How do you view your school psychologist?

This is an interview between myself and two children attending an elementary school in North Babylon, New York. This is to show a small example of how children view the school psychologist. Although this is only two views of the same school psychologist, it paints a well developed picture of how a child may view adult figures who are at the school for beneficial reasons. The names have been changed in order to keep it private.

First, I had an interview with a five year old girl attending kindergarten. Her name is Lauren, but for short she likes to be called "Lo-lo". Her parents are in the middle of a divorce, therefore, it's recommended by the school district that she visits the school psychologist at least once a week.

The interview was short but it shows what she likes and dislikes about the school psychologist that as adults we may tend to forget about.

Me: "Lo-lo, do you know who the lady's name who takes you out of class once a week is?"

Lo: "Ms. Hartman."

Me: "Does she play any games with you?"

Lo: "Ms. Hartman talks to me a lot when I play this card game. She also dresses these dolls with me. Sometimes I paint with her. I like painting. There's a lot of colors."

Me: "How does she make you feel?"

Lo: "Happy. but sometimes sad."

Me: "How does she make you feel happy?"

Lo: "She smiles a lot. She also plays with me."

Me: "How does she make you sad?"

Lo: "She asks questions about Daddy and Mommy. I don't like it. She also takes me out of class, and everyone looks at me."

Me: "Why does she take you out of class?"

Lo: " To talk about things and to play games."

Me: "Does she make you feel better about Mommy and Daddy?"

Lo: "Sometimes."

Me: "When does she make you feel good?"

Lo: "When she tells me that they love me."

Me: "Do you like Ms. Hartman?"

Lo: "Yes."

Me: "Do you like your teacher?"

Lo: "Sometimes."

Me: "Why do you like your teacher sometimes but not all the time?"

Lo: "She doesn't listen to me when I try to tell her stories. She doesn't like my stories."

Me: "Do you tell Ms. Hartman your stories?"

Lo: "Yes."

Me: "Does she like your stories?"

Lo: "Yes."

Me: "What are your stories about?"

Lo: "A monkey that's a pirate!"

... The rest of the interview consists of mostly about the pirate monkey I learned to be named Henry.

This interview shows that the close personal attention that Lo-lo has with the school psychologist is beneficial. The teacher does not have time to directly connect with each of her students, which is why a school psychologist comes in handy when dealing with a child's family problems.

Each student should have to go see the school psychologist, because it helps the child to talk about what he or she is feeling. The child develops a relationship to the school psychologist that helps the school to understand the personal life of the child.

The second interview is with Connor, a boy at the age of 7, in the second grade, who's parents have had a divorce.

Me: "Connor, is the lady who takes you out of class name is Ms. Hartman?"

Connor: "Yes."

Me: "Do you like her?"

Connor: "Yes."

Me: "Why do you like her?"

Connor: "We play cars together. I like playing cars. She also has a train that I want."

Me: "Do you talk to her?"

Connor: "Yes."

Me: "What do you talk to her about?"

Connor: "Cars, Mommy, Daddy, my Brother, Phineas and Ferb, and toys."

Me: "Do you like talking to her?"

Connor: "Yes."

Me: "How come?"

Connor: "She knows a lot about cars and Phineas and Ferb."

Me: "Do you like it when she talks about Mommy and Daddy?"

Connor: "I talk about Mommy and Daddy, she just asks me questions. Sometimes the questions are hard to answer."

Me: "Why are they hard to answer?"

Connor: "I don't like talking about my Mommy yelling at Daddy."

Me: "Do you talk to your teacher about Mommy and Daddy?"

Connor: "No."

Me: "Do you like your teacher?"

Connor: "Yes."

Me: "If you can spend the day playing games with your teacher, or Ms. Hartman, who would you play games with?"

Connor: "Ms. Hartman, she has a lot of games."

This interview shows that Connor has developed a close relationship with his school psychologist and he respects her more. Even with the uncomfortable living situation he's able to talk with her about his home life.

School psychologists have an important job in allowing kids to open up to them and understand the home life. School psychologist need to build a good relationship in order to be sure that the students are safe at school and at home.

While many people believe the teacher does a well enough job to understand each child, the school psychologist is the one-on-one a child needs during school. By building these relationships, children open up. They are able to tell the school psychologist if they do not feel safe in an environment without thinking that he or she will get in trouble.

A child's view on a psychologist is very important. If a child doesn't have a trust with the psychologist, school life can be troubling and a hard learning environment. Children need to talk about the problems that he or she is facing with someone who could help them and relieve the stress that they may be facing.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

So you've read the posts, watched the videos, but you still want to know what else you can do to help raise awareness? Well you're in luck, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Community Events are planned across America to help make the country knowledgeable.
Listed are the states closest to us if anyone is interested:

Connecticut

Building Blocks is planning to host a “My Big Feelings Story Time” at local libraries for Awareness Day using the “My Big Feelings” book and art and music activities that focus on expressing feelings.

Wheeler Clinic's Project LAUNCH will present the exhibit "My Feelings are a Work of Art" for Awareness Day, produced in partnership with the New Britain Museum of American Art. The children's art on display will be feelings-based artwork and will be showcased the week of May 9 at the museum. Also, the Wheeler Clinic will present a parent workshop and resource fair at the New Britain Public Library with the theme "Promoting Social and Emotional Health for Children from Birth through Eight," on Monday, May 9. The initiative is in partnership with Community Mental Health Affiliates and Klingberg Family Center.

New Jersey

Daytop New Jersey is sponsoring a writing contest for high school students for Awareness Day. In keeping with the national Awareness Day theme of the affects of trauma on childhood, the program is asking that students write about something that they have worked to overcome. The program is also distributing flyers, announcing the day to all student assistance coordinators across the state.

New York

Nassau County Family Support System of Care is planning to host an open house for Awareness Day. The program is also planning to host an information table at the community’s shopping mall.

ON CARE is planning to celebrate Awareness Day by inviting youth to submit art (2D, 3D, written, and spoken word) with the theme of how they build resilience in themselves, how they adapt, how they overcome their struggles, and what makes them strong. A frame of reference for the youth will be a rubber band: It stretches, has many different purposes, and can take on different shapes while maintaining its essence. The event will take place in May at a local venue. The program hopes to have a proclamation presented by the county executive at the event.

ACCORD Corporation, Head Start is planning an art activity to celebrate Awareness Day in May.

Chautauqua Tapestry is planning a newspaper campaign each day in May in their local newspaper showcasing the various community agencies that provide mental health and family and youth support services. The system of care is also having community days in which they are inviting youth and families to come out and enjoy an evening of fun to raise awareness about services, information, and empowerment.

The Ellis Hospital Department of Psychiatry will be hosting a parent-child dance event for Awareness Day for parents who participate in their Trauma Recovery Program. Sponsored by the Ellis Hospital Outpatient Mental Health and Ellis Medicine PROS programs, this special after-school event is called "Promoting Resiliency through Dance" and will be held May 3 at 4p.m. On Monday, May 2 at 1:15 p.m., the Ellis Hospital Department of Psychiatry staff and adolescent patients between 11 and 18 years old will also hold a dance therapy event to promote resilience through dance.

Pennsylvania

Millersville University Graduate Social Work Student—School District of Lancaster is planning to celebrate Awareness Day with a carnival-themed event in which agencies will provide information on their agency or mental health, along with a fun game, activities, or giveaway.

Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Cooperative Agreement for Children’s Mental Health is planning to have Harrisburg’s public radio station’s “Radio SmartTalk” call-in show feature a child psychiatrist and early childhood mental health project director as panelists to celebrate Awareness Day.

Pennsylvania System of Care Partnership is planning an Awareness Day celebration with REACH, a theatre production based in one of the system of care's partner counties. REACH will perform at the System of Care/High Fidelity Wraparound Retreat on May 2 to recognize the importance of child and adolescent mental health concerns. The performances are based on youth issues, including trauma, substance abuse and mental health, and will be followed by a question and answer session with each of the young actors.

Harris PreK Program, Harrisburg School District is planning a Community Awareness Fair for Awareness Day that will offer general children's mental health information and information on services available in and around the Harrisburg area to address mental health, responses to trauma, and building resilience in children and their families, as well as supporting healthy social and emotional development. Local service agencies will have literature and referral information available and will answer general questions for attendees.

Starting Early Together, Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health is hosting several events and activities in celebration of Awareness Day. These activities include a "Hope and Healing Child Abuse Prevention Conference" that will provide information and a tool kit for promoting children's mental health, trauma, and resilience. The program is also hosting a Dance Your Stress Away line dancing instruction activity and a Children's International Festival that will feature a bubble blowing activity to promote stress relief, coping with difficult emotions, and creative play. The program is also hosting a poster art activity, a cultural and linguistic competency training, and a trauma in young children training.

For a complete list of events, click this link:

http://www.samhsa.gov/children/communityevents_2011.asp

Role of a school Psychologist- Identify Autism

The NASP organization helps children to develop as successful individuals in school, at home, and in life. In this slide show, you can see how Autism is difficult for a school psychologist to diagnose and catch early in child development. It has become more common to be diagnosed with autism. Possible explanations for the increase in diagnosis for children with autism are due to awareness, change in diagnostics, increase in the acceptance of diagnostics, and the availability of resources for children with autism.
What does this have to do with the school psychologist's role?
Autism can be diagnosed early in development. This early identification is crucial to determine the course of autism. With early diagnosis, a child would be able to receive the proper care to help learn with the disabilities. Most Autistic children have been identified by school resources.

Only 3% of children are identified solely on non school resources.

(Brock 4) 40% of school resources alone have identified the child's disability [4]. School psychologists "must be vigilant for symptoms of autism among the students they serve" (6).
Students with autism are increasingly being placed in full sized public classrooms. These changes in schools are showing positive increasing rates of children with disabilities to be able to function normal lifestyles along with the rest of their classmates. The public school is showing an increase of child development and understanding. Those with mild cases of autism show significant positive outcomes due to public schooling. Of course, those with extreme cases of autism may have more of a challenge in a public school. They do require extra attention, a teacher with previous experience with autism, and a strong support group at home.
With school psychologists, only those who have been properly trained and supervised can diagnose a specific autism spectrum disorder. With this diagnosis, the school psychologist would be able to help the student to get proper special education. There is pressure on the school psychologist because by diagnosing a student, they are giving them a label. There are still parents that are unwilling to accept to hear that their child is different. Parents like their children to be considered normal. Not only that, but psychologist help to determine the necessities that a child may need in the classroom. They take warning signs, and it's up to them to contact the family of the child to make sure that he or she receives a proper diagnosis. These parents may not take the news lightly which promotes a problem within the relationship between the psychologist and the parent; which would only hurt the student.

http://www.csus.edu/indiv/b/brocks/Workshops/NASP/2009/ASD.pdf

School Psychologist vs. School Counselor

The roles of a school psychologist and a school counselor sometimes overlap. Many do not realize that the tasks of a school psychologist are much more complexed and in depth than those of a school counselor. To become a school psychologists one must have at least three years of graduate school training and a 1200-hour internships, while school counselors only need two years of full-time study and 600 hours of internship.

School psychologists have training in child psychology, development, and education, and specifically empathizes on special education. School counselors typically deal with social and family issues. School counselors have tasks that range from academic problems, family issues, to crisis intervention and drug prevention. A school psychologists deals more with students that have identified learning disabilities and are at risk of academic failure. Within children that have learning disabilities, the roles of a school psychologists include "assessment (comprehensive evaluations of disability and risk), consultation regarding instructional and behavioral interventions, and direct interventions including crisis prevention/intervention, individual and group counseling and skill training." 

The roles of a school psychologists over lap with those of counselors and social workers and often these professions work together. "School psychologists are more likely to have training in behavioral analysis, mental health screening and diagnosis, research methods (and application of research to classroom practices), and specific disability areas."

There are many types of psychologists. Out of the psychologists that deal with children, school psychologists are more experienced with scientific matters that aid in helping disabled children.

The link below obtains facts and questions by the National Association of School Psychologists. This information was found under the link "what is the difference between a school psychologists and a school counselor".

Comparison of psychologists 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the Classroom

A problem often addressed by school psychologists is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This particular disorder effects 8% of school age children. It is a disorder characterized by limited attention, lack of focus and self-control, impulsive behaviors, and hyperactivity. ADHD children have complications in the classroom because they are unable to learn. They find it difficult to remain seated for extended periods of time as the teacher conducts the lessons, therefore children fall behind in cognitive ability. Children that have this disorder are not motivated and become bored very quickly. Three areas suffer due to this disorder:
In addition to attention, behavior, and learning problems resulting from ADHD, children may lack social interaction. They may have a hard time with peers because of their constant hyper behavior. Sports teams may or may not be an issue, depending if the sport is thoroughly enjoyed by the child. The severity of ADHD varies within each client.

What are some treatment options psychologists can offer ADHD children? A number of treatments exists for school children suffering from this disorder. First, there is the option of medicine. Although psychologist can not prescribe medicine, there are many that can be suggested to parents. Non-stimulant medicine, such as Straterra, and homeopathic amino acids can be used in the treatment process. Second, children can alter their diet to ensure better eating habits. An example of an appropriate diet would be limited the intake of junk food and dairy products. The final treatment is the most crucial role of school psychologists: family or child counseling. This is important for the ADHD client because the child and family must learn how to cope with the new behavior. The primary goal of therapy is to help the child gain control. According to the ADHD Information Library, "The key to making this work is to teach self-control and respect for others" (1). Self-control will benefit the child in the classroom and enable learning and positive behavior. Children effected by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can eventually achieve success in the classroom with the proper assistance from school psychologists.

Here is a cute cartoon -- check it out!

Psychology

College Students and Mental Health Disorders

Each college student feels a significant amount of stress and pressure, especially around stress-induced periods i.e. midterm and finals week. This article discusses the increase and severeity of mental disorders found in college students that attend a local university, Stony Brook. Many students attend counseling that there is a waiting list and sometimes a limit to how many students the psychologist can treat. With the amount and difficulty of work, it is not surprising that many students can not handle the stress, which can lead to serious psychological problems. Mental health problems in college students are not subjected only to the course work, students also find a dificult time in adjusting to their new surroundings and coping with past experiences.

At Stony Brook there have many varied events of students being emitted to psychiatric facilities due to suicidal threats, drug over doses, and other severe cases. The most comon disorders that college students suffer from in some aspect are "depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, alcohol abuse, attention disorders, self-injury, and eating disorders". Even though some students are not clinically diagnosed or treated for these disorders, the majority of college students experience them, the most common being depression and anxiety. Stony Brook had about 24,500 enrolled students, commuters and non-commuters, at the time that the article was published. Out of these students 1,311 were being treated by school counselors, this was a 21 percent increase from the past year, and at the same time New York State budget cut 15 percent of the mental health services over the three years. Not only are the students suffering, but so are the counselors who are put under a tremendous amount of stress even more now that there staff is very limited.

A 2009 survey by the American College Health Association found that 46 percent of college students felt 'things were hopeless' and a third of the students "had been so depressed that it was difficult to function". Another shocking statistic is that there were 133 college student suicides reported in the American College Counseling Association's survey in 320 universities in 2009. Les than 20 of those students sought help on campus.

The truth is that many college students experience these psychological problems and do not know how to cope alone. Some turn to drugs, alcohol or other self-inflicting acts. Many students do not know how or where to seek help on campus, and sometimes might be embaressed. These are common problems that are happening all over the world with college students and need to be further adressed. There are many programs and helpful organizations that are out there to help students, but the numbers are still increasing. Some other factors that can be causing mental health problems are social and media pressures.

NY Times - Health/Psychology

The Psychology of Bullying

I'm sure we all know a bully of some sort from when we were growing up. I had one named Tom who gave me trouble from 5th to 8th grade because I was the new kid. He had been left back twice already by the time I was in 5th grade, so he was 12 years old and he wasn't keen on changing his life. Every day Tom would make a comment about how I didn't fit in, or play a small trick on me (usually getting me to put out my hand and then erasing as quickly as possible on it so I would get a burn). He was a total "tough guy" outside of class; however in class, Tom was shy, quiet, and nervous.

The power he had over his little group of goons was empowering in a setting in which he felt he had no power. Bullying is about power, and when you cannot get it one way, you will resort to the easiest way to get attention. Tom was probably also having a problem growing up. His uncomfortableness with social development, behavior with others, and growing up in general kept him held back and acting like a child.

Tom was kicked out of my junior high in 8th grade, and the next time I saw him was the end of my freshman year in high school. He was also a freshman, and remained a freshman until my junior year. I saw Tom in the detention room every day on my way out of the building, and of course saw him pushing and bothering children (14-15 year olds) while he was 17. By the end of my junior year, Tom was kicked out of my high school.

Tom works at the mall by me now, he is one of those people who comes up to you and asks if you want to be a model.

Children need to "unlearn" violence. It starts in the home and is learned in the home. Once a child sees that it is acceptable to yell, fight, etc. they will use it outside of the home, particularly in school because it is their "home away from home". Bullies also know that their victims will not "tell on them" because the victim would feel embarrassed to tell a parent. The bully understands the mind of the child they bother, with full intent on the victim internalizing the pain.

This link explains the problems faced by the bully and the victim:

The bully will not get over the hunger for power on his/her own; and the continuation of the practice of bullying in a school means that the school needs to fix itself. Teachers may be more focused on getting good grades out of students rather than "cultivating kindness". This could result in any student with a learning disability to feel that they are a lost cause, and to become envious of other students. A number of solutions have been discovered to fight bullying:

1. We must measure and promote positive schools and communities/cultures, the school should include every child at every moment, and the teachers must always be attentive to issues among the students.

2. We must mandate emotional education, by teaching emotional health classes along with the core subjects (because the home isn't so safe sometimes).

3. Parent enrichment classes would help any parents that feel overwhelmed with their child.

"Ultimately, we need to shift our focus from “anti-bullying” to the real problem. The real problem being that these ill systems have focused upon getting students to pass tests, grades and get decent academic standings versus educating their hearts. And that children aren’t given any tools of emotional and social health so they do the best they can with what they’ve got – the problem being that so many kids just don’t have a lot." (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/creative-development/201010/school-bullying)

Bullying is learned in the home, but it is cultivated in the schooling process. As I said earlier, it should be "unlearned" in the home, but if it isn't, it must be battled with until it is defeated with the school's help (instead of exacerbated).

Enhanced Perception Through Techniques in Mathematics

http://youtu.be/dt8tsTiHMiI

This you tube video shows how increased perception for school assignments can result from a math technique called Additive Interspersal. Graduate Student Lindsay Nash and Assistant Professor Kristin Johnson-Gros give insight into Lindsay's graduate research study.

Additive Interspersal is a successful method because it reinforces students to complete various assignments and tasks in the classroom. Easier math problems are added to an assignment to break up the level of difficulty. This will keep the student motivated to complete the assignment and enhance their preference. For example, additive intersperse problems can be single digit multiplication problems. These problems will be completed among harder problems such as regrouping of multiple digits in multiplication.

The goal of this math technique is to raise the level of performance in these students. Researchers in school psychology hope that students will be able to improve their ability to correctly answer problems. Additive Interspersal is an important tool to keep the children active in school, and to increase their confidence in higher achievement in the classroom.

This particular study has taught me that various techniques can be used to develop a child's growth in school. Academic interventions are crucial to increase the competency of learning in students.

Autism and Its Effects on A Student

A single-case study was conducted by Kenneth M. Coffey and S. John Obringer, where they interviewed the parents (separately and together) of two children who have been diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) to find just how essential the society plays a role in their child's lives.

This study is interesting, since it focused on two different levels of ASD. One child (male, 14) is diagnosed with a very mild case of autism, and the other child (female, 11) is diagnosed with a very severe case of autism, where learning is affected.

The study demonstrated that the two parents had two disagreements. The expectations of the daughter, and the responsibilities of the two parents. However; the study demonstrated that the parents of the children had views that were much similar to one another. With this, the parents came to agreement that the biggest concern was the educational system for their children. They both agreed that public education was best for their children, for they were not much into sports or doing any activities outside of the home except for church.

What I learned from this study was how important it is for a child, even with ASD, to socially interact with peers in a school. This study has shown that because of socially interaction, the two of them have become successful with their disabilities. The son is a "straight A" student, and the parents believe that the support of the classroom positively effects their daughter's success in becoming an adult.

Though this study only focused on this one particular family, it can be shown that the benefits of a public classroom can efficiently help a child with autism learn to be independent from Mom and Dad, and grow into an adult with only minor disabilities.

Here is the article:

http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/school-accommodations-and-inclusive-settings.html

Cognitive Neuroscientists Use Sound Training To Help Dyslexic Children Read

This article explains how dyslexic children learn to read and suggests that pictures and sounds have a beneficial effect on a child's ability to read. A study was performed at the Children's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts that test the brain activity in dyslexic and non-dyslexic children while playing a computer game that had sound and pictures.

Dr. Nadine Gaab, an assistant professor of pediatrics, suggests that children, as young as infants, 'have problems with processing these changes in sounds'. For example some cognitive neuroscientists suggest that dyslexic children have a problem with interpreting syllables like "ba" and "da". To test this Dr. Gaab had children play a “computer program that plays fast-changing and slow –changing sounds” and the children were monitored with an fMRI.

Results showed that dyslexic children use the same area of the brain to process both sounds and non-dyslexic children use over 11 areas extensively when processing the fast sounds.

fMRI “Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field rather than X-rays to take clear and detailed pictures of internal organs and tissues. fMRI uses this technology to identify regions of the brain where blood vessels are expanding, chemical changes are taking place, or extra oxygen is being delivered.”

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2008/0505-learn_to_read_through_sound.htm

What is School Psychology?

School Psychology is a field in which psychologist work in an educational setting. They work with students in solving social, behavioral, academic, and emotional issues. In addition, school psychologists evaluate learning disabilities, while researching means of prevention. Such learning disabilities could be Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, or Dysgraphia. Consultations with teachers and parents are often made by psychologists to help the student(s) succeed.

Two to three years of graduate school is needed for this particular field, as well as internships in school psychology. Private Practices can be opened if a doctoral degree is obtained. Depending on degree level, school psychologists can earn $40,000 to $58,000 per year.


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