When unexpected events occur, individuals are forced to adapt and make essential changes in their life. It forces one to step outside of his comfort zone to discover new methods of doing things. Every struggle or problem in one’s life has a silver lining, as the saying goes. The Covid-19 outbreak posed a significant challenge to how things are generally done. From business to school, the enforcement of lockdown, physical distance, and other health norms impacted several procedures. In business, government services, religious services, transportation, and education, technology is maximized.
Education is one of the most severely impacted areas of society. Education authorities, teachers, and other stakeholders were unsure if classes would begin in 2020-2021. In the Philippines, the government has determined that classes would restart using online and other alternative learning methods. Students and teachers, on the other hand, expressed worry about the preparedness of online classrooms. According to research, students predicted that they would have problems, and most respondents were concerned about internet availability.
The Department of Education (DepEd) published memoranda on the learning continuity plan (LCP) and the most necessary learning abilities before starting classes in 2020-2021. Academic heads frequently verified and monitored teachers and pupils per the two DepEd instructions. Students were also followed up to learn more about their circumstances and to address their needs and concerns. The academic chiefs and instructors immediately shared their experiences and evaluated how classes were handled.
Various problems, issues, and concerns were discussed, and these constituted the foundation for designing the learning continuity plan for the 2020-2021 school year. Online policies, synchronous and asynchronous classrooms, online activities, and other online services were all part of the LCP. Guidance and counseling are some of the most important online services that are essential in teaching and learning. School counselors assist teachers by working as integral team members that handle their learners’ educational goals and needs. They can help with the planning of classroom and group activities that match the requirements of the students.
Counselors collect and share materials with teachers to assist them in improving their classroom management and teaching performance. They also monitor pupils in the classroom or on the playground and support instructors in their guiding duties. One of the most common topics that the guidance counselors deal with during physical classes is mental health-related concerns—being physically present when counseling students who are feeling anxiety or sadness is practical.
Other kinds of communication, such as cell phones and the internet, are used as a complement to maintain track of the student’s whereabouts. This is reinforced by research that found that providing online therapy and face-to-face counseling might be a suitable method for many school counseling centers to boost service use and better serve their communities. However, with no face-to-face classes, providing counseling service to students became challenging with no data yet stating that counseling can be effective through online modality is effective for counseling. Online counseling programs are often viewed as less effective due to the lack of face-to-face interaction. Guidance counselors were fumbling in the dark on guaranteeing that the pupils were cognitively, emotionally, and psychologically sound, knowing that more mental health difficulties may arise when they are just at home and have a less physical connection with classmates and peers. Given the anticipated limitations of online learning, guidance services, particularly those connected to counseling, should continue to be given to students who require additional support and help. Professional school counselors also provide necessary services to children and adolescents. The availability of time and resources for professional school counselors to execute one of the critical activities for which they are educated and competent – counseling – is vital to successfully implementing these essential services. As the modern school environment becomes more complex due to high-stakes testing, state and international standards, and district report cards and evaluations, professional school counselor roles are increasingly being redirected away from the critical mission of recognizing and responding to students’ needs.
By: Mrs. Rowena C. Calpo|Master Teacher I| Old Cabalan Integrated School|Olongapo City
