To the Editor:
The term “guidance counselor” may evoke a variety of images in one’s mind, such as receiving help with what to do after high school or someone you would be sent to if your grades were not so great.
It seems in general, they were a person who would rarely been seen unless something wasn’t going too well or until you were a junior or senior, trying to figure out what you wanted to become. I use the phrase “were” because the role has evolved dramatically.
In fact, many times the role is referred to as school counselor or school guidance counselor to emphasize the changed job. Today, school counselors wear many different hats than they may have in the past: educator, social justice advocate, data analyst, mental health professional.
As an educator, school counselors are involved in classroom, facilitating learning success in not only academics but through career and social-emotional development. As a social justice advocate, the school counselor is ensuring that all students have access to all programs the school has to offer; they ensure there are no barriers and the supports needed by students are in place.
The data analyst role involves the school counselor collecting and analyzing data from a variety of sources including families, faculty, administrators, and students; past and current programs implemented; and data related to achievement (such as GPA), achievement-related (such as discipline rates), and standards/competency (the percentage of students who demonstrate knowledge, skills, and beliefs in the evaluated area).
Finally, the mental health professional role is part of the counseling aspect. This could involve counseling a suicidal student or helping a student figure out what they want to be when they grow up, and everything in between.
These varied roles are necessary to ensure that no student falls through the cracks, that all students are being supported and encouraged to succeed in a variety of areas.
In the past, the role of the school counselor was generally more concentrated on the more at-risk student, whether it be in behavior, grades, or other areas of concern. Today, while it is true that some students may need more support so the school counselor provides what is referred to as intentional guidance, the role of the school counselor is to advocate for all students. The ultimate goal of the school counselor is for the betterment of students.
So how does this transformed school counselor impact the student in today’s school? With the new take of impacting and aiding all students, all students benefit and, “fewer and fewer students fall through the cracks.”
For example, let’s say a program on bullying is not having the desired effect on decreasing bullying incidents in a school. The school counselor, wearing their data analyst hat, finds out what is or isn’t working, and to find gaps through deaggregation (or breaking down the data into smaller groups) of data.
What needs to change is uncovered, and the program is altered to make the school a safer environment for all students, including those being bullied. Another example would be that in high school, most school counselors are implementing career counseling and career exploration, if not earlier when the students are in middle school. Instead of starting the career exploration in junior, or even senior year, the exploration and idea of what students want to do after high school is started to help with the process, increase understanding, and decrease confusion in a supportive environment. Students are less overwhelmed by their career choices, as the exploration and support is a continual process through their high school career so that by the time when it comes to apply for colleges or enter the workforce students have more confidence and a clearer idea, while families have a better understanding of their part as well as costs.
School counselors are trained to be experts in the many different roles they take on, valuable resources to schools at any levels, with the ideal of student success and support for the school community in its entirety. No one (families, students, administrators, and/or faculty) is left to struggle alone.
Footnote: Used ideas learned in class and textbooks for Psychology 613 course at Westfield State University
Respectfully,
Nicole Gamache
