No two days are alike for a school counselor. Their specific tasks will depend on whether they work within an elementary, middle or high school, as well as what each individual student needs to succeed. To answer the question, What do counselors do at school? here’s a look at the various areas of responsibility in this profession.
Academic and Life Skills Development
One way that school counseling programs help students is by guiding them in developing important skills that transfer into adult life. Many K-12 students struggle to stay organized. This can result in late assignments and poor overall performance. School counselors help these students develop effective organizational systems and other important skills related to academic success and professional life.
Other crucial skills that school counselors can work on is time management and study habits. They might help students that struggle with procrastination become more aware of how they spend their time, the consequences of wasting time and effective strategies for better time management.
Similarly, they can help students develop better study habits. It is important for these professionals to be aware of the various learning styles to customize the counseling session to better meet the individual student’s needs.
Vocational Assessment
School counselors can provide vocational counseling. These professionals often perform aptitude assessments and conduct interviews to explore the student’s career interests and abilities. Based on their findings, the school counselors can discuss career possibilities with students.
If a student is not planning to attend college, their counselor can help them work toward getting a job after high school. The student may need a referral to a vocational training program or assistance with developing a resume, for example.
College Selection and Application
Students who plan to attend college often rely on school counselors for extensive help identifying appropriate higher education institutions based on their academic achievements. A counselor will sit down with individual students to ask them about their college preferences and help them explore the possibilities. After narrowing down their choices, the students can then work toward applying to a college.
Individual and Group Counseling
School counselors often meet with students individually. A student can request a meeting with the school counselor for any number of reasons. For example, a student might be having trouble with bullies, or they might be having trouble getting along with a teacher or keeping up with the demands of an Advanced Placement (AP) class. Effective school counselors are active listeners who can provide guidance within a supportive environment.1
Sometimes, school counselors may conduct group counseling sessions. For example, a school counselor might work with a small group of students who are all being bullied. The counselor can help by giving these students a voice, exploring conflict resolution options and teaching coping skills. In some cases, school counselors act as mediators. They may mediate conflicts between two or more students or staff members.
Crisis Response and Prevention
Another way that school counselors help students is by serving as a first point of contact when a crisis occurs. For example, they may provide support to students after a traumatic event. School counselors may also work with students experiencing suicidal ideation.
It is the responsibility of counselors to understand how to identify high-risk students and help students to develop a growth mindset. School counselors are expected to report suspected suicidal ideation and other potential violent plans to the student’s parents or legal guardians and the appropriate authorities.
