After keen observation, the counselor noticed that most students involved in a peer-to-peer conflict, especially the small ones, were bullied a lot by the big students for their appearance, cultural differences, and the state of the family, especially the poor ones. The counselor also noticed that students grouped themselves into small groups primarily according to their backgrounds; as noted, the wealthy students had their own group, and the less fortunate ones had their group too. Some students who owned the phones posted other students on social platforms and insulted them primarily with their appearances. The counselor also noted some students were changing their clothes immediately after they arrived at the school compound inside the toilet. When acquired, the students claimed they were bullied due to their traditional clothes, which they felt terrible about (Walden University, 2020). Also, racial bullying was observed, which made the racially abused kids hate going to school, and even some of them preferred to stay at home or fight to protect their race and dignity.
Bullying and discrimination at school affect students’ developmental issues, and they conclude that they are not wanted, leading to self-denial which develops into low self-esteem. It is very wrong for students to be bullied and discriminated against due to their physical appearance, race, social status, cultural background, and religion. It is the work and duty of teachers to investigate and find ways to protect bullied students by saving them from self-harm and denial, which will affect their academic performances. The students’ first line of defense in schools is their teachers and counselors, and they, mainly with the administration’s help, help them and rescue them from these bullies. It is a teacher’s duty and responsibility to ensure the learning environment is conducive for all students and that the dignity of every student is respected. Counselors are supposed to develop a formula and plan to fight discrimination and social injustices because they are supposed to be leaders and role models.
Leader
Horizontal Leadership.
Being a leader at Ramp City primary school, I should start talking first with the teacher and administration to hold hands and make sure the school has a conducive environment for students to learn and enjoy all their rights, which is essential to show support and enjoy healthy environment to study, (L Lewis-Pierre et al., 2019). It is the combined effort of the counselor, teachers, and administration to make sure the changes and discourage destructive behaviors in the school because the counselor cannot do it on their own; they need every help they can get to make sure students feel comfortable and feel they belong there.
Vertical Leadership.
A leadership plan should be implemented to share the problems with others. This is important because the leaders around Ramp City are supposed to know what is going on in the area and address and help fight these acts of racism and bullying in other schools located in Ramp City. It is the responsibility and duty of all the leaders to unite and make life favorable for all students in the area and the community. I will work with all the leaders at my disposal, especially the supervisor, Mr. John Walker, a treasurer at ASCA, to have plans and regulations to fight social misconduct in other schools and the community at large (Walden University, 2020).
Advocate
Importance of Advocacy
As a counselor and advocate, I am supposed to be in the first line of defense to protect the students from discrimination and be there for them; as a counselor am supposed to have several ways to deal with issues like racism, bullying, and anything that might be making the students uncomfortable. The school counselor is supposed to equip students with knowledge and skills, which will be vital to ensure that students understand and value others so that they can live in peace with each other. The counselor should create awareness among the students in cases like racism and, as an advocate, help the students acquire and obtain cultural responses, knowledge, and skills, making everyone respect each other (American School Counselor Association, 2019). After observing the RAMP City Primary for some time, trying to understand how the case of racism is so high, I saw that teachers were encouraging the act, thus empowering students to abuse others racially. I heard some comments from students who alighted from the school bus making fun of others about their physical appearance, laughing at their clothes, and joking about other students’ religions in front of the teacher on duty who, on the hand, instead of warning them, only smile at them. After I observed the incident, I realized as an advocate that the problem is not from the students but also both the teachers and the parents, and the community at large because they are supposed to teach the students the right way to handle other students and show them that they are equal.
My Role of Advocacy
As a counselor, the ASCA directives are, I am required to collect data and analyze it so that I can expose lousy behavior and the wrongs that are happening at school and find a way which I use to communicate them with the students in their classrooms through lessons which will tackle the issues affecting the students. I will include all the stakeholders’ students, teachers, parents, RAMP City leadership, and the community to focus on learning content, school environment, and workshop for teachers and parents teaching how they are supposed to do advice their children and the dangers that are associated with discrimination and bullying. As a counselor am supposed to use the analyzed data to teach the stakeholders and let them know and understand how racism and bullying affect the affected students in their studies and life too (Walden University 2021). After consulting, I know that teachers and administrations only intervene if there are physical injuries or when the parent or guardian intervenes about an issue. Still, I discovered that most students take insults as jokes and do not report the incidents (American School Counselor Association, 2019).
Collaborator
I cannot walk this journey alone to save the school because even the community deserves to keep too, and as always, I will collaborate with others to make sure the issues are addressed once and for all (E Greidanus et al., 2020)
Staff Members
It’s my responsibility to involve the staff members in this conversation to find a way to end the issues at once ( A, M Doherty, 2014). I will collaborate with my supervisor Mr. John Walker who has been the school counselor for five years and a supervisor for one year; this shows he has vast experience inside and outside the school. I will also collaborate with the disciplinary teacher and the school head teacher Mr. Samuel Smith. Each class has an average of 40 students.
Support From Staff
I have not stayed for long in the school, and I will need approval from the principal Mr. Samuel who has been here for the last three years. He has collected a lot of data that will help solve these issues of bullying and racism. Also, I need to collaborate with the administration’s help administration because I will be the student’s advocate. Mr. John Walker will help and support me in connecting with other schools. Teachers are essential because they spend much time with the students, and I will rely heavily on their observations and comments too. I will collaborate with the parents and listen to their stories. I will engage with the local administration also to have their support.
Consultant
Rely on the knowledge of professionals.
I will seek and use knowledge from the licensed professional counselor in RAMP City. Mrs. Elizabeth King is permitted, and people and students pay 30 dollars to seek guidance and counseling from her. It’s important because I can refer the students to her to break that school monotony.
Parents and guardians
I will need the help of the parents and guardians to understand further how the students behave at home and also try to understand who their friends are. This will help me because I will understand whom I am dealing with, and so I will prepare even better (Grothaus et al., 2020). I will also encourage the parents and the guardians to always come to me if they ever need to talk about their child.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Initiative
The plan I have and want to implement in the RAMP City is equality and a sense of belonging. I want to stop social injustices in this city and promote every student’s culture so that they will not feel ashamed of themselves but rather be proud and happy as they celebrate their culture. I also want to implement respect among the students. They need to respect their teacher and do what they are told. The students also have to obey their parents and respect the other students.
Challenges
Some of the students, if asked why they are misbehaving at school, they answered that even their parents don’t ask them those types of questions, rude students. The other challenge is that teachers and students keep denying if they are asked if they did something that would harm the other students. Parents are unwilling to accept that their children are wrongdoers and conclude they are against their children. The discriminated and bullied students are afraid to come out and speak up because of fear.
Conclusion
This paper aimed to stop peer-to-peer conflict in terms of bullying, racism, and cultural discrimination type of behaviors and highlight the counselor’s importance in RAMP City through leadership, consulting, collaboration, and diversity and equity.
Reference
American School Counselor Association. (2019a). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs. Alexandria, VA: Author.
American School Counselor Association. (2019b). Making DATA work (4th ed.). Alexandria,VA: Author.
Dougherty, A. M. (2014). Psychological consultation and collaboration in school and
community settings (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Greidanus, E., Warren, C., Harris, G. E., & Umetsubo, Y. (2020). Collaborative practice in counseling: a scoping review. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 34(3), 353-361.
Walden University. (2021). RAMP City Primary final project case study [Interactive
media]. Baltimore: Author.
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