Guidance Counsellor – The Guidance Counsellor participates in and co-ordinates the school guidance and counselling service. This participation can be categorised under three integrated areas of activity:

• Personal / Social Guidance and Counselling
• Educational Guidance and Counselling
• Career Guidance and Counselling

The roles and responsibilities of all the different partners in Guidance and Counselling i.e. Guidance Counsellor, School Management and of the Dept. of Education are outlined in the Dept. of Education Guidelines (NCGE, 1996)

Methodology:

The Guidance Counsellor in CSN:

• Co-ordinates the Guidance and Counselling Service
• Counsels individual and small groups of pupils, parents and staff.
• Engages in consultation with parents, teachers, school management and outside agencies.
• Administers Career Information Service for pupils, parents and teachers.
• Talks to parents of:
  - 3rd.yr students on Subject Choice for Leaving Cert.
• Assesses pupils especially at entry to the School and the transition stage between junior and senior cycle.
• Monitors pupils progress in co-operation with teachers and management and maintains a personal file on every student.
• Engages in timetabled classroom guidance activities with sixth year students.
• Refers pupils, parents and teachers to sources of help.
• Takes referrals from teachers, parents, and management:
  - meets pupils at risk.
  - meets pupils entering the School
  - meets pupils leaving the School
• Engages in vocational preparation through the organisation of:
  - Visiting speakers.
  - Students attending Exhibitions and College open days.
  - School Career Seminar for 6th.5th. and 3rd.yr. students and their parents.
• Keeps a record of appointments.
• Maintains personal levels of skill and expertise by participation in and attendance at relevant in-service, information sessions, open days, counselling supervision, etc.
• Interviews on a one to one basis all sixth year students for vocational guidance, all 3rd.yr. students for subject choice and other students on request.

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1. GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION:
The mind works best when the body is in good physical condition. Good health demands that we eat properly and get enough rest, sleep, exercise and recreation.

2. FAVOURABLE SURROUNDINGS:

(a) A place where you can study regularly without interruptions:
(b) A desk or a table, and a chair;
(c) Good light;
(d) Noise and other distractions should be eliminated (inc. T.V., radio, etc.)
(e) The room temperature should neither be too hot nor too cold.

3. STUDY MATERIALS:
You cannot write without a pen, biro or a pencil. You cannot draw straight lines without a ruler. You cannot draw a circle without a compass - in short, you cannot study without your study materials.

4. REGULAR HABITS:
Every human being is subject to habits - eating times, sleep times etc. The body and mind perform various functions more easily when they are taught to do so at regular intervals. Likewise, if a definite period of the day is set aside for study, the mind is more likely to be ready to study.

5. UNDERSTANDING THE ASSIGNMENT:
No subject can be studied effectively unless you have a clear understanding of the work you have to do. Ask your teacher to explain any points that are not clear. Practise your listening skills.

6. PLANNING THE WORK:
Plan carefully how to use your time to best advantage. Schedule your study for a time when you are least tired. Study your most difficult subject first when you are freshest mentally and physically. Plan to keep your periods short and take a few minutes of rest between subjects. Use the time plan in the Journal.

7. IMPORTANT ITEMS:
When your teacher says that some item is very important, he/she knows what he/she is talking about - so recognise it by writing a note in your note-book or copy that will stand out when you are doing revision. Underline, use colour markers etc.

8. KEEP YOUR WORK UP TO DATE:
Special assistance from your teacher or parents may be needed if you have missed a number of lessons. Don’t postpone work!

9. CONCENTRATION:
It is essential to keep in mind the subject to be studied. This kind of mental discipline is a habit that can only be cultivated through constant effort. Concentration means that you must think only about the work at hand. If part of the mind is waiting for a telephone call or listening to the radio or television the rest of the mind cannot concentrate or study.

10. FREQUENT REVISION:
Each day’s study should begin with a quick review of the previous lesson. This helps to fix in the mind the points already learned and to form a bridge to the next assignment. All the work covered during a term should be reviewed at frequent intervals. Never wait until the day before an examination to review the work for an entire period. Cramming is a most inefficient method of study and what is learned in this way is usually soon forgotten.

11. APPLICATION:
Study has much more meaning if what has been learned is applied to a practical purpose: for example, you might put arithmetic to use by offering to add and check the food bill. A student of Biology may be able to suggest improvements in the family diet. All recreational activities offer opportunities to put into use something that has been learned in the classroom.

Finally, we urge you to be positive in your thinking about school and subjects. It is so easy to blame others - the school, your teacher and anybody except yourself! Take responsibility for your actions and your own development and do not transfer this responsibility to anybody else.

Of course we understand that being happy helps you to study better. Worries or fears prevent concentration. There are many people who are ready to help you get through your anxieties and worries. Your Guidance Counsellor, Class teacher and Subject teachers will only be too glad to help.

Study hard - do your best - you will not be sorry.

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