TPC Journal-Vol 9- Issue 2-Full-Issue

The Professional Counselor | Volume 9, Issue 2 89 Table 2 ASCA Mindset Standards Understandings Essential Questions M1: Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/ emotional, and physical well-being U1: Success demands that I grow every part of myself by making choices that balance my mental, social/emotional, and physical well-being. EQ1: How do I make choices to balance different parts of my well-being at the same time? M2: Self-confidence in ability to succeed U2: I work to maintain my self- confidence in my ability to succeed . EQ2: How do I keep my self- confidence up when I fail? M3: Sense of belonging in the school environment U3: I belong in this school, which is here to help me succeed . EQ3: How do I help myself and my classmates feel like we belong here? M4: Understanding that postsecondary education and life- long learning are necessary for long-term career success U4: I must be a life-long learner to succeed in a career. EQ4: Why doesn’t learning end when school ends? M5: Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes U5: Success requires me to use my abilities to their fullest potential . EQ5: How can I stay motivated to use my abilities to their fullest potential , even when I don’t feel like it? M6: Positive attitude toward work and learning U6: A positive attitude toward my work and my learning supports my success . EQ6: How does my attitude affect my success in obvious and in hidden ways? U7: I am capable of deciding what my own success will look like—and of achieving that success. EQ7: What does success mean to me—today? Throughout school? Throughout life? Note . Mindset standards are quoted directly from ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success: K–12 College- and Career- Readiness Standards for Every Student , by the American School Counselor Association, p. 1. Copyright 2014 by the American School Counselor Association. Mr. Mendez bolded the key concepts in each understanding and essential question to remind himself of the focus of every statement. Next, Mr. Mendez returned to the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: Program Planning Tool (ASCA, 2003) to clarify which behaviors, or transfer goals, he would target in different domains at which grade level. During this process, he kept in mind which mindsets (with corresponding understandings and essential questions) he had already decided to target at each grade level, and he selected behaviors for that grade level to go along with those mindsets. For example, because he had selected M3/U3/EQ3 (see Table 2) to target in his sixth-grade social/emotional unit, he selected related behaviors such as “B-SS 2: Create positive and supportive relationships with other students” and “B-SS 4: Demonstrate empathy” (ASCA, 2014, p. 2) to teach in sixth grade as well.