Guidance and Counseling

Guidance counseling as a profession has been in the United States since the early 1900s. Although the field experienced a brief decline during the Depression, it has become a staple of American education since the 1940s. Guidance counselors not only assist students, they also provide assessments of students with behavioral problems and coordinate with teachers to address these problems.

History
Guidance counseling dates back to as early as 1907, when Jesse Davis implemented the first guidance counseling program at Center High School in Detroit, Michigan. Guidance counseling experienced a rise in popularity in the years leading up to the Great Depression as educators focused on teaching students in a progressive environment. As the Great Depression hit Americans hard, schools shifted away from guidance counseling. As the space race with the Russians began in the late 1950s, guidance counseling re-emerged as an important part of the educational process. Intent on proving that the United States was superior to Russia in math and science, the government passed the National Education Defense Act to improve math and science education.

Function
The job of a guidance counselor is to provide guidance and information to mostly high school students to assist them in academic advancement. Guidance counselors administer tests to gauge occupational aptitudes and provide students with information to help them choose an occupation. They also assist students in the college application process, coaching them on how to take standardized exams and choose a major. Finally, counselors help students in their social development by discussing topics such as teen pregnancy and drug abuse. Guidance counseling duties vary by school district, but these functions are generally universal.

Features

Guidance counselors must have a license as an educator in the state where they live. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) sets forth the criteria by which all counselors must adhere. CACREP requires guidance counselors to have at least a masters degree or higher, in addition to meeting the educational requirements prescribed by each state. Further, guidance counselors can receive certification, which enhances field expertise and often accompanies a financial incentive.

Types

Although guidance counselors are most often associated with high schools, they are available in elementary and middle school as well. The duties of a guidance counselor at this level, however, are very different than at the high school level. High school guidance counselors focus on career and academic advancement, whereas elementary school guidance counselors focus more on developmental needs. Elementary school counselors spend more time in the classroom with students. Middle school counselors focus on preparing students for high school and coping with the social and emotional issues associated with the adolescence. Although the focus of counselors at the different school levels varies, their main goal is to aid the development of these students for the future.

Guidance and Counseling

A school counselor is a counselor and educator who works in schools. They are often referred to as guidance counselors oreducational counselors. In professional literature, the term school counselor is preferred. Most school counselor occupations or equivalent occupations (such as career counselor) are comparable to the high school counselor in terms of duties and services. Historically, the need for high school counselors has been emphasized more so than school counselors in lower grades. Countries vary as to whether school counseling services are provided. The purpose of guidance counseling is to help students achieve happiness and success within their social and educational context. For young children this involves adaptation to the educational environment, and addressing any social or family problems that may interfere with the child's psychological health. For older students choice of career based on interest and ability takes precedence, although serious problems such as alcohol or drug abuse, sexual abuse or domestic violence situations, bullying and other situations that lead to severe stress are also addressed. The successful school counselor is one who takes the role of a loving parent, concerned and empathetic, able to listen and win the trust of students, and with the time and self-confidence to make a difference in their lives.

History of Guidance and Counseling

In the United States, the school counseling profession began as a vocational guidance movement at the beginning of the twentieth century. Jesse B. Davis is considered the first to provide a systematic school guidance program. In 1907, he became the principal of a high school and encouraged the school English teachers to use compositions and lessons to relate career interests, develop character, and avoid behavioral problems. Many others during this time did the same. For example, in 1908, Frank Parsons, "Father of Vocational Guidance," established the Bureau of Vocational Guidance to assist young people in making the transition from school to work. From the 1920s to the 1930s, school counseling and guidance grew because of the rise of progressive education in schools. This movement emphasized personal, social, and moral development. Many schools reacted to this movement as anti-educational, saying that schools should teach only the fundamentals of education. This, combined with the economic hardship of the Great Depression, led to a decline in school counseling and guidance. In the 1940s, the U.S. used psychologists and counselors to select, recruit, and train military personnel. This propelled the counseling movement in schools by providing ways to test students and meet their needs. Schools accepted these military tests openly. Also, Carl Rogers' emphasis on helping relationships during this time influenced the profession of school counseling.

In the 1950s the government established the Guidance and Personnel Services Section in the Division of State and Local School Systems. In 1957, the Soviet Unionlaunched Sputnik I. Out of concern that the Russians were beating the U.S. in the space race, which had military implications, and that there were not enough scientists and mathematicians, the American government passed the National Defense Education Act, which spurred a huge growth in vocational guidance through large amounts of funding. Since the 1960s, the profession of school counseling has continued to grow as new legislation and new professional developments were established to refine and further the profession and improve education. On January 1, 2006, congress officially declared February 6-10 as National School Counseling Week.

Elementary/Primary School Counseling

Elementary school counselors adapt counseling to meet the developmental needs of young children. To facilitate the counseling process, they use a variety of media such as crayons, paint, puppets, clay, children's books, and toys. It is typical for elementary professional school counselors also spend 35 to 40 percent of their time in classroom guidance. Though not ideal, they are sometimes on a rotating schedule with "special area" teachers such as music education teachers, art education teachers, or physical education teachers.

Middle School Counseling

In middle school counseling, the school counselor typically is less engaged in classroom instruction than in individual planning for high school and beyond. Individual and small group responsive services continue. Middle school counselors must address the social/emotional issues that arise among this age group, especially peer pressure bullying, depression, and academic challenges. Also, the counselor usually spends time on vocational exploration and assessment with seventh and eighth grade students as they prepare for high school.

High School/Secondary School Counseling

In high school, the school counselor continues to provide responsive services and provides fewer classroom guidance strategies. The high school counselor provides large group guidance units and lessons on post-secondary options. For example, the high school counselor helps students prepare for post-secondary education and/or training options (such as college, trade school) by engaging students in finding accurate and meaningful information on entrance requirements, financial aid, recommendation letters, test-preparation and so forth. School counselors at the high school level spend much of their time helping students monitor their progress toward graduation and being adequately prepared for postsecondary options.