Perceived Roles

Perceived Roles

I believe the roles and responsibilities of a guidance counselor is a vital instrument in the success of our students. Guidance counselors assist students and their parents with creating the best four year plan or choosing the best diploma choice based upon the student’s career interest. Their role in this matter can be quite hectic as students may not adhere to appointment times by either being late or not coming at all. Schedule changes, failing classes also become obstacles in trying to keep students on the right track.

Testing is another responsibility of guidance counselors. Counselors do their best to ensure that students preferably 10-12 grade have taken either the PSAT, SAT or ACT. Equipping the students with the knowledge needed to successfully register for these exams. I am still surprised at how many students still do not take their IDs to take their tests.

As an instructor, if I have a student that may be pregnant, come to school with defying odor, or may have issues that need to be addressed, the guidance counselor is usually the first point of contact before other school’s personnel is involved.

Guidance counselors also provide exposure to the students by having representatives from not only local colleges but out of state colleges to come to campus for the students to gather information, field trips to colleges giving students an opportunity to apply on the spot, financial workshops to assist with FAFSA forms, and apply to college day to assist seniors with an opportunity to apply to one school of their choice.

And most importantly, guidance counselors are an important part of CTAE. I’m sure we can all attest to having students who have no desire to be in our pathway however they are scheduled in our classes. The communication between CTAE and the counselors and information and knowledge of our programs is mandatory so they may schedule the “interested” student into the appropriate program.