School Counsellors

[Mnemolth]

What do you think of school counsellors?

Have you ever used one? Do you ever unload on them? Or do you think they will just spill the beans to your teachers and parents? Do you think they are part of the 'school system'? Or do you consider them separate and independent from the school??

Do you think they help? Have they helped you?

I would start except that when I was at school, at my school anyway, we didn't have one. :D

[Juu]

[color=deeppink] [size=1]School councelors have something evil about them... like Gym teachers and English teachers... (including Tech Teachers, :p -Ashlee)

Of all the school councelors I've met, none of them helped. o_o;
Once, I walked into the councelors' office in Elementry school, and told her it was because of a friend, I explained the whole thing, and she said, "I think she hurt your feelings.".

...

The only thing I've seen our school councelor here do is give out detention slips to my guyfriends. ^^;;[/color] [/size]

[wrist cutter]

Didn't even realize they were there to "help" you... I thought they just dealed with your schedule and stuff. Hm.

[Guest butterfly]

well i think they are useless. they don't do anything and most of the time just make the situation worse. i have a friend who went to the counsellor at school, she told her what was wrong and the next thing she new she had her parents and school nurse yelling at her and making the problem three times as bad. all because this counsellor thought that it would help to tell. i couldn't believe it.

[Charles]

I've despised every school counselor I've ever had. They all frightened me, lol.

I've always had males, who try to talk in a really soft, coaxing voice. It almost sounds like they've been trained to talk suicidal jumpers down from a rooftop. I remember Mr. Yetman, my elementary school counselor. He would flirt with the school nurse directly in front of me during our sessions, which he sometimes held in the nurse's office for no apparent reason.

I remember he said something like, "We all make stupid mistakes, I even made one last night," and the two of them shared a giggle. I was thinking, "I'm twelve, not clueless," lol.

My middle school one wasn't much better. I remember my brother got into a fight on the bus stop and he accused me of abusing him. O.o;;

Lastly, my high school counselor aggressively recruited me into college. I suppose that's a good thing though. He even helped to iron out a few issues with the admission process, although his frustration was apparent, lol.

For that reason, I do consider them a part of the school system--at least on the high school level. Their job is to enhance the school's reputation by increasing the number of graduates who go on to higher education.

I've never been able to confide in my counselors, however. Our relationships seemed to be founded more on obligatory business more than anything. There's no doubt in my mind that they would discuss our private conversations with parents and teachers.

That's just my poor experience with them though. I'm sure that there are some great counselors out there who are heroes in their own right that are very important to the school and students they represent...

[Juu]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Crazy White Boy [/i]
[B]I've despised every school counselor I've ever had. They all frightened me, lol.[/B][/QUOTE]

[color=deeppink] [size=1]Frightened!?
Did your councelor ever use teddy bears to explain about suicide? oO

Our councelor used these colored teddy bears, and used them to talk to us about suicide, drugs...etc. She even imitated voices. o_o'

It feels awkward each time a councelor walks in the room. First you think you're in trouble, and what you really get is a lecture, the councelor using Shamu and Bugs Bunny to tell our class about drug-awareness.

I don't think frightened would describe Bugs Bunny and Shamu talking about Drug Awareness. @_@'[/color] [/size]

[Rain]

[color=blue][size=1]Juu, I'm starting to wonder what kind of school you go to...the teachers seem...weird, to say the least.

I've never actually talked to the counsellor, and I don't think I ever would. If I had a problem, I'd talk to a friend or someone. There's just something I don't trust about counsellors.

Perhaps they have links with the Communists...or not ^_^;;[/size][/color]

[Flash]

Man, you guys in the states sure have sucky counsellors... o_O;;

I've been to two School Counsellors, only because the one I was seeing left the school while I was still visiting him. Both of them have been young, easy-to-talk to, and very helpful.

I don't think I could say I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my school counsellors... But I'm sure it's helped.

[Juu]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Rain [/i]
[B][color=blue][size=1]Juu, I'm starting to wonder what kind of school you go to...the teachers seem...weird, to say the least.[/size][/color] [/B][/QUOTE]

[color=deeppink] [size=1]Each of my schools had a weird teacher stuck in there somewhere. ^^;

My new school, the teachers are mostly funny.. or really mean. This school is kinda weird, but it's really funny. ^_^ Alot of the teachers I've talked about here are from either the sixth grade or elementry. Out of... six schools, this must be the funniest/weirdest. The teachers have a great sense of humor. ^^

Although... all of my Gym/English/Tech Teachers and Councelors have been... different throughout my whole school-life. ^_^;[/color] [/size]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson]In my experience, school councillors are god damn idiots. All of them. Hell, when I was 9, the year my mother had cancer, I went through 5 of them. Know why they left? They couldn't take dealing with me anymore. I got that in writing, delivered to my father, along with the recommendation, "seek professional help". Now that is god damn ridiculous. I admit, I broke one's nose... he was going on about how God had decided it was best for my mother to die... he was asking for it. But really, these people are meant to be professional help. Or what are they there for? Damn it, it drives me crazy. The one at my current high school isn't that bad... she thinks I'm really in touch with my "dark side"...[/font][/color]

[Dan L]

[b]Schools[/b] have [b][i]counsellors???[/i][/b].. whoa.. this is quite a revelation for me..

I'm almost serious.. though I had heard vaguely of school counsellors, I had no idea if there even was a counsellor at my old school, let alone whether they were good at their job or not ^^ heh

[Guest cloricus]

Harlequin do you ever have fun?

The councillors I've had have been good on the whole? (Some I whish I could forget.)
I don't trust them one bit.
I would not tell a secret or any sort of problem I had to them, because there is a point at which some thing you tell them they'll think hold on some things wrong here and they get on to your parents and things like that.

The councillor at our school is good. Good because she is very smart and can pick what is wrong which saves the bother of explaining anything. This also means that if you don?t want to tell her some thing you don?t have to.
Lol and I'm starting to uncover my "spiritual-side"...
(The good one I think, amazing what smiling in sessions does for a tick in the box system of counselling that our school system has. :P)

And yes Butterfly she gets things wrong, you'd be hard pressed to find some one who didn't.

Harlequin who are you to say that god doesn?t exist and that your mother isn?t in a better place?

(And that line is used to try and calm people down by making them think that every thing is great, I know they used it on me when some people I knew died in hospital and I just thought what crap. (I was about five at the time I think so I didn't know any worse words.))

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson]Yeah, that was the line, except it had "Flynn" instead of "Harlequin". Ah, it was classic. I got up, started walking to the door, he put his hand on my shoulder, I spun around... and whack! There he was, leaning over his desk, holding his nose and swearing. Then I had the principal pulling me away, and I have to say it was one of the most satisfying moments of my life.


I don't have fun, no, I merely take advantage of situations. If you but detachments now:.......you won't have to change your emotions for a week! What a great offer! Hehehe.... I like that.[/font][/color]

[Guest cloricus]

Hmm reading on how you got the counsellor I'll have some of your brand of fun thanks! :P

[Transtic Nerve]

I probably had the coolest "school counseller" in the world. He wasn't the kind that you go to with your emotional problems. (you really shouldn't go to a SCHOOL counseller for that anyway) but the type of guy who would sit and tlk for hours upon hours about what you would do in your future after HS. He was the head counseller... out of... 5 or 6. And the best. He had a great sense of humor... his office didn't have a single free space on the wall. All covered in Zepplin posters or comics or random objects that he found in the trash... you could spend the whole time just staring at his wall.

As far as helping, he most certainly helped as far as getting things ready for college. Told me what to do, what to worry about, all that junk.

[Sara]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by The Harlequin [/i]
[B][font=gothic][color=crimson]she thinks I'm really in touch with my "dark side"...[/font][/color] [/B][/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]Heh, you have another side?

Mm. I'm a bit miffed at my school's counselor right now. I went in there looking for ACT registration, and she closed the door and wanted me to talk about my emotional problems.

Gah.[/SIZE]

[Roxie Faye]

[color=#9933ff]My school counselor is Betsy Crocker. No joke. She's an okay guidance counselor. I personally wouldnn't go to a school guidance counselor if I was having emotional problems. Wouldn't tell them anything personal about my life either. The way I see it, they're there to help you with stuff like resolving small problems with friends, and to help you with stuff like preparing for high school (creating schedules, writing recommendations for high scool academies), and for helping you with college applications 'n stuff nothing more than that.[/color]

[Fall]

I've only ever talked to one school counsellor before.....and basically he ruined my life......well not exactly, but in Year 7 he did.

He used to be pulled out of class just for him to say something to me about an exam or somethin' that by every chance lasted for more than an hour (I don't think they're allowed to do that anymore here). And then that would stop me from learning, so I went crap in my exams anyway.....o.O

[Mnemolth]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by The Harlequin [/i]
[B][font=gothic][color=crimson]In my experience, school councillors are god damn idiots. All of them. Hell, when I was 9, the year my mother had cancer, I went through 5 of them. Know why they left? They couldn't take dealing with me anymore. I got that in writing, delivered to my father, along with the recommendation, "seek professional help". Now that is god damn ridiculous. I admit, I broke one's nose... he was going on about how God had decided it was best for my mother to die... he was asking for it. But really, these people are meant to be professional help. Or what are they there for? Damn it, it drives me crazy. The one at my current high school isn't that bad... she thinks I'm really in touch with my "dark side"...[/font][/color] [/B][/QUOTE]

You do realise of course that school counsellors are not exactly, er...how can I put this....'professional'? ;)

I mean there are training courses to become counsellors but many of these courses are pretty short and do not require you to have any formal qualifications, such as a degree with a major in psychology.

In fact, as far as I understand it, in the Wonderful Land of Oz, you can become a school counsellor simply by having taken [i]some[/i] psychology courses at university (along with the teaching degree). This often means just first year. Which doesn't really amount to much.

They are still better equipped than your average school teacher, but they are by no means 'professional'. However, some school counsellors do have better qualifications than others. I am merely speaking in general terms.

As a side note dude, you're probably one of the reasons bright young people shy away from the teaching profession. Imagine having to put up with brats like yourself all day, every day. Imagine having to deal with the same problems from the same type of kids every year. Imagine not being able to wring their little necks no matter what the provocation. Or even to cuss them out. And on top of all of that, imagine the pitiful salary.

Ahhh ...teachers. Often romanticized in film and literature, but rarely ever appreciated in real life. :D

Of course having said all that, can I just add that many teachers plain suck. At least these days anyway. Since the pay is low, the smart ones rarely end up in the classrooms. Which leads to the question, if the children are our future, why would we accept anything less than the best to teach them?

[vegeta rocker]

I don't remember being too fond of these folks.
I think i talked to one back in like jr high......i think i scared her.
the one at my high school is really zany and fun but i have never talked to him.
But i just let them do my schedule.

[Duo Maxwell]

Deus you can't be serious, you honestly had no idea if there was a councellor at your school? o_O

I liked my first primary school councellor, Mr. Medhurst (I think that's how you spell it) he was nice and fun. One weird thing is that my doctor almost reminds me of him, looks wise.
But I don't like my high school councellors, for some reason I don't trust them, one wears way to much make-up and the other seems tottaly incompetent, but then again what would I know about councelling.. there was one time when IU was ment to go see the councellor but I "accidentally" forgot to show up, and so we re-scheaduled but she didn't come to get me so all was forgotten about whatever I had to see her about

[Lady Asphyxia]

[color=darkred]I've been to a counsellor once. He wasn't a school counsellor. I pretty much ignored him and drew on his white board.

In general, I don't like them. They might be nice people and everything, but I don't understand how whining about your problems to someone you don't know (and pretty obviously can't trust, if you don't know them) can help you. But that's just me. I'd rather talk to a close friend, or someone who'd been in the same position that you could trust. Even then, I'd hesitate. I don't like talking about my problems until they're all over.

I'd say some school counsellors are good, just like some are bad. It'd probably be better if you had someone who could help you deal with practical stuff, instead of just emotional, and who wouldn't push you to go into your history and how you feel.

But like I said, I've never had a school counsellor. [/color]

[Yu Yu Hakusho!]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Juuthena [/i]
[B][color=deeppink] [size=1]School councelors have something evil about them... like Gym teachers and English teachers... (including Tech Teachers, :p -Ashlee)

Of all the school councelors I've met, none of them helped. o_o;
Once, I walked into the councelors' office in Elementry school, and told her it was because of a friend, I explained the whole thing, and she said, "I think she hurt your feelings.".

...

The only thing I've seen our school councelor here do is give out detention slips to my guyfriends. ^^;;[/color] [/size] [/B][/QUOTE]

Exactly how I feel. Sometimes they seem a little TOO nice, if you know what I mean.

[eleanor]

Our counsler is Billy Joe. She's a woman. She used pom-poms to cheer us one because she thought we would become depressed just because we just started seventh grade. Everyone at my school hates our counslers, they just say,
"Hm, yes, your friend isn't nice. You should try talking to her/him."
" I already have!"
"Yes, well, try again. Now go along to class!"

My friend said thats what happened at least...

[Semjaza]

I don't know what the people at my school are called. I get along very well with the Dean of Students. She cuts a lot of corners and gets straight to the point about helping me with problems. Whenever I go to her, things go much faster than usual.

There are people that get you set up at my school... That show you around, and are supposed to help you get used to the place. I honestly never saw mine again after the first day. I don't even know if she is there anymore. I am not very happy with her, as she told me my transfer credit was done... when in fact nothing was done about it.

There are also schedule counsellors, one for each major. They basically take care of what classes you take when and such. They're average in helpfulness.

Financial aid also refers to the workers there as counsellors. They are a mixed bag. There are a few that have been there a while that are very nice and helpful. I try to get them if possible.

There are also ones that just are really idiotic. They try to blame you for their filing stuff wrong. Once they gave me a year old FAFSA instead of the current one, and somehow that was still [i]my[/i] fault. They promise to call you about important issues when they find out, but never ever do.

I even had one guy get pissed at me for asking questions, saying he knows far more than I do about the subject. Apparently, he doesn't. As I've found much better financial aid on my own. That guy really screwed me over, because thanks to him I have a loan with a nearly 20% interest rate. He's gone, but I still hate him for that.

We had some in highschool as well. At my first, she was a nun. She absolutely hated me. I can't even remember why anymore. The second school was some guy (I remember him only because his name was Barett like the guy in FF7). He was moderately helpful.

I've never really found counsellors to be helpful. They are basically middlemen, as you are the one doing all the work and such as it is. I found doing those things myself to be much quicker.

I've never had one that like helped with relations between students and stuff like that.