Definition of School Psychological Counseling
School psychological counseling is the process of providing psychological and
social support and guidance to students within the school
environment. It works to develop students' psychological, social
and emotional abilities, and help them deal with the problems they
may face during their educational journey.
The importance of school psychological counseling
1- Supporting personal and psychological growth: School psychological
counseling helps students develop communication and problem-
solving skills, enhance self-confidence and improve mental health.
Psychological counselors deal with issues such as stress and
anxiety, difficulties in social relationships, and help students deal
with them correctly.
2- Supporting educational and professional choices: Psychological counselors
help students make important academic and professional decisions.
They provide information and advice about available options, and
help students identify their interests and talents.
3- Improving academic performance: School psychological counseling works
to improve students' performance at school. Psychological
counselors provide support in organizing time and developing
effective study and learning skills. They can also identify learning
difficulties in students and provide support and appropriate
strategies to overcome them.
4- Dealing with social and behavioral difficulties: School psychological
counseling helps in dealing with social and behavioral challenges
that students face in school, such as bullying, violence and empathy
with others. Psychological counselors provide support and advice to
students to deal with these difficulties and promote positive
relationships and trust between students.
5- Enhancing life guidance: School psychological counseling helps students
develop life planning and guidance skills. It helps them identify and
achieve their goals, and understand the impact of their decisions on
their future life paths.
Characteristics of the school psychological counselo r
Definition of the psychological counselor : The psychological counselor is the
person who helps students solve their psychological, behavioral,
social, educational and moral problems, either individually or
collectively.
1- Psychological characteristics of the counselor :
* Trust in others and their ability to solve their problems and provide them
with the opportunity to develop their potential to the maximum
extent possible
* Caring for others and the desire to provide assistance to them.
* Unconditional acceptance of the counselee regardless of their behavior
* Educated and well-informed
* Stability and emotional balance and lack of rashness and impulsiveness in
the face of emergency situations.
2- Social characteristics :
* The ability to establish good social relationships with others, especially the
student
* The ability to lead, direct and cooperate with others
* Correct understanding of the values of the society to which the student
belongs, its standards and values.
* Love of charitable and volunteer work to help others.
3- Professional characteristics :
* Sincerity in work and completing it in the best possible way without
shortcomings or neglect.
* Objectivity and neutrality in guidance.
* Maintaining the secrets of the person seeking guidance and not disclosing
them.
Student Counselor Tasks
1- Coordinating with the school principal about the work and plans of the -
student committee and guiding them to the teacher.
2- Filling in the necessary information about each student in the -
comprehensive student record prepared by the ministry.
3- Care for academically outstanding students.
4- Contacting and cooperating with all teachers to collect the necessary -
information about the student, studying his case and providing him
with guidance services.
5- Following up on cases of repeated absence and summoning the student's
guardian to the school to discuss the reasons for the absence and
its danger to the student's academic level.
The relationship of the educational counselor with each of :
1- The director of the institution: The relationship of the educational
counselor with the school director is a working relationship as
both of them seek to develop and make the educational process
in the school successful.
2- Teachers: The relationship of the educational counselor with the teachers
is a relationship of fellowship based on respect, love and
cooperation. He is a help to them. And with their experience in
understanding the behavior of students, they can help him in the
guidance process. Therefore, the counselor should not enter into
alliances with some teachers and should remain neutral as he is
not their opponent, and at the same time he is not a defense
attorney for the students.
3- With students: The relationship of the educational counselor with the
students is based on unconditional and mutual respect and on
helping them to grow socially, mentally and professionally and to
solve their problems and improve their relationship with their
family environment and society.
4- The relationship of the counselor with parents and the local community:
Most parents do not visit the school unless their son has a
problem or is negligent (i.e. after being summoned) and they
believe that the educational counselor only works to treat
students with problems or disabilities, so he must modify this
view first