Quiz0103-9.docx

**3.6. Guidance and Counselling Practitioners (i.e. Personnel) and their various Roles** **3.6.1. The Principal/Head Teacher** In a guidance programme in any school, the head of such school has an important part to play in making the programme successful and easy to execute. In this sub---unit the...

**3.6. Guidance and Counselling Practitioners (i.e. Personnel) and their various Roles** **3.6.1. The Principal/Head Teacher** In a guidance programme in any school, the head of such school has an important part to play in making the programme successful and easy to execute. In this sub---unit the role of the principal (head teacher) is highlighted. The Principal acts as the Chairman of the Administrative Committee in be execution of the programme. He then commits the use of other administrative staff in the office to other jobs in the programme. Also he provides the space and logistics for the counsellors' offices. He briefs (the Board of Governors. Parents Teachers Association and the Inspectorate Unit of the Ministry of Education on the activities of the programme. In brief, the Principal acts as the administrator, financial and Public relations officer to the programme in addition to his supervisory role as the head of the institution. Suffice it to say that he is very important in the running, maintenance, success and evaluation of guidance in the school. **3.6.2 The Subject Teacher** The subject teacher has two distinct roles in the school when guidance services are implemented. The first role is that of teaching his students in his/her subjects. The second role is for him/her to be part of the guidance service implementation especially in appraisal, counselling and evaluation of the programme. This teacher's dual role sometimes creates conflict between their job description as civil servants and adjunct members of the guidance programme. Many teachers are overloaded and dissatisfied with the stipends. Additional duties or roles to them create difficulties. It should be clear to all that the teacher must be part of the programme not because he is teaching but that many of them are already aware of the programme based on their training. Also, they deal directly with pupils/students and are therefore very important stakeholders in the success of guidance service in any school. **3.6.3 The Counsellor** The counsellor's roles in a guidance proeramme stems from the professional training he/she has received and must perform those roles as determined by the social context and institutional expectations. In specific terms the counsellor's roles are outlined below viz: 1. Helping students to acquire an understanding of their self-concept, emotions and aspirations. 2. Helping students to learn life skills to promote self-understanding. 3. Helping students to discover their talents, to be self-efficient, productive and acquire effective study habits. 4. Providing subject information, school opportunity openings and Career options related to subjects. 5. Running the guidance committee as the secretary'. 6. Providing counselling to referral students. 7. Running an appraisal, evaluation and referral service for the programme, 8. Reporting to the principal key issues that deserves administrative attention. 9. Reporting to the Counselling Association of Nigeria at the state chapter level. This implies that the counsellor must be a registered member of CASSON. **3.6.4 Any Others, Parents, the Librarian** **3.6.4.1 Parents** That parents are the principal counsellors of the students cannot be contested. This is achieved through favourable upbringing, plus special help in the form of praise, admonition, reproof and advice in difficult situation. Any guidance endeavor on the part of an educational institution is a complement of the parents endeavor. However, in an institution's guidance programme, parents can play in the following roles: 1. Getting maximum information regarding the educational and vocational possibilities for their children in the decades ahead. 2. Utilizing good principles of mental hygiene and right living in their families. 3. Helping students in developing effective study habits, plan their activities and budget their time for maximum achievement 4. Showing the children how to postpone immediate pleasure in favour of late gratification. 5. Helping their children in discovering, developing and directing all of their inherent potentialities 6. Getting all Sorts of information regarding the facilities available and helping their children in utilizing same. 7. Formulating realistic career goals for their children. This is based on interest and abilities of the students and not aspirations of the parents. **3.6.4.2 The Librarian** The librarian too has an important role in the overall programme. He can contribute his share by: 1. Circulating the latest information materials among the teachers and students. 2. Providing the right type of goals on educational, vocational and personal guidance to both teachers and students. 3. Helping the counsellor in the classification and filing of the occupational information materials. 4. Displaying the material received from time to time in an attractive manner. Other staff in the institution could be co-opted into the guidance committee and would have a key role in assessment of students' projects, assignments and mentoring. The list of people who may be part of the programme depends on the cultural climate of the school. **3.7 Guidance Tools for Effective Services** **3.7.1 The Test Techniques** To be effective in guiding students, the counsellor, in team with the assessment committee, must use accepted criteria to elicit behavior of students whether described or not. One of the techniques used is Psychological tests. [This type of test is a standardized instrument designed to measure objectively one or more aspects of a person's total personality by means of samples of verbal or non-verbal responses, or by means of other behaviors] (Anasiasi, 1982). Psychological test must fulfil the following conditions to be used effectively in guidance. It must: 1. Be Validated --- The Degree To Which It Measures The Item 2. Be Reliable --- Must Be Accurate In Measuring The Desired Item 3. Be Objective 4. Be Standardized 5. Be Normal 6. Be Simple 7. Be Economical 8. He Interesting There are many types of Psychological tests on the market for sale. There are tests that elicit information on interest, intelligence, aptitude, attitude, emotions and cognations. Psychological tests can be classified variously, so the user must know what he is looking for from the respondents. Teachers and counsellors can also make their own Psychological tests provided they filter them through the 8 earlier mentioned criteria for good Psychological tests. Psychological test techniques are used for the under-listed purposes: 1. To help students in their choice at critical points when they have to make a decision. 2. To enable the counsellor to have a broad gauge look and uncover as many promising opportunities as possible. 3. To enhance the client's ability to make his own decisions. 4. To help teachers to adopt to the needs of students. 5. To provide information for selection, classification and distribution of clients to serve primarily the interests of the particular administrative system. 6. To help in the psychological diagnosis of students. 7. To help teachers in dealing with scholastic and behavioral problems. 8. To identify abnormal patterns in the personality of clients.