Guidance and Counseling

 

Guidance and Counseling

Contents

1. Guidance

Meaning of Guidance

Definitions of Guidance

Types of Guidance

Scope of Guidance

Characteristics of Guidance

Need of Guidance

2. Counseling

Meaning of Counseling

Definitions of Counseling

Scope of counseling

Characteristics of Counseling

Need of counseling

1. Guidance

Meaning of Guidance

Guidance means to direct or provide assistance to someone who needs help.

Guidance maybe defined as the process of helping an individual in selecting, preparing, entering and progressing in behavior patterns which comprise human activities in vocational, educational, recreational field or in community service group.

Guidance can also be defined as assisting an individual to perform a particular task, prepare for future life or to adjust in his/her society.

Definitions of Guidance

According to Ruth Strang,

                        “Guidance is the process of helping every individual through his own efforts to discover and develop his personality for his personal happiness and social usefulness.”

According to Hamrin and Erickson,

             “Guidance is that aspect of educational programme which is concerned especially with helping the pupil to become adjusted to his personal situation and plan his future in line with his interest, abilities and social needs.”

Types of Guidance

• Educational Guidance – Educational guidance helps an individual to place himself/herself in the most favorable setting (according to his/her interest, ability and capability) or environment for his/her education.
• Vocational Guidance – Vocational Guidance assists individuals to choose an occupation or career, prepare for it, enter it and progress in it.
• Personal – Social Guidance - It include social, emotional and leisure time guidance. It concerns with problems of health, emotions and social adjustment etc.

Scope of Guidance

• Academic achievement and progress
• Personal Development
• Personal and Social Relationships
• Selection of appropriate educational, vocational, and personal option.

Characteristics of Guidance

Guidance leads to the growth of an individual in self direction. Following are the characteristics of Guidance:

1. Guidance helps an individual to bring positive and progressive changes in him/her.
2. Guidance assists an individual to make appropriate educational, vocational, and personal choices.
3. Guidance helps an individual to establish harmonious relationships.
4. Guidance helps an individual to adjust in his/her society.
5. It helps an individual to identify and develop his/her personality and talents.
6. Guidance brings children to gain a positive attitude and excellence in work.

Need for Guidance

Following are the major reasons for the need of Guidance in education:

1. It leads total development of learner.
2. Helps students choose courses that are best for them according to their aptitude.
3. Guidance helps students make proper choices of career and profession in view of their aptitude and interest.
4. Guidance leads to positive changes in attitude of students to face new challenges and difficulties.
5. Guidance helps to minimize the mismatch between education and employment and helps in efficient use of manpower.
6. Guidance helps in motivating youth for self employment.
7. Guidance provides students valuable assistance and advice in their period of turmoil and confusion.
8. Guidance enables to remain on the right track and not engage in bad activities like fights, alcohol consumption etc.

2. Counseling

Meaning of Counseling

Counseling refers to a professional service provided to an individual who is facing a problem and needs help to overcome it.

Basically, counseling is a process that requires two people i.e., a counselor and a client:

Counselor is the one who offers counseling service.

Client is the one who seeks help or counseling from the counselor.

Definitions of Counseling

According to Willey and Andrew,

                                                             “Counseling involves two individuals, one seeking help and other a professionally trained person who helps solve problems to orient and direct him towards a goal.”

According to Merle M. Ohlsen,

                            “Counseling is an accepting, trusting, and safe relationship in which client learn to discuss openly what worries and upsets them, to define precise behavior goals, to acquire the essential social skills and to develop the courage and self confidence to implement desired new behavior.”

Scope of Counseling

• Achievement of positive mental health
• Problem solution
• Counseling for decision making
• Improving personal effectiveness
• Behavior modification

Characteristics of Counseling

Following are the characteristics of counseling:

1. In counseling the problems of the person/client is made clear by discussion. The counselor explores the problem and its effect through skillful questioning.
2. Counselor draws out facts from the pupil in this process.
3. Counselor guides pupil to establish contacts with various factors in counseling process.
4. It is assistance to the persons in their behavior related problems in which emotions and motivations are involved.
5. Counseling is a professional service.
6. Counseling is completely based on self guidance.

Need and Importance of counseling

Bragdon has mentioned following situations when counseling is required/needed:

1. When pupil require not only reliable information, but also interesting interpretation of those information which can help solve his/her personal difficulties and problems.
2. When a pupil has some problem and s/he is not aware of his/her problem and its cause, and has to be made aware of it.
3. When the person is aware of the problems and difficulties created by problems but feels difficult to understand and define it i.e., s/he is unable to face the problems due to temporary tension and distractions.
4. When pupil suffers from some maladjustment or handicap which is temporary and needs careful diagnosis by an expert.