A Career That Makes a Difference SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY: A Career That Makes a Difference CORE SLIDE

If you want to … then … School Psychology could be the career for you! Help children reach their potential Promote children’s mental health Work collaboratively with others Have a variety of career options CORE SLIDE then … School Psychology could be the career for you!

Web addresses for more information http://www.nasponline.org/about_sp/spsych.aspx

School Psychologists understand that all children learn when given: Adequate supports and resources Recognition of their individual needs Opportunities to achieve Cooperation between school and home GENERAL SLIDE Emphasize that all children can learn Talk about ways you implement these necessary supports

School Psychologists link mental health to learning and behavior to promote: High academic achievement Positive social skills and behavior Tolerance and respect for others Competence, self-esteem, and resiliency GENERAL SLIDE How have you done this in your job or training?

Why Children Need School Psychologists Learning difficulties Behavior concerns Helping students cope with family and life stressors Depression and other mental health issues Attention problems Diverse populations with diverse needs GENERAL SLIDE Feel free to add other needs to the list Any specific examples from your school(s) or students? How have you handled Sept. 11th, war in Iraq, etc.?

What Do School Psychologists Do? Assessment Consultation Prevention Intervention Staff development training Research and program development CORE SLIDE If pressed for time, skip the individual slides on these roles (Slides 9-16) and just touch briefly on what the different areas listed here mean.

Where Do School Psychologists Work? Public and private schools Private practice Colleges and universities Institutional/residential facilities Pediatric clinics and hospitals Criminal justice system GENERAL SLIDE Note that schools can be urban, suburban, and rural Have you worked in any alternative settings?

Who Are Today’s School Psychologists? women over 40 years of age 45% work in suburban school districts 30% work in urban school districts 25% work in rural school districts CORE SLIDE

States With Most Serious Shortages Alabama Kentucky Mississippi Tennessee Arkansas Louisiana Oklahoma Texas GENERAL SLIDE Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi also have large African American populations (as mentioned in previous slides), but there are disproportionately few African American SPs in the United States

Undergraduate Training Must complete a Bachelor’s degree Consider an education or psychology major Take courses in Child development General and child psychology Statistics, measurement, and research Philosophy and theory of education Instruction and curriculum Special education GENERAL SLIDE Emphasize this slide when talking to high school students who have yet to choose college courses or a major You may choose to omit this if speaking to undergraduates, particularly those who are already majoring in psychology or education

Graduate Training Degree Options In most states, certification as a school psychologist requires training beyond the Master’s degree. Specialist or Educational Specialist (EdS) Certificate of Advanced Graduate Standing (CAGS) Advanced Graduate Studies Certificate (AGS) - or - Doctorate (PhD, PsyD or EdD) GENERAL SLIDE (You may choose to omit slides on graduate training for presentations to high school students) Emphasize that EdS/CAGS/AGS are all essentially the same training, just different names at different institutions, and that they are all require more time and training than a Master’s degree Master’s = 1 or 2 year, these degrees = 3 years Explain why you chose to pursue the degree that you did. What are the pros/cons of each degree? You may choose discuss highlights of your own training.

How is the job market for School Psychologists? Excellent both at present and long-term! 11 % increase is expected between 2008 and 2018 thanks to increased efforts to provide mental-health services to students Not enough graduates to meet demand Retirement will soon open many positions School Psychology was named one of the “hot professions” for 2005-2011 by US News and World Report Also names 14th best career choices for 2012 http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs?page=2 CORE SLIDE The link should bring you to the US News article Are there job openings in your school system? Do you see jobs becoming available in your area?

What types of salaries do School Psychologists receive? National average annual salary: $50,000 Doctoral level school psychologists on average earn about $5,000 more annually than Specialist level school psychologists Salaries for school psychologists vary according to state and regional differences Average salaries differ by state and geographical region. Come prepared with information about the state in which you are presenting, info available online at http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq286salary.htm Explain that although school psychologists appear to make more money than teachers, some work on teacher schedules whereas others work on a longer 12-month schedule (I.e., summers and some vacations) Explain how your schedule works

FAQ: How does a School Psychologist differ from a school counselor? School Counselor (M.Ed.) School Psychologist (Ed.S.) Usually 2 yr grad school At least 3 yrs grad school Usually work in one school (specialized age group) Often responsible for several schools (K-12) and can work in other settings Course selection, career prep, district testing Assessment, consultation, interventions, severe cases This is a very common question! You may want to explain how your role is different from the school counselor’s at your school. Keep in mind that if you are speaking at a high school career event, there may be a school counselor in the audience!

FAQ: How does a school psychologist differ from a child psychologist? School psychologists focus on how social emotional issues, family problems, neurological factors, and mental illness affect learning Child clinical psychologists: Usually work in a hospital, mental health center, private clinic, or university setting Are not typically trained in education, instruction, or classroom management Do not focus primarily on the multiple factors that affect learning GENERAL SLIDE

My Contact Information Dr. Holt email – Aimee.Holt@mtsu.edu Office – Jones Hall 312 Phone – 904-8343