Fieldwork Using the Professional Development Schools Model: Developing a Social Justice Orientation and Multicultural Competency

Practicum fieldwork was conducted in an urban high school setting using a Professional Development Schools (PDS) model, with a focus on multicultural and social justice counseling competencies (MSJCC). Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze the journal responses of 16 counseling students to ascertain MSJCC development during fieldwork. Themes emerged related to multicultural counseling skills, self-awareness, understanding educational inequities, and serving as agents of change. Implications of using a PDS model in counselor training are explored.