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Read this essay to learn about the Guidance Services in School
Whether the object is to set up a detailed guidance bureau, with all the eight services, or a small unit with humble programme, there is need for systematic organisation of the same for the sake of economy and efficiency.
There is need for laying down the objectives (approximate and ultimate), conducting different tasks for the realization of the objectives, division of labour, utilization of financial and other resources, planning wisely, and coordinating the work of all. No guidance programme can be fruitful unless it has got some essential pre-requisites.
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The head of the institution must ensure that all these are provided before the programme is actually launched. In the first instance, he must make adequate budgetary provision so that the staff is well- paid, the tour expenses are met, the stationery and contingency is provided and the entire cost is met adequately.
Some schools do possess the funds but lack trained personnel who could make use of the technical know-how in conducting courses, seminars and workshops. Even the test construction and administration is a specialised job.
Hence trained staff with adequate knowledge of the subject is no less essential. The trained staff will include the counsellor, the career masters and assistance counselors, who must be further helped by the class teacher, the librarian, the physical educational teacher, the school medical advisor and the headmaster. A strong co-operation among the primary and secondary members of the guidance staff must be ensured.
It is through the work of all concerned that dates of all sorts can be collected from the pupils regarding their abilities and interests, and the same can be recorded systematically in the form of cumulative record card. Often the guidance worker feels handicapped in the absence of inclusion of guidance work in the time- schedule of the school. Guidance work can be successful if it is given an important place in the school administration.
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The school guidance unit should be under the charge of a full time counsellor. The principal authority is the principal of the school who will form a Guidance Committee with counsellor as the secretary and the Principal as the chairman. Guidance Committee will have besides the Principal and the Counsellor, the school medical officer, the career masters, the physical training instructor and the selected teachers.
The Guidance Committee will meet in the beginning of the year and chalk out the entire programme of the year, and draw up a calendar. Later on it will meet on specific occasions when a number of problems accumulate for discussion.
The number of counsellors in a school depends upon the number on roll. An optimum ratio is one counsellor for every 300 pupils or less. A trained whole-time counsellor may not be available. In that case one of the teachers, who has undergone a short guidance course may be entrusted with the job.
The counsellor or the teacher-counsellor will administer psychological tests, collect other information about the pupils, maintain records of the data collected, give talks to the pupils orienting them to educational and vocational selection, locate problem cases, give individual guidance through personal interview to the pupils regarding, their educational, vocational and personal problems. This is the minimum function he has to perform. He can do besides this follow-up work, and conduct independent investigations.
The actual guidance programme in a multi-purpose secondary school will comprise of the following:
(i) Giving orientation talks to the pupils regarding selection of courses and careers,
(ii) Organisation of curricular and co-curricular activities which have bearing on guidance, (arranging visits to places of vocational interest)
(iii) Collection of the individual data,
(iv) Preparation of the cumulative record and individual profile,
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(v) Arranging parent teacher conferences and finding their views,
(vi) Interviewing the pupils for counselling, and
(vii) Finally having staff conference.