Middle School Counseling in a Multicultural Environment

Middle School Counseling in a Multicultural Environment

 Introduction

The United States of America is termed as the melting pot within which numerous cultures are blended and assimilated with the continuous entry of immigrants. As a result, most institutions have to harbor people with different cultural backgrounds. School counseling in such institutions necessitates multicultural counseling-a situation in which people from different backgrounds and perceptions are brought together so as to create a helpful relationship and interaction. This paper will highlight the approaches that can be applied in counseling middle school students in efforts to avert racially based bias and discrimination as well as conflicts.

The dialectic systemic cognitive (DCT)-emotional-developmental approach or style can be used as the best method in counseling Jose (Latino) and James (Caucasian) individually. Other approaches of DCT constitute of internal functioning aspects and are thus not suited for this case. This fourth counseling style among the DCT styles requires the counselees to go beyond egocentric views and to visualize themselves as components within a multiple interactive system. Through this method as a counselor I should be able to make the students realize that they are part of a big system constituting of various other people that may be different from them in terms of the views that they hold. I also should be able to show students that their cognitive complexity is formed based on values based on gender, family and influences of culture (Schmidt, 2008).

At the same time they should be able to recognize the values and views of other culturally different people as being different and distinct. After creating awareness on how they have developed the patterns of bias from their backgrounds, I will prompt them to assess whether they would wish to have these formed patterns to continue. Thereafter, I will challenge their perception patterns and help them in deconstructing them after highlighting the negatives of being unable to change their thought patterns. The creation of awareness about variety within their environment should be enough to make them aware and appreciative of other culturally different people (Schmidt, 2008).

In order to prevent further, similar cases and occurrences, I will design cultural programs meant for class groups. These programs will bring students from different cultures together in performing activities that reflect their cultural values. These activities may include story telling or cultural description and singing or dancing. This will help students appreciate each others’ culture as they interact and foster stronger bonds and relationships (Baker & Gerler, 2008). These socialization forums should create connectivity and togetherness within the institution.

References

Baker, B. S. and Gerler, R.E. (2008).School counseling for the twenty-first century. Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall Publishers.

Schmidt, J.J. (2008). Counseling in schools: comprehensive programs of responsive services for all students. Pearson/Allyn and Bacon Publishers.

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