This site is a class blog space for new Career and Technical Specializations and Heathcare Science teachers enrolled in the New Teacher Institute (NTI) at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Perceived Roles
I believe that the role of a guidance counselor in a high school setting is to offer direction for a student. This guidance can be emotional or social if needed or requested by the student but should have the primary goal of offering guidance for goal setting, and direction for the future. This should be available and required for all students. In order to do this successfully, I believe the guidance counselor must know, to at least some degree, the "shape" of that student. For example, what are their dreams, aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses. What I have sadly seen in my high school are guidance counselors who would love to invest in students to that degree but are unable. We have over 2000 students and 4 guidance counselors. We do not have graduation coaches. Counselors are so busy with administrative duties, like testing, that they no longer have the time to give thoughtful direction for the individual student.
Sherri our school has only about 350 students with one counselor, but I cant imagine what having over 2000 students would be like even though there are four counselors. That still seems like a small number for the number of students at your school. I believe that the students need someone in the role of counselor as an additional means of support and there just seems to be noway to do that with 4 people being responsible for 2000. At least when I get overwhelmed, I know that there are counselors out there facing a lot more challenges.
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