In this fast-moving world of education, the role of school counselors has also transformed significantly in the present scenario. Not that it was ever enough to just make sure that everything academic was in order, but now — more than ever — it's important to the students in terms of mental health, personality development, and necessary social skills.
Considering the rising and ever-burgeoning demand of qualified counselors in educational institutions, postgraduate diploma in school counselling is a resume breaking career option for those who are keen towards making a positive impact in students' lives.
This path of study not only provides hopeful counselors with a necessary tool kit, but addresses a need in contemporary education. In this blog post, we will walk you through the basics of what school counselors do, the different career paths available, and how to have a rewarding and successful career in this essential profession.
What is a School Counselor?
A school counselor is one among the best professionals working in educational institutions, helping students, teachers, and parents. The primary job of a school counselor is to assist students with concerns that arise in their life whether that is academic or emotional. In addition, they practice informal counseling, academic advising, career guidance, and so on, and assist students with personal and social problems. In doing so, school counselors also ensure students acquire the knowledge and skills needed for success in the wider world beyond school (ASCA).
It is true that a school counselor wears many hats. Their work is so diverse that it is impossible to fit it in a single function. Its his or her responsibility to ensure that students receive proper emotional catering, that their academics are up to scratch, and that they are well prepared to eventually enter the workforce.
The role of a school counselor → The daily tasks and roles of a school counselor are quite diverse and illustrate the multifaceted nature of his profession yet his primary function remains unchanging – to ensure the success, safety and well-being of every student he encounters. To ensure clarity, here is a line-by-line account of what a school counselor usually has to handle and manage on a daily basis:
Guidance and academic counselling:
One of the most significant responsibilities that any school counselor will have is assisting in academic planning that is a key component of education. One of the essential functions is advising pupils to take the necessary courses, aligning these with their interests and future plans, establishing realistic academic goals, and advising on how any learning difficulties or challenges that they may face in the course of learning could be compensated.
Career Counseling:
School counselors are very crucial and serve as the pathfinders for the students to explore various possible career options that suit their talents, hobbies, and academic strengths. Most of the time, they are ones who arrange a number of career-related events like career fair, internship, workshops, etc; to offer the students with the most capable exposure to wide-ranging different career options available to him/her in the future.
Mental wellness and emotional support services:
Student emotional and psychological well-being is the most talked-about topic across schools, right now and it might just be the most alarming trend in the last 2 years. School counselors support students through issues dealing with emotional growth, the myriad of stressors, anxieties, and other mental health disturbances that come up in the course of a student's time in school. If required, they'll also be able to direct them towards third-party mental health, so that such special services & treatment can be given.
Conflict Resolution:
The very presence of a school counselor is quite significant and impactful to interrupt potential conflicts that may arise among students, teachers or interaction between students and their peers. Another issue related to bullying and peer pressure as well as any other relational problems that will interrupt a student from continuing his learning process and also his school life; they contribute to the resolution of that one as well.
Cooperation between parent and teacher
As part of these roles, school counselors play a very important role in the entire educational process, since they interact with the teachers and parents of the students that differ in the needs which need to be addressed not only in their life in the classroom set up but also in their extra personal life.
This may be an important interaction through the meetings for the reviewing of student progress, where profound insights on a student's academic progress and emotional progress can be shared, along with recommendations on effective methods on how to assist in the continued growth and development of a student.
Crisis Intervention:
School counselors intervene in emergency situations, either in the wake of a major trauma or when a student has a behavioral issue. They offer crisis intervention and coping strategies to students and staff.
How To Become A School Counselor?
The first step in how to become a school counsellor is to obtain the required education and training. Follow this simple roadmap to be on your way to a career in school counseling:
Earn a relevant degree:
Academia in the field of school counseling first necessitates a bachelor degree in a closely aligned field of study such as psychology or education. The majority of aspiring counsellors also obtain a master's degree or a postgraduate diploma in School Counselling, since this additional academic degree better prepares them with the knowledge and skills that they need to perform well in this essential role.
Do a counselling course:
In the sector of school counselling, a Postgraduate Diploma is still the most common way to gain an entry-level position, and a Postgraduate Diploma or particular master's degree in the field is broad enough to provide student with integral information about necessary functions of counseling, stages of children development, crisis intervention strategies and mental disease-relative issues topics.
In addition to this preparatory knowledge, these courses also help students gain practical experience, as they include hands-on training and internships that are carried out in a genuine school environment.
Pursuing the certification as well as the title:
And while some areas may be a little more flexible than others, you are probably going to need a certification or kind of licensure to function well as a school counselor in the area you choose to live and work in. Elsewhere, this will include a proficiency exam and ongoing education to ensure that you can maintain your credentials over time.
Experience:
Many new schools will begin their professional career starting through internship or entry-level jobs to ensure a variety of experiences with each age level and types of schools or other educational settings. Experience like this is worth its weight in gold, as this is one of the ways in which you will garner the essential skills and knowledge that you will definitely need to be able to do the job.
Professional development is done continuously:
As a practice area of human service delivery, school counseling is a dynamic profession, which makes continued learning and professional development throughout one's career incredibly important. That would mean staying current on best counseling practices but also issues related to mental health and educational issues impacting students.
Career Roles and Responsibilities in School Counseling
Over the past twenty years, the nature and responsibilities of school counselors have evolved significantly. As a result, there are many career opportunities now opened for school counselors.
Which range from but not limited to:
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Public Schools & Private Schools: Elementary through High School
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Colleges and Universities: Offers career counseling and academic support for college students.
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Specialized Institutions: Services offered within institutions associated with mental health or special education.
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Government and NGOs: focused on broader education initiatives or offering counseling assistance to underprivileged groups
School Counselor Career Path
A powerful school counselor career has plenty of room for growth. And here is what counselors could transition into leadership roles such as:
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Head School Counselor: Input to the counseling program on a wider scale.
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Serve as Counseling Supervisor: overseeing and supervising a staff of counselors by providing administration and assuring quality services.
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Director of School Counseling: Responsible for creating and administering a school counseling curriculum
So, in light of the growing awareness and recognition of mental health in society, we can expect that there will soon be a massive demand for school counselor jobs. This type of role provides many exciting and fulfilling opportunities as well as allowing counselors the opportunity to make positive impacts on students' lives.
Counselors serve as guides and other roles to support students in their personal goals and academic needs, which is essential to students flourishing and succeeding in life.
The PG Diploma in School Counselling is an excellent pathway for those wishing to contribute significantly to the lives of students by providing them with essential guidance, unwavering support, and holistic counselling services.
School counsellors serve a critical function for students, helping them to be emotionally, socially and academically ready for the challenges life may bring. The increased career demand in school counseling also illustrates the rising significance of mental health in the greater world of education.
If you love giving guidance to students who need help both academically and emotionally, then your place is as a school counselor.
This is why we at the Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL) provide a thorough, concise, practical course in the Post Graduate Diploma in School Counselling. Such programmes are focused on preparing the prospective school counselor with the skills they would need undergirding knowledge enhancements to be successful in this very prestigious and applicable career field.
Take a step towards creating change for students by reading more about our programmes.
Dr. Padmpriya Anand Irabatti is a Professor at Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL) with an impressive career spanning over 18 years in academia and 7 years in the industry. She holds a Ph.D. and an M.Phil., along with an MBA in Marketing and a B.Sc., bringing a strong multidisciplinary perspective to her teaching and research. Dr. Irabatti specializes in Marketing Management and Strategic Management, focusing on market trends, business strategies, and consumer behavior
Dr. Padmpriya Irabatti
Professor, SCDL