Rewards and Challenges

I think the most rewarding thing for guidance counselors would be to see a well adjusted graduate that is the product of the institution they serve. Whether an individual, is an honors student, college bound or has entered the workforce out of high school is not as important as knowing that graduate can sustain, in spite of any pitfalls that life may provide. Knowing that you have given a student your best and that student then graduates and can manage his/her adult life independently, seems to be a high point for a guidance counselor. In contrast I think that the challenges come with not being able to address or fully understand some negative stimuli that is impacting a students learning experience. I can see this challenge becoming an even larger obstacle, when a counsleor spends countless hours days and many times years with some of the same students, with no positive outcomes. Sometimes in the world of education, with societal changes and the demands of the immmediate community a counselor may have his/her work cut out for them. Some challenges may even come from the understanding or lack thereof, of a students home environment and how it can quickly change. Lastly, I see one of the larger challenges as having the ability to reconcile what is best for the student and not what our own morals and values will say about that student's background, race, socio-econmic status, religion, sexual orientation, etc.