One of my interviews for my MAEd degree was with a guidance counselor and their guidance coordinator regarding the counseling services and programs provided at Bataan National High School-Junior High. Among the guidance services offered by the school are information services, counseling, referral services, follow-up services, testing services, career guidance services, and research and evaluation services.
Their primary goal as part of their information services is to empower pupils to make reasonable decisions and actions both inside and outside of the school. They are doing a freshmen orientation and handing out brochures about adjusting to a new environment, goal setting, stress management, and test taking. They gather data of the students using an Inventory Form, Student Profile Sheet and through routine interviews. The data may be used to check for students who may need counseling or specialized guidance services.
The core feature of their guiding program is counseling services. They made sure that every time they counseled or advised a pupil, the behavior will always be for the better. They provide group, volunteer/walk-in, individual, and referral counseling services.
After students have received counseling services, they conduct a follow-up service that is designed to offer them ongoing support. After follow-up, they assess the program’s appropriateness and effectiveness. As part of their follow-up service, they provide individualized consulting, monitoring, and parent conferences.
They offer different test types to evaluate students’ abilities. They provide an intelligence test in Grade 7, a personality test in Grade 8, a career test in Grade 9, and an intelligence test in Grade 10.
For the students to achieve their full potential, they put a lot of emphasis on engaging organizations, agencies, or individuals as part of their referral services. For instance, after suffering physical abuse, students were referred to agencies like the PNP and DSWD for assistance.
To help people make and carry out well-informed decisions about their educational and professional paths, they offer career counseling services. It helps students become more competent in self-awareness, exploring their options for careers and education, and planning their futures.
The goal of Research and Evaluation Services is to identify the factors that have influenced the growth of the school’s overall educational program to build effective guidance programs that fit the needs, interests, and skills of the students.
The guidance and counselor at Bataan National High School continued to reach out to their pupils even though classes were closed due to the pandemic. They created the “BNHS-JHS Guidance and Counseling Office” Facebook page so that students at home may continue to access online counseling. They also post webinars on their website; the Links were distributed exclusively to students at Bataan National High School. Because not everyone has access to the internet, they record the webinar and send links to those who want to attend it whenever they have internet access. Each level also includes the Home and Guidance Subject, which is taught by the Guidance Counselor.
According to them, the Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004 (R.A. 9258) served as the foundation for their program. They comply with and follow out the law’s orders.
As a teacher, I am proud of the institution and the activities it provides. As I spoke with the guidance counselor, I couldn’t help but feel that we may find a place to call home in a facility that offers this kind of guidance and counseling programs.
By: Lani O. Ching, Teacher I, OUR LADY OF LOURDES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
