GLOBAL COUNSELING - Perspectives and Procedures



GLOBAL COUNSELING: Procedures & Perspectives

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

College of Education and Human Development

3 Graduate Credits

Course Number: GMU EDUC 500 - Section: 636

Dates and Time: Wednesdays January 13 – April 28, 2010

4:30 – 7:30 p.m. (No class March 31)

Location: Forest Park High School – Room 1125

Prince William County Schools

Instructor: Johnnie C. Hicks

Phone: (703) 455-5536 or (703) 328-8368

E-mail: johnniehicks@

Course Purpose and Intended Audience

Dramatic demographic changes in school populations during recent years have impressed upon educators and others the need to better understand the cultures, religions, and worldviews that students from all over the world bring with them. Prince William County Schools has indeed experienced profound changes in both growth and new ranges of social, cultural, and religious diversity among its students, staffs, and communities.

Global counseling recognizes that cultural groups around the world do not all think, learn, communicate, and behave in the same ways. Indeed, the variety of thoughts and expressions often become barriers to understanding when the cultural contexts are not understood. Counselors must reorient themselves to the broader global view of these conditions in order to better serve their students, parents, teachers, and staffs. These factors present many new challenges, however, as the professional field of counseling itself is a Western paradigm, rooted in European origin and one that is not universally recognized.

Yet, counselors are in a key position to serve as transitional and cross-cultural agents for these new immigrant students as they take on their educational tasks in unfamiliar environments. Additionally, counselors are an important link between home and school, as parental experiences and expectations are generally rooted in the family’s previous home and school cultures.

This class will offer important opportunities for participants to expand their personal awareness, knowledge, and skills in working with global populations and enjoy sharing their insights and experiences together. This course is also recommended for psychologists, social workers, health providers, teachers and others who want to broaden their knowledge base and expand their effectiveness in working with global populations.

Course Description

This course provides insight into the nature of “culture” and how people of various traditions perceive and interact differently with one another. It starts with an examination of one’s own personal culture and counseling tendencies and begins to build an awareness of other help providing traditions. Participants will develop skills as they apply this new knowledge in a variety of ways. Implications of the multiplicity of cultures in our schools will also be examined.

Course topics include: approaches to understanding the nature of ‘culture’ and ‘worldview;’ issues of changing demographics in our schools; experiences of recent immigrants and refugees; topics of similarities and differences among cultures; styles of verbal and non-verbal communication; influences of different religious beliefs on behaviors; and specific studies of cultural paradigms including Hispanic/Latino, East Asian, South Asian (Indian), and selected Middle Eastern and African. Models from several counseling approaches will be considered.

The purpose of this course is not to add on to the already overload of existing counselor roles and responsibilities. Rather, it is to provide important cultural information as well as broader perspectives and procedures that counselors need beyond traditional praxes. Class members will work together to address the current and future needs of Prince William County Schools as they move toward integrating the rapidly growing diverse populations into our schools and community.

Course Objectives

Each participant in this course will:

1. Expand an awareness of his/her own personal beliefs and practices in counseling styles and begin to explore a variety of other approaches in working with diverse populations;

2. Begin to acquire a general knowledge base about selected cultural groups and develop new approaches for counseling these populations. Each will also put together a notebook of retrievable information for use in working with particular cultures and issues of global significance;

3. Develop and demonstrate skills in planning strategies, conducting interventions, and assessing outcomes in both real and hypothetical situations that recognize multiple perspectives and counseling procedures;

4. Join in class discussions and group activities, conduct informal interviews, scan news media, and pursue out-of-class readings, viewing of films, and other assignments as appropriate for this class; and

5. Utilize opportunities for interacting with other PWCS professionals to better understand changing trends, strategies, and creative solutions to the challenges of population growth and cultural diversity in PWCS schools and communities.

Course Format

Class sessions will consist of lectures, film clips, charts, printed materials, and other small and large group activities designed to facilitate growth and better understanding of relevant cultural and global issues. Participants are encouraged to bring actual counseling situations and questions to the class’ attention and to participate in problem-solving scenarios. As far as possible, full and on-time attendance is expected of all class members.

Out-of-class requirements consist of reading assigned materials, viewing selected films, completing short activity assignments, conducting informal interviews, and writing a minimum of four journal responses based on at least two books and two films from a recommended list. Participants are also expected to scan news media for relevant current events and issues and to assemble a personal resource notebook (or file) of all class materials. A self-assessment mid-term exam, class-sharing project, and completion of a final take-home written exam are also required.

Course Requirements and Criteria for Grading

1. Attend class sessions and participate in activities and discussions; read assigned materials and view selected films between sessions; and bring personal reflections and inquiries to the class’s attention (20% of grade);

2. Write a minimum of four journal responses related to books and films from the recommended lists attached to this syllabus. Each journal response should be about 2-3 pages in length double-spaced and reflect the writer’s own personal reflections. Responses will be due on Sessions 5, 7, 9, and 11 (20% of grade);

3. Compile a resource notebook or other system of retrieval for handouts, notes, and other reference materials gathered during this course. Notebook should be organized and ‘user friendly’ for the professional work setting and will be due on Session 13 (20% of grade);

4. Complete a mid-term self-assessment and final take-home exam that demonstrates general understanding of major concepts covered during this course. The final exam consists of a core content response section and two additional essay questions which participants may choose from a provided list. Essay questions will be handed out on Session 13 of the class (20% of grade); and

5. Present a class-sharing project on a topic of professional interest to the class. A written copy of the project will be provided to the instructor, as well as to each class member. This project must be original and based on information relevant to the counseling profession. It should probably be 4-6 pages in length double spaced and contain a minimum of five bibliography resources. Project ideas will be submitted on Session 13 and will be presented during the last two class sessions (20% of grade).

Schedule of Classes

Session #1 Welcome! So glad you are here!

Course Overview and Structure

• Course design, content, objectives, and criteria for grading

• Personal introductions

• Group warm-up activity

Demographics of change

Regional … National … Global

Understanding the nature of “culture”

• “Observable” and “hidden” dimensions of culture

• Importance of “culture” in counseling diverse students

• A “Five-Culture” model for counseling global populations

Implications for counseling

Session #2 “Cultural Cues and Miscues” in Counseling

Understanding “I-People” and “We-People” Cultures

The Nature of Cross-Cultural Counseling and Communication

• Class sharing and warm-up

• Multiple ways of thinking, learning, and behaving

• It’s all about “perception!”

o Five important questions

o The “individualist - collectivist” continuum

o What about “time?”

• Communicating and counseling across cultures

o Verbal and non-verbal styles of communicating

o Working with families in global populations

Implications for counseling

Session #3 “Third Culture Kids” (“TCK’s”)

The Cultural Transitioning Experience

Beyond Culture: The Refugee Experience

• Class sharing and warm-up

• What is a “TCK?”

o American “TCK’s”

o Other countries’ “TCK’s” in the United States

• Stages of the cultural transitioning experience

o Physical, psychological, and social factors

o Immigrant, undocumented, and non-immigrant experiences

• The refugee experience

Film discussion: “El Norte”

Implications for counseling

Session #4 Counseling Latino/Hispanic Students

Diversity in “The Americas”

Family Systems and Child Rearing Practices in Latino Cultures

• Class sharing and warm-up

• Understanding Latino/Hispanic cultures

o Regional, political, and ethnic backgrounds

o Will the “real” American please stand up?

• Family systems and child-rearing practices

o Importance of “family systems” approach in counseling Latino/ Hispanic students

o Child-rearing practices among Latino cultures

o Assessment of young Latino children

Implications for counseling

Session #5 Continue Counseling Latino/Hispanic Students

Understanding “High- Low-Context” Cultures

Concepts from Family Systems Theories in Counseling

• Class sharing and warm-up

• Importance of “high- and low-context” in counseling

• Helpful strategies from family systems theories

• The counselor as “bridge builder” between home and school

o Putting the puzzle together

o Assessment, intervention, and follow-up

Implications for counseling

Book/Film Journal #1 due

Session #6 Counseling East Asian Students

Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism in East Asia

Family Systems and Child Rearing Practices

• Class sharing and warm-up

• Understanding the “Three Wisdoms” of East Asia

o “Confucianism” as the “head”

o “Taoism” as the “heart”

o “Buddhism” as the “feet”

• Counseling families with East Asian roots

o Hierarchical relationships in families

o Holistic views of mind, body, and spirit

o Parenting and child-rearing practices

Implications for counseling

Book/Film Journal #1 discussion

Session #7 Continue Counseling East Asian Students

Counseling Chinese and Korean students

Notes on Working with Families of East Asian Backgrounds

• Class sharing and warm-up

• Working with Chinese students and families

o Issues of stereotyping and the “model minority”

o “Saving face” in Chinese families

• Working with Korean students and families

o Expectations in education

o Academic and career counseling

• Other students from East Asia and the Pacific Rim

• Issues of race, gender, and ethnicity in counseling

Implications for counseling

Book/Film Journal #2 due

Session #8 Counseling Students from Southeast Asia

Backgrounds of War, Relocation, and Generational Issues

• Class sharing and warm-up

• Working with Vietnamese students and families

o Waves of immigration to the United States

o Impact of war, re-education camps, and family separation

o Families with special needs

• Working with Cambodian and Laotian students and families

o Impact of Pol Pot regime on Cambodian family life

o Laotian, Hmong, and impacts of war on these families

Implications for counseling

Book/Film Journal #2 discussion

Session #9 Counseling Students from South Asia (India)

Understanding India and Hindu Cultures

Other Religious Groups among Indian Families

• Class sharing and warm-up

• Basic concepts of Hinduism

o Ancient wisdoms and views of the universe

o Beliefs and traditions among Hindu families

o Castes, stations, and stages of life

o Practice of arranged marriages

• Understanding Sikhism

o Basic concepts and traditions

o Sikhs in the region

• Muslims, Jains, and others from India and South Asia

• Counseling students and families from South Asian cultures

Implications for counseling

Book/Film Journal #3 due

Session #10 Counseling Students from Pakistan

The Geography of India Partitioning

Pakistan as a Homeland for Muslims

• Class sharing and warm-up

• The partitioning of India and creation of Pakistan

o Impact on families and socio/political consequences

o The geographies, ethnicities, and languages of Pakistan

o Family traditions and child-rearing practices

• Impact of U.S. involvement in Pakistan on students and families

• Counseling students and families from Pakistani backgrounds

Implications for counseling

Book/Film Journal #3 discussion

Session #11 Counseling Students from Afghanistan

Thirty+ Years of War and Family Dislocations

Impact of Current War in Afghanistan

• Class sharing and warm-up

• Afghanistan: people, places, and the on-going conflict

o Who are the “Afghans?”

o Understanding tribal cultures, traditions, and values

o Afghan families in exile

• Importance of understanding background histories of families

• Impact of U.S. and NATO forces currently in Afghanistan

• Counseling students and families from Afghan backgrounds

Implications for counseling

Book/Film Journal #4 due

Session #12 Counseling Arab Students and Families

Understanding Islam and Muslim Families

• Class sharing and warm-up

• Who are the “Arabs” of the Middle East?

o Cultures and traditions among Arab families

o Family systems and child-rearing practices

o Counseling Arab students and families

• Understanding Islam: newest of the Abrahamic faiths

o Jews, Christians, and Muslims – Children of Abraham

o Basic concepts and beliefs of Islam

o Counseling Muslim students and families

Implications for counseling

Book/Film Journal #4 discussion

Session #13 Counseling African Students

Diversity and Identity among African Cultures

African and African-American Children in Our Schools

• Class sharing and warm-up

• Geography, ethnicity, and identity among African cultures

o Regions and make-up of a huge continent

o Land of “kingdoms” and “countries”

o Francophone, Anglophone, and other cultural identities

• Understanding African and African-American students in our schools

• Counseling African students and families

Implications for counseling

Project-sharing idea due

Resource notebook due

Final core content exams (group activity)

Session #14 Continue Counseling African Students and Families

Course Reflections and Follow Up

Special Topics (collected throughout the course)

Begin Class-sharing Projects

Session #15 Continue Class-sharing Projects

GMU Course Evaluations

Class Closure

Class-sharing projects due

Final exam essay questions due

!! That’s All !!

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