School Psychologists’ Role in School

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expectations and evaluations of Estonian school principals on the work of school psychologists. Surveys have shown that teachers and school principals value traditional assessment activities but also desire more consultation. School psychologists emphasize the importance of system counselling, but in practice it can seldom be seen. One of the obstacles to the change of school psychologists’ roles might be the expectations of school principals. Therefore, school principals were questioned regarding these issues. One hundred and seven principals participated in the study. In addition, interviews were carried out with three school principals. The results showed that the most desired services by Estonian school principals are individual counselling of children and consultation with teachers and parents. System counselling is expected less frequently, but no strong resistance to it was found. It seems that school principals do not desire it because they are not yet aware of its possibilities.

Keywords

expectations school principals school psychologists’ role system counselling work of school psychologists

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Abel, R.R. and Burke, J.P. ( 1985) ‘Perceptions of School Psychology Services from a Staff Perspective’, Journal of School Psychology 23: 121-31.

Anthun, R. ( 1999) ‘Quality and Improvement Potential in School Psychology Services’, School Psychology International 20(2): 163-75.

Borgelt, C.E. and Conoley, J.C. ( 1999) ‘Psychology in the Schools: Systems Interventions Case Examples’, in T. B. Gutkin and C. R. Reynolds (eds) The Handbook of School Psychology, pp. 1057-76. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Conoley, J. and Gutkin, T. ( 1995) ‘Why Didn’t - Why Doesn’t School Psychology Realize Its Promise?’, Journal of School Psychology 33(3): 209-17.

Elbing, E. and Seitz, S. ( 1994) ‘Erwartungen von Lehrern an Schulpsychologen’ , Psychologie, Erziehung Unterricht 41: 262-71.

Fagan, T. ( 1995) ‘A Brief History of School Psychology in the United States’, in A. Thomas and J. Grimes (eds) Best Practices in School Psychology - III, pp. 913-29. Washington, DC: NASP.

Farrell, P. and Lunt, I. ( 1994) ‘Training Psychologist for the 21st Century’ , School Psychology International 15: 195-208.

Farrell, P. ( 1995) ‘Some Reflections on the Role of Educational Psychologist’ , in B. Norwich , I. Lunt and V. Varma (eds) Psychology and Education for Special Needs, pp. 129-41. Aldershot: Arena Ashgate.

Farrell, P. and Kalambouka, A. ( 2000) ‘Teachers’ Views of School Psychologists in Different Countries’, World Go Round 27(5): 8-9.

10.

Gutkin, T.B. and Conoley, J.C. ( 1990) ‘Reconceptualizing School Psychology From a Service Delivery Perspective: Implications for Practice, Training, and Research’, Journal of School Psychology 28: 203-23.

11.

Gutkin, T. and Curtis, M. ( 1999) ‘School-Based Consultation Theory and Practice: The Art and Science of Indirect Service Delivery’, in C. Reynolds and T. Gutkin (eds) The Handbook of School Psychology, 3rd edn, pp. 598-637. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

12.

Hartshorne, T.S. and Johnson, M.C. ( 1985) ‘The Actual and Preferred Roles of the School Psychologist According to Secondary School Administrators’, Journal of School Psychology 23: 241-46.

13.

Kikas, E. ( 2003) ‘Pupils as Consumers of School Psychological Services’ , School Psychology International 24(1): 20-32.

14.

Kikas, E. ( 1999) ‘School Psychology in Estonia. Expectations of Teachers and School Psychologists versus Reality’, School Psychology International 20(4): 352-64.

15.

Stoker, R. ( 1992) ‘Working at the Level of the Institution and the Organization’, Educational Psychology in Practice 8(1): 15-25.

16.

Thomas, A. , Levinson, E.M. , Orf, M.L. and Piciotti, D. ( 1992) ‘Administrators’ Perceptions of School Psychologists’ Roles and Satisfaction with School Psychologists’ , Psychological Reports 71: 571-75.

17.

Watkins, M.W. , Crosby, E.G. and Pearson, J.L. ( 2001) ‘Role of the School Psychologist. Perceptions of School Staff’, School Psychology International 22(1): 64-73.