others understand child development and how it affects learning and behavior.
Strengthen working relationships between teachers, parents, and service providers in the community.
Evaluation
Evaluate eligibility for special services.
Assess academic skills and aptitude for learning
Determine social-emotional development and mental health status.
Evaluate learning environments
Intervention
Provide psychological counseling to help resolve interpersonal or family problems that interfere with school performance.
Work directly with children and their families to help resolve problems in adjustment and learning.
Provide training in social skills and anger management.
Help families and schools manage crises such as death, illness, or community trauma.
Prevention
Design programs for children at risk of failing at school.
Promote tolerance, understanding, and appreciation of diversity within the school community.
Develop programs to make schools safer and more effective learning environments.
Collaborate with school staff and community agencies to provide services directed at improving psychological and physical health.
Develop partnerships with parents and teachers to promote healthy school environments.
Research and Planning
Evaluate the effectiveness of academic and behavior management programs.
Identify and implement programs and strategies to improve schools.
Use evidence-based research to develop and/or recommend effective interventions
Growing Up is Not Easy
All children and adolescents face problems from time to time. They may:
Feel afraid to go to school
Have difficulty organizing their time efficiently
Lack effective study skills
Fall behind in their school work
Lack self-discipline
Worry about family matters such as divorce and death
Feel depressed or anxious
Experiment with drugs and alcohol
Think about suicide
Worry about their sexuality
Face difficult questions, such as applying to college, getting a job, or quitting school.
School psychologists help children, parents, teachers, and members of the community understand and resolve these concerns. The following situations demonstrate how school psychologists may typically approach problems.
Family Problems
The teacher noticed that Carla, an able student, had stopped participating in class discussions and had difficulty paying attention. The school psychologist was asked to explore why Carla's behavior had changed so much. After discovering that Carla's parents were divorcing, the school psychologist provided counseling for Carla and gave her parents suggestions for this difficult time. Carla's behavior and self -esteem improved, and she felt more secure about her relationship with her parents.
School psychologists can be trusted to help with delicate personal and family situations that interfere with schooling.
Reading Problems
Tommy's parents were concerned about his difficulty in reading. They feared that he would fall behind and lose confidence in himself. In school the teacher noticed that Tommy understood what was presented in verbal form, but that he needed the help of his classmates to do written work. After observing Tommy and gathering information about his reading and writing skills, the school psychologist collaborated with his parents and teachers to develop a plan to improve his reading and writing. The plan worked and both tommy's reading and his self- esteem improved.
School psychologists can help prevent future problems when they intervene with learning problems early on.
Resource
The National Association of School Psychologists:
suite 402, 4340 East West highway
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 657-0270
www.naspoline.org
NASP represents and supports school psychology through leadership to enhance the mental health and educational competence of all children.
This handout was developed by Arlene Silva, University of Maryland school psychology graduate student intern at NASP office (summer 2003), with contributions from NASP staff and leadership.