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The reorganization of a junior high guidance program

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The reorganization of a junior high guidance program

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Content THE REORGANIZATION OF A JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE PROGRAM A Project Presented to the Faculty of the School of Education The University of Southern California In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Education by Leonard Jay Doerfler August 1951 UMI Number: EP46750 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Rjblishing UMI EP46750 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 EJ '52. Dé>Sl ?rol This project report, w ritte n under the direction o f the candidate’s adviser and approved by him , has been presented to and accepted by the F a cu lty of the School of E ducation in p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t of the requirements fo r the degree o f M a ste r of Science in Education. D a te ....^ A d vise r Dean TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS..... 1 The problem............................ 1 k Statement of the problem ............... 1 Importance and purpose of the study . . . 1 Definitions of terms ........................ 2 Organization of the remainder of the project 4 II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE.............. 6 On a general over-view of guidance on the secondary level ....................... 6 On the organization and administration of guidance services ..................... 7 On cumulative records ................... 8 On the use of t e s t s ..................... 9 On vocational guidance . . . ............ 9 On home room guidance................... 10 III. THE GUIDANCE PROGRAM NOW IN EFFECT........ 11 Description of the school and community . . 11 The school............................ 11 The community........................ 12 Organization and administration ........... 13 The administration.................... 13 Counselors............................. l4 iv CHAPTER PAGE Home room teachers........................ l4 Class room teachers..................... 15 Doctor .......... . . 15 N u r s e .................................... 15 District psychologist ................... 15 District audiometrist ................... 16 Child welfare and attendance officer . . . I6 Clerks................. I6 Outside sources .......................... I6 Services............ 17 T e s t s .................................... 17 Records.................................. 18 Group guidance............................ 18 Orientation................... 19 Library.................................. 19 Assemblies................................ 20 Clubs .......... . 20 Student government ....................... 20 Counseling................................ 21 IV. A PROPOSED REORGANIZED GUIDANCE PROGRAM: PHILOSOPHY AND PLANNING ................... 24 A discussion of the meaning and purposes of guidance................. 24 V CHAPTER PAGE Student needs .............................. 29 Some factors vital to a successful guidance program.................................. 40 Principles of organization ............... 40 A pre-program inventory ................. 42 Steps in developing a program . ....... 43 Problems encountered in reorganization . • 45 An examination of certain weaknesses in the present program .......................... 46 Point of v i e w ................... 53 V. A PROPOSED REORGANIZED GUIDANCE PROGRAM: ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION ........... 54 Administrators ............................ 54 Guidance council ...... ............. 57 Counselor................................ 58 Grade guidance committees ............... 60 Home room teacher-counselors............. 6l Class room teachers..................... 63 Doctors........................... 64 N u r s e .......... 64 District psychologist ................... 65 District audiometrist ................... 65 Child welfare and attendance officer . . . 66 Vi CHAPTER PAGE C l e r k .................................... 67 Librarian....................... . . . 67 Outside-school sources . . . . . . . 68 VI. A PROPOSED REORGANIZED GUIDANCE PROGRAM: SERVICES ..... .......................... 70 Knowing and understanding the Individual . . 70 Testing program . ................. 71 Cumulative records..................... . 78 Individual counseling ..................... 82 What are some common counseling problems . 83 Who shall be counseled by the counselor . 86 Who shall be counseled by the home room counselor.............................. 88 Who shall be counseled by the vice principals .............................. 89 Others who counsel....................... 91 Counseling policies ..................... 92 Counseling facilities ................... 93 Group guidance............................. 94 The counselor........................... 98 The home r o o m ........................... 98 The class room..............................107 Library.....................................109 vil CHAPTER PAGE Remedial reading and hearing classes . . . 110 Student government ....................... 110 Leadership council ......................... Ill C l u b s ................................. 112 Assemblies.................................. 113 Special activities ......................... 113 Services to the staff . . . ............... 115 In-service training ................. Il6 Information and a i d ....................... 118 Evaluation ........................... 119 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................... 124 APPENDIX............................................... 131 CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS I. THE PROBLEM Statement of the problem. When the administration of a school feels dissatisfied with the guidance program being carried on> the counselors frustrated because of a sense of nonaccoraplishment of objectives, the teaching staff hardly aware that any guidance program exists and the students not being greatly benefited by such program, a real problem in guidance exists. The guidance program of the school in question is one which evolved under sev eral administrators and was never fully recognized as a vital part in the over-all educational program. At some point during the recent school year the need for a success ful program of guidance was recognized. The problem, then, was what could be done to effectuate a program of guidance capable of meeting the needs of the students and the staff while utilizing the resources already present and any that might be available. Importance and purpose of the study. It was the purpose, and at the same time, the importance of this study to survey what had already been done in the school 2 along guidance lines, to present a criticism of that pro gram, to establish some problems inherent in reorganizing that program, to examine some guidance philosophies related to the criticisms and problems, to attempt to define and solve the problems raised, to evolve a personalized philo sophy of guidance and to present a program capable of being put into effect and successfully carried out. No standard works on guidance can present a particular school with a "tailor-made” guidance program capable of dealing with its peculiar needs and seeking to solve its particular problem. It is the hope of the writer that such has been accomplished herein. II. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS Guidance program. That body of services organized to help pupils solve their problems and improve their planning. Counseling. The process of helping a pupil through the interview and other individual relationships to solve his problems and improve his planning. Counselor. A person delegated the responsibility for doing counseling. Counseling interview. A person-to-person relation ship whereby one person with problems and needs is helped 3 to achieve more desirable goals. Teacher-counselor. A staff member having delegated responsibilities for both instruction and counseling. Group guidance. Any group activity undertaken for the primary purpose of facilitating or improving the total guidance. Occupational and educational information. A service to secure and make available to pupils and to teachers in formation essential to the making of wise educational and vocational plans. Cumulative record. A record built up progressively throughout a pupil's school career of mental achievement, diagnostic tests, health data, family history and background data, special interests, disabilities, social adjustment, and various personal data pertinent to the growth and de velopment of the individual. Orientation. Helping a person to become acquainted with and adjusted to a new environment. Standardized test. A test, the materials for which have been scientifically prepared and selected to reveal certain specific qualities and which has been administered to a sufficient number of representative persons to have a statistically determined norm. Vice-principal. An administrative assistant whose 4 duties usually include administration, student discipline, counseling, leadership in the social activities of the school, and supervision of certain extracurricular activi ties. Evaluation. The process of determining the degree of success and failure and the strengths and weaknesses of the guidance program through various research techniques. III. ORGANIZATION OF THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECT Chapter II of this project is a brief review of literature related to the subject. Chapter III is a factual presentation of the exist ing guidance program with no attempt to comment or criti cize . In Chapter IV an attempt is made to establish some general principles of guidance and to examine student needs; and the program presented in Chapter III is dis sected with the objective being to ascertain the objection able features of that program and to examine the problems created by a planned reorganization. Out of all the stress and strain comes a guidance point of view upon which the program can be founded. Chapters V and VI present the final phases of a reorganized guidance program. In Chapter V, a brief 5 description of the administration and organization is presented and highlights the personnel and their duties. Chapter VI describes the services offered. The Bibliography is annotated to enhance selectivity and the Appendix contains some forms to be used in the pro gram. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The field of guidance has no dearth of literature as is the case in some fields or aspects of education. On this matter the researcher is not faced by the difficulty of obtaining information about his subject, but of being selective. When the problem being considered is the re organization of a program of guidance for one school, an air of uniqueness is present that defeats critically con sidering other works in the field as a basis for doing the project. The basis for doing the project is its unique ness and the related literature cannot be criticized be cause it 'has not covered the problem under study- It can only be considered for its general usefulness and applica tion and so it shall be in this chapter. As will be demonstrated in Chapter IV, this project has certain points of view as a foundation. The works to be considered in this chapter are those which are the most compatible with them. On a general over-view of guidance on the secondary level. Hamrin and Ericksonl survey the guidance scene 1 Shirley A. Hamrin and Clifford E. Erickson, Guid ance in the Secondary School (New York: Appleton-Century- rather thoroughly and practically. Notable is their viewpoint that guidance must be oriented toward student needs and that what is needed in the organization of a guidance program is not a staff of specialists, but a staff of "generalists.” Their viewpoint can be summed up in ten short statements: 1. Human values are of greatest importance. , 2. Guidance is interested in the 'whole child.' 3. The situation including the home, school, church, and community must always be considered. 4. Frequently, guidance workers should attempt to change situations rather than attempt to fit the individual to his present circumstances. 5. Guidance or personnel work must be provided for all children and not just for problem children or for the select few. 6. Guidance is a continuous process. 7 . Guidance must be a unitary function since all aspects of a person's development are inter related. 8. Guidance is not prescriptive but rather works-toward the goal of self-direction. 9. All teachers must be guidance workers. 10. There should be a definite plan to care for the guidance function in every school.2 On the organization and administration of guidance services. A guidance program can very easily get swamped of its organizational framework is weak. Erickson and 1 (continued) Crofts, Inc., 1939)> 465 PP- 2 Ibid., p. 17. 8 Sralth3 pave the way for the building of an organizationally sound program because they point out problems that are like ly to be encountered and suggest methods for resolving them. On this point they say that "Many guidance programs have failed because they were not organizationally sound . . . each school must develop an organized plan of guidance services. The plan must utilize sound primciples of ad ministrative procedures. On cumulative records. The importance of setting up a good cumulative record system, and even more important, the use of it, is well-presented by Traxler.5 His book clearly demonstrates these points and how they can be ac complished. "The cumulative record," says Traxler, "brings together and collates all the information which the school has about each individual pupil. It is the strategic or ganizational device in the whole guidance program. 3 Clifford E. Erickson and Glenn E^ Smith, Organiza tion and Administration of Guidance Services (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company> Inc., 19^7)> 2f6 pp. ^ Ibid., p. vii. 5 Arthur E. Traxler, How to Use Cumulative Records (Chicago: Science Research AssocTates, 1$47),4Ô pp. 6 Ibid., p. 12. On the use of tests. Standardized tests have been a weak point in our school systems, not because of the tests, but because of the way they are used. This state ment by Selover, £t ,7 aptly sums up the situation; There is a variety of reasons for the administra tion of tests in schools and colleges, and there are several important uses of test results. Of these, the guidance use would seem to be the most important .... Measurement without guidance loses much of its purpose; guidance without measurement loses its scientific character and becomes highly intuitive. The relation of measurement to guidance grows out of the simple thesis that in order to provide guid ance services for an individual a counselor must first understand him and that objective appraisal is an es sential element in that understanding.o On vocational guidance. At some time or another, every educator must face the fact that a tremendous amount of our educational planning and energy, no matter how we label it, is directed toward preparing the student for the world of work. Meyers9 has examined this situation and 7 Margaret Selover, et al.. Introduction to Testing and the Use of Test ResultsHTEHucational Records Bulletin No. 55, New York; Educational Records Bureau, 1950), 107 pp. 8 Ibid., p. 104. 9 George E. Myers, Principles and Techniques of Vocational Guidance (New York; McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1941), 377 PP. 10 covers it and its treatment from almost every angle. His realistic approach to vocational guidance gives it impli cations for over-all school utilization. On home room guidance. Most guidance programs are faced with the problem of insufficient counselor personnel. Where then can the burden best be placed? McKown feels the answer lies in the home room. The home room is a primary unit in education al organization. It corresponds to the family in a social structure . . . and a full realization of individual responsibility can be best fostered and promoted through the home room plan. It offers many opportunities and activities that find dif ficulty of expression and interpretation anywhere else.10 This chapter has attempted to examine some of the literature of guidance as it applies to this study. It covered such aspects of guidance as (1) a general survey of guidance at the secondary level; (2) organization and administration of guidance services; (3) cumulative records; (4) tests; (5) vocational guidance; and (*6) home room guidance. 10 Harry C. McKown, Home Room Guidance (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 194b), p. 25. CHAPTER III THE GUIDANCE PROGRAM NOW IN EFFECT In order to effectively reorganize a guidance pro gram, it is necessary to examine what already exists so that desirable and undesirable features can be ascertained. When these features are established some critical thinking has been done and it is then possible to utilize the desir able qualities and dispense with the others. It would be idealistic and impractical to assume that a completely new guidance program could be superimposed on a school where one already exists. The purpose of this chapter therefore, was to determine what kind of a guidance program was al ready being carried on in the school and to describe the school. I. DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY The school. The school is one of three Junior high schools in the district. The enrollment in this school for the school year 1950-51 was about 1,100 students. Grades seven, eight, and nine represent about one-third each of the stated enrollment. The teaching staff num bered forty-two, consisting of twenty-three men and nine teen women. There is no central guidance organization in 12 the district, thus placing the responsibility on the in dividual school. The physical facilities of the plant in clude classroom buildings, shops, physical education build ings, a cafetorium, and quite extensive grounds. They are considered adequate and being expanded to meet enrollment increases. The periods are fifty minutes each with the school day extending from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Homeroom period is from 9 :1 5 to 9:30 a.m. daily immediately followed by a fifteen minute nutrition period. Because of the large en rollment the lunch and assembly periods are duplicated. Teachers are on duty from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Faculty meetings are held every other Monday immediately after school is dismissed. The community. The people in the community served by the school are mainly of the lower social and economic class. They are largely native-American whites. The area is surrounded by factories. Many of the homes are sub standard. Cultural and recreational facilities are meager, although the advantages of being in the Los Angeles metro politan area are available within short distances. The population of the area is about 20,000. Families are large and the rate of disorganization great. Parental interest, in the main, is lacking. Attendance at P.T.A. 13 meetings and other school functions for parents is very small, perhaps representing two or three per cent of the parents of students enrolled. Parental reaction to mailed notices from teachers regarding unsatisfactory class pro gress of pupils is about ten per cent written replies and two per cent personal visits. The influence of the school on the students, con sequently, is a vital force in the community. II. ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION The administration. The administration is composed of a principal and two vice-principals, one for the boys and the other for girls. The principal is responsible for the over-all school program, guidance being one aspect. His main role in the guidance program is that of meeting with the counselors, exchanging ideas with them, making recommendations, and passing Judgment on their plans and requests. His part in the program can be said to be advisory. The vice-principals are actively involved in the guidance program. They both are charged with the control and maintenance of discipline for their respective sexes and both are in charge of program planning. They plan and arrange outside school events such as class picnics and 14 trips. They handle the greater portion of Individual counseling, even when not disciplinary in nature. Stu dents with such problems as economic need, work permits, broken homes, serious study problems and delinquency are generally counseled by them. Individually, the boys' vice-principal is in charge of attendance, work permits, the stage crew, and the movie production crew. The girls' vice-principal administers the testing program and has the responsibility for the cumulative records, assembly programs and school displays. Counselors. There are three class counselors, each one being responsible for one full grade. The counselors are given four teaching periods, one preparation period, and one counseling period. Each counselor has about three hundred fifty pupils under his Jurisdiction. The counselors have three main functions: (1) to counsel students doing unsatisfactory class work; (2) to plan, organize, and co ordinate extra-curricular class activities; and (3) to sponsor a class. Home room teachers. The homeroom period takes place daily immediately after period one and is fifteen minutes in duration. Any teacher having a first period class is also the home room teacher for that group. 15 The duties of the home room teacher are: (1) to handle administrative details such as the reading of bul letins and the recording of grades on permanent records; and (2) to carry on group guidance activities^ Class room teachers. There are forty-two class room teachers in the school, organized along subject matter lines. They are responsible to the principal in the carrying out of their assignments. Doctor. The doctor visits the school periodically to perform examinations on students referred for same by the vice-principals or nurse. Nurse. The nurse is in attendance on a three-quarter time basis. She is responsible for the control of communi cable diseases and routine illnesses. She is responsible to the principal for the execution of her duties. She also acts in a consultative capacity to teachers, counselors, and administrators. District psychologist. The district psychologist is available for case studies, the administration of highly specialized tests to particular students needing them, and for dealing with cases beyond the province of any personnel in the school. He also acts in a 16 consultative capacity to counselors and administrators. District audiometrist. The audiometrist administers hearing tests to all students, re-examines referrals from the staff, and conducts a class twice-weekly at the school for selected cases. Child welfare and attendance officer. The attend ance officer is present only a few hours per day to check on absent students and to discuss problem cases with mem bers of the staff. Clerks. The school has three people doing clerical work on a full-time basis. The principal's secretary has charge of the main office. The records clerk maintains the students' records and handles transcripts. The attendance clerk acts as registrar, under the supervision of the vice principals, and handles attendance records. Outside sources. In addition to the personnel de tailed above, there are other persons not a part of but vitally involved in the organization and administration of the school guidance program. Their aid and interest are important to its effectiveness. The parents and guardians provide information and help carry the guidance program into the home. Contact with them is made through IT the P.T.A., school programs, letters, visits, and telephone calls. The county Juvenile officer is in contact with the school in cases where violations of the law are involved, where the child is a ward of the Juvenile court, or where probation proceedings are involved. Public and private organizations dedicated to or interested in the welfare of young people are also considered sources in the organiza tional scheme. Such organizations include the local chamber of commerce, the Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, the County park, and County Library. Ill. SERVICES The school guidance program offers four categories of guidance services to students; (1) tests; (2) records; (3) group guidance; and (4) counseling. A brief descrip tion of each will ensue. Tests. Eighth Grade: California Test of Mental Maturity. Progressive Achievement Test. In both the above cases, the data is entered in the cumulative record of each student and is also put in list form, duplicated, and made available to each teacher for 18 easy reference. Records. A cumulative record form Is used (see Appendix, Form A) which meets the recommended criteria for such forms. This form is of the folder type. Into the folder other data become a part of the record. Such items as incident reports, cumulative information slips, health reports, home reports, report cards, service recognition are all filed in the folder if rendered. These records are filed in the attendance office and are avail able to any member of the staff. Group guidance. Homeroom. The group guidance activities of the homeroom are of two types; (1) organized activities such as intra-homeroom sports, parties, and student government; and (2) guidance activities as determined by the individual home room teacher. Class room. The guidance functions of the class room are not defined except as follows: 1. The ninth grade social studies classes engage in a unit on vocations as prescribed in the district course of study. 2. The physical education department covers units on hygiene, sex, and dancing and seeks generally to foster the spirit of co-operation and sportsmanship. 19 3. The industrial arts courses are in a sense exploratory. 4. School orientation is given in seventh and ninth grade as explained in more detail in the following section. Orientation. Three planned orientation activities are provided. The first activity is a visit by all sixth grader in the junior high school area to the school at which time they are introduced to the staff, given a pro gram by the junior high students', and taken on a tour of the school. The second activity is a unit for seventh graders in social studies acquainting them with their new school. The third activity is a ninth grade orientation day at which time the students are introduced to the ad ministrators of the senior high school and programmed by them. Library. The library stocks and displays books on vocations and révocations, on health, teen-age problems, and other topics related to guidance. It is also a place where good study habits are fostered. The librarian seeks to help students with their individual problems related to reading and research. She has added many books of varying reading levels so that all students can make 20 practical use of the library. Assemblies. Assemblies are held once a week when possible, the students* second period becoming assembly period on that day. Assemblies are provided by such sources as home rooms, departments, dramatics class, and general school. They are of several types; 1. Awards in athletics, both individual and team, for service, for scholarship, for perfect attendance, and for other outstanding activities. 2. Entertainment in the form of plays, talent shows, and by professional performers. 3* Educational such as in the field of accident prevention and travelogues. Sportsmanship and good manners are emphasized for all assembly programs. Clubs. Clubs meet after school. Teachers sponsor such clubs as G.A.A. (Girls* Athletic Association), typing, model airplane, photography, and future teachers. Student government. The student government con sists of a student council with a representative from each home room. The officers of the council are also the school student body officers. The purpose of this body is to plan and organize over-all student activities. The 21 sponsor Is the girls* vice-principal. In addition to the council, each grade level has an executive board consisting of a representative from each home room. The officers of the executive board for each grade are also class officers. The purpose of this body is to plan and organize grade level student activities. These boarcfe are sponsored by the class counselors who at tempt various types of group guidance through the activi ties of this group. Class dances, graduation plans, picnics, and other events are examples. A service group acts as hall and gate monitors. The school has a closed campus. Counseling. Class counselors. The principal individual counsel ing done by the grade counselors regards unsatisfactory class work. When a class teacher decides a student is doing unsatisfactory work, he may send an unsatisfactory notice to the parents of a student. (Appendix, Form E) A carbon copy of this notice goes to the student’s grade counselor who makes arrangements for an interview at which time he tries to give the student help with his problem. Between seventy-five and one hundred students get such notices in each grade every quarter. These notices are generally sent out during the fifth week of 22 each quarter. At the request of a teacher the counselors may call the students for interviews on other types of problems. Vlce-principals. As already stated in a preceding section, the majority of individual counseling is done by the vice-principals. When an incident report is made by a teacher, the student must take it to the vice-principal. Counseling is generally involved in such actions. Other ways in which students enter into counseling situations with the vice-principals are; 1. Voluntary visits regarding problems. 2. Truancy. 3. Trouble with juvenile authorities. 4. Difficulties at school outside of class room. 5. Requests by parents. 6. Informal contact. Others in the school involved in individual counsel ing are the class room and home room teachers both in class and during their preparation period, the nurse who often is in a very personal relationship with the students and the principal who may become a counselor through informal contacts. In this chapter the organizational scheme of the guidance program of a school was detailed. A brief 23 description of each of the four elements of guidance services for the students was given, the elements being tests, records, group guidance and counseling. No attempt was made to criticize or evaluate the program, such being one of the purposes of the next chapter. CHAPTER IV A PROPOSED REORGANIZED GUIDANCE PROGRAM: PHILOSOPHY AND PLANNING Before any guidance program can be reorganized, an investigation of certain preliminary aspects must be made. This investigation should consist of several elements. First, what is the meaning and general purposes of guidance; second, what are the needs of the persons for whom the pro gram is being reorganized; third, what are some of the fac tors vital to a successful guidance program; fourth, what are the weaknesses in the present program that need to be changed, implemented or disposed of and why; and finally, what is the guidance point of view upon which this reorgan ization is based. It was the purpose of this chapter to deal with these five elements so that a framework could be estab lished for the actual program set forth in the next two chapters. I. A DISCUSSION OF THE MEANING AND PURPOSES OP GUIDANCE The most elusive quality about the term "guidance" is pinning it down to a definition. In view of the 25 boundless literature on the subject, one definition is an impossibility. It would be much wiser to settle for defini tions, for every author has his definition which is condi tioned by the point of view he takes in the development of his work. Actually, guidance has been defined so that it is anything from being synonymous with education itself to a strictly mechanical personnel process. It is only when guidance is looked upon as a dynamic process that it be gins to take on meaning. No one has summed up this outlook better than Rosecrance: True equality of opportunity can be secured only by providing an education for each individ ual in accordance with his interests, needs, abilities, and prospects. This service to the individual is provided by the guidance program. What a few teachers have given to a few pupils in the past, what has been enjoyed only by the favored few, we now propose to make a continu ous, individual service for every child through out his life in school.1 In terms that anyone can understand is the expres sion that the "... place of guidance . . . in the com plete program of education [is] to help Johnny see through himself and then to assist him in seeing himself through."2 1 F. C. Rosecrance, "Organizing Guidance for the Larger School System," The Vocational Guidance Magazine, 9:244, March, 1931- 2 Shirley A. Hamrin and Clifford E. Erickson, Guid ance in the Secondary School (New York; Appleton-Century- Crofts, Inc., 1939)* P* 2. 26 In more academic terminology this means that guidance is "... that aspect of the educational program which is concerned especially with helping the pupil to become ad justed to his present situation and to plan his future in line with his interests, abilities, and social needs."3 This view indicates that guidance has grown up and is no longer being plagued by a contest of specialization. It is no longer necessary to quibble about whether a student’s problem is vocational, educational, social, health, recrea tional, or any other "al" because the idea of guidance is now one of a system which "provides a means by which pupils are helped to make progress through their educational careers and to plan for successful careers and well-rounded lives."4 Lefever, Weitzel, and Turrell define guidance in a slightly different sense and one which appeals to those looking for the contributary aspects of it. Guidance is that systematic, organized phase of the educational process which helps youth grow in his power to give point and direction to his own life, to the end that he may gain richer personal experiences while making his own unique contribution to our democratic society.5 3 Ibid., pp. 1-2. 4 Ibid., p. 2. 5 D. Welty Lefever, Archie M. Turrell, and Henry 1. Weitzel, Principles and Techniques of Guidance (New York: The Ronald Press Company, I95 0), p."3- 27 Perhaps a better view of the meaning of guidance can be gained by examining its purposes and expected outcomes. According to Hamrin and Erickson, guidance work has the following purposes: 1. It attempts to help students learn of their present educational opportunities. 2. It strives to help them become adjusted to their present educational situation. 3. It endeavors to help them learn more of them selves, their interests, abilities, possibilities, and limitations. 4. It aids them to learn of possible future ed ucational and vocational opportunities. 5* It assists them to plan wisely, both for the immediate present and for the future, by stimulat ing them to relate themselves in their thinking to possible educational and vocational opportunities. 6. It tries to help them become adjusted to their new environment whether it be in school or at work after they have left the educational unit with which they have been connected.6 If these purposes are carried through the following out comes could be expected: a. Fewer pupils dropping out of school b. Increase in standard of scholarship, be cause more people will be working to their full capacity c. Increase in pupil successes; fewer subject failures and withdrawals d. Better morale in the student body, as the pupils realize the friendly interest of the school in their present and future progress e. Reduction in the amount of retardation and probably an increase in percentage of acceleration f. Fewer misfits because of unwise selection of courses of study 6 Hamrin and Erickson, o£. cit., p. 3* 28 g. Better all-round school life h. Fewer personality or social maladjustments i. Pupils who are better able to guide them selves as far as future adjustment is concerned, we may look for: a. Fewer misfits in higher institutions of learning b. Less waste in getting and keeping a perman ent job c. Fewer occupation misfits d. Better citizenship in the community? It is notable that the preceding references made little or no mention of the psychological and emotional aspects of guidance, but rather stressed the vocational and educational factors. The view that guidance is con cerned with crises has been stated by Arthur J. Jones in the following words: . . . Guidance, as organized, is, then, con cerned with times of choice, times when the ways diverge, with times of needed adjustment . . . it is clear that the help given may be direct or in direct, the one guided may be conscious of the help given or may be entirely unconscious of it. The guidance may be given at the time of a crisis or long before it occurs. Indeed, the best guid ance is usually that given long before the need for choice arises. It consists in assisting the individual in the gradual accumulation of facts and experiences that will when the time comes, enable him to decide wisely. Guidance is thus seen:to be an essential and a fundamental aspect of education. It is inherent in all education but certain aspects of it are singled out for special consideration and definite organization.8 7 Ibid., pp. 4-5. 8 Arthur J. Jones, Principles of Guidance (New York; McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1930), pp. ^-^9. 29 The statements about guidance reviewed here are not the "arm-chair" speculations of their authors. They are based on the needs of young people who went through school without guidance, of those who are now in school, and of those who are yet to be in school. It might be in order now to posit these needs. II. STUDENT NEEDS Problems grow out of unsatisfied drives or needs. These are not always easy to discover and sometimes it is easier to ignore them and grapple with the problem di rectly. This is a curative rather than a preventive ap proach. On this account Reavis says: The needs of the youth of high school age for guidance are both many and varied. On account of the stage in his development physical, mental, and social changes may occur which baffle his understanding. The high school age is commonly regarded as a period of great importance in the life of the youth because of the adjustments which must be made. Problems that have to do with the intellectual and physical development, choice of companions, social activities, and the formation of right social attitudes must be met and solved. The school is required to under stand the needs of its young people and to pro vide the guidance services which the pupils as individuals require.9 9 William C. Reavis, Programs of Guidance (National Survey of Secondary Education, Monograph No. l4. Washing ton, D. C.: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1933)^ P* 3 30 The failure of our schools to recognize the needs of young people and to meet them is forcefully commented on in the following quotation; The futility of trying to modify the behavior of young children in certain specific directions without taking account of the ability, needs, in terests, and desires of the pupils themselves, or of the laws by which modifications most readily and economically take place has been demonstrated since the time of the first 'school failure.' The extravagant waste in the education of re peaters and particularly of mental defectives, the ill-adapted preparation of the child who drops out of school as soon as the law allows, the failure to conserve and utilize the talent of the gifted, the negligence and ignorance shown in the treatment of the unstable child, the blun ders of mass instruction, all indicate the inade quacy of many educational institutions in meeting pupil and social needs.10 Before stating the needs which a solidly founded guidance program should strive to resolve, a cursory examination of some data which deals with the causes of some of these needs should be made. The following table is a summary of the replies given by a group of entering college freshmen to a question regarding the reasons for selecting their college courses: 10 Gertrude Hildreth, Psychological Service for School Problems (New York: Yonkers-on-Hudson, World Book Company, l$3o), p. 2. 11 Hamrin and Erickson, op. cit., p. 8. 31 Per cent Independent self-decision . . ......... 71-7 Family influence ................. 31*5 Advice of high school principal or teachers.......................... 1 2 .0 Advice of college professors ........... 5.1 Influence of fraternities, alumni, etc . 2.7 Influence of college students ........ 8.9 Influence of previous work............. 11.2 Publicity of course by college ........ 2.3 To earn a good living................. 31.1 Vague desire to go to college ..... 10.1 Financial reasons ...................... 7.8 It must be concluded from the above data that the only di rect guidance service furnished by the high schools was to the 12 per cent who indicated that they had received ad vice from their high school principal or teachers. The statements of the students show that in the great majority of cases they feel they have reached the important decision of choice on their own initiative. What an opportunity the high schools missed in not offering programs of guidance that would help these students to choose more wisely! It is also noteworthy that only 23.4 per cent of the students decided on their college courses before their entrance into the high schools. Thirty-nine and two-tenths per cent of the students made their choice during their last year of high school training, and 37.2 per cent decided to make this important decision after graduation from high school. The authors conclude that: 32 The individual who is able to make his choice of life's work while in the high school is certainly in a better position to choose properly his high school courses and electives which will lead to the col lege course which he has chosen. So often the student finds that he has failed to take a certain subject which is required for entrance in the college he has chosen. Some program of guidance would help to eliminate mistakes of this nature. Such a program would at least supply information that will guide and as^st the student, his parents and teachers.1^ Equally significant are the results of a survey made by Super, in which he compared the unguided aspira tions of young people with the hard facts of reality. Note that this data is on employed youth. Actual and Preferred Occupations of Employed Youth^3 Occupational Field Percentage of Youth______ Desiring Specific Employed Field in Specific Field Professional-technical 3 8 .3 7 .5 Managerial 9 .1 4.1 Office-sales 1 8 .5 27.1 Skilled 1 8 .2 4 .3 Semiskilled 6 .3 24.9 Unskilled 2 .5 14.6 Domestic-personal 6 .9 11.4 Relief project 0.2 5 .9 Other 0.2 Hamrin and Erickson, op. cit., p. 9 . 13 Donald E. Super, The lynamics of Vocational Ad- Justment (New York: Harper and Brothers~Tublishers, 19^2), p. 12. 33 It is self-evident from the table that there was a wide discrepancy between attitudes and information. The confusion thus far evidenced is not limited to any particular economic, social, or cultural group of young people. The youth in the study made by Super were employed. Let us now examine the ability of a group of college students to make adjustments. In a study entitled Do College Students Choose Vocations Wisely? Sparling pre sents the following conclusions: 1. The majority of the students expect to enter a vocation in which they will have an intelligence handicap .... 2. An astonishingly large proportion of stu dents, 37 per cent, are preparing to enter voca tions involving subjects in which their grades are low .... 3. Of the students who intend to be physicians 50 per cent do not have grades high enough to ad mit them to a medical school in the United States; of those who intend to be teachers 75 per cent have grades below 80 in the subjects which they intend to teach; of the students who have chosen dentistry 50 per cent will not be able with their present grades to gain entrance to dental schools in New York City. 4. Serious discrepancies exist between the types of work the student likes to do and the types of work required by the chosen vocation. 5. Nearly 75 per cent of the students are fail ing to take reasonable advantage of the athletic and non-athletic recreations, hobbies and accomplish ments which are most appropriate of the vocations they have chosen to enter .... 6. The dearth of information about the profes sions chosen is striking. Eighty per cent of the 34 students believe they are going to earn more than the average practitioner actually earns . . . . Want of information is further shown by the fact that only 7 per cent have the knowledge which enables them to make compre hensive plans for entering their vocations. 7. . . . Seventy per cent are endeavoring to gain entrance to three of the most over crowded vocations in the United States, and 95 per cent are desiring to enter four of the most overcrowded vocations in the metropolitan area.l4 The point to be made here is that it is too late to dis cover these things in college. - It is in the secondary schools that the groundwork must be paved. The high schools must weed out vocational ignorance. In a pamphlet prepared for the Commission on Life Adjustment Education for Youth by staff members of the U. S. Office of Education, the following problems in part were posed which must be solved by school and community; 1. Although 80 per cent of American Youth of High School Age are in school, only 50 per cent graduate. 2. Youth need to explore Jobs in their own communities. 3'. One-third of the young workers of America are dissatisfied with their Jobs. Edward J. Sparling, ^ College Students Choose Vocations Wisely? (Contributions to Education No. 561. New York: Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1933), PP* 95-96, cited by Hamrin and Erickson, op. cit., pp. 10-11. 35 4. One-half the money spent for recreation in 1940 went for movies, radios and spectator sports. 5. About one-half of the draftees in World War II had some disqualifying defect. 6. The most common age of persons arrested for breaking the laws is 18-21 i*15 The studies thus far examined are based on the re search of experts and are expressed in their terms. The expressions of young people themselves are, however, no different than the findings of the experts and indicate that youth is as well-aware of his problems as the adults who work with them. H. H. Remmers and C. G. Hackett con ducted a youth opinion poll under the auspices of Purdue University over a period of several years in which thou sands of young people had an opportunity to express them- I selves. A few of their stated problems follow: Physical problems: I want to gain (or lose) weight. I'm concerned about improving my figure. .^5 Ü. S. Office of Education, Good Schools Don't Just Happen (Chicago: Science Research Associates). ^6 H. H. Remmers and C. G. Hackett, Let's Listen to Youth (Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1956), pp. 36 I want to improve my posture and body build. I get tired easily. I don't get enough sleep. I want to get rid of pimples. What are the facts about menstruation? School problems: I wish I knew how to study better. I have difficulty keeping my mind on my studies. I don't know how to prepare for tests. I have too much homework. I would like to know more definitely how I am doing in school work. The courses are too far removed from everyday life. I doubt the value of the things I study. I'd like to take courses not offered in this school. I'd like more vocational courses. I'd like to get some practical work experience. I need advice in choosing courses. I wonder what courses would be of most value in later life. My teachers play favorites. J 37 Social problems; I want people to like me more. I wish I could converse better. I don't know how to act toward people I dislike. I want to be more popular. I want to make new friends. I want to develop more self-confidence. I feel ill at ease at social affairs. I want to learn how to dance. I want to feel important to my own group. I can't live up to the ideals set for me. I don't know how to ask for a date. I don't know how to keep boys (girls) interested in me. I don't know what to do on a date. What are good manners on a date? I don't have a boy (girl) friend. I'm bashful about asking girls for a date. I'm not popular. Is it all right to kiss my date the first time y we go out? Is it all right to accept "blind dates"? Is it all right to "go steady"? 38 Personal problems: I'm easily excited. I have trouble keeping my temper. I worry about little things. I'm nervous. I day dream. I feel guilty about things I've done. My feelings are easily hurt. I'm unsure of myself. I want to get rid of an undesirable habit. Vocational problems: What are my real interests? What kind of career should I follow? What kind of work am I best suited for? How much ability do I really have? What kind of training do the different vocations ^ 1 require? | i What fields are overcrowded? | I It is not necessary to look into research studies to' be aware of youth's problems. The U. S. Senate crime com- i mittee is bringing to a shocked public sordid details of | I narcotics use which indicate American high school youth are ! at a stage of social and emotional maladjustment bordering | 39 on the chaotic. The social worker and teacher are vividly aware of the disorganization of the home with its resultant withdrawal of security from the child. The reader need only look at conditions around him to become an observer of the unsettled conditions of our society. Based on the preceding comments then, the following needs of youth are discerned; 1. Youth need help to discover their interests. 2. Youth needs to learn about the opportunities of the vocational world. 3. Youth need aid in appraising their abilities and aptitudes; also their disabilities. 4. Youth needs help in developing wholesome personalities. 5. Youth need to think through the relationship of their abilities, aptitudes and interests to the educa tional and vocational opportunities open to them. 6. Youth need help in making wise use of their leisure time. 7* Youth need to be mindful of their health. t 8. Youth need to feel that the school is of real ! value to them. 9. Youth need to have the community brought into I the activities of the school. j _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ :_ _ _ _ _ _ ,_J 40 10. Youth need to have the school take the place of waning parental interest and control when necessary. 11. All youth, bright, normal and dull, college prep and non-college prep, need to be served. What do they see as their problems? See Purdue Youth Survey. III. SOME FACTORS VITAL TO A SUCCESSFUL GUIDANCE PROGRAM The purpose of this section is to examine some general factors and criteria basic to good guidance organization. This is the spadework that must be done prior to the formulation of any concrete or specific plan. Certain principles of organization will be stated, which will be followed by a pre-program inventory. The steps to be followed in reorganizing a program will then be listed, and finally, some general problems encountered in reorganization will be listed. Principles of organization. Erickson and Smith present the following set of principles as a guide in organizing a guidance program: 1. The school administrator must take the leadership in the development of the guidance program and must assume the responsibility for continually improving the program. 41 2. The objectives and functions of the guidance program should harmonize with those of the total educational program of the school .... 3. The entire staff of the school must think its way through-the-role and the organization of the guidance program. Each teacher must be helped to see the over-all program, his contribution to the program, his relationship to the functions of other guidance workers. 4. The purposes and activities of the guidance program should be clearly defined, and ample atten tion should be given to its place in the school's educational program. 5* The school's guidance program should not take over the functions and activities of other departments of the school program. This principle is of the greatest importance. In many schools, counselors have become clerks, attendance officers, supervisors of extracurricular activities, dis ciplinarians, health officers, etc. The guidance program should encourage the development of these and other similar services and should be of as sistance to them. It is not, however, the pur pose of the guidance program to provide these services. 7. Adequate resources must be provided (time, materials, tests, occupational files, films, records) if the guidance program is expected to have some measure of success. 9. Counselors should strive to enrich pupil- teacher contacts and should make frequent refer rals to teachers. Studies should be constantly carried on to find and to use significant pupil- teacher relationships. Pupils should be referred to teachers whenever the latter can make a contri bution to the problem under consideration. 10. The guidance program should serve to ac quaint teachers with the practices and techniques that will assist them to individualize instruction 42 in accordance with their needs.17 A pre-program inventory. The following check list is proposed by Erickson and Smith^® as a means of determining the readiness of the school to improve a guidance program. They suggest that it would not be advisable for a school to undertake extensive developments in guidance unless many of the items can be answered in the affirmative. 1. Is the administration convinced that addi tional guidance services are needed by pupils in the school? 2. Can some staff member be given some time free from other duties to 'head up' a guidance program? 3. Can the schedule be arranged so that some teacher-counselors will have time for individual counseling (at least one hour daily for each 100 pupils)? 4. Can a minimum testing program and a system of cumulative records and other necessary supplies and materials be provided? 5. Are administrators and teachers willing to devote considerable time and effort to the develop ment of the guidance program? 6. Is the majority of the faculty interested in the development of a guidance program? 17 Clifford E. Erickson and Glenn E. Smith, Organi- zation and Administration of Guidance Services (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1947), pp. É3-24. 18 Ibid., pp. 25-26. 43 7* Are the administrators, teachers, and teacher-counselors willing to participate in an in-service training program? 8. Are the administrators willing to assume responsibility for interpreting the guidance pro gram to the school board and to community groups? 9. Is specialized help (guidance specialists in school or community, near-by university help, assistance from State Department) available to assist in the development of the program? 10. Can minimum facilities be provided for individual counseling? 11. Is the school personnel willing to take the time necessary to build the program, with the sup port of the majority of the faculty? 12. Is it possible to build the program so that the teachers will be helped to improve their teach ing activities? 1 3. Will the school staff be willing to think through the role of guidance program, assist in setting it up, and give it support after it starts? 14. Is the community ready or can it be in terested in supporting a guidance program?19 Steps in developing a program. Erickson presents a series of steps that can be followed in developing a guidance program. It should be noted that these steps do not have to be taken in the order given, nor do all of them have to be taken. They do however, serve to provide points of procedure. ^9 Erickson and Smith, loc. cit. 44 1. Think of guidance services in terms of an organized program within the total school program and be willing to start from whatever assets and facilities are at hand. 2. Assist the staff in a study of the needs, problems, and characteristics of the pupils. Identify the necessity for improving the guidance services and the kinds of serv ices needed. 3. Plan for consistent understanding and support to the guidance program through admin istrative policy and practice. 4. Take stock of the qualifications of the school staff: experience, training, and interest in guidance work; essential background, suitabili ty of personality, and leadership qualities. 5- Inventory the resources outside the school. Locate helpful parental, community, and regional sources of assistance. 6. Take an inventory of services now being rendered and activities now being carried on either as integral parts of the regular school program or as special guidance services which may be considered as essential to the guidance program. 7. Make job analyses of each of the basic services of the guidance program. The guidance services will be re-examined in the light of these job analyses. 8. Designate a leader, or leaders; assign responsibilities to members of the staff accord ing to the job analyses, and make necessary load and time adjustments. 9* Establish an in-service training program in light of the survey of staff qualifications and based on the job analyses of the basic guid ance services. Take advantage of all accessible resources in and out of school. 45 10. Provide regular administrative controls for and supervisory help to those charged with specific responsibility in the program. 11. Plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the guidance p r o g r a m .20 Problems encountered in reorganization. Erickson warns that the following problems are likely to be en countered when reorganizing a guidance program: 1. The staff is inadequately prepared. 2. There is too little staff time available. 3. The staff does not have an adequate under standing of guidance philosophy or practice. 4. Staff turnover is too large. 5* There is inadequate administrative leader ship. 6. Lack of funds. 7. Lack of records, test data, and other tools. 8. The school offering is too limited, inflexible, or ineffective.21 It would be wise to keep these dangers in mind, not only while planning the program, but to use them as an evaluative reference. It is unlikely that any school will find all of these present, but it is the fortunate school which finds none of them. It should be kept in mind that the factors presented in this section were all general. The next section will deal with specific problems present in the current guidance 20 Clifford E. Erickson, A Practical Handbook for School Counselors (New York: The Ronald Press Ùomoanv, Tg49), pT“T75:--- 21 Ibid., p. 1 8 8. 46 program of the school. IV. AN EXAMINATION OP CERTAIN WEAKNESSES IN THE PRESENT PROGRAM The purpose of this section Is to ferret out weak nesses In the present program of g u i d a n c e .22 in view of the foregoing discussion and other evidence to be presented, the following weaknesses are discerned: 1. The vice-principals carry the bulk of the counsel ing load. It is difficult for an adequate counseling job to be done under such conditions. In addition, counseling and discipline should be separate in the minds of the students. Erickson says, "Counselors should not become known as the disciplinarians of the school or they will lose their coun seling relationship to the pupils."23 2. Responsibility for testing and cumulative records is not given to the counselors. Inasmuch as the counselor is the greatest consumer of these items and coordinates their use it should be his responsibility. 3- Although there are three counselors, only a total of three periods per day is available for counseling and for administration of the entire guidance program. See Chapter III for factual presentation. 23 Erickson, op. cit., p. 185* 47 4. The homeroom period of fifteen minutes per day is inadequate and the homeroom has not been geared for guidance purposes. It is probably better to have fewer periods of greater length than to have a larger number of shorter periods. A daily fifteen- or twenty- minute period is from many points of view quite unsatisfactory. It is too long to be filled by the purely administrative activities of the home room and is too short to provide time for any kind of satisfactory guidance or educative ex perience. A more effective plan is one in which the school initiates the homeroom plan with a short daily administrative period (five to ten minutes) and then provides one long hour period each week . . . .24 5. The maximum services of specialists are not integrated, coordinated, or utilized in a guidance sense. The nurse, for instance, has no part in a health guidance program and the doctors merely perform physical examina tions. 6. Considerable time elapses between the receipt of data on students and the filing of it. The counselors have no designated clerical assistance. 7* The child welfare and attendance officer and juvenile officers work with the vice-principals exclusive ly. The counselors are not called infbr case conferences. 24 Hararin and Erickson, op. cit., p. 350. 48 8 . Much vital data on students is either not ob tained or not filed in the cumulative record. Anecdotal information is largely lacking except on "discipline" cases. Carbon copies of unsatisfactory notices rendered by class room teachers are not filed. No data on interests, aspira tions and the like is. recorded. The U. S. Office of Edu cation says on this point: Guidance . . . tends to be effective to the degree that we can draw up a balance sheet for each individual upon which we can record in objective terras the strength and weaknesses, the peaks and valleys, of his physical, mental, and social capacities, whether these be matters of his inheritance or matters of his experiences, knowledge, and skills. Such a balance sheet has been variously known as the cumulative record, the personal inventory, and the individual in ventory. Regardless of name, it should be a growing, permanent record that follows the child from school entrance, through his general educa tional training and specific vocational prepara tions, and on to the placement agency and his employer. 25 9. Group guidance has not been established, except in the instances noted. 26 in view of the fact that in sufficient personnel are available for individual counseling 25 Minimum Essentials of the Individual Inventory in Guidance (Office of Education, Vocational Division BulTetTn""^2. Washington, D. C. : Government Printing Office, 1939), p. V., cited in Practical Handbook for Counselors (New York State Counselors Association. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 194-5), p. 2 5. 2^ Supra. 49 the need for group guidance is evident. The importance of group guidance in a guidance program is stated by Dunsmoor and Miller: Accompanying individual guidance, which has such vital significance to all students, should be a well conceived and carefully administered program of group guidance. Group guidance is all too often regarded as an end in itself, but instead it is only a means to the end of better individual guidance than would otherwise be possible.27 10. The club program has not been attractive to the students. The fact that clubs meet after school seems to be the major drawback. "The present trend of giving time to clubs during the regular activities period," says Hamrin and Erickson, "is a commendable o n e ."28 11. Student government has not realized its full potential. The activities of the various student body groups have been largely relegated to social planning. Student leadership has been weak because it has not had adequate direction nor has it had a chance to assert it self. Hamrin and Erickson feel that "... fruitful lead ership can result from an effective series of meetings at 27 Clarence C. Dunsmoor and Leonard M. Miller, Guidance Methods for Teachers (Scranton, Pennsylvania: International Textbook Company, 1942), p. 9. 28 Hamrin and Erickson, op. cit., p. 204. 50 which problems of officership are discussed. Somewhere in the program of every school it should be possible to sponsor a series of (such) meetings . . . ."29 12. The use of test and other cumulative record data has been mainly for the guidance of the staff rather than also being for the guidance of the pupil. Interpreta tion of data to students through counseling or group guid ance has been largely lacking. 13* Counseling emphasis has been on the atypical rather than on the normal student. The normal student has largely had to take a back seat in the guidance program and as Robinson says: Disabilities and disorders are so disturbing to the individuals concerned and to other members of society that a great deal of attention has been devoted to their prevention as well as to their treatment. Since early attention to minor difficulties can prevent the later development of difficultrto-treat disabilities and disorders, counseling with the problems of normal individuals has become accepted as a worth-while preventive measure .... Thus counseling . . . is expected to serve the average and superior individual as well as the one who is deficient."3 0 14. The orientation program is too dependent upon the individual teacher and as a result varies greatly in 29 Ibid., p. 378. 30 Francis P. Robinson, Principles and Procedures in Student Counseling (New York: Harper and Brothers, Publishers, 1950), p. vii. 51 effectiveness. There is a great need for coordination and direction. 1 5. The guidance program is in a sense non-existent or only an administrative adjunct, if anything. It has no definite organizational pattern or objectives. On the mat ter of the necessity for having a specific plan of organi zation, Erickson and Smith strongly state that: It is essential that the guidance activities of the school be drawn together into a pattern that can be described by the term *guidance program.’ To do this Implies that these activi ties are the result of planning and that they are designed to achieve certain specific objec tives that relate to the needs of pupils.31 1 6. There is no one in authority to coordinate and develop the program. Each of the counselors has counsel ing as a one period "job." Erickson in his counselors’ handbook answers the question "Should there be a director of guidance appointed?" He says that ". . . it is essential that someone be given the responsibility and the necessary authority to develop the guidance p r o g r a m ."32 1 7• Most of the teachers are hardly aware of any guidance program and many are not even acquainted with ' guidance as a field in education. In-service training in 31 Erickson and Smith, op. cit., p. 2 3 6. 32 Erickson, o£. cit., p. I8I. 52 guidance has not been initiated. On this point Erickson says that "Harmonious and effective working relationships can best be developed if counselors and teachers recognize their joint objectives and their coordinate responsibility for obtaining . . . objectives."33 1 8. Program planning and guidance have not been related. The ninth grade, for example, gets a vocational guidance unit, but it is in the eighth grade where the student must begin planning his high school course. 1 9* With the exception of sports and social events, pupil participation in the guidance program has been lost sight of. 20. There has been no organized evaluation of guidance services. Such techniques as pupil desire and opinion inventories and follow-up have not been used as part of the program. "Only through a systematic checking of the guidance activities being carried on in the school," point out Erickson and Smith, "can the potential values of the program be determined . . . the school will need to evaluate the beneficial effect of its services on pupils in the school."34 33 Ibid., p. 1 8 7. 34 Erickson and Smith, o£. cit., pp. 252-5 3. 53 21. The value of school has not been proved to many students whose needs or problems have not been met or dealt with. Good class teaching and many extra curricular offerings are not what many of these pupils are seeking. The guidance staff has not broken through to these people because the program is not geared for dealing with all the students. V. POINT OF VIEW The point of view upon which the reorganized pro gram will be based is simple and direct. It is the result of the matters discussed in this chapter. It presumes, first, that certain conditions have caused various needs for young people; second, that the purpose of a guidance program is to meet these needs; third, that there are certain principles and problems common to any guidance reorganization; and fourth, that there are definite weak nesses in the present program which, if attacked in line with the other points above made, can lead to a success ful reorganization of the school guidance program. CHAPTER V A PROPOSED REORGANIZED GUIDANCE PROGRAM: ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION This chapter describes the organization of the guid- ahce program and briefly sketches the role each person or group plays in that organization. It is not feasible to detail these roles because they will not begin to take clearly defined shapes until the program is actually ef fectuated and in motion. Any person familiar with good practices in guidance organization will immediately raise questions regarding some of the organizational features herein. This writer should like to state here that this proposed program is not an ideal, but a utilitarian vehicle. Limitations were al ways kept in mind and improvisations were made as neces sary, although it was understood that they were not always in line with recommended practices. What follows then, is not the best guidance program, but the best guidance program that can be accomplished, at present, in the particular school under consideration. Administrators. There shall be three administrators, the principal, a girls* vice-principal and a boys* vice principal . 55 The principal shall have four basic duties related to the guidance program: 1. To assume administrative responsibility and leadership in developing an adequate guidance program. 2. To encourage the participation of the entire staff in developing this program. 3. To recognize the need and make provision for guidance services. 4. To assume leadership in helping to bring about a constantly improving school program. More specifically the principal should: 1. Recognize the need and importance of a guidance program and give it his personal support. 2. Help the staff recognize the values, functions, and services of a guidance program. 3. Help provide an in-service training program for teachers and counselors. 4. Provide adequate facilities for the program. 5. Arrange the school schedule so counseling services are delegated and are available to all pupils. 6. Arrange the schedule so the counselor has suf ficient time for counseling and for the over-all super vision of the guidance program. 7. Make adequate budgetary provisions for the guidance program. 56 8. Interpret the program to the school board, the parents, and the community. 9. Help the staff build the curriculum around the needs and characteristics of the pupils. 10. Help identify and coordinate out-of-school resources. 11. Participate personally in the development of the program. 12. Serve as a member of the guidance council. The vice-principals have in a sense the same duties and responsibilities to the program as the principal, limited only by lines of authority. In addition, however, they are more directly related in the following situations; 1. The handling of discipline referrals, which always involve counseling to some degree. It is proposed that the meting out of discipline be their direct re sponsibility and that it not be connected with the coun selor. This matter will be discussed in more detail under "counseling" in the next chapter. 2. Attendance reports and related matters. Problems underlying truancy should be referred by them to the counselor. 3. Program planning, the policies for which will be made by the guidance council. 57 4. The planning and supervision of extra-curricular activities. 5- The planning and supervision of away-from-school activities. 6. Homogeneous grouping of students in core classes according to policies determined by the guidance council. 7. Serve as members of the guidance council. 8. Work permits. Guidance council. The guidance council shall be composed of the following persons; 1. Principal. 2. Vice-principals. 3. Counselor. 4. One teacher from each grade. The representative quality of the council has several advantages: 1. The administration and teaching staff are equally represented. 2. All levels of experience are represented. 3. The fact that the principal is a member obviates the need for securing his approval of plans after they are made. The duties and responsibilities of the guidance council are as follows: 58 1. To discuss and plan the program. 2. To formulate policies. 3. To act as the forum where the opinions, problems, and recommendations of the rest of the school can be voiced. 4. To advise the counselor on particular problems. 5. To periodically evaluate the guidance program under the direction of the counselor, and make recommenda tions based thereon. Counselor. There shall be one full-time counselor, appointed by the principal, who shall be responsible for the direction of the guidance program. The counselor shall be responsible to the principal directly and to the guidance committee as a group. The counselor shall have four main functions: 1. To supervise the entire guidance program. 2. To counsel pupils. 3. To carry on certain group guidance activities. 4. To provide services to the faculty and admin istration as required by them or as delegated. These functions more specifically involve the following activities: 1. Developing and supervising the orientation programs. 2. Developing and administering the testing program. 59 3. Developing and administering the records program. 4. Developing and improving the program for provid ing educational and occupational information. 5. Individual counseling of students according to this plan and/or policies of the guidance council. 6. Organizing and sponsoring the student leadership council. 7. Developing and directing an in-service training program for the staff. 8. Assisting in making such studies as are needed to improve the entire school program. 9. Leading in developing a better working rela tionship with parents and community agencies. 10. Assisting in developing a better working rela tionship with parents. 11. Planning assemblies related to guidance. 12. Developing and directing the home room group guidance program. 1 3. Assisting with program planning. 14. Advising on problems of homogeneous class grouping. 15* Planning and developing the club program. 1 6. Making case studies and participating in case conferences. 60 17- Working closely with and utilizing the serv ices of the specialists. 1 8. Suggesting ways in which guidance can be made effective in the class room. 1 9. Utilizing the exploratory nature of many of the subject matter courses. 20. Referring especially difficult cases to specialists. 21. Making a study of the vocational, recreation al, and educational facilities of the community. 22. Developing rating charts, inventories, and tests especially suited to the students of the school. 23* Organizing special events such as "career days. " 24. Developing and directing a working evaluation system of the entire guidance program, making recommenda tions based thereon to the guidance council, and improv ing the program in line with the recommendations. Grade guidance committees. There shall be three grade guidance committees. The membership of these com mittees shall consist of the school counselor and the home room teacher-counselors for each grade as the case may be. The duties and responsibilities of these groups shall be as follows: 61 1. To engage in in-service training activities particularly suited to the responsibilities of the group. 2. To coordinate the activities of the home rooms for the particular grade. 3. To plan the orientation and group guidance programs. 4. To discuss joint problems. 5. To bring about a closer working relationship between the home room teacher-counselors and the school counselor. Home room teacher-counselors. The home room coun selors shall be assigned one home room group for three years. For example, the home room counselor of a seventh grade group shall continue through all three years with that group. As this program continues, all home room counselors will eventually carry a three year group. The home room counselor, shall, to the greatest extent possible, be chosen according to his qualifications for this type of plan and for his interest in it. It is preferrable that the home i^oom groups be larger in size than that an unqualified teacher be given this assignment. The home room counselor shall have three main functions; 1. To handle administrative matters pertaining to 62 the students. 2. To carry out a program of group guidance and orientation. 3. To carry out a program of routine individual counseling with his group as a screening center for the school counselor. These functions more specifically involve the follow ing activities; 1. To read and explain bulletins and notices of in terest to the pupils. 2. To distribute and collect report cards. 3. To record grades on permanent records. 4. To carry out orientation programs with the group. 5. To carry out common problems programs with the group 6. To carry out a program planning unit. 7. To provide a home base for the students' school life 8. To provide and encourage student government. 9. To help the students plan, organize, and carry out extra-curricular social and recreational activities. 10. To act as a local representative of the school. counselor and keep in close contact with him. 11. To sort out cases in need of individual counsel ing, handling routine ones himself, and referring the others 63 to the school counselor. Class room teachers. Class room teachers shall have a coordinate responsibility in developing more ade quate guidance services. These responsibilities and activities are as follows; 1. To become acquainted (in a guidance sense) with each of the pupils in the class. 2. To constantly reorganize the subject and his teaching methods in view of what is known about the pupils. 3. To use the subject to provide special services to the pupils. 4. To spot and try to prevent difficulties from developing. 5. To use the guidance resources that are avail able . 6 . To sponsor a club if not a home room teacher. 7 . To work closely with the school and home room counselors. 8 . To engage in individual counseling. 9. To contribute to the knowledge already avail able on each pupil. 10. To understand and co-operate with the guidance program. 64 ' Doctors. The doctors will be available only periodically. Their functions shall be as follows: ! 1. To participate in*an assembly where the objec tives of the health program are presented. 2. To give talks on aspects of health to classes iat the request of the teachers. The health unit in science , is one example where their services can be utilized. , 3* To perform a routine physical examination on every child in the school at least once a year. 4. To consult with the staff on particular cases. 5* To provide information for the cumulative records of the students. 6. To participate in the in-service training pro gram. I Nurse. There shall be a nurse on full-time atten dance. Her functions and responsibilities shall be as follows: 1. To help the counselor plan, organize, and carry out a health guidance program. 2. To examine students referred to her by the staff. 3* To compile a physical disability report on students for the information and guidance of the staff. 4. To provide significant information on students 65 for the cumulative records. 5. To consult with each teacher regarding the physical status of their students. District psychologist. The psychologist will have the following functions in the program: 1. To work with the counselor in activating this program. 2. To participate in the in-service training program, 3. To take the responsibility for atypical cases as defined by the guidance council. 4. To render specialized tests. 5. To advise the counselor. 6. To participate in the evaluation program. District audiometrist. The audiometrist shall have the following functions in the program: 1. To test the hearing of all students. 2. To furnish a report to the nurse of all ab normal hearing cases. 3. To conduct classes for first-class disability cases. 4. To participate in the in-service training program. 5. To participate in the health guidance program. 66 District reading consultant. The district reading consultant is available for a limited time at the request of the school. Her duties and responsibilities while at tached to the school will be as follows: 1. To diagnose the reading problems of all students who are more than one year below normal for their grade. 2. To render a report on these problems to the counselor and teaching staff. 3. To conduct remedial reading classes for students selected by her on the basis of their reading problems. 4. To participate in the in-service training pro gram. 5. To advise the vice-principals and counselor on homogeneous grouping of students in core classes. 6. To provide significant information for the cumulative records. Child welfare and attendance officer. The attendance officer will be present only a few hours a day. His rela tion to the guidance program will be as follows; 1. To notify and advise the vice-principals and counselor about any student whose absence appears to need further action. 2. To consult with the vice-principals and counselor about particular problem cases. 67 3‘ To provide significant information for the cumulative records. 4. To participate in the in-service training pro gram. 5. To participate in the group guidance program. Clerk. One full time clerk shall be assigned to the counselor to carry out clerical duties under his di rection. Her duties shall be as follows; 1. To maintain the cumulative records. 2. To score and record tests given as part of the guidance testing program. 3. To carry out routine clerical tasks as directed by the counselor. Librarian. There will be one full-time librarian. Her duties and responsibilities to the guidance program shall be as follows; 1. To familiarize herself with the services of the guidance program. 2. To secure and organize occupational and edu cational information. 3. To. maintain a guidance section in the library. 4. To acquaint the staff with new guidance material reaching the library. 68 5» To procure a wide range of reading level books under the advice of the reading consultant and class room teachers. 6. To participate in the in-service training pro gram • 7- To maintain a professional library for members of the staff. Outside-school sources. Contact should be made and the co-operation sought of the following outside-school sources; 1. Parents. 2. Juvenile authorities. 3» Businessmen. 4. State Employment Service. 5. Business and professional organizations. 6. Religious leaders. 7* Recreational personnel. 8. County librarians. 9. Law enforcement officers. Their interest and participation in the guidance program shall be encouraged in combinations of the following: 1. To participate in the in-service training program. 2. To participate in the group guidance programs. 3* To meet with and advise the guidance council for 69 the implementation of the program. 4. To consult with the counselor and vice-principals on particular problems. 5 . To help with problems of part-time employment. 6. To coordinate the recreational program. 7. To provide information on particular students. 8. To consult with the teachers on particular .problems. 9. To carry out remedial work in the home. 10. To understand the objectives of the guidance program. This organizational outline has attempted to iden tify and partially explain the relationship of the persons involved in this program to it and to each other. It will be the purpose of the next chapter to outline the services to be provided by these persons. CHAPTER VI A PROPOSED REORGANIZED GUIDANCE PROGRAM; SERVICES The services of this guidance program, if properly conceived and administered, are the media through which the program is brought to the individuals for whom it is Intended. If these services are adequately carried out than the successful attainment of the objectives heretofore advanced should be realized. Based upon the critical examination and recommenda tions made in Chapter IV, the construction of these serv ices has fallen into five rather separate categories; (1) knowing and understanding the individual, (2) individual counseling, (3) group guidance, (4) services to the staff, and (5) evaluation. It should be noted that not all of these are student-centered nor should they be. A success ful guidance program is one that carries itself and is useful to everyone involved in the educational process. The staff as well as the students is in need of guidance. The purpose of this chapter will be to explain and detail these services. I. KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING THE INDIVIDUAL The securing and accumulation of data about the 71 individual student can be of great value to the function ing of the guidance program or it can be useless. The recognition of two factors determine the condition. First, is the data being gathered of any value for knowing and understanding the student? Second, is the data being used for the benefit of the student or is it being filed away after being obtained never to find any practical applica tion?— i.e. is it a means to an end or merely an end in itself? It is the plan of this guidance program to have a testing program and system of cumulative records which can be used to the end that much about the individual which would otherwise remain unknown will be known and used to help him and those concerned with him make better adjust ments . Testing program. The testing program is to be administered by the counselor. In the administration of the tests and the interpretation of results the follow ing points should be a guide : 1. Plan and carry on a systematic testing program 2. Include different types of tests. 3- Teaching or coaching for the tests destroys their validity. | 4. Tests should be accurately administered and I scored. | 72 5. Test results must be organized, recorded, and reported In a form that is readily understandable and usable. 6. Teachers should be given in-service training in the interpretation and use of test results.1 The specific testing program will be as follows: Seventh Grade: 1. The California Test of Mental Maturity to any student entering from another district not using the same test. All sixth graders in this district will have been tested. 2. The California Test of Personality to all stu dents in September. Eighth Grade: 1. The Progressive Achievement Test to all students in September. 2. The California Test of Mental Maturity to all students in October or November. 3* The Occupational Interest Inventory to all students in October. 1 Freely adapted from Margaret Selover, et al., Introduction to Testing and the Use of Test Results (Educational Records Bulletin No. 55> New York: Education- al Records Bureau, 1950), pp. 101-104. 73 Ninth Grade: The Personal Audit to all students in October. All Grades Yearly: Problem check lists early in the first semester of the term. Special Cases; In the case of students with out-of-the-ordinary problems such special tests will be given as needed by the district psychologist at the request of the counselor. The following is a description of the tests and inventories to be used in the program: Adjustment Questionnaires: California Test of Personality. Louis P. Thorpe, Willis W. Clark, and Ernest W. Tiegs. California Test Bureau, Los Angeles, California. Intermediate Series, 45 minutes, nontimed. Personal Audit. Clifford R. Adams and William M. Lepley. Science Research Associates, Chicago, Illinois. Form LL, 45 minutes, nontimed. Vocational Interest Inventory: Occupational Interest Inventory. Edwin A. Lee and Louis P. Thorpe. California Test Bureau, Los Angeles, California. Intermediate Form, 30-4o minutes, nontimed. 74 Scholastic Aptitude Test: California Test of Mental Maturity. Elizabeth T. Sullivan, Willis W. Clark, and Ernest W. Tiegs. California Test Bureau, Los Angeles, California. Level 7-10, 90 minutes. Achievement Test: Progressive Achievement Tests. Ernest W. Tiegs and Willis W. Clark. California Test Bureau, Los Angeles, California. Intermediate Battery, 165 minutes. Problem Checklists: Mooney Problem Checklist. Ohio State University Press, Columbus, Ohio. Michigan State College Problem Checklist. Institute of Counseling, Testing and Guidance. Michigan State College, East Lansing, Michigan. When the tests have been scored, the guidance clerk will immediately enter the data on or in the cumulative records of the students. In the case of the personality inventories and the vocational interest inventory, profiles will be made and returned to the home room counselor for further use in the group guidance program. The results of the aptitude and achievement tests will also be put into list form and duplicated so that it will be easily accessi ble for use by class room and home room teachers. The following guidance uses of tests are suggested by Lefever and are to be considered a part of this program: 75 Achievement or proficiency tests may be employed in the guidance program: 1. To furnish a basis for planning the student's program of activities in terms of actual facts about his previous learnings. 21 To indicate the present condition of certain essential tools of study such as reading, arithmetic, and language skills. 3« To diagnose the techniques of study used by a given student. 4. To aid the teacher and the counselor in pre senting an accurate and objective picture of the student with his strengths and weaknesses to his parents. 5* To furnish the necessary facts so that a con ference with a failing pupil will be helpful. 6. To assist the student in his choice of a major field of study and in working out an appropriate pro gram of work which will capitalize on his previous successes. 7* To assist the student in arriving at a wise vocational choice by indicating the nature of pre vious successes. 8. To reveal specific difficulties and weaknesses to the student, possibly in fields of work critically needed for the particular vocational choice of the student. 9. To discover whether a student's achievement harmonizes with available measures of his aptitudes and interests. Scholastic aptitude or intelligence tests may be employed in the guidance program: 1. To indicate the student's present level of maturation for learning, such as his readiness for beginning the study of foreign language, advanced mathematics, etc. 76 2. To measure such Important phases of the stu dents* scholastic aptitude as ‘ ‘language* and 'non- language* factors, 'linguistic' and 'quantitative* aptitudes, and the primary mental abilities (as de fined by Thurstone). 3* To determine what quality of achievement can rightfully be expected of each student. 4. To aid parents in taking a more realistic attitude toward the school achievement of their off spring. 5. To help the student discover some of his as sets and limitations in the area of scholastic aptitude. 6. To discover some of the causal factors and conditions related to scholastic failure. 7. To provide a basis for predicting education al success. 8. To provide a basis for predicting vocational success. 9. To discover the student who is in need of mental hygiene because of achievement that is out of harmony with expectancy. 10. To determine the possible need for more effec tive motivation. Interest inventories may be employed in the guidance program: 1. To obtain an indication of the over-all level of a student's satisfaction with school, home, and community. 2. To provide a more complete and a more valid picture of the vocational interests of the student than can be obtained from isolated statements of general interest in a certain occupation. 3. To discover highly motivated areas of activity for a given student which may furnish clues for possi ble vocational choices. 77 4. To locate other important areas where motiva tion is low, in order to remedy that condition. 5* To see a pattern of meaning in the 'clustering* of interests for a given student. Since only a few occupations are specifically listed in a vocational interest inventory, the over-all picture is more im portant than the specific vocations indicated. 6. To serve as points of contact in beginning an interview with a student regarding future education al and vocational plans. 7. To stimulate the student to consider just how he does feel about various areas of study or activi ty as a preliminary basis of making a vocational choice. Personality measures may be employed in the guid ance program: 1. To gauge the general mental health level of the school. 2. To check, by means of an independent source, teachers' ratings and observations in the area of conduct, emotions, and social behavior. 3* To serve as a point of contact for a counsel ing conference. Specific items may be 'followed through' in the interview. 4. To obtain some specific indicators of atti tudes, conflicts, tensions, frustrations, and sources of insecurity which will serve as a basis for skill ful counseling. 5. To furnish leads toward possible causal factors for student difficulties and toward possible ways of solving student problems. 6. To screen out those students who need special counseling because of apparent emotional disturb ances, personality deficiencies, or conflicts.3 3 D. Welty Lefever, Archie M. Turrell, and Henry I. Weitzel, Principles and Techniques of Guidance (New York: 78 In addition to those uses above quoted, the follow ing are set forth: 1. To individualize instruction on the bases of information from test scores. 2. To appraise the effectiveness of different kinds of instruction. 3. To furnish additional information on a given student to interested outside sources, such as, prospec tive employers. Juvenile authorities and research people. Cumulative records. The cumulative records pro gram is to be administered and supervised by the counselor. The cumulative records shall consist of the following items: 1. The cumulative record folder (see Appendix, Form A) contains space for basic information and shall be filled in initially, to the greatest extent possible, by the seventh grade home room counselors as part of the group guidance program. Any subsequent data shall be recorded by the guidance clerk as directed by the counselor. All information covered by this folder should be secured and 3 (continued) The Ronald Press Company, 1950), pp. 302-305. 79 entered as soon as possible. 2. All data of value from the elementary or other transferring schools should be written in the proper places on the folder if provided for or placed in the folder. 3. The anecdotal record card (see Appendix, Form C) will remain with each of the student's teachers for a one week period. Each teacher shall attempt to make some pertinent comment on every student he has. The card, after making a circuit, will then be placed in the folder. The counselor or any other staff member will then have some significant current information on a given student when a problem arises or when an evaluation of any kind is needed. 4. Each student in grade seven will be asked to write an autobiography in his English class. This auto biography will become a part of the student's cumulative record. 5. Each student will be asked to make a critical self-analysis as part of his ninth grade home room group guidance program. This analysis will be placed in the cumulative folder. 6. The yearly student problems questionnaire will be filed in the cumulative record. 7. A carbon copy of any unsatisfactory notice (see Appendix, Form E) rendered on a student will be filed 80 along with the parents' reply and/or the result of a parental interview with the teacher or counselor. 8 . All student problem reports (see Appendix, Form F) and a record of the action taken thereon will be filed. 9. Reports by the child welfare and attendance officer on truancy and other matters will be filed. 10. Health and medical data will be filed. (See Appendix, Form D) 11. Reports of interviews with students by the vice-principals, counselor, home room counselors, and class room teachers. 12. Any case studies made by members of the staff. 13* All test and inventory data. l4. Any other information which will lead to a bet-! I ter understanding of the student, such a relationship in a j sociometric study of a class or letters from outside sources Some general uses and advantages of cumulative records are as follows:^ 1. To enable teachers to get acquainted with new pupils quickly. ^ Freely adapted from Arthur E. Traxler, How to Use Cumulative Records (Chicago: Science ResearcTi Associates, 194?)7 PP. 13-17* 81 2. To divide classes into small groups for pur poses of instruction. 3 . To help teachers and counselors identify the weakness of individual pupils and plan treatment. 4. To enable the school to discover the pupils with unusually high general mental ability and to plan special work in line with their interests. 5. To discover special talents in pupils which should be developed. 6. To furnish leads to reasons why pupils are not happy and well adjusted in the school. 7 . To provide information which may be used in conferring with student about achievement. 8. To provide information which may be used in conferring with certain students about behavior problems. 9* To serve as a basis for conferences with par ents about the ability, achievement, growth, and school adjustment of their children. 10. To have information useful in conferences with teachers about individual pupils. 11. To use information which is useful in guiding pupils into or away from certain courses, and thus reducing failure through careful planning based on available evidence. 12. To use information in helping pupils and parents 82 make plans for the student's career before and after graduation. 1 3. To furnish much of the Information needed for making case studies of certain pupils. 14. To furnish data for reports to other schools to which a student may transfer, to the senior high school, to colleges and to prospective employers. Access to this information shall be limited to members of the staff. No student office help should be allowed to go into these records ! It must be remembered that much of this information will be supplied by the student directly and he will assume that his confidence is being respected. Any data to be given to employers, parents, or any other outside sources should be determined as a matter of policy by the guidance council. The cumula tive record should, however, accompany the student, to his next educational destination if there is a reasonable as surance that it will be considered in a professional manner. II. INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING No other part of the guidance program provides the intimate personal contact as does individual counseling. It is here that the student can unburden himself in 83 privacy and without any inhibitions. It is here that serious maladjustments can be dealt with effectively. It is here that the counselor has the time to deal with the individual. It should not be assumed that individual counseling is or can be divorced from the rest of the program, but rather that it is an integral part and makes maximum use of it. Every member of the staff will engage in individual counseling and rightly so! However, individual counseling as conceived in this section will apply to more formal and specific instances and as such should be noted and filed in the cumulative record. What are some common counseling problems. Erickson lists the following as some of the common counseling prob lems and they should serve as a guide for the staff: 1. How can you help the pupil with college ambitions but with low scholastic aptitude? 2. How can you help the child whose abilities and interests are far below parental desires? 3* How much academic aptitude is required for (senior high school) college success? 4. What can be done for a child whose parents are attempting to fulfill their own ambitions in the life of their child? 5. How can you be helpful when academically able parents have a less able child? 6 . How counsel a pupil whose parents insist 84 on a 'white collar' occupation for their child? 7* What can you do when the parents insist on one occupation (and only one) for their child? 8. How can you help the pupil who shows no strong interests in any field? 9. How do you help the pupil who has interests, abilities, and opportunities for several lines of work? 10. How can you help the child whose parents are overinterested in the child's welfare? 11. How can you help the child whose personality is in conflict With the requirements of a chosen occupation? 12. How can you help the pupil having little edu cational or occupational information? 1 3. How can pupils be motivated to use the re sources of the community? 14. How old should pupils be when they make a definite vocational choice? 1 5. What steps does a pupil follow in making a definite vocational choice? 1 6. Should all pupils be encouraged to go to college? 17* Is it important to choose the right college? 1 8. What can you do for the pupil interested in a highly competitive and overcrowded field? 19* How can you help the pupil whose emotional reactions color his analysis? 20. How can you help a pupil who fails to recognize that he has a problem? 21. How do you help a pupil whose abilities and interests are in widely different and conflicting areas? 85 22, How can you help the pupil interested in going to (senior high school) college but lacking financial resources. 23* How can you help the pupil whose poor school work will probably cause him to drop out of school? 24. What counseling help should be provided those pupils not planning to go to (senior high school) college? 2 5. Should all academically able pupils be encouraged to seek high level (social ranking) occupations? 2 6. How can you help a pupil in conflict with a fellow teacher? 2 7. How can you help the pupil who does not 'follow through' on the agreements made during the interview? 2 8. How can you help a child whose home life is filled with tensions between the parents? 2 9. How can you help a slow-learning child whose older brothers and sisters have been excel lent students? 3 0. How can you help a pupil not accepted by his classmates? 3 1* How can you help a pupil indicating strong feelings of insecurity? 3 2. How can you help a pupil with physical handicaps (awkward, crippled, skin blemishes)? 33- How can you help a pupil with narrow in terest or abilities (one-track interests)? 3 4. How can you encourage pupils to avail them selves of the counseling services voluntarily?5 5 Clifford E. Erickson, A Practical Handbook for School Counselors (New York; The Ronald Press Company, TgWFT pp. 76-78. 86 The thirty-four problems listed are by no means exhaustive. In this particular area, or perhaps in this particular age, much could be said about the problems con nected with juvenile delinquency, lack of respect or under standing for personal property, and many other very com plicated problems which are indicative of a revolt against our present social structure. Who shall be counseled by the counselor. It is necessary that every student be counseled individually several, times a year, but reality must be faced. This program will have but one full-time counselor who will not just be engaged in counseling, but who will have charge of the entire guidance program. It would be impractical and probably impossible for him to have interviews with every student. The burden for individual counseling will fall on the home room counselors to the extent that they will have to select those students who need further and more expert counseling. This weeding-out process also applies to class room teachers, but they will not be directly re sponsible for counseling as will be the home room counsel ors. The following situations, in addition to those in dividual cases selected by the home room counselors for further counseling, will be counseled by the counselor; i. Any student whose record indicates an obvious 87 need for help. The counselor in making his routine check of the cumulative records should be able to recognize such a situation by the data on the problem checklist, the results of the personality adjustment questionnaire and achievement tests, or comments on anecdotal record cards. 2. Any student referred by any member of the staff. 3. Any student who receives an unsatisfactory notice. 4. Any student who receives a failing grade. 5. Any student on whom a student problem report is rendered. If the matter is disciplinary in nature the punishment should be handled by the vice-principals either before or after counseling depending on the nature of the case. The students should feel that there is a division between counseling and discipline. 6. Students who ask for a counseling interview. This is the most desirable of all counseling situations and every effort should be made to encourage students to avail themselves of this service. As the program develops and secures student confidence and support, an increase in the number of students seeking counseling on their own initiative should be expected. 7. Problem cases of an aggravated nature where outside sources are involved. 88 8. Conferences with parents may be involved in any of these situations or a conference may be warranted by other conditions. Where more than one teacher is in volved it is desirable that the counselor take the case. 9. Students recommended by the nurse or doctor. The counselor will work closely with them on these cases. Who shall be counseled by the home room counselor. The home room counselor will be closer to and better ac quainted with the students in his group than any other person on the staff. He shall make provisions in his home room planning to allow for individual counseling with every student at least once a semester. It is obvious that some pupils will require many conferences. The home room counselor shall be alert for symptoms of maladjust ment in the people in his group and attempt to work with them. When these problems or any others are too time- consuming, complicated, or aggravated for him to handle, they should be referred to the counselor. Questions as to degree of complication can be determined at the grade guidance committee meetings and to a great extent depend upon the good judgment of the teacher. It should be noted that the home room counselor will have a conference or preparation period during which he can schedule some of these interviews. The home room counselor should keep in 89 mind that he does not and cannot handle or complete every case. He should refer rather than over-load or neglect. Who shall be counseled by the vice-prlnclpals. Any student sent to the office for a breach of conduct Is required to have an incident report rendered by his teacher. The vice-principals must deal with these students before they are allowed to return to class. Most of these cases are “disciplinary" in nature. It would be unwise for the vice-principals to assign punishment without discussing the problem with the student and such a discussion in volves counseling. Recognizing the fact that the vice- principals are busy with other matters, any case which is of a complicated nature and which indicates underlying difficulties should be referred to the counselor for guidance, but not for disciplinary action. The other type of case which appears to be typical and not problem atical should be handled by the vice-principals and not referred to the counselor. Two cautions are to be con sidered in all cases. One, that care be exercised that the apparent "typical" case is not in reality a case in need of further counseling by checking for repetitions of incidents and other evidence in the cumulative records. Two, that care be exercised in assuring that the incident 90 report and comments on the action taken is filed in the cumulative record. In addition to the above types of case, the follow ing categories of cases shall be counseled by the vice principals: 1. Students who apply for work permits. They will ordinarily be familiar with the case or if need be can check with the counselor. A notation of the action taken should be made in the cumulative record. A list should be prepared each quarter by the vice-prlnclpals of any students who are working, and of the details thereof, for the guidance of the staff. 2. Students in need of state aid or other types of welfare. The conference should be written up and the recommendations thereon should be made by the vice- principals and filed. They should consult with the counselor, child welfare officer, nurse, or home room counselor if necessary. 3. Students eligible for awards. 4. Students seeking placement in school jobs, | i.e., office, stage crew, hall guards, etc. ^ 5. Students with whom the counselor is unable to * I work, who resist all efforts by him, or who refuse to ; deal with him, only after being referred by him. This appliœ 91 to discipline cases of the extreme type and does not mean to imply that any student who refuses counseling should be sent to the vice-principals by the counselor. Others who counsel. It is evident that situations occur where other members of the staff are in a better position to successfully counsel a student than the persons already mentioned. The nurse will often be in a personal situation where the student will divulge a confidence he would not consider giving any one else. The child welfare officer is in contact with the students on the "outside" more than any one else. He sees where the students live and how they live. The students are often the deviates who are constantly truant. Often they decide to "get it off their chests." The class room teacher is often the confidant of a student and the student will be more will ing to discuss problems with his "favorite" teacher. Many class teachers find themselves in an excellent posi tion to render educational and vocational counseling aris ing from the subject or from their experience. In spite of the fact that student confidence is involved in the above cases, all matters which the staff member.; deems of value to a better knowledge and under standing of the student should be noted and filed in the cumulative record along with comments. If further action 92 is required or indicated, the report should first be sent to the counselor or vice-principals before being filed. As previously stated in the section on records, the cumu lative record should be confidential and not open to examination by any non-staff members. Counseling policies. It is beyond the scope of this paper to examine the various counseling philosophies and techniques nor could they be prescribed at any rate for others to carry out. However, subject to modification by the guidance council some broad premises will be sug gested. Several counseling philosophies are popular today. This program will utilize the most practical and reasonable of them making this an eclectic counseling program. 1. Assistance with one's problems and with planning for the future are important objectives of the school. 2. Every pupil has the desire and the right to attain maximum self-regulation. 3. Every pupil has most of the abilities needed to solve his own problems. 4. The primary role of the staff is to help pupils recognize, mobilize, and organize their own re sources . 5* Most pupils have tried the solutions they 93 recognize before they seek counseling. 6. Nearly.all problems have a reasoning (thinking) and an emotional (feeling) aspect. 7. Every continuing problem tends to create tension. 8. Every student lives in a social setting and those relationships must be taken into account. 9. Counseling is more than a dec1sion-making event --it is also a therapeutic process. 10. Students are often unable to recognize or to verbalize their difficulties.6 Counseling facilities. Although it would be desir able that all persons engaged in counseling have adequate facilities, the situation at the present time cannot ac commodate them. Therefore, the following facilities should be provided for the counselor: 1. Counseling rooms should be located close to administrative offices and library. 2. The counselor should have a clerk directly under his supervision and located near him. ^ Adapted from Erickson, o£. cit., pp. 6 6-6 7. 94 3. There should be provided: a. A central waiting room. b. A private, soundproof office for the counselor. c. Storage space in the waiting room and in the counselor’s office. d. Attractive bulletin boards. e. Files and bookcases. f. Telephone. III. GROUP GUIDANCE Group guidance, because of the peculiar nature of this program, is the buttressing force in the services plan. With but one counselor the guidance load had to be levied at some point of concentration not only for administrative purposes but in order for sufficient guid ance services to be carried to all the students. The counselor, then, will organize and supervise this group guidance program, but in the main it will be carried out by the teachers. In defense of the idea that "generalists" can help carry the guidance responsibility the writer has the support of such authorities as Erickson and Hamrin,^ 7 Shirley A. Hamrin and Clifford E. Erickson, Guid ance in the Secondary School (New York: Appleton-Century- 95 Froelieh,^ and Barbara Wright who says; Secondary schools could never hope to pro vide enough specialists to take care of the boys and girls who need guidance .... There are teacher-adyisers, who both teach and guide, but whose function is primarily guidance; and there are classroom teachers whose function is both teaching and advising, but with the empha sis on the teaching.9 The following advantages will accrue from the use of group guidance in this program;10 1. It saves time. A large part of the counselor's time is devoted to disseminating factual information and to answering questions. Many of these questions are matters of common interest; they come up again and again. When the counselor finds that he is using interviews to give substantially the same information to each inter viewee he can save time by giving the facts to all of them at once. 2. It provides a background of related informa tion that improves counseling. A course meeting for a 7 (continued) Crofts, Inc., 1939), 465 PP- ^ Clifford P. Froelich, Guidance Services in Smaller Schools (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1950), 352 pp. ^ Barbara H. Wright, Practical Handbook for Group Guidance (Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1948), pp. 5-b. 10 Adapted from Robert Hoppock, Group Guidance (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.,1949), pp. 5-8. 96 full semester provides time for the students to study and discuss problems of common interest to the group. By the simple arithmetical process of dividing the number of students into the number of hours which the counselor has free for interviews, it becomes at once apparent that the average student is fortunate if he gets as much as an hour or two a year of the counselor's time. In the group guid ance class the student may be in direct contact with a counselor as much as twenty hours or more. The economies of time inherent in group guidance make it possible to provide the student with a background of factual informa tion against which to discuss the individual aspects of his problem. In the interview itself the time usually spent on presenting general information may be devoted to the applications of this information to the problems of the individual to be interviewed. 3. It gives the counselor (or teacher-counselor) an opportunity to know his students better. 4. It focuses collective judgment on common problems. Some problems are matters of common interest. Large numbers of students have to make inquiries and decisions on these problems at about the same time. They like to talk about the issues involved. Group guidance provides an opportunity for students to compare opinions 97 and judgments. New ideas and information may be contributed that the individual interview would not produce. 5. It provides some assurance that the problem cases will not monopolize the counselor's time and thus make it necessary for a boy to break a window in order to get some guidance. It is the normal student, who needs only a little accurate information and a little related counseling in order to solve his own problem, with whom the guidance worker has the highest probability of suc cessful results. It is the normal student who gets the least attention in the school that tries to do all its guidance by individual counseling. 6 . It can be provided without increasing the school budget. 7. Students are often able to discuss in a group problems that they find difficult to talk about in private interviews. 8. Lively group discussions offer students an opportunity to express their anxieties regarding problems and their pent-up feelings, especially hostility, regard ing the persons and conditions that, in their opinion, are responsible for their difficulties. 9. Students often accept from fellow students ideas and suggestions earlier offered by adults and 98 rejected by them. Group guidance will have ten points of concentra tion in this program; (1) the counselor, (2) the home room, (3) the class room, (4) remedial reading and hearing classes, (5) the library, (6) student government, (7) the leadership council, (8) clubs, (9) assemblies, and (10) special activities. The counselor. The counselor shall supervise and coordinate all group guidance activities under this pro gram. He shall directly organize and administer the following: 1. Guidance assembly programs. 2. Leadership council. 3. Special activities. 4. Preparation of a student handbook. 5. Feeder school contacts with sixth grade pupils. 6. Pre-entrance visit of sixth grade students. The home room. The heaviest responsibility for group guidance will be placed upon the home room. As mentioned earlier, the home room counselors should be chosen for their suitability for this work. They should also be relieved of other responsibilities in view of their extra load. These other duties should be given to the 99 teachers who do not have home rooms. The following policies shall govern the home room plan: 1. Students and home room counselors will remain together as a group for the three year period. 2. Home rooms will be heterogeneous regarding sex aptitude, and achievement. 3. All students in a home room must be in the same grade. 4. There shall be two home room periods per week.H A fifteen minute period on Mondays for administrative de tails and a forty-five minute period on Thursdays for the other aspects of the home room program.12 5. Administrative burdens on the home room shall be kept at a minimum. The home room program shall have the following purposes and objectives: 1. It provides each pupil with a base of opera tions . 2. It provides a student with an opportunity for 11 This policy should be revised upward if necessary by the guidance council, but is a minimum qualification. 12 Necessary adjustments in the present schedule can be made by taking the forty-five minutes freed by elimina tion of the fifteen minute home room periods on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and adding that time to the class which will be affected by this revision. 100 personal identification with the school. 3. It provides a "family-like" atmosphere for the student and a sense of security. 4. It provides guidance services for all students. 5. It provides stimulation to students in all phases of their development. 6. It provides an opportunity for intimate, personal contacts between teachers and pupils. 7. It provides an opportunity for enriching those traditional guidance activities which may have become over-mechanical. 8. It provides for teacher stimulation and growth. 9. It is the most effective unit for student participation in the activities of the school. 10. It provides a media for more effective school administration. 11. It provides insights into the need for cur ricular changes and a gradual inclusion of the extra curriculum into the school day. 12. It provides for more intimate contact between the school and the community. 1 3. It can deal with materials which are of vital value to the student and yet which do not seem to logically fall in any of the particular fields. 101 14. The group has common Interests and similar goals. 1 5. It is a small unit and workable in size when compared to orientation and guidance assemblies conducted by the counselor. 1 6. The emphasis is on individual and social growth. 1 7. It fosters the development of conversation, standards of conduct, group loyalties, and many other desirable social characteristics. 1 8. It provides strong local organization which when combined for a particular activity provides strong central organization. The home room program shall have five major divisions which are to be considered in the home room counselor's planning: 1. Administration. This involves the routine functions of bulletins, collections, drives, etc. and should be handled in the fifteen minute home room period on Mondays. 2. School activities. The carrying on of student government on the local level is of vital importance to the success of student; government in the entire school and is the natural medium for guidance in citizenship, social 102 responsibility, and appreciation of democratic methods. Every effort should be made by the home room counselor to assure that this activity is amply provided for. In this activity also the plans will be made for parties, dances, picnics, assemblies, inter-home room . competitions in sports, rallies, and probably in no other situation can the students be given the burden of re sponsibility for their acts as in this. The use of com mittees with its emphasis on co-operation and individual contribution for the benefit of the group can find rich and rewarding utilization. 3. Orientation. Several phases of orientation shall be outside of the home room responsibility and handled by other personnel. These are (l) a visit to the junior high school by students in the last semester of elementary school at which time the counselor will take the orientation responsibility, (2) the preparation of a student handbook, and (3) a visit to the senior high school by students in the last semester of ninth grade at which time the senior high school will take the orientation responsibility. Two phases of orientation remain for the home room to deal with: (1) orientation to the new school during the early weeks of seventh grade, and (2) orientation to 103 senior high school in the ninth grade. These points are to be covered in the next section under the heading "com mon problems." 4. Common problems. Each year of the junior high school group guidance program will have a broad field of emphasis based upon the most obvious, demanding, and basic needs of the pupils in the particular grade. The apparent need in grade seven is to find out "How can we get along better in our new school?" and is largely orientation- centered. Grade eight is the year when one outstanding choice must be made--that choice is "What kind of high school course am I going to pursue?" Most guidance author ities recommend grade nine for this problem and yet grade eight is where the decision must be made I The emphasis, therefore, in grade eight will be to give help in making this choice and will be titled "How Can We Better Prepare for the Future?" The students in ninth grade are no longer children and yet are not accepted as adults. How ever, they are beset by adult problems. The emphasis, therefore, will be on "How can we get along better with other people?" Good educational practice will not condone the prescribing to teachers what and how to teach and there fore this program will conform to that idea. The 104 counselor and teachers will want to work out their own plans for attack on the three areas of emphasis above mentioned. The following broad questions are recommended as targets upon which to center the attacks: Grade Seven: How Can We Get Along Better in School 1. Why do I go to school? 2. What are the traditions, policies, and regula tions of my school? 3. What do I know about the classroom subjects offered in my school? 4. What activities are offered in my school and how can I get into them? 5. What are the characteristics of an effective student? 6. What are good conditions for study? 7. What are good ways to study? 8. How can I make the best use of ray daily time? 9. What can I do in the classroom to help me succeed scholastically? 10. What does my report card mean? 11. How do I find my way around the school and where are the various rooms and offices located? 12. How does a junior high school student act and dress? 105 13. How can I make friends if I don't know any one in the class? Grade Eight: How Can We Better Prepare for the Future 1. How can I discover my interests? 2. How can I discover my aptitudes? 3. How can I learn about the various vocations? 4. How can I learn about vocational opportunities? 5. How can I relate my interests and aptitudes to the vocational opportunities open to me? 6. Why work? 7. How can I get a part-time job? 8* How can I be successful on a job? 9. Can I go to college? 10. How can I prepare now for the future? 11. What kinds of courses should I take so that I will be prepared to follow my choices? Grade Nine: How Can We Get Along Better with Other People 1. How can we get along better with out parents and other adults? 2. What are the rules of etiquette fellows and girls should observe? 3. How can one improve his personal appearance? 4. What are desirable boy and girl relationships? 106 5* What are the essential facts of sex and person al hygiene? 6. How can one become socially acceptable and emotionally stable? 7. What do I have to do to become valuable as a member of a group? 8. How do I recognize and co-operate with a good leader? 9. What is my responsibility toward the property of others? 10. What is my part in my home life? The following books which are more thoroughly described in the bibliography are recommended as aids to the home room counselor for the making of common problems plans: A Practical Handbook for School Counselors by Clifford E. Erickson. Aids for Group Guidance by C. Gilbert Wrenn, £t al, Home Room Programs for Junior High School by J. C. and Donna Wright. Home Room Guidance Programs for the Junior High School Years by Mary E. and Ervin W. Detjen. Home Room Guidance by Harry C. McKown. The students should be allowed maximum freedom of expression and interest in the development of these ; 107 ' topics. The home room counselor should utilize all avail- ! able resources such as audio-visual aids, trips, and library, guest speakers, test and record data, social ' events and assemblies. ' 5* Program planning. Program planning is to be ' done as part of the home room group guidance program. It should be carefully coordinated with the common problems ; discussions above suggested. The home room counselor ! should acquaint the group with the offerings and require- ' ments for the next grade. He should use test data in ; making recommendations for class placement where homogene ous grouping is involved or where there is a prerequisite for a course. He should give and interpret this data to the students so that they can make better plans and choices. Program planning should also lead to recommenda tions for course and curriculum revisions in consonance with student needs. The class room. Although the class room teacher will not be directly charged with responsibility for group guidance, there will be many opportunities for it and it is hoped that through an effective in-service training I program, harmonious relations with the counselor and other guidance personnel, representation on the guidance council, and being also, in the majority of cases, home 108 room counselors, the class room teacher will make the class room a strong link in the guidance program. The class room teacher should ask himself the following questions which if followed by positive action can lead to good class room guidance practices: 1. Am I acquainted with each of the pupils in each of my classes? 2. Am I constantly reorganizing ray subject and my teaching in view of what I know about my pupils? 3. Am I using my subject to provide special services to each pupil? 4. Am I attempting to prevent difficulties from developing? 5. Do I use the guidance resources that are available?^3 More specific instances of guidance activities in the class room under this program are: 1. The writing of an autobiography in the seventh grade English classes. 2. The exploratory or try-out nature of shops. 13 These five points are greatly expanded upon in Erickson, op. cit., pp. 133-136. 109 : clothing and foods classes, art and handicrafts classes, band and orchestra, the various voice classes, dramatics, ; journalism, junior business training, and typing. 3* The emphasis on occupations in eighth grade j United States history classes. 4. The units on health, narcotics, liquor, and hygiene in the science classes. 5. The emphasis on health and hygiene in the physical education classes. I Library. The library's contribution to the program will be mostly in the building up of adequate materials.l4 These materials will fall into four rather distinct cate gories: 1. A wide variety of books for leisure time read ing which cover the range of reading abilities as determined by scores on achievement tests and on the judgments of the reading consultant and teachers. 2. An occupational and vocational information library. Lists of such materials are given in Erickson, op. cit., pp. IIO-II3 and 144-156. 110 3. A section of books and pamphlets on teen-age problems. 4. A section on avocations and hobbies. The librarian will also participate in and plan a program on library use and how to study. Remedial reading and hearing classes. In addition to instructional activities, the remedial reading and hearing classes shall make every effort to plan activi ties which will give the students understandings related to their disabilities to the end that they can make satisfactory adjustments to them and develop confidence and status. Student government. Student participation in school government, more than in any other aspect of group guidance, can give the students a feeling of status, of actually participating in and contributing to the welfare of the school. This will be true if the principle of student government is truly and sincerely accepted by the staff. If on the other hand the student leaders are to be mere puppets than it would be better to have no stu dent government at all. The following student bodies are proposed; 1. A student council whose officers shall be the Ill student body officers and whose membership shall consist of a representative from each home room. All membership to be elective. 2. A student court. 3. A hall and campus guard organization. Leadership council. The leadership council will be sponsored by the counselor and will be available for the following students; 1. Officers of the student council. 2. Home room presidents. 3. Team captains. 4. Club presidents. 5* Justices of the student court. The purposes of the leadership council shall be; 1. To provide a central agency for the coordina tion of school activities. 2. To become acquainted with parliamentary practices. 3. To plan school events. 4. To discuss problems of student government. 5 . To discuss general and specific problems resulting from planned activities. 6. To discuss the responsibilities and attributes of leadership. ' 112 I 7. To prepare to train other students in the duties and responsibilities of leadership. The leadership council shall meet once every two weeks at a designated time to be fixed by the principal. Clubs. In order for school clubs to meet during regular school hours, it is recommended that assemblies ' be scheduled once every two weeks and that clubs meet the opposite weeks on the assembly schedule. Non-home room teachers should sponsor the clubs to the greatest extent possible. A student would be permitted to belong to only ' one club a semester, after-school clubs expepted, and every student should be encouraged to Join a club. Any student desiring not to belong to a club will be allowed to use the period as a free study period. No atmosphere of penalty should be present in these study periods. The number of different clubs should be determined by the in terests of the students and the abilities and interests of the teachers who act as sponsors for such organizations. A club should not be initiated unless it will definitely contribute to the growth of the students. Clubs are to be supervised, administered, and chartered by the student council. Clubs should be represented at student council meetings where they are the subject under discussion. For a detailed list of clubs for Junior high school the : 113 i magazine article by William Bruhn is recommended.15 ; Assemblies. Keeping in mind that only some of the assemblies can be allocated to the guidance department, the counselor should stress through the in-service train- ! ing program and by closely working with the girls' vice principal how others can make assembly programs "guidance slanted." Assembly time given to the guidance department should be organized by the counselor utilizing the talents and abilities of the other staff members as recommended in Chapter V. Assembly programs can be, for example, chemical demonstrations, dramatizations growing out of history and English classes, exhibits shown and described by various departments, community and parent participat ing, installation of the student council officers, school elections, awards for achievement in athletics, scholar ship, and citizenship. Special activities. Most special activities should be organized and supervised by a committee consisting of the counselor, the vice-principals, and the student 13 William T. Bruhn, "What Clubs Should We Organize?" School Activities, 7:18-20, May, 1936. 114 officers. The following guidance assets should be kept in mind when planning special activities; 1. To gain pupil interest in the guidance program. 2. To provide exploratory opportunities. 3* To stimulate worth-while recreational ac tivities --better use of leisure time--development of worth-while recreational interest. 4. To increase intellectual development--to acquire academic information. 5- To increase personal growth--interest, abilities, personal qualities. 6. To make worthwhile friendships. 7- To learn how to live in a democracy--to become increasingly self-directive. 8. To stimulate a new and better pupil-teacher relationship. 9. To encourage desirable school spirit. 10. To learn co-operation--group act i on .^6 Special activities can include the following; 1. Organized athletics. 2. Athletic events. 3. Dances. 4. Picnics. l6 Hamrin and Erickson, op. cit *, pp. 183-184. 115 5. Career Day. 6. Student Government Day. 7. Trips. 8. School elections. 9. Various class events, i.e. slave day, Amazon day, etc. IV. SERVICES TO THE STAFF No less important than services to the students ' is services to the staff. As commented on in Chapter IV, a faculty unaware, dissatisfied, bewildered, or indif ferent to the guidance program will doom it to certain failure. On the other hand, a faculty can help insure the success of the program if (l) they understand the purposes of guidance and the objectives and functions of the school's guidance program, and (2) if they are given satisfactory answers to their questions about the program and aid with their problems. All this is understating the complexity , of the issues involved of course, but these are fundament- ; al. Two types of services will be offered the staff. One will be an in-service training program and the other, information and aid. ; 116 ■ In-service training. The In-service training pro gram will be based upon the following considerations: 1. That unification of thinking within a faculty i can be most nearly achieved through work on common, ac cepted problems. I 2. That teacher education is a continuous process, j requiring a place in the regular school program. ; 3. That cooperative work on problems which are ! r recognized by teachers themselves provides the most promising basis for in-service development. 4. That this cooperative work should be the work : of the entire faculty. 5. That the particular problems with which members of any given faculty are concerned form an adequate basis for the in-service training program. 6. That a wide variety of activities in which teachers work and relax together, situations in which they are united in their efforts toward the accomplishment of a common task, provide a basis for cooperative faculty undertakings.17 ^7 Broadly adapted from Chandos Reid, A Study of Teachers' Problems Resulting from New Practices in Cur riculum (unpublished doctor's dissertation. Northwestern University, 1943), cited by Erickson, op. cit., p. 205. 117 I i The in-service training program shall be under the direction of the counselor and organized under the direction of the guidance council or by a special in-service training ' committee. The following major areas are suggested: 1.- Form and uses of cumulative records. 2. The teachers* part in building cumula tive records and keeping them up to date. ' 3- Sources and uses of occupational and training information. 4. Teaching the vocational implications of subjects. 5. Exploratory and training opportunities in the school's curriculum. 6. Functions of the teacher as an incidental counselor. 7* How to observe and interpret the behavior of pupils. 8. The use of anecdotal records. 9. How to make case studies. 10. The teacher's role in case conferences. 11. The teacher's responsibility for gather ing data about pupils. 12. The development of proper pupil attitudes toward the guidance program. 1 3. Assisting with the orientation program for pupils. 14. Role of the teacher as a referral agent. 1 5. Techniques of interviewing. 1 18 17* Other functions and practices that the classroom teacher will be responsible for in the particular school's guidance program . * . .1 8 18. Explaining the services of the specialists by the specialists themselves. 1 9. The objectives of the guidance program. Information and aid. These services to the staff will be rendered mainly by the counselor. The following are a few suggested areas; 1. Professional literature. A professional library shall be maintained for use by the staff. New books and magazines should be publicized and reviewed when possible. 2. Surveys and studies. The counselor shall com pile data on reading grade placement and I.Q. and make similar studies so that comparisons can be made with local and national norms. He shall give evaluations on various tests whose use is being considered. He shall make com munity surveys. He can make case studies for teachers on selected students. Clifford E. Erickson and Glenn E. Smith, Organi zation and Administration of Guidance Services (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 19^7)> PP• 194-95• ; 119 I 3 . Consultation. The counselor should be avail able to teachers for consultation and help regarding ' particular problems. He should encourage such requests- and strive to accomplish satisfactory results. 4. Materials. The counselor should obtain a wide variety of guidance materials and distribute them to the I teachers. He should organize units and have them printed I for use by the teachers in common problems, in subject classes, and in orientation. V. EVALUATION Only through a systematic checking of the guidance program can its value be determined. Weaknesses and flaws can be ascertained and corrected. Implementation of the program can be accomplished also. Probably one of the best ways to check on the program is to set up some goals or desired outcomes and then determine if they are being : met or the degree to which they are being met. Some sug gested outcomes for this program could be: 1. Is the school's record system becoming more useful and more used? 2. Are teachers, administrators, and the counselor using pupil records more effectively? 3 . Are staff members becoming more "pupil- 1 2 0 centered?" 4. Are pupils* problems being more generally recognized and are pupils being assisted to meet those problems? 5. Are pupils choosing subjects in which they are successful? (electives) 6. Are pupils learning more about a wide range of occupations? 7 . Are pupils choosing occupational and training opportunities more in line with individual abilities, aptitudes, and interests? 8. Have changes occurred in the curriculum as a result of various studies and recommendations? 9* Are teachers having fewer discipline problems? 10. Has there been noticeable improvement of morale among pupils and teachers? 11. Are pupils making more use of guidance materials in the library? 12. Are former pupils remaining in the senior high school in greater numbers? 1 3' Are more pupils employed on part-time and vaca tion jobs, and are they choosing jobs more consistent with their interests, abilities, and vocational plans? The evaluation program is to be directed by the 121 counselor who will carry out policies made by the guidance council. There are two types of approaches to the matter of evaluation. The use of the published evaluation form is one and the making of "home made" evaluations is another. The use of both would of course be the most complete and desirable and is recommended for this program. The most comprehensive published evaluation form is that put out by the Federal Security Agency.19 Some possible "home-made" evaluative studies are the following: 1. Study the appropriateness of pupils' school programs as related to their abilities, interests, and future plans. 2. Study the number of problems still found by pupils. 3. Follow up former pupils to secure their re actions to the guidance program. 4. Ask parents, employers, and other ctizens of the community to react to the guidance program. 5. Determine the extent to which pupils are work ing up to their abilities. 19 Arthur L. Benson, editor. Criteria for Evaluat- ing Guidance Programs in Secondary Schools (Mise. 3317, Washington, D. C.: Federal Security Agency, 1949), 33 pp. 122 6. Measure the pupils* reactions toward their school activities. 7* Measure the amount and accuracy of pupils' information in regard to the offerings of the school. 8. Measure the amount and accuracy of pupils' occupational and training information. 9. Measure the amount of pupil failure in the school program and any trends in the reduction of failure. 10. Make an analysis of pupils' reasons for their curricular and their vocational choices. 11. Survey the cumulative records: availability, use, comprehensiveness, and accuracy. 12. Study the testing program to determine purposes, comprehensiveness, use by the staff, etc. 13V Measure the participation of the subject teach ers: the educational and occupational information that they furnish to pupils, their attempts to help pupils, their participation in furnishing information about pupils, their interest in improving the instructional program, the extent to which the special abilities of the staff are be ing used in the guidance program. l4. Study community resources to determine the ex tent to which they are being wisely used by pupils. 15* Study the relative stability of the educational 123 ^ vocational plans of the students. 1 6. Study the counseling program. Are all pupils ; being cared for and is the counseling being competently carried on? 17* Consider whether adequate counseling time is I i provided and whether the facilities are adequate for the ' program of individual counseling. 1 I 1 8. Study the materials in the library: are there ; ample educational and occupational information materials I attractively and easily available?20 Evaluation as an activity in itself is useless if no action is taken on the results procured. This guidance program will successfully grow to the extent to which the lessons learned in evaluation are remembered and applied. 20 Freely adapted from Erickson and Smith, op. cit., pp. 238-3 9. B I B L I O G R A P H Y BIBLIOGRAPHY A. BOOKS DetJen, Mary E. Ford and Ervin W. Detjen, Home Room Guid ance Programs for the Junior High School Years. Boston; Houghton Miff1in Company, 1940. 509 PP- A set of lesson plans for all three years of the junior high school home room. Dunsraoor, Clarence C. and Leonard M. Miller, Guidance Meth ods for Teachers. Scranton, Pennsylvania! internation- al Textbook Company, 1942. 382 pp. Relates guidance methods to the work of the class room and home room teacher. A strong defense of the guid ance value of the home room. Erickson, Clifford E., A Practical Handbook for School Coun- selors. New York: The Ronald Press Company, 1^49. 224 pp. The expression "Good things come in small packages" is quite apropo for this little book. In the form of ques tions and answers, it answers the questions the counse lor would ask when organizing a guidance program. Also contains many pages of excellent references for specific problems and materials. Erickson, Clifford E. and Marion Crosley Happ, Guidance Practices at Work. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 19^6. 3È5 PP. Specific practices carried on in schools as part of their guidance programs. Emphasis on guidance in action. Contains many useful checklists and questionnaires for teacher, pupil, and administrator. Erickson, Clifford E. and Glenn E. Smith, Organization and Administration of Guidance Services. New York: McGraw- Hill Book Company, Inc., 194?. ^76 pp. The use of this book is basic to the intelligent organi zation and administration of guidance services. The chapter on evaluation is excellent. Many useful 126 check-llsts to help one analyze each organizational step he takes. Froelich, Clifford P., Guidance Services in Smaller Schools. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1950. 352 pp. A very important addition to the field of guidance not only because of its recency, but because it gives en couragement to schools that cannot afford the special ist to take the responsibility for the guidance program. Germane, Charles E. and Edith G. Germane, Personnel Work in High School. New York: Silver Burdett Company, l$4l. 3 9 9-pp:----- An informal, practical approach to secondary school guidance work. Has especially useful reference material and Includes "home-made" testing materials, question naires, and inventories for guidance use. Hamrin, Shirley A. and Clifford E. Erickson, Guidance in the Secondary School. New York; Appleton-Century-ÔroTïïs, Inc., 1939. 465 pp. An excellent and comprehensive survey of guidance at the secondary level with two basic premises: that the pur pose of guidance is to meet student needs and that the "generalist" is as important to the guidance program as the specialist. Harden, Edgar L., How to Organize Your Guidance Program. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1950. 7o pp. An up-to-date little book made up of ideas on organiza tion by the best authorities in the field. A good "starter" for orienting one's thinking about organiza tion. Hoppock, Robert, Group Guidance. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1 9 4 9. 393 PP* A clear-cut exposition of the principles and techniques of group guidance. Critically examines many of the "ac cepted" techniques and exposes them as practically worthless. Much of the data and appendix materials was established on the college level raising limitations for junior high school use. 127 Jones, Arthur J., Principles of Guidance. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1^30. 592 pp. While most general guidance works emphasize the voca tional and educational aspects of guidance, Jones delves more thoroughly into the psychological aspects. Lefever, D. Welty, Archie M. Turrell and Henry I. Weitzel, Principles and Techniques of Guidance. New York: The Ronald Press Company, 1950. 577 PP. Covers all phases of guidance in detail. Data on pub lished tests and inventories very useful. McKown, Harry C., Home Room Guidance. New York: McGraw- Hill Book Company, Inc., 1946. 510 pp. The most complete treatment of the home room in the literature. Myers, George E., Principles and Techniques of Vocational Guidance. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, inc., T9TT: 377 pp. Supposedly an examination of the principles and techni ques of vocational guidance, this work is an exhaustive treatment of the whole field of guidance. Contains an especially good survey of the problems and needs of young people. New York State Counselors Association, Practical Handbook for Counselors. Chicago; Science Research Associates, 19461 IbO pp. A most helpful little book designed for the busy coun selor who needs information in a hurry. Its list of basic guidance references is very useful. Reavis, William C., Programs of Guidance. National Survey of Secondary Education, Monograph No. l4. Washington, D. C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1933- Contains many useful suggestions on programs of guid ance . Remraers, H. H. and C. G. Hackett, Let's Listen to Youth. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1$50. 48 pp. This booklet is based on the results of years of research 128 on the problems of teen-age children conducted by the Purdue University Opinion Panel for Young People. Robinson, Francis P., Principles and Procedures in Student Counseling. New York: Harper and Brothers, Publishers, 1950. pp. An excellent examination of the principles upon which counseling practices are based. The author seems to take the best of the Rogerians and the directivists, and then add his own ideas based on detailed research. Slanted toward college counseling which diminishes its value to this project somewhat. Selover, Margaret, et , Introduction to Testing and the Use of Test ResuTts. Educational Records Bulletin No. 55. New York: Educational Records Bureau, 1950. 107 pp. Although this book treats the entire field of testing, the authors view the guidance use of tests as the most Important and develop this idea quite soundly in the chapter on the uses of test results. Strang, Ruth, Counseling Technics in College and Secondary School. New York: Harper and Brothers, Publishers, 1 9 4 9. 302 pp. The title of this book is misleading for it is far more than an examination of counseling techniques. It would be better to say that it examines counselors' techniques and tools. A very thorough treatment, devoting a chap ter to each technique or tool. Super, Donald E ., The Dynamics of Vocational Adjustment. New York: Harper and brothers. Publishers, 1942. 286pp. A stimulating examination of vocational problems which, in a sensé, indicts the schools for lack of adequate guidance services for young people. Should be revised for more recent data. Traxler, Arthur E., How to Use Cumulative Records. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1947. ?0 pp. The first three chapters are general comments on cumula tive records by a foremost authority. The rest of the booklet is of value only to those schools that use the 129 S.R.A. cumulative record. Ü. S. Office of Education, Good Schools Don't Just HappenÎ Prepared for the Commission onLife Adjustment Educa- tion for Youth. Chicago; Science Research Associates. 25 pp. A provocative pamphlet which cites some current prob lems facing our young people, communities, and schools and suggests how the schools should attack them. Wrenn, C. Gilbert, Reinhard G. Hein and Shirley Pratt, Aids for Group Guidance. Minneapolis: Educational Test Bureau, Educational Publishers, Inc., 1942. Contains group guidance plans in detail which emphasize orientation to self, to others, to school and to the future. Student and teacher bibliographies with each plan. Wright, J. C. and Donna S. Wright, Home Room Programs for Junior High School. Keokuk, Iowa: The Extra-Curricular Publishing Company, 1935. 249 PP. A day by day set of plans by grade for the junior high school homeroom. Contains special material for holiday programs. Some of the material seems naive for use with junior high pupils. Wright, Barbara H., Practical Handbook for Group Guidance. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1$48. 2É5 pp. An easy-to-read treatment of group guidance from the class room teacher and class room adviser viewpoint. B . PERIODICAL ARTICLES Bruhn, William T., "What Clubs Should We Organize?" School Activities, 7:18-20, May, 1936. Rosecrance, P. C., "Organizing Guidance for the Larger School System," The Vocational Guidance Magazine, 9:244, March, 1 9 3 1. 130 C. PUBLICATION OF LEARNED ORGANIZATION Benson, Arthur L., editor. Criteria for Evaluating Guidance Programs in Secondary Schools, Form B. A Committee Report to Eighth National Conference of State Supervisors of Guidance Services and Counselor Trainers, Misc. 3317• Washington, D. C.: Federal Security Agency, 1949* 33 pp. A complete tool for evaluating a guidance program. Con tains explanations with questionnaires and checklists. A P P E N D I X 132 CL U1 U1 in m ( /I O S j * - d ] HI HI 133 T5 <D •H 4 - ) c o o I Û a i § eg < *~t o Q > X .2» ( / ) c l ! i i II s ■ o LU o z UÜ § X % Ü ) II b Ota ss 0.0 i i û i . <k LU og o_ H Z TJ 0 ) g -P C o o i < 1 g 2 û Z < o i 5 z o h- < f i g o I I 134 a 135 a 73 I •H C O o g g 1 Z 5 lb Z 2 û) og Ul s 136 M L ast Name F i r s t . Middle D ate of B irth Place of B irth — City State Cumulative Record Supplement SECONDARY Form No. 82160 D ate; 9/1/48 School: Date of Entrance: Semester Ending: Grade: 8 Extra Year Subject: G rad e © rade Subject: Sem. Mrs. G ra d e Sem. Mrs. G radt Subject: G ra d e % Grade Subject: Sem. Hrs. G ra d e Sem. Hrs. Grad) Citizenship Marking System A— Excellent B — G ood C — A verage D— Merely Passing F— Failure (24) Date o f W ithdrawal (22) Junior High G raduation □ Placement in Senior H igh □ Date of Junior High G raduation Name of Junior .igh Junior High P rincipal (23) SENIOR H IG H GRADUATION RECPUIREMENTS Curriculum English 1 B- 10 1 A - 10 1 B- II 1 A - II 1 Civics and Sr. Problems | B - 12 | A - 12 B- 10 A - 10 Homemaking for Girls I Date of Grad, from Senior High W orld History U. S. History B- 10 I A - 10 B . II I A - II Laboratory Science Physical Education | | D r i v e r E d u c a t i o n j Total of 150 I Sem ester Periods No. in Grad. Class Approx. Rank Name of Senior High (25) test DATA: Index Date Read. Gr. PI. Date ( 2 6 ) School: Date of Entrance: Semester Ending: Grade: 10 II 12 Extra Year Subject: Sem. Hrs. G rad e 1 G ra d e Subject: Sem. Hrs. G ra d e Sem. Hrs. G ra d e Subject: Sem. Hrs. G ra d e Sem. Hrs. G rade Subject: Sem. Hrs. G ra d e Sem. Hrs. Grade I ! Tot. Sem. Periods A rith. Gr. PI. Date Lang. Gr. Pi. Date Senior High P rincipal > e ) h - h - o < I I — C L 137 138 HEALTH RECORD — BOYS Telephone Number Nearby Telephone BIRTH DATE BIRTHPLACE RESIDENCE IN CALIF. RESIDENCE IN L. A. CO. Month Day Y ear Race Month Y ear M onth Y ear LAST NAME FIRST NAME (Please Print) MIDDLE NAME ADDRESS SCHOOL VACCINATION AND IMMUNIZATION D iphtheria Small Pox Scarlet Fever T yphoid W hooping Cough O ther Diseases FAMILY HISTORY MEMBERSHIP LIVING DEAD CAUSE AND YEAR OF DEATH CONDITION OF HEALTH^ PREVIOUS HEALTH FAMILY PHYSICIAN F ather’s Name M other’s Name B rothers— Number Sisters— Number EMPLOYMENT RECORD & YEAR (in pencil) F ather M other O ther Sources of Income 1 Relief HEALTH HISTORY— Give Year Chickenpox Bronchitis Allergies ACCIDENTS Diphtheria Colds— frequent A sthm a Infantile Paralysis Earache H ay Fever OPERATIONS German Measles Influenza Bed-w etting Measles Pleurisy Fainting Spells OTHER CONDITIONS Mumps Pneum onia Growing Pains Smallpox Rheum atic Fever H eadaches MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY WHO HAVE HAD RHEUMATIC FEVER Tuberculosis Scarlet Fever H eart Trouble Xryphoid Fever Strep— Sore T hroat H ernia (rupture) W hooping Cough Tonsolitis DENTAL EXAMINATIONS Ktgn. Gr. 1 Gr. 2 Gr. 3 Gr. 4 Gr. 5 Gr. 6 Gr. 7 Gr. 8 Gr. 9 Gr. 10 Gr. 1 1 Gr. 12 First Exam inations— Date Cavities— F irst Exam ination Fillings— F irst Exam ination Second Exam ination— Date Cavities— Second Exam ination Fillings— Second Exam inaton Hygiene— Good - Fair - Poor Stains or Deposits O rthodontia Needed L ast V isited D entist Date of Correction 139. 11 I e2 & p: I I I g D) f2 < D I I I I I I 0 ) Q I I I I .5 K s I Î Î 'O £ . S I I I I o . B .B 8 : 3 g. I I X i I 'B I 1 I i 0 1 Q ) r Q I I I I £ 140 £ o Q ( / > I i o o o o Z o > ÎÔ I _c < 1 > > - 3 U 0 ) •D 3 C o u 0 ) E I 0 ) ■o < u E Z Û University Of S o u th e r n CaUfomfaB

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Asset Metadata

Creator Doerfler, Leonard Jay (author)

Core Title The reorganization of a junior high guidance program

School School of Education

Degree Master of Science

Degree Program Education

Degree Conferral Date 1951-08

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag education,OAI-PMH Harvest

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Advisor Carnes, Earl F. (committee chair)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c37-255735

Unique identifier UC11634347

Identifier EP46750.pdf (filename),usctheses-c37-255735 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier EP46750.pdf

Dmrecord 255735

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Doerfler, Leonard Jay

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA