EDU304 Highlighted Handouts by S Malik

Lesson 23

CAN TEACHER DO COUNSELLING?

Topic: 133 – Are Teachers in a Position to Provide Counselling?

Teachers have various roles to play. Teachers have a long tradition of helping students with personal problems. They interact with their students daily which put them in the most appropriate position to provide guidance. Effective teacher and effective counsellor both share the same traits. Good teacher habitually develop positive relationship with both students and parents that their role closely allied to that of counsellor.

Topic: 134 – Hindrances for Teacher in Providing Counselling Services (1)

When we determine the teacher can emerge as a good counsellor in the classroom then we have to see the problems associated with them. Many teachers acts as counsellor and help the students however many problems that do not allow them to do so.

Time:

Counselling is a time taking and a continuous process. One needs series of counselling sessions to overcome their problems. Our teachers are already overwhelmed with tough schedules and responsibilities. They have to: Achieve their academic targets Do lesson planning Prepare formative and summative assessments Complete reports Contribute to co-curricular activities Do recess time and off-time duties

Topic: 135 – Hindrances for Teachers in Providing Counselling Services (2)

Another hindrance is number of students in a classroom.

Number of students:

In early years (toddlers-class3) teacher can manage to integrate counselling into that teaching. In these classes, one teacher spends most of the time with one class. But middle and senior school teachers and tertiary educators have to deal with a huge number of students. They hardly spend an hour with each class which makes it difficult for them to know them individually. So that they cannot understand the problems of their students and also cannot handle the students. The students face many social, emotional, behavioral and academic problems. These problems affect their studies and balance development.

One of the hindrances that need to be given special attention is teacher training.

Training:

Counselling is a professional service. It is a skill to be learnt. School must provide teachers with multiple opportunities for professional development. In a school year and in one year how much professional training is given to the teachers in terms of they make good guides and counsels. Counselling is attached with teaching. When a teacher teaches he/she need to counsel the students. There will be proper counselling if there is proper training. When you developed proper skills in counselling. For example: Regular training programs In-house support Flexible timing for peer interaction and team meetings for sharing ideas Teacher should use counselling services so professional support and guidance of teachers is important. Other important hindrance is lack of awareness.

Lack of awareness:

There are many misconceptions about counselling which hinder schools from considering it seriously. Like: Counselling deals only deals with severe psychological problems or emergency situation. Counselling for personal, emotional and social problem is parents’ responsibility, not the teacher’s (But that’s none of my business) A teacher cannot be a counsellor OR every teacher can be a counsellor without training or specific skills. We should be on one platform when it comes to solving issues. For example: Teacher cannot become counsellor, this is wrong. Teachers are counsellors in their own right. When they counsel and advice students then they are actually providing counselling services. You make it another name. When you are providing academic advice, when you are providing a social advice. You are counselling them, so you are definitely counsellors. When you are determining your role and broaden your role, so you need to think in a very broad framework and you need to broaden your horizon. When it comes to the application of the certain abilities in the classroom so teachers can defiantly emerge as counsellors.