Guidance and Counseling has been defined in the Rules and Regulations (RR) of Republic Act 9258, Rule 1, Section 3(Manila Standard, (2007) as cited by Villar (2007), is a profession involving an “integrated approach to the development of a well-functioning individual primarily by helping him/he to utilize his/her potentials to the fullest and plan his/her present and future in accordance with his/her abilities, interests and needs.
Gibson & Mitchell (1999) define the Guidance Program as a system of services designed to improve the adjustment of each and every person for whom it was organized.
The RR declares that Guidance and Counseling includes counseling, psychological testing, research, placement, referral and group processes. A teacher also performs some of the duties of a Guidance Counselor, although there are some duties of the Guidance Counselor which are beyond the knowledge of the teachers, for example being a placement officer, a psychometrician, a professional counselor or Consultant,
In the Philippines, Guidance and Counseling is still the popular label. The officer is still called the Guidance Office or guidance Department in many schools. The Guidance Counseling is considered the major service of a comprehensive and systematic program for helping individuals address the changing demands of the different developmental stages, understand themselves and their environment, resolve issues and problems, and develop their potential optimally. The term Guidance Program is used to encompass all the services and activities intended to realize these goals.
The teachers are fully aware that they cannot be a professional Guidance Counselors, if they will not submit themselves to some requirements; since the most signifificant development in recent years came in the form of R.A 9258. The passage of the law in 2004 has made it imperative to secure a license before practising; and pre requisite to that license is that you must be a graduate of Master of Arts with specialization in Guidance &Counseling.
The guidance counsellor and the teacher aim to help students overcome obstacles to their personal and educational growth and move towards the maximum development of their potential. To accomplish these he/she establishes a warm, trusting, confidential working relationships with the students to assist in self-acceptance and understanding, decision making, and problem-solving.
Another duty of a guidance counsellor which is done also by a teacher is that of being a Conductor of Activities. A guidance counsellor must carefully plan and directly conduct certain activities that may promote the students’ positive outlook in life, in the same way that teachers are also providing activities to his/her students for the promotion of students future endeavour.
Both the Guidance counsellor and the teacher act as an Agent of Change. They may be acting as a catalyser, process helper, solution giver, resource linker, and stabilizer.
In view of what has been discussed above, there will be no reasons why a school will accumulate disciplinary and other problems. In the first place, teachers and the Guidance Counselor are always there for the students.
So teachers do not worry, there is no duplication between your job descriptions and the guidance counselors’ duties. It is just a matter of cooperation. The greatest prize you can achieve is the success of students that were once under your care.
Let us listen to the words of Alden Palmer, a famous writer,” Each of us should beGod’s indispensable person. Man needs God, as most of us will agree. But also, God needs men! Only through the labor of men can God’s plan be matured. For how can Hework for us except through men?”
References:
Villar, I.V. G. Implementing a Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program in ThePhilippines. Aligned transformations Publications, Makati City, Philippines. 2007. R
Brigman, G. et.al.School Counselor Consultation.John Wiley and Sons. 2005.
By: Mercelina Q. Sanggalang | Teacher III | Luakan National High School | Dinalupihan, Bataan
