Guidance counsellors receive advanced training
While the kids are enjoying themselves this summer many teachers are working hard to improve their skills for the coming school term. One area that is receiving special attention is the role played by guidance counsellors. Today Ann-Marie visited the U.B. education campus to sit in on a class.
Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting
What started out as a concept proposal in 1999 at the University College of Belize has today become reality. It’s a graduate programme for high school principals and teachers. The U.B. programme runs in partnership with the University of North Florida specialises in school counselling.
Dr. Eve Aird, who chairs U.B.’s Curriculum and Instruction Department, was instrumental in setting up the event.
Dr. Eve Aird, Chair, Curriculum Dept., U.B.
“The programme is offering two specialisations in Belize: one in school counselling and one in TESOL (Teaching of English as a Second Language). School counselling and TESOL were chosen to be offered here because the Minister of Education wants TESOL experts and school counsellors in all schools in Belize. The class that we have here has about eight people who will be graduating and about another twelve or fourteen who have been selected by the Ministry of Education to become school counsellors this year.”
Close to two dozen professionals in education from all over the country are attending three weeks of classes facilitated by Dr. Carolyn Stone of U.N.F.
Dr. Carolyn Stone, Assoc. Professor, U.N.F.
“There are four courses out of our sixteen course work at the University of North Florida. But they are by now means courses that we picked up from U.N.F. and brought down here. We brought the framework and we are tailoring it to Belizean needs. The courses that they’re taking this summer, they are a school counsellors and special needs students. Organisation, administration of a school counselling programme is the second course. They’re taking a course called consultation, collaboration and team building, and they’re taking a course that’s introduction to the helping process, the facilitation skills, counselling skills.”
Dr. Stone says counselling skills are invaluable for teachers. In light of charges recently filed against a counsellor at Anglican Cathedral College, the subject of sexual assault has received high priority. Although Belize is yet to set guidelines and develop policies for dealing with sexual activity between teachers and students or among students, Stone offers some much-needed advice.
Dr. Carolyn Stone
“Usually when this happens in our school system, it’s a criminal matter and it’s handled by the legal system. And it’s pretty much out of our hands as educators. When we’re placed on notice that a child has been abused we have an affirmative duty–there are no judgement calls to make–we have an affirmative duty to report that. And it doesn’t matter whether we believe it, all we have to do is suspect it and if we suspect it we have to report it.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“I could assume that when you hire somebody you do background checks, because that’s very important.”
Dr. Carolyn Stone
“Absolutely, we do background checks. You’re fingerprinted, they do a background check on you and I’m not at all convinced that they’re fool proof, because people still get in our educational systems everyday that don’t belong there. But we do a rigorous job of trying to keep those people out of our system that do harm to children.”
General Manager for Anglican Schools, Carol Babb says they are developing a position paper title: School counselling programme–impacting the future of Belize with a view to develop policies for primary and secondary institutions
Carol Babb, General Mgr., Anglican Schools
“First of all, as a general manager I’m hoping that this new school counselling programme will begin in the elementary schools, in our primary schools, because this is about preventative measures and providing success for every child. And I think we should start at a very early age…
Ann-Marie Williams
“And it applies there too.”
Carol Babb
“Right. What we are hoping to do as a group of prospective school counsellors, is put together some guidelines that will address issues as it relates to sexual abuse and abuse of all forms.”
Alan Flores, Counsellor, Escuela Mexico
“I find the programme very challenging. I’ve learnt quite a few things in terms of collaboration, breaking down systematic and academic barriers to create in inclusive learning environment for all and every Belizean student.
Erodito Pineda, V.P., Canaan Adventist High School
“Appropriate for the time in which we are living in our Belizean society. That time in which we need to intervene for the benefit of our youths and especially our high school and primary school children.”
Lucia Ellis, Counsellor, Sacred Heart
“Our programme that we’re developing is addressing the needs of the gifted because they have their difficulties too. They come under pressure; they’re called nerves. And then you have the child who has a disability, say blindness or a visual impairment. That child could be referred to as a bat because they keep crashing into things. So we have to come up with a programme that includes all of those children.”
Ann-Marie Williams for News 5.
The University of Belize education faculty graduates its first set of Master’s Degree students in August.
