School Counsellor-Teacher Collaboration in Student Counselling

Abstract

An active collaboration with teachers is a prerequisite of system based approach to school counselling. Th e objective of the research was examining the experiences of school counsellors regarding collaboration with teachers in the domain of student counselling in the school setting in Serbia. Th is research applied a pragmatist qualitative approach using a semi-structured interview. Participants were 81 elementary school counsellors (pedagogues). Th e results show that teachers are generally open for collaboration during student counselling. Teachers' acceptance of advice depends on their personality and classroom management style. Conclusions off er recommendations for improving the partnership relations as a basis for eff ective student counselling.

“Sometimes I Really Need the School Counselling Service”: Some Aspects of School Counsellor–Teacher Collaboration

“…For the student, one of the most important contexts in an educational institution is the classroom community, where the daily educational work and processes take place; therefore, it is particularly important for the school counsellor to have a good quality of collaboration with teachers (Gregorčič Mrvar & Resman, 2019;NEIS, 2008a, b;Slijepčević & Zuković, 2021).…”

“…Other studies from different parts of the world also typically report that teachers are open to such collaboration or that the collaboration is good (e.g. Atici, 2014;Slijepčević & Zuković, 2021). For example, a study of teachers in Slovenian schools (n = 1436) found that almost three-quarters of teachers (73.1%) rated their collaboration with school counselling as very good or good (Valenčič Zuljan et al, 2011).…”

“…The literature review briefly outlines the role of the school counsellors and the teachers in the school setting, focusing on aspects of their mutual collaboration. The starting point is the assumption that school counsellors play an important role as bridge builders between all those involved in school life (Bryan & Henry, 2012;Gregorčič Mrvar et al, 2022) and contribute to the holistic development of individual students as well as the professional development of teachers and the school as a whole (Slijepčević & Zuković, 2021).…”

A Collaborative Learning Guidance Program Based on Need Analysis of Students’ Learning Motivation and Behavior

“…School counselors-classroom teacher collaboration is necessary to enhance the effectiveness of the classroom teachers' interaction with the students (Gibson et al, 2010). In its process, classroom teachers may serve as the source of initial information about the students, which could be used as the basis for initial data for the counseling process and during the follow-up stage of the counseling process (Slijepčević & Zuković, 2021). Subject teachers' roles are also needed to support the school counselors' services, including the academic guidance service.…”

“…Collaboration could be done from the early stages of need analysis and program prioritization to the execution and evaluation of the program. Previous studies have reported a successful collaboration of school counselors and subject teachers in a counseling service (Slijepčević & Zuković, 2021) and classical guidance service (Warren & Baker Warren, 2013). Such a successful collaboration is considered to be mutualism for both parties.…”