Captone ) Carrier Specialization Psy. Prepare Handout

¶ … Captone ) Carrier specialization psy. Prepare handout pages APA format EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY ( ) summarizes information include references. Career specialization in psychology: Educational psychology Educational psychologists work in a variety of settings. Many of them work in schools, and work with children, teachers, parents, and other educational professionals to create a more supportive environment for students. The nature of the counseling may encompass the child's educational, emotional, and social needs. Students may have learning or behavioral challenges, or may be transitioning through a difficult life phase, such as a parent's divorce.

"School psychologists address students' learning and behavioral problems, suggest improvements to classroom management strategies or parenting techniques, and evaluate students with disabilities and gifted and talented students to help determine the best way to educate them" (Psychologists, 2011, BLS). School psychologists may also work with administrators to design educational programs, such as anti-bullying campaigns or anti-drug campaigns. "They also may evaluate the effectiveness of academic programs, prevention programs, behavior management procedures, and other services provided in the school setting" (Psychologists, 2011, BLS).

Educational psychologists may work in private practice to evaluate children and to give parents advice and support when dealing with students' learning challenges. They may also help children with specific social deficits, such as autism, adjust to the school environment. Educational psychologists may use many of the techniques deployed by adult psychologists, such as behavioral theory, to create a series of goals and objectives for learning for the child. "Behavior therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on reducing behavior problems and promoting adaptation skills.

Behavioral therapy uses psychological techniques to improve physical, mental, and communicative skills" (Behavioral therapy, 2011, My Child Without Limits). However, there is not a single, unifying philosophy that unites all educational psychologists. While behavioral therapists stress modicification of behaviors with rewards and punishments, cognitive therapists stress addressing negative thought patterns. "Constructivist teaching strategies emphasize knowledge as a social construct in which responsibility for learning is shared between the educator and the student. Instruction is student-centered, with a focus on applicable tasks and differentiated instruction" (Educational psychology, 2011, Educational Psychology).

Educational psychologists may also undertake specific tasks germane to their field, such as determining an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) for a child.

An individualized education program (IEP), as mandated in the individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) is a plan created in conjunction with parents, teachers, and very often educational psychologists to create an individualized learning plan for a classified child to help him or her succeed in school, in the least restrictive environment possible, and to the maximum extent to which he is able to perform in an age-appropriate fashion (IEP, 2011, Kid's Health).

"Some states may [only] approve candidates with master's degrees for licensure as school psychologists" (Psychologist: Educational requirements, 2011, Education Portal.). Most educational psychologists take coursework specific to their field while in undergraduate as well as graduate study in psychology. For example, in the state of Massachusetts, a school psychologist must possess a certificate of advanced degree with a.