Indian School Counselors Association (ISCA)

WHY PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELORS WORLDWIDE WIDE 43 COUNTRIES, U S A ADOPTED / INTRODUCED IN 1900?

The secondary education department will make professional counselling compulsory in schools in the state from the next academic year onward. Even CBSE and ICSE Schools will not be spared. The GO is expected to be issued in a couple of weeks after the department holds talks with senior teachers’ union representatives, student leaders and child rights organizations. (02 Apr13)-TOI, HYDERABAD

School Counseling is a unique and specialized profession WORLD WIDE with M. Sc /PG DIP IN (SCHOOL COUNSELLING), who work in schools and because of this they are considered professional school counsellors and educators. They develop and implement a comprehensive, developmental program to facilitate the academic/learning skills, personal/social developmental skills competencies, spiritual care & understanding, and career options counselling tasks, appropriate to the needs of pre-K-12 students. School counsellors have specialized training which includes knowledge of human development, cultural diversity, counselling and consultation and techniques, appraisal and assessment, and career development.

Besides, adequate tools to identify, assess, and evaluate BEHAVIOUR, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING DIFFICULTIES(BSELDs), and when needed make referrals of severe cases, of mental health to clinical psychologists/ psychiatrists/neurologists for treatment.

School counsellors have specialized training which includes knowledge of human development, cultural diversity, counselling and consultation and techniques, appraisal and assessment, career development, etc. In addition, school counsellors possess skills to apply this knowledge to work with children in grades pre-K-12, as well as guardians, school administration, faculty and staff, and other professionals.

Indian School Counselors Association (ISCA) has developed a National model through in-depth studies on international models and the framework of the program like ASCA National model and bacp guidelines with appropriate modifications.(http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework/guidance.)

These ODL courses will offer adequate competencies to the candidates and will enable the in-service personnel to avail of the opportunity without leaving their places of work and families for a long period of time. The main objective of the course is to train teachers, in teachers,-educators and untrained guidance personnel as counsellors, and teacher-counselors to fulfil the roles of school counsellors in elementary/middle/high/higher secondary school settings. in-depth studies on international models and the framework of the program like the ASCA National model and BACP guidelines with appropriate modifications

Though Indian School counselors Association (ISCA) developed a National model of Professional School Counselors studies curriculum; also has influence of ASCA and BACP U. K guidance for best practices in school counseling, in order to have global perspective. Efforts have been to design and develop the contents as a self help program, which can be done on your own or in the more supporting setting of counseling practitioners who work with young people in school. Principally, they are college counselors, teacher Counselors, school counselors, educational career counselors, social and welfare workers and educational psychologists.  Campus, School based counseling services are in practice and adopted in over 53 countries worldwide.

Taking inspiration from Willem Doise’s 1986 book (levels of explanation in Social Psychology) four levels of analysis-interpersonal, interpersonal  inter group and interact group-provided the basis to represent the various domains of developmental competencies of students K-12 ,a discipline in a kind of matrix structure, crossing levels of analysis with topics, processes ,and functions that recur at all these and becomes part and parcel of school counselors roles and functions.  The Course study modules  written from a practitioners perspective to broaden the skills-base pertaining to various domains falling under school/college counselors ambit. It is not, therefore, counselor skills training manual but it does include an introductory section for the reader to have a theoretical and working knowledge of basic counseling and program implementation of the same matching resources at the school..

There are five main sections of the study modules  (BSELDs) BEHAVIOR  SOCIAL,EMOTIONAL LEARNING DIFFICULTIES, each covering different areas of studies, but overlapping ,interlinked in counseling practices for providing help and support to young people experiencing a range of difficulties in their home and school lives.

ISCA National Model A philosophy answers the questions: an overview of ISCA National Model

That task force comprising the ISCA, members was commissioned to formulate major domains of study to articulate the National model and curriculum for the school counsellors program at PG, a Master’s level course of study. The President of the Institute has also carried out in-depth desk research and interactive responses through public forums, finally, delineating 8 domains for designing and developing the School counsellor’s program and practical internship.

  • Data-driven counselling plan and formats on an individual basis and Accountability.
  • Integrated collaborative consultative system home/school/community.
  • Effective counselling Instruction for the Development of Cognitive/Academic Skills.
  • Socialization and Development of Life Competencies; personal/ social skills
  • Student Diversity in Development and Learning; spiritual empowerment and care
  • Prevention, Wellness Promotion, and early interventions of at-risk & special needs students
  • Program Evaluation; Legal, Ethical Practice and Continuous Professional Development (CPD)