School counselor is a very important role because these professionals provide guidance and support to the kids in their educational institutions. A counselor is responsible for resolving conflicts, providing emotional support, career development, and academic success. These professionals are in a unique position to gain the students’ trust and respect and can help pinpoint issues before they become unmanageable. A guidance counselor can also act as an intermediary between students and teachers, students, and parents. A school counselor can help kids when they are experiencing anxiety, depression, or bullying and can act accordingly to protect the student from any harm. These professionals can also provide students with a compassionate ear when they feel that no one else understands what they are going through. For the most part, counselors help students with academic support, social and emotional support, career guidance, and college readiness for older students.
Social and emotional support
This type of support is probably one of the most important aspects of being a school counselor because they are experienced in dealing with issues that are specific to different age groups. For those young students, issues can be as simple as a conflict with another student or as complex as abuse that might be occurring at home. A counselor must navigate the emotions of young students carefully and gently when these problems arise. Middle schoolers are much the same but have more sophisticated challenges as they approach puberty. Issues like gender dysphoria, homophobia, online bullying, and social drama are more intense as the student starts to enter young adulthood. In the case of abuse, a counselor is in the best position to catch signs of abuse early and suggest ways in which to intervene before it escalates.
Counselors provide students with a safe space where they can express their feelings and say things they may not be able to tell their parents and friends. In high school, issues such as relationships, mental health, and physical health are all topics that can be concerning to kids and cause confusion and anxiety. Counselors provide much-needed support and guidance in these areas and give advice based on their experience with other kids. They also provide a comfortable space for students to bring these subjects up with their parents, or a counselor can recommend professional support in the form of family counseling or therapy.
Topics like sexuality, bullying, social media, and the politics of friendships are all challenging for high school students to navigate, so a school counselor should be open to helping them with advice and specific guidance for their problems. They can be the intermediary that catches any serious mental health or social issues before they become too much for a student to deal with on their own.
Strategies for dealing with serious issues as a school counselor is one of the areas that can be learned in a CACREP-accredited course. Schools such as Walsh University offer working students online courses that fit in with their personal schedules and a challenging curriculum for those who are interested in working with schools.
Academic support
Guidance counselors provide academic support too, especially to high schoolers who are close to applying for colleges. They can also meet with students a few years before graduation to give them pointers on what kinds of subjects they should take, volunteer activities, and topics for entrance essays and interviews. When a counselor follows a student through their academic careers, they can see the strengths and weaknesses of those individuals and provide guidance on what needs to be worked on to be successful at getting into college.
Career guidance
Career guidance is a topic that counselors would broach with high schoolers rather than lower and middle schoolers. School counselors are responsible for guiding their students in the right direction for the type of career they want to have. If a student wants to be a lawyer, then a school counselor may tell them what courses they need to take and which schools to apply to. If they are more interested in the arts, then a school counselor should guide them in that direction. The role of the counselor is to provide support to students who have a career in mind and provide options to those who are undecided.
School counselors should also be aware of the changing work environment and advise their students accordingly. Technology is a big part of the work climate nowadays, and a good school counselor will be up to date on the latest programs and opportunities available for students preparing to enter the workforce.
College readiness
School counselors help students navigate the college application process, including identifying suitable colleges, filling out applications, and securing financial aid. They can also advise on a range of post-secondary options, such as trade schools or gap year programs.
A counselor’s job can differ greatly, depending on the age of a student. For elementary school students, a counselor will be more involved in helping them develop emotionally and socially and intervening if there is evidence of any abuse. For younger students, counselors work with other members of the faculty and parents to identify and address behavioral issues, academic issues, and any learning disabilities. A counselor can also recommend testing for younger children showing signs of learning disabilities or other disorders. Counselors also advise the parents of younger children on how to help with the transition between grades or help new students adjust to the school.
Pre-teens in middle school are a challenging demographic that requires a gentle touch. Issues such as bullying, emotional challenges, peer pressure, and self-esteem are just some of the topics that might come up in a counseling session with a middle schooler. Counselors offer advice on how to make good choices, therapeutic stress management, and how to resolve conflicts with peers. They can also start to broach the subject of the student’s academic future and get them to start taking the right courses and extra-curricular activities for the career they want.
High schoolers have extra stressors to worry about on top of social and emotional issues. Teenagers are concerned about their future, and counselors can provide guidance for colleges or other types of post-secondary education. Counselors can also help teenagers figure out what path they want to take vocationally or offer examples of careers they can look into. School counselors also help facilitate a positive environment by offering support in personal and social issues, and give advice on conflicts with peers, parents, or siblings.
Resources
As experienced professionals, school counselors provide students with resources they may not have otherwise thought to look at. Materials like study guides, organizational apps and other tools, and planning resources for academic success are just some of the resources a good counselor offers. They may also be in the position to know of tutors or other academic help for a student in need of some extra credit or a higher grade. This type of help is mostly offered to high schoolers, but middle schoolers can also benefit from working on areas of weakness early so they don’t become bigger problems.
Other resources, such as college preparatory courses and practice tests, can be beneficial for older students who are close to graduating and want to make sure they get into the college of their choice. Counselors can also advise of technical colleges and other educational institutions outside of the traditional college for those who have a very particular interest.
When high schoolers are turning their minds towards colleges and perhaps leaving home for the first time, they can experience mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, and a lack of self-esteem. This is an important time for school counselors to advise on resources that offer mental health support, such as student hotlines, to help them navigate this next step in their lives.
School counselors are invaluable members of a school’s faculty and offer guidance and advice to students who may feel they have no one else to turn to. After a historic pandemic and worldwide lockdown, kids today need as much support as they can get. Depending on their ages, that support can be conflict resolution with peers or career advice for the future. Whatever the age of the child, school counselors play important roles in shaping young minds and supporting the youth of today. Overall, school counselors play a critical role in supporting students’ growth and development. By providing a range of resources and support, they help students overcome challenges and achieve their full potential.
