Social Justice, Advocacy,

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Social Justice, Advocacy, DiversityA New
Paradigm for Teaching Multicultural Issues in
School Counseling

• Randy Astramovich, Ph.D.
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Transforming School Counseling Summer 2003 Academy

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Presentation Overview

• A New Paradigm of Multicultural Education
• Course Design Assignments
• Student Feedback
• Changes Plans for Future
• Q A

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Rethinking the Multicultural Education of School
Counselors

• Surface Model
• Focuses on a merely cosmetic understanding of
  other cultures and developing tolerance
• Designed to be comfortable for the majority
  culture
• Generic information stereotyping
• Fails to provide students with authentic
  experiences with oppressed groups

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Rethinking the Multicultural Education of School
Counselors

• Social Justice Model
• Emphasis on equity and taking action
• Understanding the dynamics of oppression
• Making an impact on student success
• Working from a systemic perspective

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Emic Approach to Teaching Multicultural
Counseling

• Studying specific cultures
• Teaching techniques to work with clients from
  specific groups
• Focus on understanding individual differences

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Etic Approach to Teaching Multicultural
Counseling

• Studying principles common to helping
  relationships
• Broad and inclusive perspective for understanding
  the influences of culture in counseling
• My course takes an etic perspective and
  emphasizes the dynamics of oppression
• Better fit with the systemic perspective required
  for effective school counselors

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Shifting to The New Paradigm
Adapted from P. Gorski (2002)
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The New Course at UNLVSocial Justice, Advocacy
and Diversity for School Counselors
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Developing the New Course

• Background
• Previously students took multicultural course in
  the Marriage Family Counseling Program
• School counseling students expressed concern
  about the emphasis on individual counseling and
  the mental health model
• Need for multiculturalism to be taught from a
  social justice perspective aligned with TSCI
• UNLV School Counseling Program has evolved with
  the TSCI and ASCA models
• New Course Debuted Spring 2003

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Influences on Course Content
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Goals of the New Course

• Developing self awareness of personal biases and
  prejudices toward oppressed groups
• Developing knowledge of the dynamics that impact
  the educational success of oppressed groups
• Developing skills to advocate for minority
  students
• Begin developing multicultural counseling
  competencies
• Helping students understand their role in
  leadership and advocacy regarding multicultural
  issues in their schools

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Topics Included in the Course

• Multicultural Counseling Models (emic/etic)
• Racial Identity Theory (Janet Helms models)
• Ethnographic Inquiry (Qualitative inquiry)
• Prejudice, Oppression, Privilege
• Social Justice Advocacy
• Identifying and Removing Barriers to Minority
  Student Success (using data)
• Systemic Approach to School Counseling
• Violence and Harassment toward Minority Students
  Intervention and Prevention
• Educational planning and career development with
  minority students
• Multicultural training and awareness in schools

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Course Assignments
Cultural Autobiography (Awareness)
Awareness, Knowledge, Skills for Multicultural
Counseling Competence
Ethnographic Fieldwork Narrative (Knowledge)
Multicultural Advocacy Project (Skills)
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Ethnograhphic Fieldwork

• Mean hours spent in field by students in Spring
  2003 9.7 hours
• Students observed many different groups
  including
• Chinese
• Latino
• Disabled
• Homeless
• Low SES
• Buddhists
• Jewish Americans
• Gay Lesbian

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One students reflections.

• This has been the most helpful project I have
  ever completed in graduate school. I experienced
  a great deal of emotions as I immersed myself
  into the culture that has always been the part of
  me that was missing. Not only did I learn about
  an interesting and lovely group of people, but
  also learned more about my roots. Most
  importantly, I feel closer to my family than ever
  before as they have helped me to understand
  Chinese culture and rediscover who I am.

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Changes Plans for Future

• Shift the multicultural project to a
  collaborative advocacy project
• Take students on field trips to community
  agencies in Las Vegas that help oppressed groups
• Visit schools in Clark County School District
  with transformed school counseling programs

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