College Counselors SUPPORT SERVICES

The process of applying to university is complicated, and this third year of COVID-19 disruption was no exception. Our dedicated team of four university counselors and support staff helped students and families navigate the complex challenges of applying for university admission during a global pandemic.

The Class of 2022 submitted more than 1,200 applications to over 350 universities in 22 countries across the globe, with the highest number of applications going to the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. University counselors start working with students during the second semester of Grade 10, guiding course selection. Formal university seminars with students begin in Grade 11 and continue into Grade 12. These seminars cover a variety of topics. Including the importance of self-reflection; research techniques; essay writing for multiple countries and university admissions styles; understanding what goes into an application; letters of recommendation; testing options and needs; the importance of authentic extra-curricular experiences; and how to connect with schools and demonstrate interest. Ultimately, the university counselors support students throughout the university research, selection, and application process, helping them identify the post-secondary environment best suited to their learner profile, personality, and interests - their best “best fit.” We were thrilled to welcome Mr. Curt Nichols to the counseling team this year. He brings with him over a decade of experience as a university and high school counselor. He’s been a brilliant addition to our office, and we’re glad to have him join our team.

As an inclusive school, International School Bangkok (ISB) provides a comprehensive Student Services program. These services include Learning Support, English as an Additional Language (EAL), SpeechLanguage Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Counseling, Challenge and Enrichment, and Safeguarding. We deliver these services through a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).

ISB’s MTSS model has three levels of support known as tiers. Tier 1 provides universal access to all students and includes general best practices in the field of education while T ier 2 provides targeted interventions intended to supplement Tier 1 services. Tier 3 provides highly individualized support and instruction coordinated by a highly trained specialist.

We believe the best schools provide effective services to ALL students at the foundational Tier 1 level. Every student benefits from safeguarding procedures, co-teaching, scaffolds, differentiation, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, social-emotional support, etc. ISB delivers these services through advisory, homeroom, content area classes, specialist classes, assemblies, and more.

Operating a system with multiple supports allows ISB to provide more targeted and unique support as a student’s individual needs increase. All students have access to Tier 1 instruction. Some students move in and out of Tier 2 services based on the response to intervention, and 25% of our students receive direct EAL, 1:1, or small group services at any given moment.

Our MTSS model was further enhanced this year through our focus on Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL, a research-based educational framework, teaches us that learner variability is predictable. Once we anticipate this variability, we can purposefully plan for it and provide students with multiple pathways to demonstrate their learning. UDL allows for numerous means of presentation, expression, and engagement while focusing on instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments. The result of this is increased access to learning by reducing barriers. In other words, UDL allows flexibility in how students learn, not the standards they are learning.

ISB’s approach to providing Student Services captured the attention of the 2022 World Education Summit Conference. Our presentation, Cultural Shifts: From Inclusive to Belonging, was featured on the “Cool School” stage reserved for “amazing and unique schools and practitioners from around the world, showcasing insights, impact, and learning.” Ultimately, the university counselors support students throughout the university research, selection, and application process, helping them identify the postsecondary environment best suited to their learner profile, personality, and interests - their best “best fit.”

In addition to representing ISB at the World Education Summit, ISB continues to mentor and lead schools worldwide in developing service delivery models. ISB accomplishes this through The MARIO Framework, which was developed at ISB by Philip Bowman, and by presenting at events hosted by leading organizations in the field such as SENIA, International MTSS Summit, and CIS. This enables ISB’s Student Services Team to enrich communities throughout the world and promote equity for all students, regardless of their educational setting.

Social Emotional Support

Recognizing that COVID-19 profoundly impacted our students’ well-being, counselors were vital in maintaining the overall mental health of our learning community this year. The focus and location of our social-emotional counseling services may have shifted; however, our commitment to supporting the social-emotional well-being of students and families remained the same. Counselors hosted virtual lunch groups, held office hours, contacted students individually, and worked directly with families in addition to maintaining the services available prior to the pandemic.

Every student at ISB has access to a social-emotional counselor. The services provided by the counselors differ based on the developmental level of the students and their needs. This support can be provided through in-class lessons (e.g., safeguarding, conflict resolution), small group support (e.g., families in transition, friendship, self-regulation), or on a limited 1:1 basis when necessary.

Beyond providing direct support to students, our social-emotional counselors also advocate for students, support the development of inclusive policies and practices, and support the holistic needs of the school community. They do so in various ways, including presentations, parent sessions, book clubs, professional development, and committee work. Our counselors also review social-emotional data from our Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to help identify students who may need additional support and/or make programmatic changes.

Learning & Enrichment

When a student needs academic challenges beyond our differentiated classrooms, a Student Support Team (SST) is created to determine the best approach to support their learning. This practice aligns with the MTSS Framework previously discussed, allowing for more individualized services as individual needs increase. Providing additional academic challenges can take many forms based on the student’s unique learner profile.

In addition, ISB utilizes the Talent Development Framework (TDF) to provide challenge and enrichment to our students. This approach offers students four different levels of access to extend their knowledge. The enrichment activities in the first level are accessible to all students. As we progress through the levels, the services become more selective, individualized, and closely related to the student’s interests or areas of expertise.

The MTSS and TDF models follow a similar process and aim to match students’ learning needs with opportunities. Fortunately, we find that placing most of our students with same-aged peers within a heterogeneous, differentiated classroom incorporating educational best practices is the most appropriate setting.