Understanding the School Counselor/Parent Connection
As a parent, your past experiences with a school counselor may be vastly different than what your child will have. Today school counseling counseling programs focus on prevention and is focused on meeting the needs of all students, not just a few. The school counseling program addresses three areas: academic, career and personal/social. School counselors advocate, mediate, coordinate, consult, lead and collaborate with teachers, administrators and parents to help students be successful. Professional school counselors also help children to understand themselves.
But just what do school counselors do? Today’s school counselors:
• Develop a guidance plan
• Counsel students individually and/or in groups
• Provide systematic and developmental classroom guidance to all students
• Respond to student needs in crisis situations
• Orient students to new school settings
• Work with absentees and other at-risk students
• Refer students to special programs and/or services when necessary
• Analyze test results to provide information about abilities, achievement, interests and needs
• Coordinate efforts with other school specialists
• Conduct conferences with parents
All of these activities and duties can make a real difference in students lives, improving their self-understanding and self-confidence, motivation, decision-making, goal-setting, planning and problem solving, interpersonal relationships, communication skills, respect for others and more.
Please feel free to contact me if you ever have any questions about the School Counseling Program at Lincoln Montessori or if you have any concerns about your child that you would like me to address.
Have a GREAT summer!
Mrs. Josi Johnson
