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Chad Jackson, NBCT - Elementary School Counselor - Montana
55 Plays9 months ago
Chad achieved National Board Certification in School Counseling with a specialization in Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood and presently works as an elementary school counselor in Montana. He has elementary education and Modern Languages certifications and as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Montana. He began his career teaching elementary school and junior high for several years. He also worked as a therapist for two years at the Center for Children and Families. At the center, he conducted group therapy, individual sessions, and trauma care, among other therapeutic services. As a school counselor, Chad specializes in differentiated behavioral interventions, trauma-informed care, suicidal response and prevention, and curriculum development and design. In addition to being an active member of local and state National Board Networks, Chad has worked with the American School Counseling Association National Model in developing comprehensive counseling programs. In 2022, Chad was selected as Montana’s School Counselor of the Year.
Twitter: @NBPTS
Instagram: @NBPTS
Facebook: The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
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Transcript
Introduction to National School Counseling Month
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of National Board Conversations. It is National School Counseling Month and we wanted to get into it with the National Board Certified School Counselor. On this episode I have the opportunity to speak with Chad Jackson, a school counselor and mental health professional out in Bay Sky Country, Montana.
00:00:15
Speaker
Wow. So I was never paying attention. I was always goofing around, way too much energy. And I think as I've gotten to becoming an educator myself, I realized that a big piece of it for me was not being engaged. He holds a lot of titles, including being on the committee of revising our book, What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do. He has an incredible story, so let me let him tell it.
Chad's Roles and Personal Interests
00:00:39
Speaker
Here's my conversation with Chad Jackson.
00:00:45
Speaker
Chad Jackson. Thank you for joining me. How are you doing today? Good. Glad to be here. Yeah. All right. So we'll get right into it. Can you give us a brief intro of yourself? What's your current role in your job? And then I'm going to ask you three personal questions to kind of get into you a little bit. All right. Sounds good. Well, my name is Chad Jackson. I am an elementary school counselor. I've been working in
00:01:09
Speaker
K-5 like elementary, kind of a title one school for about, this is my 13th year there. And then I'm also a, of course, national board certified teacher in school counseling. I'm also a licensed therapist and
00:01:30
Speaker
do a little bit of private practice on the side, seeing clients. And then lastly, I just started at the university. I live here in Montana, and so I'm working at Montana State University teaching grad classes in school counseling. So I'm kind of busy. Hey, man, you juggle a lot of hats, and I appreciate you making time for me between all of that stuff. So getting into it, what are your three favorite foods? You know,
00:01:59
Speaker
I'm a big fan of like hamburgers and steaks and stuff like that. But I also, I really like shrimp. So I'd have to say those are my three favorite and I love to grill. So part of, part of loving those is like, I love grilling those and like finding recipes and cooking them. So what's your favorite meat to grill?
00:02:22
Speaker
Definitely steak. I like a good New York steak. And I'm super proud of my daughter because my daughter, she'll tell anybody. She's like, my favorite food is steak. And I'm like, yes. Nice, nice, nice. All right. So the last three songs on your Spotify playlist.
00:02:40
Speaker
Oh gosh, I'm terrible with songs. My son and I are really into the one Republic song. I ain't worried. It just gets like stuck in our head and like, we'll sing around the house and stuff. It tells me I have a terrible singing voice, but it's so catchy, you know? And it makes me like, it just
Family and Career Influences
00:02:58
Speaker
makes me like kinda little peppy. So yeah. And then most of the other stuff I like is like stuff from the nineties and the bands aren't even together anymore. And you know- What you got? Who you listening to?
00:03:08
Speaker
Well, probably one of my favorites is Pearl Jam. So I love Pearl Jam. I really like a band called Collective Soul. Yeah, so I like alternative rock and stuff. All right, I'm gonna have to do some research on Collective Soul, but Pearl Jam, classic, especially up in that Pacific Northwest area. Oh, yeah, yep, for sure.
00:03:31
Speaker
All right. And last thing, the one sports team that has your heart. And then if you're not a sports person, one movie, you can recite line for line and feel free to say both if you want. Well, so here's the deal. Like when you live in Montana, like it's a big deal when Montana play teams, play each other, but we don't have any pro teams, nothing. So like in Montana, as a kid, you can like pick whatever team you want.
00:03:52
Speaker
So like all my teams are from all over the place. But recently, for whatever crazy reason, our whole family is from Minnesota. So they're all Vikings fans. Me and my little brother had this great idea when we were little kids and we're like, no, we're going to cheer for their division rivals, the Lions. They got this running back named Barry Sanders. He's amazing. So we became Lions fans and 30 years later, we finally win our first like playoff game.
00:04:19
Speaker
And so right now, the Lions just lost to the 49ers, but my brother and I have just been going crazy because the Lions are actually a really good team this year. Yeah, it's super competitive, man. It was cool. It was cool to see that story. I was rooting for the Lions in that game against the 49ers, man. It's weird to go into the offseason instead of being like, oh, the Lions suck. They're the worst. We're like, yes, next year we're going to be even better. Yeah, you got the real optimism going on over there, man.
00:04:48
Speaker
We're keeping our offensive coordinator and all this stuff. Things just finally feel like they're falling into place. So right now, it'd be the Lions. Love it. Love it. All right. So now we're going to get back into your education career. Can you share what got you into the field of education? Well, I have kind of a cool background when it comes to that. My dad was a licensed therapist here in Montana for like 30, 40 years.
00:05:15
Speaker
you know, like I was looked up to my dad and I was like, Oh man, I want to be like my dad when I grow up. And, uh, then he told me, don't go into counseling, man. Don't go into counseling. And so my mom was a teacher, um, and she taught for like 35 years. And so like the, the logical fit for me was to go into counseling. So, or I mean into education. And so, uh,
00:05:40
Speaker
Really because of the influence of both my parents and just the value of people and working with kids I ended up going into education and then it was just kind of a logical next step for me to get my Masters in school counseling and so that's kind of how I got here But it's pretty pretty awesome going into the field when your your mom and your dad You know can be there to support you and give you tips and guidance and stuff like that. So Yeah, that's awesome. It's like a family legacy almost
00:06:07
Speaker
Yeah, and you know, I have a lot of extended family that are teachers and education is just sort of a big part of my family's identity and DNA.
Career Reflections and Achievements
00:06:16
Speaker
So that's really cool. That's really cool. OK, so what were you like as a student? How does that influence your style now? That's a fun question. So I think the you know, like the.
00:06:30
Speaker
the correct way to say it is I was a little bit neurodiverse when I was a kid. So I was never paying attention. I was always goofing around, way too much energy. And I think as I've gotten to becoming an educator myself, I realized that a big piece of it for me was not being engaged.
00:06:51
Speaker
I was a good student. I worked hard. I mean, it was a big expectation in my home with a mom as a teacher and stuff. But I think what I've realized is I wasn't super engaged when I was in class and stuff. And so one of the things I've always tried to do is try to give breaks to kids, you know,
00:07:09
Speaker
help them out. Like as a counselor, I've done a lot with like different strategies for them to take breaks and sort of stay on task and like move if they need to move and stuff like that. So it's really impacted what I do, but I also try to keep things engaging and exciting so that I have kids' attention. So definitely a big influence on how I approach my lessons and teaching and stuff like that.
00:07:36
Speaker
So now your national board certified, what pushed you to pursue board certification? What was your journey like? Did you achieve on your first try? I want to give you some kind of answer about my inherent nobility and all that stuff. But the reality is I like a challenge. I wanted the challenge. I wanted to see if I could do it.
00:07:59
Speaker
And as soon as I jumped in, like I know that one of the things that struck me right away was just like, oh man, this stuff is super helpful and valuable. But initially I would say that probably wasn't the impetus for me to dive into it. But man, as I engaged in the process, like I just got more and more invested in the process because of how I was seeing it really help.
00:08:23
Speaker
with a lot of my pedagogy and how I was approaching students. And it was just helping me to be a better professional and a better educator. And so my initial motives might not have been quite as noble, like I said, but man, like it was amazing to see how it started to really revolutionize me as a professional and an educator. So. No, but why don't you challenge yourself? It's pretty noble, right? Like you did it.
00:08:52
Speaker
And it turned out to be super helpful for your students and who you help with. So sure, you did it for selfish reasons, but it turned out to be very helpful for your community. And that's all. Oh, yeah, absolutely. And I do. I love a challenge. I used to do sports and all kinds of stuff. And that's probably why I ended up getting my master's, too. And so I definitely love the challenge. And national boards was a challenge. It was definitely a challenge.
00:09:17
Speaker
So did you achieve on your first try? I did, but just, just by the skin of my teeth. I mean, it was so close and I was so stressed. But man, when I got those fireworks on the email, I was like dancing around. My kids were jumping up and down with me. It was a celebration. Oh man. Love to hear that. Love to hear that. So do you have any fun of your heartwarming memories from your journey to become more certified?
00:09:41
Speaker
It's so tricky to come up with those specific examples. I do remember I took some of the curriculum that I did.
00:09:48
Speaker
And for one of the components, I was doing like a lot of small group work with these boys, this group of about four or five boys. And I tell you, like, I don't have the specifics, but it was incredible to see how my relationship and connection with those boys just completely transformed. And they were such a pain in the butt, that group of boys, which is partly why they were in my group.
00:10:11
Speaker
And like, it was incredible to see how using, you know, like best practices and, and like assessments and, and data and whatever, like being able to help those boys grow behaviorally specifically, um, through the course of that, that year when they were in fourth grade was, was a really cool thing. So although I don't, I can't remember like a really funny, like whatever, like I just connected with those boys and the, the like.
00:10:36
Speaker
The rapport that I developed with them really because of this national board project transformed like so much of how I worked with them and really had a major positive impact on their behavior and some of the things we were sort of struggling through with them at that time.
Teaching and Counseling Innovations
00:10:53
Speaker
That's awesome to hear, especially as more stuff is coming out about how young boys are struggling in school. And so hearing a thing come out about like you connected with them and it really helped them
00:11:06
Speaker
progressing their behavior in this school was really, really awesome there. And hopefully we can keep that track going forward. Yeah. So how did becoming an NBCT impact your career?
00:11:17
Speaker
Well, I mean, one of the things that was crazy was the doors that it's open for me. Stuff I never, I never got out of my local community, never really got to the state level. And it opened doors for me at the state level and starting to present at conferences and things like that. And before I knew it, I about a year and a half ago got invited to be part of a national board committee in Washington, D.C., doing
00:11:45
Speaker
diversity, equity, inclusion. And now this spring in 2024, I get to go back for another committee to work on the handbook. And so I think it really expanded my little world and gave me access to this whole community of national board
00:12:04
Speaker
educators across the country. And I think it just shattered a lot of glass ceilings for me in my mind. And even now, I'm just like, man, I don't even know where this has taken me. But the journey has just been unbelievable in terms of what it's opened me up to and how it's expanded my perspective on the world and on education. That's good to hear. So
00:12:33
Speaker
Have you worked with different age groups other than elementary? And how would your approach for middle schoolers and high schoolers differ from what you do with elementary students?
00:12:44
Speaker
You know, I've taught at every level. I taught high school Spanish, I taught middle school, several different subjects and language arts and stuff like that. As a counselor, I've only worked as an elementary counselor. But I also am a therapist, like I said, and I work with mostly teenagers when I do therapy. So I've worked with like every level. And I think
00:13:10
Speaker
One of the biggest things that I've learned is learning to understand what's developmentally appropriate. So we're meeting students where they're at and that can be social, that can be emotional, that can be academic, but we're meeting them developmentally where they're at. And I think sometimes that's recognizing the gaps they may have or the spaces they're in in terms of their own growth and acquisition of skills.
00:13:36
Speaker
And being able to meet them in that spot and help challenge them to grow and move forward. And so I think that looks completely different when you're talking to a senior in high school who's getting ready for what's next in their life and their journey and college and whatever, versus a kindergartner who's coming in and doesn't know how to share a crayon.
00:13:59
Speaker
I think the key is when we're working with people, when we're working with students, to be able to see them for who they are and where they are and meet them where they're at so that we can help them grow. So how do you collaborate with elementary school teachers to support the overall well-being of the students?
00:14:14
Speaker
You know, I think one aspect of the Association of School Counselors of America model is that we as counselors are looking at the school climate. So yeah, my primary job is to work with students, but I think one of the best things I can do sometimes is support teachers. And so I'm constantly going to teachers and checking in on their kids, but also doing classroom lessons and things to impact the school culture.
00:14:42
Speaker
And and the better I do it that the more I understand like the needs of the students and of the classroom and whatever. And so I'm constantly going to teachers and saying like, OK, how's this work? How did that lesson go? You know, how's this kid doing? We're working on both individualized like behavior plans, but also like, hey, what does your classroom need right now? What are the kids struggling with? And so the more in touch I am with with teachers and with.
00:15:11
Speaker
then what they see as the needs of the student, because they're on the front lines with these kids, the better I'll be able to do at my job of supporting the teachers, but also meeting the needs of students and adjusting to what our school is needing from me. So given the age group, do you have a chance to incorporate play and creative activities into your sessions? And do you have any examples of them?
00:15:38
Speaker
Yeah, that part I'm really good at, Eddie. So I have to give credit to my daughter's fourth grade teacher. His name is Mr. Welsh, and she kept coming home. You can get him national court certified. Yeah, we'll get to him. OK.
00:15:54
Speaker
Well, we'll circle back to that one. But anyway, like she keeps telling me about like, oh, we had the captain came today, the captain came and I'm like, what are you talking about, sweetie? So I'm like, Ellie, what do you mean when you say the captain came? She's like, well, it's actually Mr. Welsh, but he pretends like he's a captain and he like whatever and comes in and does this lesson. And I'm like, oh my gosh, this is brilliant. And so that was several years ago, you know, my daughter's in middle school now.
00:16:19
Speaker
I have now developed multiple characters of my own that do lessons for me. And so my favorite one, we live in Montana. My favorite one is I dress up like an outdoorsman and his name is Montana Jack. So I'll tell the kids, I'll be like, hey, my buddy Montana Jack's gonna come next week. And then he comes and does a lesson with them and stuff. And then it's like a game. And the kids are like,
00:16:45
Speaker
We know it's you, Mr. Jackson. We know it's you. And I'm like, no, not me. It's my buddy. But all year long, it'll be like this running joke. And another one, I talk about positive thinking and staying positive and have an inner coach that's encouraging. We're saying positive things to ourselves. So I frame it like a Star Wars lesson and come dressed up as a Jedi and talk about
00:17:12
Speaker
you know, like going to the light side or the dark side. And then one of my favorite things is every year for Red Ribbon Week.
00:17:20
Speaker
I dress up kind of like Einstein and doing a school assembly on, and I do all these science experiments and blow stuff up and things like that, but then we tie it into how chemicals and drugs and stuff can have such a crazy impact on our body and on our functioning and stuff like that. So you tie it into strong content, but by playing and making a game of it, having fun with it, I think
00:17:46
Speaker
it really resonates more with kids and I'm hoping has a bigger impact on their thinking, on their perspectives, on their learning. That's really fun to hear, man. It's really cool that you got all these characters. I love to hear that. Have you ever gotten unexpected piece of advice from a student that has had an impact on you?
00:18:11
Speaker
Usually, it's funny stuff. They're like, we love to play music when kids come in. And evidently, Mr. Jackson just cannot dance. It's like a thing. So their advice is usually, dude, don't dance anymore. But don't worry. I won't let them stop me, Eddie. I keep it up. I keep going. Power through, man. Yeah. So I guess it'll work on me if you got any tips for me. But you know.
00:18:37
Speaker
I'll see what I could do. They hurting the feelings over here. Your son saying you can't sing and the students saying you can't dance. Are you down? Yeah. And I think it's fair. But you know, I'm trying to grow. I'm trying to get better. Trying to improve. That's what the National Board process is about. Yeah.
Humor and Inspirations in Teaching
00:18:56
Speaker
All right. So.
00:18:58
Speaker
switching gears a little bit, who was your favorite fictional teacher? So my grandpa introduced me when I was little to Calvin and Hobbs. And so one of my favorite, one of my favorite fictional teachers is Mrs. Wormwood.
00:19:18
Speaker
And I always love how Calvin imagines her as some kind of alien monster or some kind of creature that's about to eat him or whatever. I always just thought that was so funny. It was hilarious. And then now, as an adult, I've actually read almost the entire Calvin and Hobbs series with my son.
00:19:41
Speaker
Although she's not a positive national board certified like teaching model, you know, I'd have to say that was one of my favorite.
Advocacy for Teaching Profession
00:19:51
Speaker
It's OK, it's OK. All right, so now we're going to get into some teacher recruitment. If you had to sell the education profession to someone looking to get into it in one to two minutes, what would you use as your elevator pitch? You know, I think
00:20:11
Speaker
If you want to be the best, if you want to improve, it requires knowledge and it requires even like a framework of where to go next and what to do next. And what is the process of improvement? What even are the like best practices and pedagogy and things like that. And ultimately I think,
00:20:36
Speaker
educators are in this business for kids and for students and to make a difference. And if you truly want to make a difference, if you really want to pursue best practice to help students grow and achieve their greatest potential,
00:20:54
Speaker
I think, I don't think that I've run into anything that is more effective at helping an educator take it to the next level than the national boards process. And it's hard and it's challenging and it's rigorous, but I'll tell you like I have completely been revolutionized as a professional and as an educator and as even as an individual because of the experiences I've had with national boards.
00:21:20
Speaker
And then again, as we previously mentioned, it's just connected me with an entire network of top-notch educators and people that really share the same heart as me. And so, man, if you're thinking about it, my pitch would be like, dive in, go for it. You won't regret it. All right, all right. And so we have a feature on the podcast called the shoulder tap. That's when you give a tap on the shoulder to a colleague and let them know they're ready to become National Board Certified.
00:21:50
Speaker
On here, you'll give them a quick shout out, and then on social media, we'll encourage them to go through the process. So Chad, who are you shoulder tapping? I would say I'm probably shoulder tapping Mr. Welsh, you know? My daughter's fourth grade teacher, so. All right, Mr. Welsh, you on deck. We're going to get you national board certified.
00:22:13
Speaker
Chad Jackson, thank you for joining me on the podcast. Eddie, I appreciate it. It was a blast. Thank you for having me. I really feel honored, and I really enjoyed this, so thank you.
Conclusion and Call to Action
00:22:23
Speaker
Chad is such a bright and fun character. Helping some of the information he put on the podcast is helpful. I want to thank him again for joining me on the podcast, and thank you for listening to this episode of National Board of Conversations. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. We'll see you next time.