A student advisor, also known as an academic advisor, is a person who talks to students and deals with them apart from their regular academic problems. These days teaching and counseling goes hand-in-hand and the result is awesome! Teachers are helping students with their personal problems and preparing students to win challenges against any odds by being mentally strong and emotionally self-controlled.
A certificate in counseling courses for teachers is an effective track that will help teachers to play the role of a school counselor in schools. Teachers with counseling skills must opt for this particular course so as to help students. School counseling is a serious issue because it has been observed that school students are suffering from anxiety, depression, behavioral disorder, and many other mental health issues owing for numerous reasons.
Teacher training institutes in Hyderabad are focusing on the mental health of students. The reason behind this is that schools in Hyderabad are hiring mental health counselors who are teachers as well. This program is designed in such a way that school teachers come to help students to a great extent.
In fact, school counselors can refer to professional counselors once they identify how much critical the scene of a student is.
WHAT SHOULD BE THE IDEAL CURRICULUM?
To be very honest, the course must be designed keeping in mind two things- 1. The main purpose is to ease off the burden from the shoulders of kids. 2. Teachers will not be getting the certification of a professional counselor and therefore, the curriculum must be mapped with the mental ability of teachers.
Learn more about the roles of a school counselor:
- Getting acquainted/oriented to various scenarios.
- Study skills and habits of students.
- Self-assessment of teacher, i.e., how much she/he will be able to contribute as an academic advisor.
- Communication skills of the teacher cum counselor.
- Decision-making and problem-solving depending upon what a student is going through.
- Peer relationships.
- Motivating students constantly.
- Conflict resolution
- Personal hygiene and wellness as unless a teacher is fresh from inside she/he won’t be able to continue her/his job.
- Career awareness and development.
- Educational planning.
This counseling certificate program guides a teacher efficiently to help students of all ages. There might be some scenarios that are going on in their homes that are affecting their mental status. Due to a serious effect on the mental health of students, their academic progress will also decelerate and is a massive blow to a student’s career down the line.
QUALITIES OF A TEACHER CUM COUNSELOR:
A teacher who has decided to play the role of a counselor should have some basic educational requirements. Besides, that person should be absolutely open-minded and not have a judgemental personality at all.
Based on objectives: Without any personal bias, based on academic records or personality, teachers must look into the problems of students and seek solutions to solve them.
Experience: A teacher who has been with the institution for a long time and understands the mindset of students, is an ideal candidate for the role of a counselor. Students must be able to approach a teacher and perceive positive vibes from her/him. Thus, she/he could be identified and trained in counseling.
On ears: Teachers must make students believe that they are genuinely interested in listening to their problems. They should practice self-control, show patience, and supportive body language by nodding their head and responding to the student's cues.
Trustworthy: Often students find it difficult to open up in front of their teachers irrespective of how amiable and friendly that teacher is. It might be because of trust issues. It has been observed that students are facing problems in sharing problems related to their families because they’re not sure if the teacher can be trusted or not. Over here, the teacher has to earn their trust.
Empathy is the key: A teacher should be empathetic as it helps to understand the issue from the student's perspective. At the same time, they should have the skills to maneuver the conversation to make the students share more so as to find a solution.
Apart from all these points, teachers can also collaborate with counselors by inviting them to address their classes on special topics that are quite sensitive where students are facing problems. Furthermore, counselors can assist teachers who are having trouble managing their groups by modeling group guidance skills and serving as consultants to the teachers.
5 THINGS TEACHERS MUST REMEMBER TO BECOME GOOD COUNSELORS:
Build a solid rapport: This is the foundation. Period. Teachers cum counselors must make the student feel comfortable in their presence until they are ready to open up. Once a student gets a vibe that a teacher is trustworthy, he/she will definitely open up. It is important to use a good combination of verbal and non-verbal communication at this stage.
Allow students to express themselves: When the student starts talking about the challenges faced, teachers should allow them to vent. They must listen to everything minutely that the student has to say and not interrupt when they are speaking. A teacher cum counselor can summarise the student's thoughts to ensure that she/he has understood the problem correctly. This will provide clarity to their thought.
Never be judgmental: A teacher should be empathetic and compassionate towards the student. If a student becomes emotional regarding the running divorce case between her/his mom and dad, the teacher should not use phrases like OH! THAT DOES NOT SOUND GOOD. This discourages the students' ability to pick themselves up and they might hesitate to spill beans.
Emotionally consistent: As a teacher, the person should be consistent in their thoughts and emotions. Teachers should never try to not let their moods and emotions rub off on the student who comes to them for help. An ideal teacher cum counselor must always remain calm and composed even if her/his mood is not so smooth.
Confidentiality is appreciated: Students should have the vibes that teachers are completely trustworthy. This is the responsibility of teachers to build that trust and make students believe that this conversation will always be a confidential one.
THEREFORE,
A teacher’s job does not end only with checking the scorecard, addressing students inside the classroom, or communicating with other school staff and parents. Teachers have shown their excellence in helping students with their personal problems and there lies in the success of the certification in counseling courses for teachers. Teachers must respect the conversation and should never share that with anyone else. This trust between a teacher and a student always creates a magical bond where the latter can open up without any hesitation.
Written By : Ashwini Chandra
