School Counselor
Introduction
“Counselors assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career decisions and problems” (“Counselors” 1). “While helping students plan for college and careers is part of their job, a guidance counselor’s overall function is to talk to students, give advice, listen to problems, help students develop coping skills and learn to become good problem-solvers and decision-makers on their own” (“Guidance Counselors”). Specifically, school counselors play a major role in the social, emotional, and academic development of their students. This profession interests me for two reasons. First of all, I like to talk with people of all types. Second of all, I am always concerned with the feelings of others. The combination of these two qualities of mine is what makes becoming a guidance counselor my goal. Early in the 1920’s, some school systems in such major cities as Boston and New York offered their students vocational guidance. These programs ended during the Depression when money was scarce. It was not until after World War II that guidance departments were formed in schools. This was a result of many reasons. “Students lost their individual identity in the crowds of fellow students” (“Guidance Counselors”) in big city schools. New jobs were created with advances in technology. More students planned to attend college. Parents were unable to help their children in these areas. These and other services had to be provided by trained individuals, the guidance counselors.
Education and Other Requirements
To be a counselor in a school in the state of Pennsylvania, an individual needs to have a Masters Degree and a state certification in their particular level of counseling. For example, one possibility is to have a Masters of Science Degree in Counseling and Human Relations with a certification in School Counseling. The certification may be dual, meaning one certificate for two areas of school counseling–Elementary School and Secondary School.
“Counselors assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career decisions and problems” (“Counselors” 1). “While helping students plan for college and careers is part of their job, a guidance counselor’s overall function is to talk to students, give advice, listen to problems, help students develop coping skills and learn to become good problem-solvers and decision-makers on their own” (“Guidance Counselors”). Specifically, school counselors play a major role in the social, emotional, and academic development of their students. This profession interests me for two reasons. First of all, I like to talk with people of all types. Second of all, I am always concerned with the feelings of others. The combination of these two qualities of mine is what makes becoming a guidance counselor my goal. Early in the 1920’s, some school systems in such major cities as Boston and New York offered their students vocational guidance. These programs ended during the Depression when money was scarce. It was not until after World War II that guidance departments were formed in schools. This was a result of many reasons. “Students lost their individual identity in the crowds of fellow students” (“Guidance Counselors”) in big city schools. New jobs were created with advances in technology. More students planned to attend college. Parents were unable to help their children in these areas. These and other services had to be provided by trained individuals, the guidance counselors.
Education and Other Requirements
To be a counselor in a school in the state of Pennsylvania, an individual needs to have a Masters Degree and a state certification in their particular level of counseling. For example, one possibility is to have a Masters of Science Degree in Counseling and Human Relations with a certification in School Counseling. The certification may be dual, meaning one certificate for two areas of school counseling–Elementary School and Secondary School.