Today’s school counselors play important role in the education sector. Their guidance not only helps in academics but also in various life scenarios. They help in the overall development of the students’ personality i.e. academic, social, emotional, personal, and career development. Studies show that the school counseling is beneficial for the students that are studying elementary or for ones that are opting for higher studies. School counseling (SC) program are designed to facilitate student achievement reforming their behavior, attendance and helping a student in developing them socially. The first step in any counseling is to determine the condition that leads to the effectiveness of the program. SC programs provide counseling in form of three factors i.e. academics, career, and social bonding. The counseling program plays an effective role in school climate and in advancing student’s achievements.
College Readiness
Students that seek guidance regarding the academics have improved their high school and college readiness. Studies have illustrated that high school graduation rates and four-year college enrolment rates increase when an additional high school counselor is hired. Students who work with a high school counselor before the 10th grade are more likely to apply to the college. Moreover, students with access to college guidance have shown higher college application rates.
Schools with one counselor for every two hundred and fifty students or less that have shown to have more than ninety percent graduation rates, ninety-three percent attendance rate, and less than two percent discipline issue rate. Taking account of small-group counseling, guidance assists in improving elementary school student failing grades around eighty percent.
Cultivating Student Outcomes
SC shows a wide range of positive student outcome such as math proficiency, increased attendance, increased reading proficiency, higher graduation score, lower suspension rate etc. Results achieved via SC programs add the value to the student education and enhances student’s engagement and performance.
Social-Emotional Skills
School counelors endorses positive environment and enhances student’s abilities to properly manage the social and emotional demands of their lives. They provide instructions, team-assist in teaching counseling program’s core values and learning activities in classrooms aimed at social and emotional development. They have the adequate understanding of the nature and range of human characterstic specific to child and adolescent development. Appropriate methods are promoted by counselors in the school environment to propel students towards positive mindsets and support social and emotional development through direct and indirect services. Counselors helps in building Cognition, Attitude, Behavior, Self-Regulation, and Social skills.
Personalized Growth
Majority of SC programs comes with adequate counsel-to-student-ratio. This ratio is strongly related to the student outcomes. SC programs are highly effective when counselors pay special attention to the student needs. A well counsel-to-student ratio can help students in transitions, academics, special education support, discipline proceeding, and many more.
SC programs help students in developing the positive actions and attitude required to achieve their educational and future professional goals. Understanding the effects of indiscipline, or accepting the responsibility and the support in personal development is an important factor in cultivating a positive learning environment.
Refining Organizing
A well-organized SC program benefits positively students in knowing themselves. As SC program is based upon defined goals or aim and offers and prepares students in meeting their essential organizing skills. Such programs assist in analyzing the strengths, weakness, and opportunities. Developing these critical and problem-solving skills support students in getting familiarized with practical reasoning and in making complex choices. Recognizing and understanding all these skills aid students in unleashing their full potential. Following the purpose, SC programs draw an identifying long-term objective as well as short-term student plans.
Helping in Making Decisions
At some stage of school, students have to make a decision that can make or break their future. Using the SC programs, the decisions can be made easily. These decisions might be far-reaching, might be small, or may not change anything. Counselors play important role in making these decisions as they take account of individual participants. They involve students in decision-making, evaluate the options, and can help in making a list of pros and cons taking account of participant’s personal preferences.
They analyze how these students will take decisions. What factors do they prefer? What is important for them? Etc. and prepares them for the possible outcomes of these decisions. Generally, the counselors lead the traditional way in guiding the students while taking the decisions. They mostly take the rational and linear path in order to guide the students.
A comprehensive SC program comprises components like the school’s academic mission and is driven by student data, which is based on academic, social, and career development. School Counsellors uses these data on student’s achievement, attendances, behavior, and improves future results. They work closely with students and personalize their education pathway, develop the essential knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to achieve academic and overall life success.