the need for school counselors

So day one of grad school and I already love it. Its so different when the prof is talking about things you have a passion for. I feel like I was smiling ear to ear, with everything he was talking about. Im even excited about writing papers..which never happens. lol. There is a ton of reading too (3 classes= 3 textbooks) and unlike undergraduate im actually am reading them. One of the textbooks that really spoke to me was from my Intro to S.C. class.

 The chapter was all about how school counselor became what it is know and the struggles it had to overcome as a profession. I am very proud in becoming a school counselor and help becoming an agent of change of the education system.

S.C. has come so far but sadly it has so much to go. I looked at the State School Counseling Mandates and Legislation and I see some great improvements and some other things that made me shocked.  (http://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/careers-roles/state-school-counseling-mandates-and-legislation). Now, it looking at the information, it shows that school counselors are very valued at the high school level. (yes- 32 to only no-18) This doesn't surprise me because whenever I asked someone what does a school counselor do majority of people think college and career prep. Another great success is there is more mandated school counselor states then not mandated :-) The issue that really bothers me (I am going looking at either middle or elementary schools ) is the lack of importance for school counselors in elementary and middle school grades. This honestly is astonishing to be since these years are the where we learn about our identity, deal with peer pressure and bullying and well as so many other issues. Kids are having to deal with more grownup issues (abuse, divorce, death) at such young ages now a days. It seems parents(no offense) just see school counselors as the one to help get their kid into college, but they do and are needed in some many other areas. In order for kids to do well in the academic part of school, they cant be distracted by the many issues that kids deal with like peer pressure, how to be a friend, bullying, self image. These are things that School Counselors can focus on (teachers have enough to worry about let school counselors help lessen the load).


Maybe by the time I become a school counselor it will be mandated in my state :)