Implementing the role of the school psychologist

Even though the role of the school psychologist has become more diversified in recent years, many public school systems remain unaware of the range of potential competencies available. A number of suggestions are made pertaining to practitioner-initiated activities that can serve to facilitate implementation of the desired role.     

The role of the school psychologist in school desegregation: A plan for action

The research on the outcomes of school desegregation has been generally disappointing. This paper briefly reviews the historical role of social science in desegregation, and reviews some of the current research on cooperative learning in the desegregated classroom. A comprehensive role for the school psychologist is outlined, in which goals and subgoals, means for achieving them, and anticipated outcomes are clearly delineated. It is proposed that implementation of this role would lead to a much more positive school desegregation experience for all students.     

Informal assessment to modify the role and image of the school psychologist

This article explores the issue of upgrading the school psychologist's image via the use of informal assessment. Presented also are the implications for this type of assessment for instruction, classroom consultation, and parent interaction.     

The role of school websites in career development practice

The use of technology is well-established in teaching curricula and as a tool for educators in secondary schools in New Zealand. Within their career practice in schools, practitioners are regularly using web-based technologies. However, most career practitioners are unlikely to participate in the process of establishing and maintaining school websites, and in particular the career-related content. The perceived relevance of school websites can therefore vary for practitioners, especially where various practice settings are considered.     

Job burnout and the school psychologist

School psychologists participating in a workshop on burnout completed Freudenberger's Burnout Questionnaire (1980), identified major job-related stressors, and responded to a list of suggested supervisory, individual, and organizational strategies for prevention. Slightly less than half of the participants appeared on the questionnaire to have burnout problems. Age, years of experience, and sex were not significantly related to the burnout score. Major identified stressors included excessive caseloads, lack of time, and lack of support or appreciation. Reactions to the strategies were positive and hopeful. Implications for training were drawn.     

Visual tests for the school psychologist

The cover test and the near point of convergence test are quick, easy tests to help the school psychologist determine if a child should be referred for professional vision care. Negative results from these tests do not mean that the child does not have a visual problem. There is no single test which gives that information. Positive results from these tests, however, are evidence that the child may have a visual problem. This information, along with the results of other performance tests given by the school psychologist, should be reported to the vision care professional to facilitate the accurate determination of the child's visual status.     

The limiting power of Cypriot primary school teachers' private reflections on practice

In a previous paper (Loizou, F. 2011. How Cypriot primary school teachers promote their professional development through reflective practice. Education 3–13 39, no. 3: 233–247.) I explored the concept of theories-in-use within a qualitative research study in order to analyse the role of reflection in bringing about change in the practice of 18 Cypriot primary school teachers. In this article, I build on the findings of this study in order to explore further why reflection onpractice which remains unexamined through professional exchange can have alimiting effect on professional development. In particular, I aim to examine which devices can develop in the unconscious in order to protect unsound theories-in-use and reinforce discrepancies between actions and espoused beliefs. Furthermore, I discuss why these devices block awareness of the need to change. Finally, I make hypotheses about when the above devices could have been developed in the Cypriot teachers' unconscious. The article concludes with suggestions about how the activation of the above devices can be limited or prevented.     

The school psychologist as a tutorial systems supervisor

The school psychologist often is viewed as a diagnostician instead of a remediator. The purpose of this paper is to stress the remedial role that school psychologists can assume without detracting from the importance of diagnosis. Three main points are presented. (a) Paraprofessional tutors can be effective providers of individualized help to problem learners if they are given proper training, structured approaches, and careful supervision. (b) The application of effective paraprofessional models should be extended to the increasing number of mainstreamed handicapped students and adequately evaluated. (c) The school psychologist is in a position to effect improvements in existing remedial education through assuming the role of supervisor as tutorial systems are implemented and evaluated.     

The elementary learning disability process group and the school psychologist

This paper proposes a model of a process group conducted with elemetary learning disabled students. The school psychologist is proposed as leader of the group. Five goals are identified and the process of the group is discussed. Specific procedures are mentioned to enable the school psychologist to conduct a process group. The process group can be an effective addition to the various intervention strategies used with learning disabled children.