Teaching in Counselor Education

Philosophy of Teaching

A counseling educator’s teaching philosophy has been shown to directly influence student learning (Hall et al., 2021; Magnuson, 2002); these findings have generated a great deal of inquiry into the content and process of teaching philosophies particularly as they develop through the professional lifespan of the educator (McDonald & Kahn, 2014; Svinicki & McKeachie, 2014). Emergent from this expansive literature is a persistent inconsistency of content, structure, and process of developing teaching philosophies across the lifespan (Hall et al., 2021; Waalkes et al., 2018); additionally, in a review of contemporary teaching philosophy development, Hall and colleagues (2021) noted that many teaching philosophies do not reflect any explicit description of andragogic learning philosophy or motivational theory – leaving them untethered from conceptual bedrock and thus disconnected from congruence assessments. Taking from these empirically based realities, recommendations for teaching philosophy development suggest that they include the following: one’s 1) conceptualization of learning, 2) conceptualization of teaching, 3) goals for students, 4) strategy for implementation of teaching philosophy, and 5) personal journey as an educator (West et al., 2013). Utilizing these recommendations, a teaching philosophy should also be explicitly grounded in theory and be used for evaluation and growth-oriented assessment (Hall et al., 2021). With this in mind, I will present my own teaching philosophy as one grounded in the theory of contextual phenomenology, or intersubjectivity, and reflect on these various components of effective teaching philosophy.

Informed by post-structuralist philosophy, my teaching ethos embraces intersubjectivity as a fundamental principle, recognizing the fluidity and plurality of meaning in the learning process. Within this framework, I view teaching as a collaborative endeavor where knowledge is not fixed but continually negotiated and redefined through dialogue, reflexivity, and deconstruction of power dynamics. I strive to create a learning environment that encourages critical inquiry, challenges dominant narratives, and empowers students to explore diverse perspectives and question established norms. By embracing the complexities of subjectivity and language, I aim to foster a space of radical openness and intellectual curiosity, where students and I co-create knowledge that is both dynamic and transformative.

Included in this reproduction of various artifacts created and gathered from my doctoral program, as well as reflections on my process of teaching in counselor education, my personal theory and approach of counselor education is presented.

II. Teaching

a. Roles and responsibilities related to educating counselors
b. Pedagogy and teaching methods relevant to counselor education
c. Models of adult development and learning
d. Instructional and curriculum design, delivery, and evaluation methods relevant to counselor
education
e. Effective approaches for online instruction
f. Screening, remediation, and gatekeeping functions relevant to teaching
g. Assessment of learning
h. Ethical and culturally relevant strategies used in counselor preparation the role of mentoring
in counselor education
i. The role of mentoring in counselor education

Artifacts II.a,C - Roles and Responsibilities in counselor education

The relational process of counselor education involves various modes and technologies, each able to be specifically utilized to promote learning. This way of engaging the relational dynamic of counselor education can be inspected through andragogy and teaching methods. While there are various ways to facilitate learning in counselor education such as readings, discussion, lectures, evaluation and feedback, technology, diverse community creation, counselor education is defined by andragogy, the process by which adults learn. A key difference between andragogy and pedagogy (how children learn), is the awareness of the students’ past lived experience and how that may be shaping their experience of the present learning environment and thus affecting the intended learning outcomes. Additionally, andragogy understands the role of the professor as an instructing facilitator and not a teacher as it is in pedagogy. These differences inform each of the learning mechanisms outlined above and fundamentally shifts experiential activities through the power of reflection. While content learning is vital in counselor education, a facilitating environment that involves reflection on the impact of the experience and the meaning made in past and present comparison meets adult students in their developmental maturity. This wedding of content learning and intra- and interpersonal reflecting can be utilized in all teaching mechanisms both synchronously and asynchronously.

Artifacts II.B,c - Andragogy & Teaching philosophy

Andragogically, I understand the process of learning to be one of scaffolding from smaller template or schema to greater concentric iterations of these mental constructs within an embodied sensory-emotional-cognitive mind, particularly grounded in interpersonal dynamics (Seigel, 2020). Within this developmental perspective, various thinkers have discussed thinking skill complexity (Bloom 1956; Krathwohl, 2001), content complexity (Meyer & Land, 2006) the role of motivation (Biggs & Collis, 1982), intelligence (Sternberg, 1985), learning style (Kolb, 1984), and emotion (Damasio, 1995). Each of these areas of research describes the need for paying particular attention to the nature of the learner, the posture of the educator or teacher, and the developmental nature of learning through increasing developmental complexity within a specific context (Svinicki & McKeachie, 2014); these are my interests when articulating my position on the first component of effective teaching philosophy outlined above. Intersubjectively, teaching should reflect the importance of these concepts and address specific strategies for engaging learners with each concept in mind.

Artifacts II.a,d,e - curriculum design and delivery

Online resources and learning management systems have revolutionized counselor education in the 21st century. This also makes possible the continuity between in and out of class community engagement as well as synchronous and asynchronous learning. While these advancements do add great benefit to counselor education, they also present various challenges to connection, comprehension, accessibility, integration, and overall quality. Practicing with ethical integrity and the commitment to students necessary in counselor education must then include intentional assessment of these challenges as well as an individualized strategy for ensuring and assessing quality of engagement. Clear communication of course goals and expectations as well as assistance in the determined appropriate and desired use of learning technology is vital for effective implementation and quality assurance. One framework for bringing intention to this process is presented by Svinicki and McKeachie (2014) that includes an inspection of the reciprocal relationship between students, content, technology, and the instructor. This framework can then be supplemented by West and colleague’s (2013)work to think pedagogically, purposefully, portability, the learning curve, collaboratively, support, practicality, and potentiality. No matter what the specific technology being considered, these considerations are applicable and scalable in degree of complexity for both the student, content, technology, and instructor; this scalability then can support even the most innovative advancements in counselor education like virtual reality for case simulations and treatment implementation – a reality that’s not too far off.

This artifact supplemented a virtually delivered lecture for human growth and development.

artifacts II.e,f,g - Facilitation, Screening and Assessment

Counselor preparation involves a great deal of both objective and subjective assessment methods, each intended to determine, join, and progress the learning environment. Each of these intentions are incorporated into the process of counselor education through assessment, testing, evaluation, screening, remediation, and gatekeeping. These various components can be incorporated through journals, research papers, annotated bibliographies, portfolios, peer assessments, group work, embedded assessment, and classroom assessment. For me personally, the process and the true intention of gatekeeping is centered around the embeddedness of the relationship between student and learning instructor – this exemplifies the shift from the intention of teaching from in pedagogy to learning with in andragogy. Embedded assessment is described by Svinicki and McKeachie (2014) as a means of assessment that are embedded interpersonally and indistinguishably from regular activity. This type of assessment honors the difference between pedagogy and andragogy as this method naturally incorporates lived experience as well as the effect of the relationship between learners, instructors included. Shifting the perspective of gatekeeping away from one’s barrier to participate in the field involves a relational invitation that is participatory in nature and contextual in its co-construction.

I also reflected on screening, remediation, and gatekeeping at length in the artifact specific to roles and responsibilities in counselor education.

artifacts II.h,I - ethics, culture, and mentorship in counselor education

Professional counseling and the education of counselors is a discipline devoted to ethical and equitable practice. Through the various ethical guidelines and standards, governing agencies seek to uphold these commitments in every aspect of professional counseling and its education. According to Svinicki and McKeachie (2014), the ethical responsibilities to students are to encourage the free pursuit of learning and to empower the student to learn to think, to demonstrate respect for students and to empower them as diverse learners, to respect confidentiality, to model the best scholarly and ethical standards, to foster honest academic conduct, and to avoid exploitation, harassment, or discrimination. Transmitted through embedded relationship, these responsibilities model the embodied ethical posture of the professional counselor and thus necessitate self-reflectivity and self-growth in the context of the learning partnership.

Multicultural issues and culturally relevant strategies in counselor education emerge from these ethical responsibilities and should model their importance at every level. This embedded approach brings the power of self-assessment and relational evaluation to the embodiment of culturally sensitive practices. West et al. describes the concept and skill of broaching as a competency that should be incorporated in counselor education from a developmental perspective moving from avoidant to infused. Multicultural issues are not binary and should thus be conceptualized through multidimensional frameworks.

I also reflected on ethics, culture, and mentorship in counselor education at length in the artifact specific to roles and responsibilities in counselor education.

reflections

My doctoral journey has been a period of profound personal and professional growth, deeply influenced by the wisdom of my mentors and teaching faculty. Prior to my doctoral training, my experiences teaching undergraduate and master’s students provided a strong foundation for refining my teaching identity within the broader scope of my counselor educator identity. This development has been pivotal in enhancing my ability to mentor and guide future counselors.

As a counselor educator, I recognize that my strengths and areas for growth revolve significantly around assessing student development and their capacity to engage deeply with course material, integrating their learning experiences into both authentic self-expression and evidence-based practice. A key strength of mine is the ability to attune to my students’ developmental processes, translating complex course material into accessible, inviting content that facilitates their learning journey. However, challenges arise when the connection with students is strained or when the learning environment does not support effective attunement. In such instances, maintaining intentional contact and engagement becomes crucial to overcome barriers and support student success.

I view counselor education and supervision as critical components in the developmental continuum of professional counseling. This perspective is rooted in a commitment to holistic wellness, which encompasses the mind, body, emotion, cognition, and spirit. By adopting an androgogical approach that prioritizes holistic wellness, I aim to create a learning environment that respects and nurtures the diverse needs of all students, including those from faith-based and non-faith-based backgrounds. This approach not only fosters a deeper engagement with the material but also promotes a more inclusive and supportive educational atmosphere where students can thrive according to their own values and beliefs.

Moreover, incorporating holistic wellness into our educational practices ensures that we, as counselor educators, also attend to our own well-being, recognizing that our ability to educate and inspire is intrinsically linked to our personal health and resilience. This reflective practice encourages both students and educators to consider their own wellness as integral to their professional competence and success.

As my counselor educator identity continues to evolve, it is increasingly shaped by these experiences and philosophies. My commitment to developing a nurturing, responsive, and inclusive teaching environment reflects my dedication to preparing students not only as skilled professionals but as well-rounded individuals who are equipped to handle the complexities of human service and care. Through this approach, I strive to embody the values I teach, fostering a legacy of compassionate, competent counseling professionals.

References

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Bloom, M. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Longman.

Damasio, A. (1995). Descartes’ error: Emotion, reason, and the human brain. Putnam Publishing.

Hall, D. P., Waalkes, P. L., & Smith, P. H. (2021). A content analysis of counselor educators'
teaching philosophy statements. The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision,
14(1), 1-27. https://repository.wcsu.edu/jcps/vol14/iss1/3

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning. Prentice Hall.

Krathwohl, D., Bloom, B. S., & Masia, B. (1964). Taxonomy of educational objectives, handbook II: Affective domain. David McKay.

Magnuson, S. (2002). New assistant professors of counselor education: Their first year.
Counselor Education and Supervision, 41(1), 306-320.
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McDonlad, D. & Kahn, M. (2014). So, you think you can teach? - Reflection processes that
support pre-service teachers’ readiness for field experiences. International Journal for
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https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2014.080218

Meyer, J. H. F., & Land, R. (2006). Overcoming barriers to student understanding: Thresholdconcepts and troublesome knowledge. Routledge.

Seigel, D. (2020). The developing mind (3rd ed.). The Guilford Press.

Sternberg, R. J. (1985). Beyond IQ: A triarchic theory of intelligence. Cambridge University Press.

Svinicki, M. D., & McKeachie, W. J. (2014). McKeachie’s teaching tips: Strategies, research,
and theory for college and university teachers (14th ed.). Cengage.

Waalkes, P. L., Benshoff, J. M., Stickl, J., Swindle, P. J., & Umstead, L. K. (2018). Structure,
impact, and deficiencies of beginning counselor educators’ doctoral teaching preparation.
Counselor Education & Supervision, 57, 66-80. https://doi.org/10.1002/ceas.12094

West, J. D., Bubenzer, D. L., Cox, J. A., & McGlothlin, J. M. (2013). Teaching in counselor
education: Engaging students in learning. ACES.