INTRODUCTION:
It is the duty and right of every individual to choose his own way in life in so far ashis
choice does not interfere with the rights of others. The ability to make such
choices is not innate, but, like other abilities, must be developed. Education provides
opportunities for the development of such abilities. Guidance is theassistance
given to individuals in making such intelligent choices and adjustments.It is an
integral part of education and is centered directly upon this function.Guidance does 3
Introduction to Guidance NOTES Self-Instructional Material notmake choices for
individuals; it helps them make their own choices in such way asto promote or
stimulate the gradual development of the ability to make
decisionsindependent without assistance from others
“In education our goal is guidance; our technique among other is counselling”has been
aptly said by David V. Tiedemann. Counselling is said to be the core of theentire
guidance programme. It is considered to be the most intimate and vital partof the
guidance programme. Counselling is as old as society itself. In everyday life,we
find, counselling goes on at many levels in a family setup, parents counseltheir children,
in society doctors counsel patients, lawyers clients, teachersstudents. In other
words, there is no limit to the problems on which counselling can be offered or
to the type of persons who can render this help. Professionalcounselling, in its
present form, is a recent development. Colleges and universities,industries and
business establishments are becoming increasingly interested inCounselling
and its potential for improving interpersonal relation in the multitudeof
counselors, there is safety. No wonder, Counselling is being recognized as onimportant
technique of guidance here, there and everywhere!
GUIDANCE
DEFINITION:
Crow and Crow.“Guidance is assistance made available by personally and
adequately trained men or women to an individual of any age to help him managehis own
life activities, develop his own points of view, make his own decisions andcarry his own
burdens
John Brewer.“Guidance is a process through which an individual is able to solvehis
problems and pursue a path suited to his abilities and aspirations.”
Scope of Guidance
To help in the total development of the students
To help in the proper choice of courses
To help in the proper choice of careers
To help the students in vocational development
To develop readiness for choices and changes to face new challenges
To minimize the mismatching between education and employment andhelp in the
efficient use of manpower
To motive the youth for self-employment
To help fresher establish proper identity
To identify and motivate the students from weaker sections of
society
To help the students in their period of turmoil and confusion
To help in checking wastage and stagnation
IMPORTANCE OF GUIDANCE
To help in the tool development of the students
To help in the proper choice of the students;
To help in the proper choice of careers;
To help the student sin vocational development;
To develop readiness for choices and changes, to face new challenges;
To minimize the mismatching between education and employment and helpin the
efficient use of manpower.
To motivate the youth for self-employment.
To help fresher establish proper identity;
To identify and motivate the students from weaker sections of society;
To help the students in their period of turmoil and confusion;
To help in checking wastage and stagnation;
To identify and help students in need of special help;
To ensure proper utilization of time spent outside the classrooms;
To help in tackling problems arising out of student explosion;
To check migration;
To make up the deficiencies of home;
To minimize the incidence of indiscipline.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GUIDANCE
Being a school Counsellor is difficult work. School/College Counsellors often
havelittle time to tend to hundreds or thousands of students, but the impact that they
canhave makes the profession one of the most rewarding for those willing to pursue it.Here
are 10 of the top traits every Counsellor should have:1
. Be a good listener
. The first thing that comes to mind is that school Counsellors
must be able to listen. A large portion of a Counsellor’s time is spent listening
and
processing the information given to you by others.
2. Be able to assess.
Part of a Counsellor’s job is to make accurate assessments of
their students to prepare them for life beyond school. If you want to work in a highschool
setting, this includes being able to accurately assess
a student’s successes
and shortcomings when it comes to making college choices, where to apply,
andhelping them narrow down what can be a daunting list of choices.
3. Be an excellent communicator
. Having excellent communication skills is oneof the most important skills
a Counsellor can have. Being able to communicateideas, thoughts, and feelings
verbally is a trait that can never go unsung as aCounsellor
4. Appreciate diversity
. Students come from a multitude of backgrounds, and being able to accept and
embrace diversity is another trait that is crucial of aCounsellor. Students come
from all walks of life and all types of families, andhelping students learn to accept
and embrace their own diversity in a school setting
is critical to a Counsellor’s s
uccess.
5. Be friendly
. Counsellors must be warm and approachable to their students, andalso to
parents and faculty members. Being open and gregarious will often meanthat
students will trust you more than they trust their parents, and getting studentsto open up and
let go of their burdens is one of the most rewarding things aCounsellor can accomplish.
6. Be authoritative
. When the situation calls for it, a guidance Counsellor mustcross the boundary from
friend to professional. If abuse or neglect is suspected or present, or if a student
is engaging in risky or harmful behavior, a Counsellor must
know when to show their authority and take the proper steps to ensure their
student’s safety.
7. Be well-rounder
. A Counsellor will often have a wide range of interestsoutside of work, and you never
know when one of these interests will resonate witha student and prompt a connection
that get your student to open up to you.
8. Be able to co-ordinate
. Counsellors serve as coordinators for many school programs and activities.
From college visits, setting standardized test schedules,and even administrative
tasks- the Counsellor must be able to coordinate a numberof tasks at a time
9. Have good evaluation skills
. Counsellors spend a lot of their time evaluatingtest scores or administering
tests to students. Being able to accurately evaluate and
translate these results to discuss a student’s academic performance, or aid
a professor in making an accurate assessment of a student’s skills is vital. 10.
Have a
sen
se of humor. Often, having a sense of humor will be a Counsellor’s biggestasset in
gaining a student’s trust.
PRINCIPLES OF GUIDANCE
Guidance is a slow process.
It is a continuous process.
It develops an insight
Problems confronted by individuals
Guidance is based on individual differences.
Guidance is both a specialized and generalized services.
Guidance is an organized service.
Guidance is for all.
According to Jones, the principles of Guidance are as follows:1. Principle of
individual differences.
2. Principles of specific abilities are not innate.3. Principle of need of assistance
in solving the problem of the individuals.4. Principle of developing self-
guidance.
TYPES OF GUIDANCE
:
Educational Guidance
The term educational guidance is often confused with the term education asguidance.
Educational guidance analyses and observes the students attitudes andexposes
them in the right type of education which will reveal inborn capacities andhelp to develop
them.
Definition According to Jones, “Educational Guidance is concerned with
assistance to be provided to the pupils which is expected for their adjustments in
the schools, selection of curricula and schools like”. “Educational guidan
ce may be
defined as a conscious effort to assist in the intellectual growth of an individual.”
-BrewerObjectives of Educational Guidance
To monitor the academic progress of the students.
To acquaint the students with the prescribed curriculum.
To identify the academically gifted, backward, creative and other categoryof
special learners.
To assist students in getting information about further education.
To diagnose the learning difficulties of students and help they overcome
thesame.
Vocational Guidance
The activities to do in the future and the right place for the students to get inare related to
them by vocational guidance. Vocational guidance is needed at thetime when the
individual is confronted with the problems relating to: Selecting anoccupation.
Adjusting to the job and making progress in it.
Definition According to ‘Crow and Crow’ “Vocational Guidance usually is
interpreted as the assistance given to the learner s to choose, prepare for and
progress in an occupation.”
Acco
rding to ‘Myers’, “Vocational Guidance is the process of assisting theindividual
to do for himself certain definite things pertaining to his vocation.”
Objectives of Vocational Guidance Following are the objectives of vocationalguidance:1.
Assisting the students to acquire such knowledge of the characteristics
andfunctions, duties, responsibilities and rewards of occupations that are within
therange of this choice.2. Assisting a pupil to discover his own abilities and skills and to fit
them intogeneral requirements of the occupation under consideration.3. Assisting
the pupil to evaluate his own capabilities and interests with regardtheir worth to
him and to society.4. Helping the individual develop and attitude towards work
that will dignifywhatever type of occupation he may wish to enter.5. Assisting the
individual to think critically about types of occupations and tolean a technique for
analyzing information about vacations.6. Instilling in the pupil a confidences in
the teachers and other guidance personalthat will encourage him when he confers
with them on personal and vocational problems But social relationships constitute a
problem area for most of the students
Personal Guidance
In order to solve one’s emotional, social, moral and ethical problems, the
assistance offered to is defined as personal guidance. It deals with all the
problemsof life which are not covered by educational and vocational guidance. Thus
the purpose of personal guidance is to help the individual in his physical,
emotionaland moral, spiritual development as well as adjustment at home in school and
insociety.
Avocational Guidance:
The individual student spends only a small portion of his time i.e. 4 to 6 hours perday in
school. The rest of the time needs to be effectively management.Avocational
guidance helps the child to judiciously utilize the leisure time. Theother co-curricular
activities play an important role in all-round development of thechild but many
parents, teachers and children put secondary importance to theseactivities. The
students need to be properly guided for effective participation in.Health Guidance Health is
regarded as the wealth. Total health i.e. preventive andcurative is the goal of health
guidance. The health guidance may be a cooperativeeffort of Principal, Doctors,
Counsellor/psychologist, Teachers, Students and parents. For
promoting preventive care the conditions of school hostel, canteenneeds to be
checked. Similarly health education through formal classes andinformation is
essential in school education stages. In the present day the concernof health
guidance also pertains to guidance in HIV/AIDs
GROUP GUIDANCE
When more than one individual are put together in a group for Educational,Vocational or
Personal Guidance the situation they created is known as groupguidance. It is
guidance through activities; the group is formed on the basis ofcommon
problem of the members. There are two types of group guidance. Theyare
orientional and therapeutic.
COUNSELINGDEFINITION OF COUNSELLING
Counselling has been understood and defined in a number of ways:i.
Webster’s dictionary defines Counselling as “Consultation, mutualinterchange
of opinions, deliberating together”.
ii.
Wren (1962) says, “Counselling is a dynamic and purposeful relationship
between two people who approach a mutually defined problems with
mutualconsideration of each other to the end that the younger or less mature,
ormore troubled of the two is aided to a self-determined resolution of his
problem”
iii.
James Michael Lee and Nathaniel J. Pattan say, “Counselling is the
relationship between two persons in which one of them attempts to assist the
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other in so organizing himself as to attain a particular form of
happiness,adjustment to a life-situation, or in short, self-actualization.
Counsellingalways involves a oneto-one relationship that is one client and
one guidanceworker in a f
ormal or an informal interview situation”.
MAJOR ELEMENTS OF COUNSELLING
An analysis of the above viewpoints will reveal the major elements of
counselling:(a) Counselling involves two individuals
–
one seeking help and the other, a professionally trained person who can help the
first.(b) There should be a relationship of mutual respect between the two
individuals.The counselor should be friendly and co-operative and the counselee
should havetrust and confidence in the counselor.(c) The aim of counselling is to
help a student to form a decision, make a choice orfind a direction at some important
fork in the road such as that of planning a lifecareer, a programme in college
or university, or a campaign to obtain employment.(d) It helps the counselee
acquire independence and develop a sense ofresponsibility. It helps him explore and
fully utilize his potentialities and actualizehimself.(e) It is more than advice-giving.
Progress comes through the thinking that a person with a problem does for
himself rather than through solutions suggested bythe counselors.(f) It involves
something more than the solution to an immediate problem. Itsfunction is to
produce changes in the individual that will enable him to extricatehimself from his
immediate difficulties.(g) If concerns itself with attitudes as well as action.(h)
Emotional rather than purely intellectual attitudes are the raw material of
thecounselling process. Information and intellectual understanding have their place inthe
counselling process. But it is the emotionalized feelings which are
mostimportant.
Purpose of Counselling
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Dunsmoor and Miller are of the view that the core of student counselling is to helpthe
student to help himself. From this point of view they describe the
following purposes of students counselling:1. To give the student information
on matters important to success.2. To get information about student, which will be of
help in solving his problems.3. To establish a feeling of mutual understanding
between student and teacher.4. To help the student work out a plan for solving
his difficulties.5. To help the student know himself better-his interests, abilities,
aptitudes andopportunities.6. To encourage and develop special abilities and
right attitudes.7. To inspire successful endeavour toward attainment.8. To assist
the student in planning of educational and vocational choices.
Scope of Counselling(1) Informal Counselling: -
It is any helping relationship by a responsible personwho may have little or no
training for the work. For instance, ladies helping patients in hospital through friendly
conversations with them.
(2) Non
–
Specialist Counselling
by professionals
–
it is the help provided by physicians, lawyers, teachers, ministers and others who
do a great deal of face-to-face work with psychological problems in the course
of their other work.
Sometimes, special titles are used like “religious counselling” or “financial
c
ounselling”.
(3) Professional counselling
: - it is helping another person with decision and life
–
plans, whether personal or educationalvocational, by a person specially
trainedfor this work. Professional counsellors are usually psychologists, or
educational
psychologists. ‘Professional’ means among other things the possession of
master’sor doctor’s degree with at least a year of supervision by a trained
professional and
the acceptance of a professional code ethics. Training of psychologists, among
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other things, emphasizes test interpretation, research, the psychology
of personality, occupational information and experience with a variety of
clients.
ELEMENT OF COUNSELLING
The key elements of counselling are1. Listening2. Defining the Problem3. Emotional
input4. Problem solving process5. Solution choosing
Listening
:Counselling helps the individual to become self-sufficient,selfdependent and
self-directed. Active listening is another way of expressing the basic
counselling relationship. The first and foremost element in the
counselling process is listening. It makes the clients to believe that there is
someone who canhear our problem and it also gives them confidence to rely upon the
counselor.Listening to the problem helps the client to come out with their real
problem andhelp the counselor to diagnose and identify the cause for the problem the
client isfacing
Defining the Problem
: As listening to the client the counselor will be able to findout what are the problem and
the causes for it so the next element in thecounselling process is to define the
problem. To define the problem gives thecounselor the clear picture of the problem
and the ways to find out the solution forit.
Emotional Input
: Counselling as a helping relationship-extends the empathetic
understanding, respect for the client’s potentials to lead his own life and
congruence or genuineness. They are viewed as representing not only the
counsellor’s skills as reflection of feeling and content but also the counsellor’s
fundamental attitude to clients or capacity for altruistic care and concern.
Hencethis element in counselling helps the counselor to build confidence on the client
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that they will be able to sort out the problem. This elements brings belief on
thecounsellor and relies on them to find solution to their problem.
Problem Solving Process:
Through analysis of the problem finding out thevaried solution for the problem is the next
key element in the process ofcounselling.
Solution Choosing:
Choosing better solution depending upon the problems theclient is facing is the
last element.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A COUNSELLOR
Effective counselors have an identity: They know who they are,
what theyare capable of becoming, what they want out of life and what
is essential.They respect and appreciate themselves: they can give help and
love out oftheir own sense of self-worth and strength.They are able to recognize
and accept their own power.They feel adequate with others and allow others to
feel powerful with them.They are open to change: They exhibit a willingness and
courage to leavethe security of the known if they are not satisfied with what they have.They
make decisions about how they would like to change, and they worktoward becoming
the person they would like to become.They are making choices that shape their
lives.They are aware of earlydecisions they made about themselves, others and the
world.
They aren’t the victims of these early decisions, for they are willing to
revise them, if necessary. They feel alive and their choices are lie oriented.They
are committed to living fully rather than setting for mere existence.They have a
sense of humor. They are able to put the events of life in a perspective, and they have
not forgotten how to laugh, especially at theirown contradictions.They appreciate
the influence of culture: They are aware of the ways inwhich their own culture affects
them, and they respect the diversity ofvalues espoused by other culturesThey
are also sensitive to the unique differences arising out of social class,race and
gender.
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They have a sincere interest in the welfare of others: This concern is basedon
respect, care, trust and a real valuing of others.They become deeply involved in their
work and derive meaning
from it:They can accept the rewards flowing from their work.
FORMS OF COUNSELLING
There are three forms of counselling. These are divided on the basis of the
natureof the counselling process and the part of the counsellor:1. Directive or
Prescriptive or Counsellor-centered counselling2. Non-Directive or Permissive
or Client- centered counselling3. Eclectic counselling.
Directive or Prescriptive or counsellor
–
centered Counselling
E. G. Williamson is the chief exponent of this view point, such type
ofcounselling involves six essential steps: Analysis
–
Collecting from a variety ofsources the data needed for an adequate
understanding of the student. Synthesis -
Summarizing and organizing the date so that they reveal the student’s assets,
liabilities, adjustments and maladjustment. Diagnosis - Formulating
conclusionsregarding the nature and the cause of the problems exhibited by the
students.Prognosis
–
Predicting the future development of the students’ problems.
Counselling -
The counsellor’
s taking steps with the student to bring aboutadjustment and readjustment for
the student. Follow
–
up-Helping the student withnew problems with recurrence of the original problem
and determining theeffectiveness of the counselling provided to him Here the
counsellor plays themajor role; he does all that he can to get the counselee to make a
decision inkeeping with his diagnosis. He tries to direct the thinking of the counselee
byinforming, explaining, interpreting and advising. A considerable use
ofinterpretations and direction by the counsellor has led to this type of
counselling being described or counsellor-centered or active approach
technique.
Non-Directive or Permissive or Client
–
centered counselling
Carl R. Rogers is the chief exponent of this view point. In this type
ofcounselling, it is the client-the counselee-who is the pivot. He takes an active
part
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in the process of therapy. He gains insight into his problem with the help of thecounsellor.
It is he who takes decisions as to the action to be taken. The
counsellor’s role is passive. This type of counselling is a growth experience.
The
goal is the independence and integration of the client rather than the solution of a particular
problem. The principal function of the counsellor is not to cultivate self-
understanding in the client but instead, to create an atmosphere in which the clientcan work
out his own understanding. The emotional elements or the feelingaspects are stressed
rather than the intellectual aspects and the counselling leads toa voluntary
choice of action.
Eclectic Counselling
Some psychologists like Bordin believe that Rogers and Williamson aretowards
opposite ends of the pole and the counselling methods maybe evaluatedalong a
continuum from non-directive to directive, when a counsellor deliberatelytries
to incorporate in his practice both directive and non-directive techniques,
theresult is eclecticism. F.C. Thorne, who is the exponent of this view, finds that it
is possible for counsellors to alternate between directive and on-directive
methodsevening the same interview without disrupting the non-directive
permissiverelationship with the client. Here, the counsellor first studies the
personality andneeds of the individual. He then selects the technique that would be most
helpfulfor the individual. He can start with the directive one but when the
situationdemands, the counsellor may switch over to the non-directive and vice-
versa. Theattempt is made to adjust the technique to the requirements of the
situation and theindividual. Even techniques like reassurance, merely giving
information, casehistory, testing, etc. can be used to achieve the purpose. The
counsellor must becompetent and proficient in the use of all available methods.
The validity of theresults is determined by the skill with which any method is used with
reference toetiologic diagnosis and the indications of each individual case. The
critical factoris not what method is used but rather the skill which it is used.The process
of eclectic counselling proceeds somewhat along the following lines:i.
Counselling maybe preceded by an intake interview.
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ii.
During the opening phase of counselling, the counsellor tries to establishrapport
and may have to do structuring so that the client understands what toexpect of
counselling.iii.
To enhance the client’s self
-understanding, information, about him and his background may be gathered
from various sources. The client needs to behelped to assimilate this
information.iv.
Educational, occupational and social information, if needed by the client,may be supplied to
him.v.
The client achieves emotional release and insights, alters his perceptionsand
attitudes about himself and his situations.vi.
During the closing phase the client makes decisions and
plans, modifies behaviour, and solves his problems.vii.
There may be follow-up contacts, if needed. No matter what method orview
–
point-directive, non-directive or eclectic is employed in the practiceor
interviewing and counselling, counselling should have
developmental preventive and remedial values It is obvious that counselling
process isviewed differently by different approaches.But in spite of the diversity
in approaches to counselling, there are some commonfactors which are:(i) All
counsellors accept the importance of ideal counselling relationship(ii) Interview
is the basic tool of counselling.(iii)The counselling relationship is built during
interviews.(iv)All counsellors realize the importance of acceptance of and
respect for thecounselee.
COUNSELLING AS APPLIED TO EDUCATION
Counselling is a confidential interaction between a professionally
trainedcounselor and a student or small group of students.
Counselors help students, staff, and parents by: Developing programs
that promote healthy life-styles and build positive school climate.
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Meeting with parents, teachers, and students to help support and encourage
asuccessful school experiences
Offering small support groups when needed on issues such as changingfamilies,
developing friendships, grieving, selfesteem, and angermanagement.
Interpreting standardized test scores to promote awareness about a student’s
strengths and progress.
Advising students on class selection and academic opportunities
Coordinating mentoring opportunities and support services for at-riskstudents.
Developing a Peer Helping Program Supporting parents, students, andteachers
through the ABCs for Solutions process.
CONCLUSION:
Hence Guidance should provide for all kinds of individuals, besides, there aredifferences
between groups and sexes in matter of interests, ability, attitutdes andapproach.
The philosophy of Guidance recognises the import and role of thesedifferences
when preparing a guidance schedule/ programmeThe counselor
empathizes with the counselee’s emotional needs. He makes the counselee
aware
of being unconditionally accepted. This particular aspect does not concern
theother types of interviews. The counselor is concerned equally with what
thecounselee tries to express but fails to communicate. The counselor is
basicallyconcerned with the clarification, interpretation and understanding of
the
counselee’s feelings, ideas and longings. In this process, there is n
o place for anyanxiety or stress being put on the counselee
