DISCIPLINE AND IDEAS IN THE

APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES

BY: SHELLA A. BAUMGARTNER
MOST ESSENTIAL
LEARNING COMPETENCY

• Discuss Roles and

Functions of Counselors
ROLES OF COUNSELORS

Counseling is a profession (R.A. 9258 also known as the Guidance and Counseling
Act of 2004) that allows you to help others manage their responses to life’s
challenges.
“active listening”; its more emphatic, it’s caring;
to response to various changes such as, economic, social and technological. And
this changes also affects clients. Most especially in the academic or school setting,
the role of a counselor is important in the school to assist students in their
academic well-being (Cleofe et al, 2015)
the guidance counselors are considered important members of the educational
team. They provide assistance to students’ academic pursuit, socio-economic need,
career plans and moral development. In this way, the guidance and counseling
program ensures that students are able to cope well with their circumstances.
FUNCTIONS OF COUNSELORS

1. Providers of individual and group counseling services.

School counselors take an active role in counseling groups or individuals.
2. Developmental classroom guidance specialists.
Professional counselors also prepare lessons and implement guidance
instructions to students.
3. Leaders and advocates of academic success.
(example: living with an absentee or separated parents); socio-emotional (ex.
peer pressure); moral dilemmas (ex. failing an exam or cheating to pass an exam),
or career-related barriers (ex. indecisiveness about a course in college).
4. Career development specialists.
These activities include formal writing of resumes, having proper responses to
job interviews and knowing appropriate clothing for job applications. Furthermore,
to ensure proper coping and success in the workplace, professional counselors help
students develop essential, basic skills such as effective communication, creativity,
decision-making, critical thinking, and work ethics.
5. Agents of diversity and multiculturalism.
Professional school counselors are trained to deal with and address the needs
of people from different cultural backgrounds.
6. Advocates of students with special needs and students-at-risk.
Professional counselors give attention to students with special needs-such as the athletes,
honor students, students with absentee parents, those with learning disabilities and other clinically
diagnosed students.
7. Advocates of a safe school environment.
Conflicts, which may lead to violence, happen in some school communities. For instance, there
are issues on bullying-physical, verbal, cyber, psychological, etc.
8. School and community collaboration specialists.
For example, they cooperate with teachers to better assist students with learning difficulties or
behavioral problems. At times, school counselors are tasked to prepare seminar to facilitate
teachers’ better understanding of the personality dynamics of students. Though conferences,
counselors collaborate with the parents to best facilitate and promote excellent academic
performance of the students.
Critical Thinking Questions:

1. Do you think that when counselors are also determining academic success, it goes beyond their roles and
functions? Should it only be within the expected boundaries of counseling? Defend your answer. ___yes,
because that is the role of counsellors is to guide the students in terms of academic career however it should be
based on the potential or abilities in order to give him appropriate
advise________________________________________________________________________
2. Is counseling strictly for students who have behavioral problems? Should relationship problems in school
count as an aspect to consider in counseling? Defend your answer. _no, it is for all of us, as long as you need an
counsel/advise since we are people who can easily commit mistakes
3. Can you trust a counselor especially when discussing some of your problems in your family? Why? Why not?
Give your explanation. _it depends as long as I know the counsellors or all the ethical principles of being a
counsellors are present_
4. Why do you think counseling should be a professional one, given that even teachers can also counsel and give
advice? Do you think teachers are also good counselors? Defend your answer. ____i think anydoby could be
counsellor as long as they are doing it willfully and proper considerations.
REMEMBER

 The roles and functions of counselors have an impact not only in the developing
and enriching policies in the institution but extends its reach to the community
(barangays) and the society.
 • Their important roles extend not only on the learner’s realm of academic
achievement, but also tackles the emotional boundaries of the learner, as this also
affect the holistic development of the learner
 • Counselors are also allied with mental health practitioners such as clinical
psychologists and psychiatrists in assessing the needs and problems of the
learner. They are a great asset in helping the counselor to efficiently help a learner
succeed in life.