Why You Should Seek A Guidance Counselor
Guidance counselors can help shape your life, especially if they care about students. This article will discuss what a guidance counselor is and how counseling can benefit you or your child.
What Is A Guidance Counselor?
Guidance counselors are better known as school counselors. A school counselor, just like a school psychologist, works with children, teens, and adults in community colleges and provides school counseling to help them with them their needs. Topics they may discuss include:
- Their grades. If a student's grades are slipping, a school counselor wants to find out why. If their grades are exceptional, guidance counselors are there to keep up the momentum.
- The class schedules. A school counselor, especially one in a community college setting, will help students figure out the best schedule for their needs.
- A school counselor may help the student with their testing if they have certain needs or discuss future tests.
- Help with various scholarships so that the students can make the most out of their scholastic journey.
- They can talk to students about colleges or various career training opportunities. If a student is interested in a particular topic, a school counselor can help them find the best college or training program for their specific career path.
- A school counselor may meet with the student to counsel them regarding their emotional needs and provide school counseling and services.
- They may go inside classrooms and observe the students who are struggling. They will talk to teachers and see if their environment is the ideal environment for them.
A school counselor can also help by meeting groups in addition to meeting with individuals. School counselors may sit down with a group of students to talk about future events in the school, encourage them to participate, or have anti-drug programs or other programs to prevent them from getting in trouble.
How Important Guidance Counselors Are
When one thinks about the various people who make up a school, they may think about teachers, the principal, assistant teachers, and so on, but they may not think of the school counselor. The school counselor is an unappreciated part of the school system, even though they help the students in many ways (including providing school counseling) and the school administrators. If it weren't for school counselors, few students plan for their careers, and applying for college may be more difficult.
Helping With Students' Problems
School counselors help the students academically, but some provide help and counseling if they face personal problems. These include:
- Social problems. Say the child is struggling with friends or being bullied. The school counselor can figure out what the reason is and what the counselor can do to help them. This especially applies when the student is new and is unsure of how to socialize.
- Helps students with their emotional problems. If the student is depressed, irritable, or has other extreme emotions, the school counselor can figure out why. If the reason involves a mental health disorder, they may recommend a therapist outside of school counseling. Sometimes, the reason may be due to home life or something that happened with the school.
- They can help students by just being an ear to listen to. A school counselor is trained to understand students, especially those in the age range of the school. Elementary school students are much different from talking to then high school students, and in school counseling, a counselor should have a good idea of how they all work.
- A school counselor may talk to a group of students who are having problems. Sometimes, the answer is for all the students to work together and figure out their solutions, and a school counselor can help with that by motivating the group.
- A school counselor can help an older student who may be getting involved with an unhelpful peer group. The adolescent years are susceptible to bad influences, and a school counselor is there to make sure the student isn't getting involved with drugs or other inappropriate behaviors.
Guidance Counselors And Parents
A good school counselor will have a relationship with the student's parents. If the student struggles with academics, emotions, or social difficulties, the school counselor will inform the parents and work together to figure out why. Parents should often talk to their child's counselors to make sure everything is going well and help with any questions and concerns. If the student is in a situation where they're in trouble, such as suspension, the school counselor helps make a case for the student and defends them.
School counselors may also talk to the parents if they believe there are problems at home. Sometimes, parental neglect may be why the child is misbehaving in school, and guidance counselors want to figure it out so the student can be the best they can be.
Where Can You Find A Guidance Counselor?
School counselors work at schools of all levels, so they deal with people from all walks of life. They work with children in elementary schools and even young children in head start schools. Young adolescents get counseling and advice from school counselors in middle school, and budding adults get life advice in high school. Young adults and even adults of other ages will get the advice they deserve in college.
They work throughout the school year, making the best of their life.
How They Help Throughout The Ages
Here are some ways school counselors and school counseling evolve as you grow older.
Elementary School
When you're in elementary school, it's an extremely important part of your development. How you're raised at home and how you learn in school is a great influence. School counselors must ensure there are no troubles at home and there are no learning difficulties. Every student learns differently, and by figuring out how a child learns the best, they can help the child grow older.
Middle School
Middle school is an interesting time for many students. Their bodies are starting to transform into adolescence, and they're getting involved with more complex schoolwork, concepts, and they're starting to wonder how they'll tackle high school. School counseling can help with the awkward transition between childhood and adolescence, and they can provide school counseling to the children and figure out how their high school life will be like. Middle school is also when many children start to experiment with drugs, so a guidance counselor may try anti-drug programs to prevent that.
High School
High school is the final challenge of public school. The children are now growing into young adults, and they're starting to wonder what they'll be. A counselor may put the teenager in more complex classes depending on their learning style, which can help them prepare for college. In school counseling, guidance counselors may ask the students what they want to be when they go to college or go to college. They can help students with scholarships, the ability to go to a college best suited for their career, and help them with any other questions they may have.
College
In a community college, navigating a future path can be confusing. Some young adults are still undecided on their future careers or continue to a four-year degree program. Guidance counselors can help narrow down their options. They may help the student have a smoother early college experience. A counselor can help the student prepare for a job once they graduate and help with any financial aid questions. The counselor may also provide job and internship opportunities depending on the job of the counselor. If you're in college, talking to your guidance counselor can benefit you immensely. They can make a schedule suited for you and get you out the door faster.
To Summarize
The job of a guidance counselor is rewarding. Guidance counselors know that the people they serve are the future of this world, so they must teach them right. From the innocent child to the college student figuring out their purpose, a counselor will provide insight every step of the way and give them the best advice they can.
Seek Help!
If you need help while in school, or if your child needs help, don't be afraid to talk to a guidance counselor for advice. Getting advice from an expert, especially in a world where the education system is ever-changing, is a smart move to make, and you can benefit a lot from talking to one. We all need a mentor who can help us succeed, and a guidance counselor can be that mentor we need.
Also, don't feel ashamed to talk to a regular therapist as well. You or your child must have exceptional mental health, and you can do this by talking to a therapist and treating any problems you face head-on. Don't be afraid to speak to a therapist today.
Guidance Counselor Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What do guidance counselors do?
Guidance counselors are a part of the American school counselor association. It is responsible for helping students develop the academic and social skills to succeed through school counseling. These career counselors are qualified in helping students overcome personal, academic, or other problems. Additionally, guidance counselors can range from working in an elementary school, high school, or even a college. In short, guidance counselors or school counselors listen to students and help them solve or work through specific problems that are brought to their attention.
How long does it take to become a guidance counselor?
The process of becoming a guidance counselor typically takes around seven to eight years. To work as a counselor at the K-12 level, a bachelor’s degree in a field such as psychology, education, or social work is required. Upon graduating, a person must then attend graduate school and acquire a master’s degree from a school counseling-type degree program. This can take two to three years, and it’s suggested that aspiring guidance counselors or school counselors complete internships relevant to counseling programs while studying. After graduating with a degree in counseling, a school counselor must pass their state’s school counselor exams and apply for certification. All in all, this is a process that takes between seven to eight years on average.
Do you need a Master's to be a guidance counselor?
For the most part, a master’s degree is required to become a school counselor. There may be a couple of states that offer school counselors exceptions, but most guidance counselors have a master’s degree in their specific field related to school counseling. Regardless of whether a school counselor is working in an elementary school, high school, or university, a master’s degree is likely required in their state.
Do guidance counselors get summers off?
Yes, guidance counselors and school counselors are only required to work nine months out of the year while school is in session, which many consider to be a prominent advantage of the career path. Some counselors will offer counseling programs during the summer on their own time or work at a summer school counseling job if they get bored.
Do guidance counselors get paid more than teachers?
Typically, guidance counselors and school counselors receive more pay than teachers. On average, K-12 teachers earn around $50,000-$55,000 a year. On the other hand, guidance counselors and school counselors at the same level schools earn closer to $60,000 per year. However, professors at the university level typically earn more than guidance counselors. As with any career, though, the best school counselor may make far more than the industry average. Regardless, school counseling tends to be a fairly well-paid career path.
What is the difference between guidance counselors and school counselors?
Though the terms can be used somewhat interchangeably, there is actually a difference between guidance counselors and school counselors. School counseling focuses mostly on academics, which is what school counselors have more of a specialty in. On the other hand, guidance counselors usually handle more personal problems in a student’s life. Guidance counselors can certainly conduct school counseling and school guidance, but most counselors work with students to overcome different social or personal problems. Another difference is that school counselors typically work at the school itself, but guidance counselors must not do the same.
Is it hard to get a job as a school counselor?
Getting a job in school counseling at an elementary school, high school, or college is entirely dependent on location. Most schools have counseling programs, but if there is no demand for new school counselors, it won't be easy to land a job. Career counseling is a fairly popular career track that school and career counselors compete in, and succeeding as a school counselor can be difficult. A school counselor may be able to move to any town and land a job in school counseling, but picking a specific high school, for example, would be more difficult.
What degree do you need to be a guidance counselor or school counselor?
To enter a counseling program at a school, one must attend a counselor school. This means earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, education, or another related field and then applying to a graduate school counseling program. While those two degrees are all that is needed academically, it’s worth mentioning again that a school counselor needs to pass their state’s counseling exam to go into school counseling. An elementary school may also have different standards for a counselor than a high school, just like a college may have different standards than both. Most counseling programs will allow aspiring school counselors to enter the field.
Why do we need a guidance counselor?
How do guidance counselors help students?
How does a guidance counselor set goals for his or her therapy in school?
What are the most common challenges that guidance counselors face?
How do guidance counselors assist students in maintaining good mental health?
What are the limitations of guidance counseling?
What is the role of the school guidance counselor?
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