The Culturally Connected School Counselor

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to facilitate knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to cultural awareness and multicultural competence for professional school counselors (PSCs) who serve various stakeholders in K-12 schools (students, teachers, administrators, staff, caregivers, and community members). While reading the chapter, PSCs with assess their own self-awareness and understanding related to their own multifaceted cultural identities and consider cultural intersections with, and differences from, those they serve. As a result of this exploration, they will be better able to plan culturally alert interventions at a myriad of levels with; individuals, small groups, classrooms, and school wide. Furthermore, by developing a keen social justice lens they will increase their ability to recognize oppression in K-12 school; be better equipped to facilitate dialogue between various groups; plan culturally aware interventions with students, staff, and community; and engage in advocacy on various levels (individual, system, and public arenas) to create systemic change.