PRAXIS 5421 - Professional School
Counselor Exam Prep (Answered) 627
Questions and Correct Answers,
Updated Fall 2024/2025.
Professional Organizations
groups that work to make policies, plan meetings, and offer guidance
American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
major national organization for supporting school counselors
ational Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC)
more specialized organization that can be very helpful to high school counselors who get involved in the
college admissions process
School counseling
profession evolved from the 1800s as a response to the Industrial Revolution and vocational guidance
movement
Vocational counselors
focused on getting students on the path towards work by identifying failing students, implementing
strategies to prevent failing, ensuring students obtained work cards, urging students to stay in school,
and preparing students to work
National Vocational Guidance Association (1913)
helped promote school counseling as a profession
George-Deen Act (1936)
provided funding for counseling services in schools after they were cut due to the Great Depression
National Defense Act (1958)
provided further funding for school counselors
Elementary School Counseling Demonstration Act of 1955
provides funding for schools who implement creative and promising guidance initiatives - provides
student to counselor ratios
No Child Left Behind (2001)
,specifically identifying school climate, effective development and the opportunity to graduate from high
school as key purpose
ASCA National Model- Foundation
includes:
program focus- vision statement (educational goals) (ambitions/future outcomes the program envisions)
and mission statement (how the school will help students achieve educational goals) (goals for tracking
progress)
student standards- principles that guide academic, social and emotional development (ASCA Mindsets &
Behavior)
professional competencies- set of skills, knowledge and attitudes that school counselors should display
(ASCA Ethical Standards)
ASCA National Model includes four components:
foundation (program focus: mission/vision), management (assessments and tools), delivery (services)
and accountability (responsible for demonstrating effectiveness of program)
ASCA National Model- Management
1. school counselor competency and school program assessment
2. use of time assessment
3. annual agreements
4. advisory council
5. use of data
6. plans about curriculum, small groups, and closing-the-gap action
7. annual and weekly calendars
ASCA National Model- Delivery
1. Direct Student Services (individual interactions between counselor and student) school counseling
core curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services
2. Indirect Student Services (consulting teacher, administrators, parents)
National Standards for Students
focuses on a student's holistic development through the implementation of nine standards under
academic, career and personal/social development
Academic Development- ASCA
Standard A: acquire attitudes, knowledge and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and life
Standard B: will complete school with the academic prep to choose from a range of substantial post-
secondary options
Standard C: understand the relationship of academics to the world of work, to life, and in the community
Career Development- ASCA
Standard A: acquire the skills to investigate the world of work with knowledge of self and make informed
career decisions
,Standard B: employ strategies to achieve career goals
Standard C: understand the relationship between personal qualities, education, training and work
Personal/Social Development: ASCA
Standard A: acquire knowledge, attitudes, and interpersonal skills to help the respect self and others
Standard B: make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals
Standard C: understand safety and survival skills
School Counselor is
highly trained individual who helps with academic issues, career questions, college prep and
person/social problems
School Counselor Responsibilities
leadership, advocacy, support, and academic planning
School Counselors are leaders as they:
create awareness, meet students' needs, encourage community participation and work with families
School Counselors advocate for:
equity as change agents
education
character by following the professional code of ethics, serving as a role model, designing character
education, implementing conflict resolution or peer mediation and crisis intervention
Direct consultation
in person support from a school counselor to a student or students, parents and teachers/staff
Indirect consultation
behind the scenes work counselors do to advocate for students and student rights, to serve as a liaison
between the school and community, and to collaborate with admin to strengthen school programs
Types of School Counseling
individual, small group, classroom presentations and large group presentations (like all grade level or
entire school)
Strategies for Elementary Counseling
art therapy, play therapy, games
Holistic Education
an educational philosophy based on the idea that each person finds identity, meaning, and purpose
through connections to the community and the natural world
Current Research
, the latest systematic creation of work to establish/confirm facts, reaffirm results, solve new or existing
problems, adn develop new theories
Subject Matter Expert (SME)
provides knowledge and expertise on a specific subject
Peer Reviewed
a process where research or a publication is evaluated by a group of experts
Psychoanalytic Theory
examines the factors that motivate behavior by focusing on the role of the unconscious (Freud-
psychosexual, Erikson-psychosocial)
Psychoanalytic Pros and Cons
Pro- awareness of the unconscious
Pro- importance of early childhood experiences
Con- hard to test -> no substantial research evidence
Learning Theories
focuses on how behaviors is learned (Pavlov- classical conditioning; Skinner- operant conditioning;
Bandura- social learning theory)
Classical Conditioning- learning theory
Ivan Pavlov studied learning through association
Operant Conditioning- learning theory
B.F. Skinner examined the effects of reinforcement and punishment
Social Learning Theory- learning theory
Albert Bandura considered the effects of behavior modeling
Learning Theory Pros and Cons
Pro- ability to be tested and practically applied
Con- generally ignore the effect of genetic processes and changes that occur throughout life
Cognitive Development Theories
concerned with the development of thought processes and how these thought processes influence our
understanding of the world (Piaget- stages of cognitive development)
Stages of Cognitive Development
Piaget- children think differently than adults as they do not have full intellectual development
Cognitive Behavioral Theory Pros and Cons
Counselor Exam Prep (Answered) 627
Questions and Correct Answers,
Updated Fall 2024/2025.
Professional Organizations
groups that work to make policies, plan meetings, and offer guidance
American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
major national organization for supporting school counselors
ational Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC)
more specialized organization that can be very helpful to high school counselors who get involved in the
college admissions process
School counseling
profession evolved from the 1800s as a response to the Industrial Revolution and vocational guidance
movement
Vocational counselors
focused on getting students on the path towards work by identifying failing students, implementing
strategies to prevent failing, ensuring students obtained work cards, urging students to stay in school,
and preparing students to work
National Vocational Guidance Association (1913)
helped promote school counseling as a profession
George-Deen Act (1936)
provided funding for counseling services in schools after they were cut due to the Great Depression
National Defense Act (1958)
provided further funding for school counselors
Elementary School Counseling Demonstration Act of 1955
provides funding for schools who implement creative and promising guidance initiatives - provides
student to counselor ratios
No Child Left Behind (2001)
,specifically identifying school climate, effective development and the opportunity to graduate from high
school as key purpose
ASCA National Model- Foundation
includes:
program focus- vision statement (educational goals) (ambitions/future outcomes the program envisions)
and mission statement (how the school will help students achieve educational goals) (goals for tracking
progress)
student standards- principles that guide academic, social and emotional development (ASCA Mindsets &
Behavior)
professional competencies- set of skills, knowledge and attitudes that school counselors should display
(ASCA Ethical Standards)
ASCA National Model includes four components:
foundation (program focus: mission/vision), management (assessments and tools), delivery (services)
and accountability (responsible for demonstrating effectiveness of program)
ASCA National Model- Management
1. school counselor competency and school program assessment
2. use of time assessment
3. annual agreements
4. advisory council
5. use of data
6. plans about curriculum, small groups, and closing-the-gap action
7. annual and weekly calendars
ASCA National Model- Delivery
1. Direct Student Services (individual interactions between counselor and student) school counseling
core curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services
2. Indirect Student Services (consulting teacher, administrators, parents)
National Standards for Students
focuses on a student's holistic development through the implementation of nine standards under
academic, career and personal/social development
Academic Development- ASCA
Standard A: acquire attitudes, knowledge and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and life
Standard B: will complete school with the academic prep to choose from a range of substantial post-
secondary options
Standard C: understand the relationship of academics to the world of work, to life, and in the community
Career Development- ASCA
Standard A: acquire the skills to investigate the world of work with knowledge of self and make informed
career decisions
,Standard B: employ strategies to achieve career goals
Standard C: understand the relationship between personal qualities, education, training and work
Personal/Social Development: ASCA
Standard A: acquire knowledge, attitudes, and interpersonal skills to help the respect self and others
Standard B: make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals
Standard C: understand safety and survival skills
School Counselor is
highly trained individual who helps with academic issues, career questions, college prep and
person/social problems
School Counselor Responsibilities
leadership, advocacy, support, and academic planning
School Counselors are leaders as they:
create awareness, meet students' needs, encourage community participation and work with families
School Counselors advocate for:
equity as change agents
education
character by following the professional code of ethics, serving as a role model, designing character
education, implementing conflict resolution or peer mediation and crisis intervention
Direct consultation
in person support from a school counselor to a student or students, parents and teachers/staff
Indirect consultation
behind the scenes work counselors do to advocate for students and student rights, to serve as a liaison
between the school and community, and to collaborate with admin to strengthen school programs
Types of School Counseling
individual, small group, classroom presentations and large group presentations (like all grade level or
entire school)
Strategies for Elementary Counseling
art therapy, play therapy, games
Holistic Education
an educational philosophy based on the idea that each person finds identity, meaning, and purpose
through connections to the community and the natural world
Current Research
, the latest systematic creation of work to establish/confirm facts, reaffirm results, solve new or existing
problems, adn develop new theories
Subject Matter Expert (SME)
provides knowledge and expertise on a specific subject
Peer Reviewed
a process where research or a publication is evaluated by a group of experts
Psychoanalytic Theory
examines the factors that motivate behavior by focusing on the role of the unconscious (Freud-
psychosexual, Erikson-psychosocial)
Psychoanalytic Pros and Cons
Pro- awareness of the unconscious
Pro- importance of early childhood experiences
Con- hard to test -> no substantial research evidence
Learning Theories
focuses on how behaviors is learned (Pavlov- classical conditioning; Skinner- operant conditioning;
Bandura- social learning theory)
Classical Conditioning- learning theory
Ivan Pavlov studied learning through association
Operant Conditioning- learning theory
B.F. Skinner examined the effects of reinforcement and punishment
Social Learning Theory- learning theory
Albert Bandura considered the effects of behavior modeling
Learning Theory Pros and Cons
Pro- ability to be tested and practically applied
Con- generally ignore the effect of genetic processes and changes that occur throughout life
Cognitive Development Theories
concerned with the development of thought processes and how these thought processes influence our
understanding of the world (Piaget- stages of cognitive development)
Stages of Cognitive Development
Piaget- children think differently than adults as they do not have full intellectual development
Cognitive Behavioral Theory Pros and Cons
