Wake Up Counselors!: Restoring Counseling Services for Troubled Teens

(Paperback)

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Providing individual and group counseling for secondary school students was once a major priority for secondary school counselors. However, many guidance programs have abandoned this role, and counselors have become quasi-administrators who spend most of their time scheduling students for classes, managing mandated testing programs, resolving discipline issues, and advising students on college admissions. Counseling students on personal and well-being issues takes up a very small part of the time.

In many school districts, social workers, student assistance counselors, and school psychologists have taken over the counseling duties. Critical issues are now causing school leaders to consider reorganizing school guidance staff so there is a cadre of counselors trained and charged with the mission of providing individual and group counseling for troubled teens. First, the number of troubled teens arriving at the schoolhouse door looking for help has exploded. Second, budget cuts have eliminated or drastically curtailed many of the services of social workers, student assistance counselors, and psychologists.

The result Many once open doors for help are now closed, and schools' counseling services are failing many students, parents, and educators in need of intervention. This book provides a new model in which well-trained counselors can once again regain their historic role in counseling troubled teens, parents, and training staff and students on the front lines to act -- not look the other way -- when they observe a student heading towards the margins of school life.

Reviews

Once again, Dr. Fibkins proposes a model for change that, although similar to earlier paradigms, addresses the complex needs and demands of 21st century students. One can only hope that preparatory programs and professional development opportunities will instill appropriate values and focus in counselors-to-be and counselors-in-fact; at the same time, I urge administrators to take this book to heart and to allow their staff to do what they are meant to do. -- Stuart Rachlin, Phd, superintendent of schools, Eastern Long Island; data administrator technology integration specialist

Author Bio

William L. Fibkins is an author and consultant specializing in training teachers as advisors, reorganizing guidance programs for todays world, and helping to implement intervention programs for troubled teens. He strongly advocates for programs that provide a circle of wellness for the entire school community, where any of its membersstudent, parent, teacher, administrator, or support staffcan find his or herself at-risk.