Martha Garcia
Harlingen,Texas
Summary
Results-driven Guidance Counselor with 34 years expertise in delivering high-quality, focused education, career and professional counseling to wide range of students. Proficient in providing students with post-secondary and occupational information and helping create short-term and long-term strategies for success. Determined School Counselor with success in helping students achieve educational goals and personal well-being. Talented in meeting the objectives of the counseling program by providing preventive education, advocacy, mediation and counseling to students. Sensitive to socioeconomic and cultural difference of students. Adept School Counselor offering 34 years of experience counseling students on mental health, academics and interpersonal conflicts. Driven to help students achieve success by providing guidance on career options, higher education choices and life planning. Attentive in identifying early warning signs of harmful behavior in students to provide preventive counseling. Consistent in meeting the established goals of the counseling program. Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals. Detail-oriented team player with strong organizational skills. Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
Work History
School Guidance Counselor
Weslaco ISD
08.1992 - 06.2023
- Established appropriate course of treatment and implemented interventions.
- Provided patients with detailed information about symptoms, causes and treatment expectations.
- Worked with department heads, staff and faculty to develop engaging curriculum and advance instruction for nursing programs.
- Identified nurses' and staff training needs and devised training programs to close gaps.
- Consulted with other staff members regarding treatment plans as deemed appropriate by team leader.
- Displayed sensitivity to cultural and linguistic needs of clients and families served.
- Observed and monitored client behavior and responses to treatment.
- Encouraged patients to discuss experiences in group and individual settings.
- Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
- Proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance.
- Managed time efficiently in order to complete all tasks within deadlines.
- Demonstrated respect, friendliness and willingness to help wherever needed.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Passionate about learning and committed to continual improvement.
- Proved successful working within tight deadlines and a fast-paced environment.
- Provided crisis intervention in response to emergencies, employing existing trust, and rapport to deescalate situations.
- Maintained positive relationships with students, faculty, alumni, and administration.
- Coordinated with outside agencies to determine students receive appropriate services and resources.
- Facilitated classroom discussions to emphasize bullying prevention and college readiness.
- Partnered with parents and guardians to promote student success in school environment.
- Identified and addressed concerns of incoming students and parents.
- Developed and implemented individualized behavior plans to assist students with achieving academic and behavioral goals.
- Collaborated with teachers and other school personnel to create individualized education plans for students with special needs.
- Regularly met with enrolled students to confirm success and identify problem areas.
- Gathered necessary paperwork and applications for students to initiate enrollment process.
- Used data to monitor students' progress and recommend solutions for improvement.
- Developed and conducted workshops and seminars to educate students, faculty and parents on relevant topics in field.
- Reviewed and discussed new students' academic credentials, interests, and educational goals.
- Collaborated with teachers to define therapy objectives and analyze progress.
- Helped students develop organizational, time management and study skills.
- Worked with individuals to help understand and overcome personal, social or behavioral problems affecting educational or vocational situations.
- Delivered supportive and knowledgeable counseling to students with academic or personal concerns.
- Empowered students through counseling and skill-building exercises.
- Provided resources to support students in achieving career goals.
- Advocated for students to access available resources.
- Assisted students in exploring and selecting career paths.
- Advised students on educational, career and social opportunities.
- Monitored student progress to drive successful academic outcomes.
- Collaborated with parents, school faculty and social workers to address problems and grow student success.
- Collaborated with parents and teachers to help students reach potential.
- Developed and implemented student guidance plans to foster academic success.
- Encouraged students to explore age-appropriate and career-related opportunities.
- Developed and implemented individualized academic plans for students.
- Analyzed student academic records to assess educational and career goals.
- Used standardized assessments to evaluate abilities, interests and characteristics of different students.
Teacher Leader
San Benito ISD
08.1989 - 08.1992
- Supported student physical, mental, and social development using classroom games and activities.
- Conducted evaluations to measure performance and progress of students, providing guidance for areas requiring improvement.
- Communicated frequently with parents, students, and faculty to provide feedback and discuss instructional strategies.
- Kept students on-task with proactive behavior modification and positive reinforcement strategies.
- Planned and implemented integrated lessons to meet national standards.
- Supported student teachers by mentoring on classroom management, lesson planning, and activity organization.
- Incorporated exciting and engaging activities to achieve student participation and hands-on learning.
- Worked cooperatively with other teachers, administrators, and parents to help students reach learning objectives.
- Participated in parent teacher conference to discuss developments of students and increase support.
- Incorporated multiple types of teaching strategies into classroom.
- Advised and counseled students to help them develop skills and knowledge required to succeed.
- Created and developed lesson plans to meet students' academic needs.
- Helped students explore concepts with engaging, learning-focused activities.
- Modified lessons and curriculum to accommodate diverse learners by using strategies such as peer-assisted learning and group work.
- Developed and implemented classroom routines to address varying student needs.
- Completed student progress reports mid-term to notify students and parents of strengths and areas of improvement.
- Worked with staff members and teachers to design comprehensive and individualized plans to optimize student education.
- Met with students, parents and administrators to address and resolve students' behavioral and academic issues.
- Fostered student curiosity and interest through creative hands-on activities.
- Shifted between formal and informal methods of teaching to keep students engaged.
- Prepared quizzes, tests and examinations to gauge how well students were learning.
- Implemented reading and writing workshops to increase student literacy and support school reading programs.
- Designed detailed learning plans for struggling students based on test, homework and assignment records.
- Scheduled conferences with parents to discuss students' progress and classroom behavior.
- Evaluated students' understanding of course material through examinations and in-depth essay writing.
Education
Master of Arts - Organizational Leadership And Cert. of Principal
University of Edinburg
Edinburg, TX05.2000
Master of Arts - Guidance Counselor
Pan American University
Edinburg, TX05.1992
Master of Arts - Teacher Education
Pan American University
Edinburg, TX05.1989
Skills
- Scholarship Applications
- Individualized Lesson Plans
- Data Analysis
- Instructional Strategies
- Student Registration
- Letters of Recommendation
- Psychologist Collaboration
- Group Therapy Facilitator
- Active Listening
- Education Program Planning
- Post-Counseling Needs Review
- Behavioral Guidance
- Data-Driven Decision-Making
- Suicide Prevention
- Individualized Education Programs (IEP)
- Differentiated Instruction
- Eating Disorders
- Individual and Family Support
- Professional Referral Networks
- Confidential Services
- Social and Emotional Health
- School Policies
- Career Guidance
- Policy and Procedure Improvement
- Crisis Intervention
- Student Performance Evaluation
- Social Behaviors
- School Psychology
- Behavior Modification
- Behavior Policy Enforcement
- Emotional Development
- Mental Health Referrals
- Small Group Lessons
- School Assemblies
- Student Records Maintenance
- Compile Occupational Data
- Individual and Group Counseling
- Administration Collaboration
- Abuse Identification
- Social Perceptiveness
- Conflict Management Education
- Scholarships and Grants Exploration
- Testing Protocols
- Mental Health Assessments
- Emergency Response
- Office Meetings
- School Counseling
- Educational Problem Identification
- Positive Reinforcement Strategies
- Therapy and Counseling
- School Administration
- Anti-Bullying Workshops
- Maintaining Confidentiality
- Alcohol and Drug Prevention Programs
- Staff Training
- Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP)
- 504 Plans
- Administration Required Reporting
- Teen Depression
- Academic Advisement
- Team Leadership
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
English
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
School Guidance Counselor
Weslaco ISD
08.1992 - 06.2023
Teacher Leader
San Benito ISD
08.1989 - 08.1992
Master of Arts - Organizational Leadership And Cert. of Principal
University of Edinburg
Master of Arts - Guidance Counselor
Pan American University
Master of Arts - Teacher Education
Pan American University