School Psychologists

School Psychologists A school psychologist works with students in early childhood and elementary and secondary schools. School psychologist and teachers, parents, and school personnel join to create a safe, healthy but yet supportive learning environment that focuses on the needs of students. School psychologists work with individual students and groups of students to deal with behavioral problems, academic difficulties, disabilities, and other issues. They also work with teachers and parents to develop techniques to deal with home and classroom behavior.

Other tasks include training students, parents, and teachers about how to manage crisis situations and substance abuse problems. For example psychologists may suggest improvements to the classroom management strategies or parenting techniques, and evaluate students with disabilities, or gifted and talented students to find the best way to educate these students on one understanding. Often times it is necessary for school psychologist to have qualities or characteristics such as being mature, stable, and patient with students.

Must be an excellent communicator and obviously possessing those skills especially in listening and speaking. One who inspires trust and confidence, and is intrigued with human behavior. These qualities or traits are said to be helpful to one who is interested in a career as a school psychologists. While most work in elementary and secondary schools, there are a number of different areas where school psychologists might find employment. Private clinics, hospitals, state agencies, and universities are possible sectors of employment.

Some school psychologists also go into private practice and serve as consultants, especially those with a doctoral degree in school psychology. Typically a school psychologist job or duty is as follows, Consults with teachers, parents, and school personnel about learning, social and behavior problems; Teaches lessons on parenting skills, learning strategies, substance abuse, and other topics pertinent to healthy schools. Researches the effectiveness of academic programs and behavior management procedures, and study new information about learning and behavior; Assesses and valuates the wide variety of behavior, skills, emotions, and goals in the schools they serve. Intervenes directly with counseling services for students and families; Acts as an interdisciplinary team member in the special education eligibility process, administering IQ, personality, and achievement tests; Articulates test results to parents who are not familiar with psychological tests; Includes working with a wide range of student emotional and academic factors; Generally has offices in individual schools and serve one or more schools.

To gain as position in this field of work it is necessary for one to have these credentials, or education background. Of course number one being a master’s degree in psychology or counseling that being the minimum requirement. But if a person residential place is Hawaii or Maine it is required to obtain a doctorate degree. Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania allow persons with a bachelor’s degree to serve as a school psychologist if they have completed the required amount of internship hours. However, each state has different requirements for school psychologists.

Eighteen states now require national certification, in which students complete an internship in school psychology. Before you choose a school psychology graduate program, be sure to check the specific licensing requirements in your state. All school psychologists must be certified and/or licensed by the state in which they practice. National certification is available through the National Association of School Psychologists and consists of a master's degree plus 30 graduate semester hours, a 1200-hour supervised internship, and a passing score on the National School Psychology Examination.

More than 200 U. S. colleges and universities offer school psychology programs. Students enrolled in master's degree programs will take courses in analysis of human behavior, behavior disorders, professional and ethical foundations, interview techniques, tests and measurements, assessment of personality, and psychopathology of childhood and adolescence. School psychology is still a relatively young profession. The National Association of School Psychology (NASP) was established and formally recognized as a doctoral specialty by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1968.

In 2002, U. S. News and World Report named school psychology one of the top ten "hot professions. " Many school psychologists in the field are retiring, creating a demand for qualified school psychologists. Job Outlook and Advancement, Employment of psychologists in all areas is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2005. Indications are strong that students, who are affected by family strife, crime, alcohol and drug abuse, and other problems, will increasingly seek counsel of school psychologists.

Those with doctorate degrees will find employment opportunities as administrators in large school systems or in school districts, or working at the state level in education. How Much Do School Psychologists Typically Earn? According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U. S. Department of Labor, the average salary for a psychologist working in an elementary or secondary school is $58,360. Reschly and Wilson (1995) found that the average salary for a school psychologist in a faculty position was $57,000.

The average salary for a practicing school psychologist with a doctoral degree was $51,000, with master's-level professionals earning an average of $40,000 per year. Psychologists work with people, developing relationships and comforting them. Other occupations with similar duties include: Clergy, Counselors, Human resources, training, and labor relations managers and specialists, Social workers, Sociologists and political scientists, Teachers special education.

References: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Psychologists, on the Internet at https://www. bls. gov/oco/ocos056. htm Reschly, D. & Wilson, M. (1995). School psychology practitioners and faculty: 1986 to 1991-92 trends in demographics, roles, satisfaction, and system reform. School Psychology Review, 24(1), 62-80. CEC | School Psychologist. (n. d. ). CEC | Home. Retrieved April 20, 2010, from

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