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High School and Elementary School Counselor ActivitiesI performed both high school and elementary schoolcounselor activities at one of my jobs. I proved more effective when I worked at one position or the other, but not at both high school and elementary school counselor activities. Full-time school counseling is an indispensable service to any school. People often think of schools as places of learning, where just teaching takes place. In fact, schools are more like families, with all the problems and misunderstandings that come with that. The days of pure teaching, if they ever existed, are long gone. Today teachers often parent children because their mothers and fathers are at work most the day, and, particularly in the primary grades, children see the teacher more than their own parents. For the most part, teachers do a great job performing their parenting function. However, there are times when a child has such a serious problem that the teacher is unable to alleviate it. This problem often becomes a class problem because the child demands so much attention that he takes away from the time the teacher is able to instruct the class. If the school has a school counseling service, the teacher, after getting the parent's permission, can refer the child for counseling. Thus full-time elementary school counselor activities can save hundreds of hours of lost teaching and learning time per year. What's more, school counseling can rescue children from, not only school failure, but depression, ADHD and other emotional and learning disorders by referral to the appropriate health care professional. Many of these disorders lead to alcohol and drug abuse if not detected and treated early. I know because by performing both high school and elementary school counselor activities, I've helped detect and get early treatment for these kids. Not only that, but unfortunately, I've seen the results in latter grades of kids that were missed because there were no full-time elementary school counselor activities available. Elementary school counselor activities, through early warning and detection of problems, have proven invaluable to schools. By serving as an early warning and detection system, school counseling can prevent mild disorders from becoming permanent, disabling conditions, thereby, not only saving the nation millions of dollars in unnecessary medical care down the road, but giving thousands of youngsters the opportunity to make a success of their lives. Both high school and elementary school counselor activities can detect and prevent potential suicide. Often parents hear about a child or teenager who suddenly committed suicide, shocking everyone because no one saw it coming, especially the parents. Well, that's not how it has to be. Parents can be helped to see it coming. How? When full-time high school or elementary school counseling activities are available at a school, teachers know they have some one they can count on for help with troubled kids. For example, at a local high school, the school counselor is tapped on the shoulder, by a teacher, while heading to her office. The teacher is worried that, Joan, a female student in her junior year, may be contemplating suicide- just a suspicion, no hard evidence. The counselor contacts friends of the student at school who tell her that Joan, has been suddenly behaving differently the last week or so, even appearing a bit uncoordinated at school, like she'd been drinking, but there was no smell of alcohol about her or any other evidence of drugs. (Even elementary school counselor activities engage such problems these days, particularly in middle school). The counselor notes that Joan missed her last two teen group sessions, which is unusual since she contributes regularly to the group and appears to enjoy it. Joan has no history of alcohol or drug abuse. She's an excellent student, very attractive, miss personality plus, and a school leader, one of the most popular students in the school-the type of person others go to with their troubles. Joan refuses to see the counselor or acknowledge a problem. The counselor, however, knows Joan well due to the fact she has been in her teenage girls group at the high school. Because the counselor had been running this girl's group, the other girls in the group were able to tell her about their suspicions concerning Joan. The counselor visits the home and is forced to confront the parents with the fears she has of Joan's suicide risk. At first they deny there is a problem. But after the counselor mentions the possible drinking problem witnessed at school, mother realizes that Joan may have been drinking the mouthwash, which contains almost 27% alcohol. In retrospect, mother admitted she'd wondered where all the mouthwash had gone. It turns out that Joan, who was a very happy, successful student and daughter, had become depressed because her parents insisted on treating her like their little girl. Joan was growing up and her parents hadn't taken that into consideration. With some school counseling the parents and Joan adjusted to the problem. Joan returned to her old happy self. Fortunately this problem was nipped in the bud before something serious occurred, or before Joan became addicted to alcohol. Imagine what might have happened to this beautiful high school junior, if the teacher had not referred her for help, or if high school and elementary school counselor activities had not been available on a full-time basis throughout the school district? Some of you reading this are thinking, you're right. I read about someone like that in the newspaper, or my son knew someone at school who committed suicide, and the family hadn't a clue he was depressed. Others of you will say, no way that can happen with my family. I'd know if my son was depressed. Well, you're wrong. I've found in my experience in high school and elementary school activities that the parents are usually the last to know. Chances are it will happen to someone you know. Suicide among young people is becoming more and more common these days and at younger ages. Families live so long together that individuals tend to take each other for granted. Furthermore, individuals, through the years, get good at hiding things from other family members. Parents should not make the mistake of assuming that children and, particularly teenagers, are just like them emotionally. They are not. Both my high school and elementary school counselor activities have taught me that. If you suspect a problem, get help immediately or "sooner." Remember too that drunk driving and drug overdose are other ways people can use to commit suicide. Don't be another I never saw it coming family. Get help for your child if you suspect a problem. Be sure your school has a full-time school counselor. You'll never regret it. This message is, perhaps, the most important lesson I learned from my years of high school and elementary school counselor activities. Full-time school counseling means involvement with the teachers, parents and children at the school on a daily basis. The following examples will, hopefully, make clear how full-time counseling can contribute to a school:
"Schools are like big families. There are no part-time family members. You're either in the family or out. You work here full-time, like the rest of us, and we learn to trust you."
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