For a moment I want you to imagine that a person is in a railway station. And that person hasn’t decided where to go. What ticket would the person buy? Some of you, on hearing this, would even ask me if one did not know where to go, why the hell did that person come to a railway station in the first place? I would agree with your question.
Now imagine a child studying, without knowing what s/he wants to become. Isn’t s/he like the person in the railway station, doing something without knowing where s/he has to go.
Many parents have written to me or spoken to me that their kids have displayed greater focus in studies once they got clarity on what they wanted to do in life. This clarity they received after a scientific Career Counselling. This reinforces what Thomas Leonard said – Clarity Affords Focus.
What is Scientific Counselling? Scientific Counselling is when a child is assessed correctly for their Personality along with their Career Interests besides assessing them for their Skills & Abilities, their Career Values and Career Scenarios where they would remain happy. A comprehensive assessment only can give a clear picture. The child then is focused to study the stream of her/his choice knowing fully well that these are scientifically supported.
Unfortunately many schools fall for shiny brochures and organize mass Career Counselings. What actually being done is a Career Guidance which gives information about various streams. On the other hand Counselling is a very personalized affair. Many children have been misguided by some people making judgments based on their academic performance alone. One girl approached me having done two counselings from the same organisation and still was not clear as to what she needs to do to excel. Many others were given just reports which they were unable to decipher. Some people fell for cheap options, but it turned out to be a costly affair later when the child decided to change stream or course during graduation losing precious years or were plainly disinterested.
A good counselor has to spend considerable amount of time with the child to understand and guide the child without being prescriptive. The journey has to be exploratory. In the end the counselor has to decipher the comprehensive report with both the parent and child. The child should own and take responsibility for their career and not feel it was thrust down their throats.
What is the Ideal Age for Counselling?
9/ 10th Class: Any child in 9th and above or 14 years and above can be counselled. The best time is before the child completes 10th std so that they choose the right stream. I have seen that kids in colleges sadly struggling with some engineering degrees whereas they would have excelled in Psychology or Medicine. If and only if they were guided rightly during their 10th.
11/12th Class: Any child in 11th should do the Career counselling right away so that they get a year or two to prepare for the entrance exams of their choice. If the child is already in 12th then it has to be done immediately so that they do not miss any entrance exam application dates.
College: If the child is already in college and not clear what to do, then too it is beneficial so that they will know how to take a career path during post graduation.
Who Does this? Dr. Chinu Agrawal, PhD, founder of Feeling Minds has trained numerous career counselors across the country in her mission to cover a million children to find their sweet spot to remain happy in their careers. If you want to know your nearest counselor, feel free to write to me at sajan@renergetics.com with the child’s, name, age, city. Few of them do counseling online through a video call for those in cities where there are no counselors present.
Wishing you and your child a stress free life filled with clear vision, clarity and focus to succeed in Life.
Guidance counseling must be available to students, especially teens over the entire academic year. It just cannot be run as a few day’s or a week’s capsule.
Guidance-Teacher Counselors are available in all Canadian schools to help students make important decisions about courses, future plans and to help talk through concerns they may have. They are available to help students make important decisions about courses and future plans, and also talk through whatever concerns they may have. Their job is to:-
. Listen to students’ concerns about academic, emotional or social problems
. Help students process their problems and plan goals and action
. Mediate conflict between students and teachers
. Improve parent/teacher relationships
. Assist with college applications, jobs and scholarships
. Facilitate drug and alcohol prevention programs
. Organize peer counseling programs
. Refer students to psychologists and other mental health resources
. Work on academic boards to improve learning conditions
The counselors either hold a Master’s degree with a focus on counseling/psychotherapy. or are teachers with over three years experience with special Certification in Guidance and Career Education.
High schools have a dedicated Counseling Team and students are allotted counselors based on the first letter of their last name. Student counselor ratio is 1:380, which many claim is too thin, especially keeping in mind the ‘mental and social’ issues today’s teens go through.