The Philosophy of Education As a school counselor, my mission is to help students learn about themselves and develop in three areas; personal/social, education and career. I believe that every student has a God-given gift, and my goal is to help students identify those gifts and accumulate them to become successful students and citizens. The Purpose of Counseling The purpose of guidance counseling is to help students achieve happiness and success in their social and educational contexts. For young children, this involves adjusting to the educational environment and resolving any social or family issues that may be interfering with the child's psychological health. For older children, choosing a career based on interests and abilities takes precedence, although serious problems such as alcohol or drug abuse, sexual abuse or domestic violence situations, bullying and other situations that lead to to severe stress. The successful school counselor is one who takes on the role of a loving, interested and empathetic parent, capable of listening and gaining the trust of students and with the time and self-confidence necessary to make a difference in their lives. What Should Be TaughtSchool counselors implement a comprehensive school counseling program that promotes and improves student outcomes through program guidance, individual planning strategies, responsive services, and comprehensive school counseling program support and advocacy. The comprehensive school counseling program should meet the needs of all students. The Role of the Counselor School counselors meet students' needs in three key areas: academic development, career development, and personal/social development. Knowledge, understanding and skill in these areas are developed through classroom instruction, assessments, consultation, advising, coordination and collaboration. For example, in assessment, school counselors can use a variety of personality and professionalism assessment methods to help students explore vocational needs and interests. The classroom orientation lessons are designed with a preventative nature and include self-management and self-monitoring skills. The responsive services component of the school counselor role provides individual and/or small group counseling for students. For example, if a student's behavior interferes with his or her achievement, the counselor will observe that student in class; provide consultation to teachers and other staff to develop (with the student) a plan to address behavioral problems and then work together to implement the plan. They also help by providing counseling services to family members.