Career & Education continues its look at career options that cater to those with special needs. We examine this week the work of the educational/school psychologist.

FOR many parents, discovering that their child has special needs is usually a hard pill to swallow. It is equally difficulty for the children who must go through school, in preparation to take on life’s challenges.

Thankfully, there exists the educational/school psychologist who identifies the needs and helps determine how best they can be met.

Career & Education chats this week with Kellie-Anne Brown Campbell, 26, a school psychologist at McCam Child Development Centre since 2007, for insight into how they make this happen and the benefits, economic and otherwise, thereof.

Brown Campbell holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of the West Indies, Mona and a master’s in School Psychology from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

She forms a part of the clinical team at McCam that is comprised of an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, a behaviour therapist and a special educator. Brown Campbell previously worked as a preschool teacher at the centre for the 2004/2005 academic year.

Who is an educational/school psychologist?

School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals in an effort to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school. They are highly trained in both psychology and education and specifically trained to engage in and speak to data-based decision-making, consultation and collaboration, effective instruction, child development, student diversity and development, school organisation, special education policy and ethics, prevention, intervention, mental health, learning styles, behaviour, research, and programme evaluation. They are trained, too, to carry out psycho-educational assessments, which evaluate psychological and academic skills. Psychological skills include language skills, memory, processing of visual and auditory information, planning and reasoning abilities. Academic skills assessed include reading, mathematics, spelling, written expression, handwriting ability, listening comprehension and oral expression skills. School psychologists are also trained to identify/diagnose children with a range of developmental, behavioural and academic disabilities, including learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning problems related to motivation and other social-emotional challenges.

What is the value of the work that you do?

Information gathered, especially from comprehensive evaluations carried out by school psychologists, help to guide the development and implementation of appropriate interventions. School psychologists also have the distinct privilege of being trained in a wide range of developmental challenges which children face and that impact on their functioning at school and home. Therefore, we are able to provide practical and valuable support to teachers and parents who many times may know what a child’s challenges are, but do not understand why and are struggling to identify appropriate steps to take to remedy these challenges. I have had the pleasure of witnessing the enlightenment of parents at the end of a session when assessment results are presented, as they now have an understanding as to why their child/student has been struggling in home/school, why they have not been able to have successful relationships at home and school, and guidance as to what can be done to help remedy their challenges. Our contribution to children having the opportunity to recognise their potential is invaluable, especially with the support we are able to provide through interventions.

What prompted your entry into the field?

Since high school I had questions about why some students succeeded while others struggled. It struck me from then that all children learn differently and depending on the type of support they received from teachers and parents, some would learn to compensate for their weaknesses or overcome their challenges. My realisation that the educational system was failing some of our children prompted me (to enter) this field; I saw it as a way that I could help to make a difference in the lives of children, parents and teachers.

What are the academic requirements for entry into the field?

Most programmes require that the applicant have some teacher training or, at the very least, experience in the field of education. This is a preferred requirement, however, and not necessary in all instances. However, educational/school psychology is a specialist field, so it is also usually required that the student have some background in psychology and other approved courses. If not, additional undergraduate coursework would be required to qualify for entry into such a programme.

What other skills and/or competencies are required for the field?

In my opinion, a love for children and passion to see children succeed at life is a necessary requirement to enter this field.

What do you most enjoy about your job?

What I enjoy most is being able to work with and around children. It is a joy to witness the progress that students make after going through intervention, whether academic or behavioural. I also enjoy the challenge of assessing/evaluating children, as I am always intrigued by the unique profiles of each child that I come into contact with. I enjoy, too, the opportunity to impart knowledge to parents and teachers, as well as other professionals about the learning process and what is needed to help children learn and cope better at school and in their everyday life. Being able to enlighten persons through workshops and other consultation methods is also a passion of mine.

What are the challenges you face on the job?

One of the major challenges involved is getting some parents to face the reality of having a child with special needs. Many parents, even when they refer the child for assessment, are in denial about the true nature of their children’s challenges. But I take this on as a challenge to myself and my profession to help enlighten such parents about the good they can still do in their children’s lives, especially if they face reality and provide the very best and most appropriate opportunities for their children. I also face some challenges working with teachers who already have very stressful jobs and then have to additionally make special accommodations for these children in their classes. I provide as much support as possible to these teachers so that they do not feel that they are alone in the process, as many teachers are not adequately prepared to cater to children with challenges in the mainstream classroom in particular.

How much can you earn as an educational psychologist on an annual basis?

Monthly, an education psychologist can make between $50,000 and $60,000 (take-home) working in the Government sector or for a not-for-profit organisation. Supplemental income can be generated through private practice, and/or other job opportunities, such as lecturing.

Trained as an educational psychologist, what employment options are open to you?

As an educational/school psychologist you are able to work in school settings (both public and private). You also have the opportunity to practise privately where you can offer the services of assessments and specialised interventions to address the needs highlighted in assessments. Lecturing positions are also available to you as a master’s-level and/or doctoral-level psychologist in the areas of education, in particular special education.

Why would you advise anyone to get into the field?

The opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of children, parents and teachers is a privileged opportunity bestowed on persons in this field. Enlightening others on issues related to prevention and intervention strategies involved in addressing the challenges of children is a needed service in the island. From a social services perspective, this profession offers support that is underrepresented in the education sector. Many teachers are not adequately trained to face the daily challenges of having children with a wide range of needs in the classroom. Educational psychologists are specially trained to offer this unique support to persons in the education field.