From Novice to Expert: The Professional Development of School Counselors

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the tasks undertaken at different stages of professional development by school counselors and their perceived importance of those tasks. In the quantitative study, data from a survey conducted online by the National Board for Certified Counselors was analyzed to determine the frequency and importance of behaviors reported by counselors at four levels of school counseling experience and at three work level settings. Differences were found between the school counselors at each of the levels of experience and in each setting. In the qualitative study, two focus groups of school counselors, one elementary and one middle and high school, discussed what they do in their jobs. The discussion content was analyzed for themes, and differences were seen by work level setting and by experience level.