Student Counselling   Under development

At one time or another in our lives, we have all been students. Some of our teachers were ‘good’, while others we remember as ‘not so good’. What was it about the teachers that left a lasting impression in our minds? It’s a good bet that your favourite teachers were using counselling techniques to motivate you and bring out your best.

Success is something we often discuss and strive to achieve. On the other hand, fear of failure (and actual failure) is a reality of student training. Professional educators must be sensitive to student needs and be ready to provide effective counselling regarding their progress.

Counselling is essential for two reasons:

1. To provide feedback on performance; and

2. To address and resolve problems.

It is important that students receive counselling regarding their strengths and weaknesses on all aspects of assessment. If students have difficulty grasping important concepts or performing skills, counseling sessions can be effective remediation or intervention tools. By praising talents and focusing on strengthening deficiencies, the students’ opportunities for success are increased.

There are may effective counseling techniques and approaches with no single method being better than another. Sometimes, a variety of techniques are required or an ‘off-the-shelf’ technique may need to be tailored to suit the individual student. It helps if the instructor is familiar with the students’ background and the extent of their current competencies. No matter which technique is employed, the outcome must be positive and benefit the student in some way.

Here are two different approaches that have been used.

Directive Counselling

A directive approach requires the instructor to take an active role during the counselling session. This means that the instructor becomes the source of information that directs the discussion. This approach is effective for telling the student how far s/he has progressed during the course and what s/he must do to improve. Many students expect this type of counselling, so it usually proceeds without delay, requiring a minimum of time.

The disadvantages of the directive approach is that the student takes on a passive role and may not become involved in the decision making process. If the student fails to improve, s/he may feel its because s/he received inadequate direction.

Non-Directive Counselling

Non-directive counselling encourages the students to discuss their progress and take an active part in developing ideas for improving their performance. This approach is very effective in getting students to address their problems and take responsibility for the decision making process. However, non-directive counselling is time consuming, and may not be effective if time is limited.

Regardless of the approach, counselling sessions need planning to achieve objectives and use time effectively. Consider the following points when planning a counselling session:

1. Pre-assessment      Student’s background and motivation is established

2. Patience                  Adequate time is set aside and student progress is followed up

3. Separation              Counselling is performed in private to encourage openness

4. Control                   An agenda is used to meet counselling objectives

5. Document               Student's reaction to counselling is documented and monitored

Email your suggestions to us at info@paci.com.au