A counselor is an integral part to the total educational program. I am an elementary school counselor. Elementary school is a time when students are developing character values, decision making skills, and life skills.
A counselor is someone students can come to when they need help.
A counselor is a listener.
A counselor helps students learn to solve their own problems. I want to help students learn as much as they can during the school day and help each and every child feel safe at school.
A counselor teaches children to be proactive.
A counselor helps with things that happen outside of school such as a pet dying or a divorce in the family. A counselor helps children develop good habits that will help them live happy, productive lives, not only now, but in the future.
You are very right, Julie, about the importance of character education in the elementary grades. For many of us, core values were once taught at home. Today, it is important for all kids to recognize the importance of good character and how to get along with others. Once taught, these skills will hopefully last a lifetime. Sadly, too many of our students do not have good role models in their home. Also, I like that you noted that counselors help kids with matters outside the school setting. For small children, loss is a traumatic issue, whether it is the loss of a pet or a family member.
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point, counselors do have to be good listeners. You must be attentive and show a true interest in the child. Children are very quick to pick up when someone is tuning them out or not actively listening. Students would have a hard time trusting someone that they felt was not truly interested in what they have to say.
ReplyDeleteSo far in my practicum experience, I have spent a couple of days at the elementary level shadowing a counselor. Her focus on character development through a counseling curriculum seems like such a major role in her position. This really contrasts with the two counselors at the high school level that I've been working with. Although they do some counseling and do need good listening skills, they are move involved with academic and career counseling. Many of their students who need counseling work with the local mental health agency that sends therapists to school. Luckily for me, they did have several students who really benefited from just having an adult to talk to and they were able to allow me some time to talk with them for my practicum experience. It has been really eye-opening to see the different daily expectations of high school and elementary school counselors.
ReplyDeleteI like that you mentioned the importance of being a good listener as being an important characteristic of a school counselor and the proactive role that they play in the school system. Teaching students to solve and how to confront their issues should be a priority as a counselor. By productively responding and solving an issue, students learn to think for themselves instead of solely relying on the guidance of their peers and everyone else around them.
ReplyDeleteI have learned through the counsleing program at Morehead that good listening skills (active listening) is a lot of work! However, I think it is one of the most crucial parts of being a counsleor, I have watched students talk to some teachers/administrators and I know that the adult was not engaged in what the student was telling them,so sad whn this happens.
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