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Course

Counseling the Whole Child: Supporting Students during COVID

Ended Oct 17, 2020

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Full course description

After overwhelming popular demand, the Boston College Center for Optimized Student Support is thrilled to announce a September offering of the course described below.

Description:

This continuing education module has been designed for school counselors or adjustment counselors in elementary schools (K-5 or K-8) who are seeking practical ways to anticipate and respond to student behaviors related to beliefs about COVID and experiences over the spring and summer.

School counselors are looking ahead to an unprecedented context for school reopening in the fall. Children will bring with them to school the consequences of a range of experiences related to COVID and school closures--some good, some very challenging, and some traumatic. What is the range of responses we can anticipate from children in the new environment? How do children at different ages understand and explain the disease? What can school counselors be aware of, and how can they acknowledge this range of feelings and  intervene as appropriate? Finally, how can counselors support teachers, administrators, and other staff?

This continuing education module will provide opportunities for school counselors to:

  • Recognize and respond to children’s feelings, beliefs and behaviors about COVID and their experiences over this past spring and summer.
  • Identify ways to share information with and support school leaders, teachers, and staff

School counselors and student support staff will apply techniques for recognizing and responding to children’s feelings, beliefs, behaviors related to COVID and their experiences over this past spring and summer. Counselors will identify ways to share information with teachers, school leaders, and other support staff.

Course Dates and Format:

Self-paced continuing education online module (asynchronous) available for 3 weeks between September 28th - October 16th, 2020. All participants will receive the option to join a 1 hour synchronous Zoom session. Zoom sessions will be offered on the following dates. Participants will be asked to register for one of the two virtual sessions: 

  • October 8th from 12:00-1:00pm
  • October 8th from 3:00-4:00pm

All participants are encouraged to attend the Zoom session which will provide a collaborative learning environment for practitioners to connect with each other and deepen their understanding of the module content.

Certification of Completion:

Participants will receive 4 PDPs for the online module with an optional 5th PDP through participation in the Zoom session. For this module, participants can choose from one of two virtual session times to receive the 5th credit hour. 

Fee and Policies:

All instructional materials will be provided upon registration. Participants registered in the State of Massachusetts will receive a certificate of participation and professional development points (PDPs).

Course registration closes September 25th. Registration for each course entails a self-guided online learning component found on your Canvas page, as well as an invitation to a one hour synchronous Zoom session. In order to receive full credit for the course, the online module must be completed and you must attend the Zoom session that corresponds to your course. In addition to the online learning module and Zoom session attendance, you must also complete the quiz offered at the end of the learning module as well as the feedback survey provided by the Boston College Lynch School of Education’s Office of Professional and Continuing Education.

Certificates of completion and PDP Certificates will be sent to you after you have completed the preceding requirements, and will be sent approximately 3-4 weeks following the closure of the course on October 16th.

We are thankful for the generous support of local foundations who recognize the importance of supporting teachers and counselors in their work with students during this challenging time.

Related programs: Counseling the Whole Child: Systemic Approaches to Student Support during COVID

Course Instructors:

photo of Mary Walsh

Dr. Mary Walsh

Executive Director, City Connects, Center for Optimized Student Support,
Professor and Daniel E. Kearns Chair,
Counseling, Developmental & Educational Psychology,
Boston College

Photo of Maria Theodorakakis

Dr. Maria Theodorakakis
Licensed Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Research Associate
City Connects, Center for Optimized Student Support
Adjunct Faculty in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development School Counseling Master's Program, Boston College