Guidance Personnel

A fully functioning Guidance program calls for the following personnel: full- time director,counselor,
psychometrician, researcher, and secretary, the number of which would vary according tothe school
population. This section outlines the job description and expectations of each team member.

The Guidance Director

He/she has the overall authority for leading the personnel under his/her administration. Hereviews the
guidance and counseling program they offer each year. To be a guidance director, oneshould possess
the following: strong work ethic, excellent organizational skills, flexibility, ease andexperience with
computers and willingness to coordinate efforts with others.

Roles

The 3 major roles of the Guidance Director according to Gibson and Mitchell (2003)1.

As a manager, ensuring the provision and proper functioning of all the Guidance Personnel,activities,
budget, and facilities.2.

As a developer, assessing needs for program planning research, evaluation, improvementand

establishment of accountability.3.

As a leader, providing direction and motivation for personnel and program improvement.

Specific Tasks

The responsibilities that come with each role are operationalized in these tasks.1.

Planning and preparing the program together with the staff.2.

Planning and controlling the budget.3.

Recruitment, selection, assignment, and evaluation of personnel.4.

Ensuring the proper implementation and evaluation of all Guidance Services.5.

Coordinating with the school community for proper support and understanding of Guidanceactivities
and services.

6.

Ascertaining that ethical standards are observed by the Guidance personnel and in theextension of
services, programs and activities.

Qualifications

The search for a Guidance Director is based on the following criteria.

Educational

Even if the school set-up is such that the Director needs not to do counseling, it would be in thebest
interest of the institution and the clientele

if the Director had a Master’s Degree in Guidance

Counseling. Since the profession involves specialized services and strict ethical standards, one
withoutthe necessary background might unknowingly undermine the program.

Professional
Gibson and Mitchell (1991, 1999) believe that to be truly effective, the Director must:

Have an understanding and awareness of systematic theories that guide professional practiceand
practical working knowledge of the fundamental principles and methods of psychology.

Have sufficient encounter with human beings and understanding of their dominant motives,interest,
ambitions, and symptoms of important character elements.

Undergo constant updating and upgrading of skills and knowledge.

Be aware of and contribute to the advancement of counseling by conducting research anddisseminating

information on the process and outcome of studies through professional writingor seminars and
workshops.

Actively participate in professional organizations.

Adhere to legal and professional ethical standards in the field.

Skills and Competencies

In addition to the skills of Guidance Counselor if he/she also functions as one, the GuidanceDirector
must have the following know-how (Gibson and Mitchell, 1995, p.38)

PLANNING

-preparing, developing, and programming resources and activities.

BUDGETING

identifying sources of revenue and allocating them in ways that would ensure thatgoals are met.

ORGANIZING
–

creating a formal structure that can accomplish the plans, staffing it withqualified

people, defining each person’s role clearly, providing appropriate financial and career

incentives, and delegating appropriate authority

CONTROLLING

ensuring that plans are carried out and solving plan-related problems.

Traits

capacity to communicate to the school community and the community -at-large what theGuidance
Program is all about, to convince them of its merits and to stand firm on the ethics ofthe profession.

flexibility in dealing with clients/staff

leadership

The Guidance Counselor

Roles

The Guidance Counselor is the central and most indispensable figure of the Program

he/she isthe specialist who brings unique knowledge and skills to the program. No counselor, no
GuidanceProgram.The Counselor plays five major roles. These are

called the 5C’s: Cou

nselor, Coordinator,Consultant, Conductor of Activities and Change Agent.

As a Counselor
–

he/she aims to help people overcome obstacles to their personal andeducation/professional growth
and move toward the maximum development of their potential.

As a Coordinator

he/she needs to be able to identity tasks that should be done by otherpersons or an agency and
organize everything to facilitate the performance of such tasks by the needeperson or agency.

As Consultant

he/she may act as an objective party, looking at a situation and suggestingother helpful interventions
without necessarily having a direct contact with the identified client whoseneeds are being addressed.

As Conductor of Activities

he/she may need to carefully plan and directly conduct certain

activities that may promote the client’s positive movement in life such activities may focus on

orientation, group test interpretation, training peer facilitators, stress management program,
timemanagement program, values clarification, career weeks, etc.

As a Change Agent

the counselor must be involved in the process of organizational change,where necessary. His/ her roles
may involve acting as a catalyzer, process helper, solution giver,resource linker, and stabilizer.
-

the works to overcome the status quo if it no longer works or it hasbecome inimical to the people by
pointing out of the problems andunderscoring the need for change.

Counseling skills such as:

recognizing needs

analyzing problems

setting goals

obtaining needed resources

and/or generating and evaluating solutions in order to facilitate change are mostneeded.

Specific Tasks

1.

schedules and conducts individual counseling2.

organizes and conducts group counseling/classroom or group guidance activities3.

coordinates and/or runs enrichment/training programs for student, parents, teachers4.

helps administer and interprets tests5.

ensure gathering and recording of complete client data for the individual inventory6.

assesses needs as basis for activities7.

holds consultation and coordination activities8.

collects and disseminates information to the appropriate persons9.

writes reports , keeps records and prepares needed materials10.

follows up client11.

places students in appropriate academic, social, and occupational programs and settings12.

conducts research and evaluation to determine effectiveness of strategies and servicesimplemented13.

refers clients to more qualified experts

QualificationsEducational/Professional Competencies

As stipulated in

RA9258

, a license is required for practice.According to Gibson and Mitchell (1991) and the American School
Counselor Association (1990), the

counselor’s tasks call for the following qualifications.

1.

Thorough familiarity with:

human growth and development theories and concepts

family development theories

sociocultural factors affecting families and individuals

learning theories

motivational theories2.

Appropriate understanding and awareness of the concepts that guide professional practice,such as:

individual and group counseling theories and concepts

family counseling theories and concepts

career development and decision-making theories

consultation theories and techniques

program development models and theories

evaluation theories and procedures3.

A working knowledge of the fundamental principles and methods of modern psychology4.

Sufficient human experience leading to an understanding of people’s

goals/ambitions/motives

interest/preferences

fears/needs

symptoms of the absence or presence of important character elements5.

Sufficient awareness of oneself

strengths and limitations, values and fears6.

Regular pursuit of personal and professional growth7.

Constant updating and upgrading of skills and knowledge8.

Working knowledge and application of professional ethics9.

Awareness of and contribution to the advancement of counseling through research10.

Active participation in professional organizations

Skills and Competencies

The responsibilities of a counselor running a comprehensive program call for the following skills,some of
which are highlighted by the American School Counselor Association (1990) and the PGCA ofEthics and
Standards of Good Practice (2008).1.

Diagnosing needs2.

Individual and group counseling3.

Educational

academic counseling4.

Vocational

career counseling5.

Personal

social counseling6.

Cross-cultural or multicultural counseling7.

Consultation8.

Coordination9.
Referral

Psychologists

There are different kinds of psychologists. Among them, the most frequently contacted for helpwith
personal, educational, and career needs are the clinical and counseling psychologists. While schooland
developmental psychologists are already available in the Philippines, very few people takeadvantage of
their services. Perhaps not many people know about their availability or value of theircontribution.

Clinical/Counseling Psychologist

Some concerns are beyond the expertise of school counselors who have not specialized.Examples:
behavioral disorder, kleptomania, learning disabilities, personality disorders, or cases ofvictimization or
trauma. Counselors may turn to the clinical psychologist for diagnosis and treatment ofthese cases.

Clinical psychologist

- aim to reduce psychological distress and enhance and promote psychologicalwell-being.

Counseling psychologist

Assess and evaluate individuals’ problems, through the use of case history,

interview, and observation and provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals
inachieving more effective personal, social, educational and vocational development and adjustment.

School Psychologist

-p

rovide a broad range of skills to address students’ needs in a variety of areas.

- expert in special education and have large role in the eligibility process forspecial education.

Developmental Psychologist

- explore the influence nature vs. nurture.

Psychiatris

t-

Assess and treat mental illnesses through a combination of psychotherapy,psychoanalysis,

hospitalization, and medication.

Social Worker

- works with people who have socially excluded or who are experiencing crisis andtheir role is
to provide support to enable service users to help themselves.

The school personnel

Head of Institution

The Guidance Program cannot function effectively without the wholehearted support of thehead of the
institution who has 3 important roles (Gibson and Mitchell, 1999).a.
Program Leader and Supporterb.

Program Consultant and Advisorc.

Resource Provider
The Classroom Teacher
The teacher is the first line of contact between the student and the school Guidance Program.He/she
communicates with students on an almost daily basis, and is in a position to establish arelationship
based on mutual trust and respect. An indispensable element in the Guidance Program, theteacher can
facilitate the implementation of Guidance services through various roles (Gibson andMitchell, 1999).a.

Listener-Advisorb.

Referral and Reinforcing Agentc.

Discover of Human Potentiald.

Career Educatore.

Human Relations Facilitatorf.

Guidance Program Supporter

Health Personnel

Every school is required to have an on-campus clinic with medical doctors, nurses, and dentist.These
personnel can:1.

Identify children whose medical needs may be related to social or emotional difficultiesneeding
attention.2.

Help in determining whether or to what extent physical ailments or defects are an obstacle

to a student’s

performance, adjustment, or anticipated development.3.

Refer students who may malinger or may frequent the clinic at specific times and days,perhaps in fear or
avoidance or certain classes.

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