GCPS Elementary School Counseling Standards and Competencies

Kindergarten

Academic Development
- Learn the importance of using listening skills at all times in school.
- Follow classroom rules and be able to explain what those rules mean.
- Follow spoken directions given in school.
- Cultivate school success by taking responsibility for their actions.
Career Development
- Learn about various careers and occupations
Social/Emotional Development
- Express feelings appropriately and recognize the connections between thoughts, feelings, and actions (ex. learning anger management skills).
- Develop positive attitudes towards self as a unique and worthy person.
- Identify and respect similarities and differences of others.
- Explore the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touches.
- Identify strategies for stopping inappropriate touches.

Academic Development
- Acquire skills to improve learning (ex. on-task behaviors, positive attitude, perseverance).
- Use listening skills to follow oral and written directions.
- Accept mistakes as essential to the learning process.
- Learn when and how to ask for help with schoolwork.
- Demonstrate personal responsibility in following rules.
Career Development
- Explore personal likes and dislikes as they relate to various careers and occupations.
Social/Emotional Development
- Demonstrate respect for oneself as well as others.
- Learn about ways to handle disagreements without fighting (conflict resolutions).
- Learn how to make and keep friends.
- Recognize the difference between the feelings associated with appropriate and inappropriate physical contact.
- Identify strategies for stopping inappropriate touches including sexual abuse.

Academic Development
- Demonstrate the ability to work independently and cooperatively with other students.
- Practice effective listening skills in order to follow directions.
- Follow multi-step directions.
- Identify attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning (i.e. test-taking skills, work habits).
Career Development
- Learn connections between education and possible careers and occupations.
Social/Emotional Development
- Learn appropriate decision-making skills.
- Understand the relationship between behaviors and consequences.
- Learn conflict resolution skills.
- Demonstrate ways to show respect for self, others, and property.
- Recognize the difference between the feelings associated with appropriate and inappropriate physical contact.
- Examine and practice safety skills including preventing/stopping sexual abuse.

Academic Development
- Develop skills to work independently.
- Explore effective test-taking strategies and stress management techniques.
- Follow both written and spoken directions.
- Practice goal setting, time management, and organizational skills.
Career Development
- Understand the differences among various careers and occupations.
- Work cooperatively in small groups to solve problems.
Social/Emotional Development
- Apply effective problem-solving skills to make safe and healthy choices.
- Learn appropriate responses to bullying/harassment.
- Identify sources of positive and negative influences (peers, family, community, media).
- Use effective communication skills.
- Develop a healthy self-concept by making positive choices.
- Examine and practice safety skills including preventing/stopping sexual abuse.

Academic Development
- Identify personal strengths and weaknesses to positively influence school performance.
- Learn and apply test-taking strategies.
- Utilize organizational and time management skills to complete school assignments.
- Learn and apply goal-setting strategies.
Career Development
- Explore how hobbies and personal interests relate to careers.
- Use conflict resolution skills to solve problems effectively.
- Learn how to prioritize time between work and leisure activities.
Social/Emotional Development
- Accept responsibility and understand consequences for personal choices.
- Learn effective strategies related to peer pressure.
- Identify strategies to cope effectively with personal and classroom difficulties (conflict resolution skills).
- Recognize and appreciate differences in others (culture, ethnicity, students with disabilities).
- Summarize and practice safety skills including preventing and stopping sexual abuse.

Academic Development
- Apply time management and organizational skills to enhance personal and academic success.
- Utilize study skills to help achieve goals and reduce test-taking anxiety.
- Learn strategies to successfully transition to middle school.
Career Development
- Identify how hobbies and personal interests influence possible careers and occupations.
- Develop skills to locate information about possible careers and occupations.
Social/Emotional Development
- Demonstrate skills needed to cope with challenges in daily life.
- Demonstrate behaviors needed to interact with peers effectively (friendship skills, avoiding peer pressure, and bullying).
- Demonstrate respect for and acceptance of differences in others (culture, ethnic, SWD).
- Demonstrate the use of effective communication skills (verbal and nonverbal) in a variety of settings.
- Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate school behaviors.
- Identify neglectful, physical, and sexually abusive situations and strategies for getting help.
- Understand the relationship between effective work habits (responsibility, punctuality, and effort) and the world of work.