Learn About School Counseling
Why Are Professional International School Counselors Important?
International school counselors design and deliver culturally-responsive school counseling programs that improve student outcomes. The professional school counselor serves as a leader, an assertive advocate for students, consultant to families and educators, and collaborator to promote equity and access for all students by connecting their school counseling program to the school’s academic mission and school improvement plan.
Upholding the ethical and professional standards and responsibilities, school counselors promote the development of the school counseling program based on the following areas of the International Model: foundation, delivery, management and assessment.
How can you enhance your effectiveness as a school counselor?
Please use any of the supporting documents below to support your work as a school counselor.
- Sample School Counselor Annual Agreement – Use this document to talk with your administrator about your role and the counseling program. It is comprehensive and lays out all the key elements of the International Model.
- Recommended and Not recommended activities for school counselors – Updated Jan 2021
- School Counselor Performance Appraisal – Use this document with administrators to help your annual evaluation. It is based on the elements of a comprehensive International Model based counseling program.
- ISCA Student Standards
- Crosswalking TOOL International Model Content Standards for Students (Personal/Social, Career, Academic, Global Perspective)
- Understanding Guidance Counselor vs. School Counselor from ASCA
The ISCA School Counselor Competencies are based on the both the American Counseling Association (ACA) definition and practices as well as the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) standards, and outline the knowledge, attitudes and skills that ensure counselors are equipped to meet the rigorous demands of the profession and the needs of our PreK-12 students.
The adopted ASCA Competencies state that a school counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes necessary to plan, organize, implement and evaluate a comprehensive, developmental, results-based school counseling program that aligns with the International Model including the:
- Program Foundation
- Management
- Delivery
- Accountability / Assessment
Download a copy of the Professional Standards and Competencies here.
ISCA has adopted the American School Counselor Association’s Ethical Standards for School Counselors, 2016. These standards are the tenets of professional responsibility for all school counselors.
To be employed as a counselor in most international schools, the educational requirements for counselors are similar to the expectations of many private schools in the United States as well as other countries around the world.
Educators employed in international schools must hold at a minimum a bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate, or equivalent. Although it is preferred that school counselors have a Master’s degree in school counseling, exceptions are sometimes made by administrators when hiring for a counselor position and many in these positions hold related degrees (i.e. psychology, education, mental health, etc.) Many international school counselors are encouraged and supported by their administration to work towards state, national, or international credentials as a school counselor.
For more information on how to get a job as an international school counselor please visit this page: Becoming an International School Counselor