• Who are school counselors?

    School counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective to understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse student population. Counselors’ tasks fit into four primary categories:

    • Collaborating with the school staff to promote a safe and supportive learning environment.
    • Developing a school guidance curriculum which consists of providing students with information about academic, social and career related topics through lessons in Advisory, small groups or individual counseling.
    • Working with students and families to establish and meet personal and academic goals.
    • Providing responsive services to students, families and staff based on current or future needs.
     

    Why do we need school counselors in middle school?

    Middle School is a time filled with unique challenges for adolescents that may have an impact on academic achievement. Students want to explore a variety of interests and “personalities” as a way of stating their independence from the family. They are extremely sensitive to the comments and opinions of their peers and rely heavily on peers for comfort, advice, understanding and approval. Students are also moving from operating in a concrete world where everything is tangible and literal to an abstract world where they can understand double meanings and symbolic representations. This also means students want to see a connection between their learning and how it relates to their lives and future. Also, students are enduring physical and emotional changes. Along with increased academic demands and responsibilities with families and peers, students are in need of support or additional skills to assist in a smooth transition to a new phase of life. The counselor’s role is to provide this support to assist the student in having successful and enjoyable middle school years.

    Some tasks of the school counselor

    • Individual counseling.
    • Small group counseling.
    • Academic skills support.
    • Social, emotional, and educational counseling.
    • Organizational, study and test taking skills support.
    • Coping strategies education.
    • Support in building positive relationships with others.
    • Problem solving and decision making education.
    • Career awareness and exploration.
    • Goal setting.
    • Transition planning.
    • Crisis intervention.
    • Parent support and education.
    • Bullying prevention.
    • New student orientation and registration.
    • Resource referrals.
    • Advisory psychoeducational activities.