Monday 13 January 2014

Commonwealth Essay Competition 2014

Open to all Commonwealth citizens aged 18 and under, the Essay Competition offers young people the opportunity to make their voice heard on a global platform and engage with issues important to them.
The Commonwealth Essay Competition is the world’s oldest and largest schools’ international writing competition. It provides a platform for young people to compete with their peers in a truly global environment. For 130 years, the Commonwealth Essay Competition has inspired thousands of young writers from all over the world. Run by the RCS, this international schools’ writing contest – the world's oldest and largest – is a highly regarded and popular international education project. In 2013, over 11,000 young people from 55 Commonwealth countries and territories took part.  

This years topics:
Junior CategoryBorn after 1st May 2000

1. Tell us about your family or friends. Who are the team players and who are the stars?
2. ‘You’re one of us now.’
3. What makes a good team? What makes a good team player?
4. Tell us about an instance (or two) where people from different generations have worked together.
5. Have there been times in your life when you wished you had someone to team up with?

Senior Category
Born between 2nd May 1995
and 1st May 2000
1. Team Commonwealth! How would you describe what your country has to offer other members of
the team?
2. How can sport build peace in troubled communities?
3. What part does competition play in people’s daily lives?
4. Explore the relationship between ethics, sport and human rights.
5. ‘We’re a good partnership, you and I!’

 Junior and Senior
A bonus topic open to all entrants: 1. ‘United we stand!’

 Last Date:01 May 2014

 For details: visit:  www.thercs.org 

Sunday 12 January 2014

Post Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of English (PGCTE)

Post Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of English (PGCTE)

Programme duration: 1 Year

Eligibility: M. A. in English, Linguistics, Education, Mass Communication or Psychology

Courses offered on the programme (all compulsory):
1. Phonetics and Spoken English
2. Methods of Teaching English
3. Introduction to Linguistics
4. Modern English grammar and Usage
5. Interpretation of Literature
6. Materials for the Teaching of English
7. Practice Teaching

This course can be done through distance education from the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, India

Students from all over India and other countries can do this course.  
Admissions are also open for:
Post Graduate Diploma in the Teaching of English (PGDTE)
and
MA (English)
For detail visit http://www.efluniversity.ac.in/

Wednesday 8 January 2014

Tiger India (Deemed) University

Tiger India Deemed University of Wildlife Sciences offers various courses at Certificate, UG and PG level:

Certificate Courses (Distance Edu / Online)

Course in Field Botany

Leadership Course in Biodiversity Conservation

Basic Course in Entomology

Basic Course in Ornithology 


 UG / PG Degree Courses (Distance Edu):

BSc (Environmental Science)

MSc (Applied Biology)

MSc (Environmental Science)

MSc (Sustainable Development)

For more detail Click HERE

Tuesday 7 January 2014

Download a free E-Book / PDF Book


The Balanced Leadership Framework ®
This handbook describes the 21 responsibilities of effective school leaders that McREL identified in its meta-analysis of research on leadership. Learn the concept of "balanced leadership," knowing when and how to maintain the status quo and when and how to challenge it, and explore three key areas of effective leadership:
  • Focus of leadership--the areas a principal targets for school improvement efforts
  • Building purposeful community--helping the school community coalesce around clear goals
  • Magnitude of change--understanding the implications of change efforts for stakeholders and adjusting leadership behaviors accordingly   
 Free book download

Monday 6 January 2014

Online seminar: The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching

Online seminar
The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching
  
If a simple checklist could make your life in the classroom easier and more effective, would you use it? Join McREL authors Bryan Goodwin and Elizabeth Ross Hubbell for a three-part, online seminar showing how a checklist of best practices can help keep you focused on what matters most for student achievement. Get practical tools and strategies you can use right away in your classroom.

Session One: January 28, 2:00-3:30 p.m. (MST)
Being Demanding: Helping students turn high expectations into success
 
Session Two: February 25, 2:00-3:30 p.m. (MST)
Being Supportive: Getting results with your "softer side"

Session Three: March 25, 2:00-3:30 p.m. (MDT)
Being Intentional: Planning your work and working your plan

Sunday 5 January 2014

Paper 10: Curriculum Development



Paper 10: Curriculum Development
Q.1. What roles teacher and pupils play in the planning process of the curriculum? Elucidate step by step the process with suitable examples.
Ans:
Role of the teacher
In the teaching and learning process, the other side of the coin is the teacher. Most curricula start to gain life from the time it is conceived and written. Planning and writing the curriculum are the primary roles of the teacher. A teacher is a curriculum maker. He/ she writes a curriculum daily through a lesson plan, a unit plan or a yearly plan. The teacher designs, enriches, and modifies the curriculum to suit the learner’s characteristics. Teachers are empowered to develop their own curricula taking into consideration their own expertise, the context of the school and the abilities of the learners. By so doing, teachers become architects of school curriculum.
Role of the pupils
For a particular curriculum design mentioned earlier, the learner is placed at the centre. The learners are the very reason a curriculum is developed. They are the ones who are directly influenced by it. Learners in all levels make or unmake the curriculum by their active and direct involvement. How each individual learner contributes to the realization of a planned curriculum would depend on the interactions and internalization of the different learning experiences provided. After all, in curriculum implementation, the concluding question will always be: has the learner learned?

Q.7. Write an essay on the need for differentiating curriculum in order for it to be inclusive to all learners.
Ans:
Does effectively teaching 30 students in one classroom require teachers to develop 30 lessons, one tailor-made for each student? Or should teachers “aim for the middle” and hope to reach most students in a given lesson? The answer is not simple. While most would agree it is impractical to try to individualize every lesson for every child, research has shown that teaching to the middle is ineffective. It ignores the needs of advanced students, often leaving them unchallenged and bored, while it intimidates and confuses lower functioning learners. Best practice suggests an alternative: differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction is an approach that assumes there is a diversity of learners in every classroom and that all of those learners can be reached if a variety of methods and activities are used. Carol Tomlinson (2000), a noted expert on differentiation, points out that research has proven that students are more successful when they are taught based on their own readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles. This month’s newsletter examines the characteristics of differentiation and offers suggestions for how teachers can use it to improve student achievement.

What is Differentiation?

Simply stated, differentiation is modified instruction that helps students with diverse academic needs and learning styles master the same challenging academic content. Although it might seem like a daunting task, designing and applying a variety of strategies within one classroom can be done at a variety of levels. Teachers can differentiate instruction with an individual student, within a small group, or with a whole class. Differentiating does not mean providing separate, unrelated activities for each student but does mean providing interrelated activities that are based on student needs for the purpose of ensuring that all students come to a similar grasp of a skill or idea (Good, 2006).



Q.2. While selecting curriculum experiences, what factors should one keep in mind to make the experience meaningful and effective?
Ans:
Selection of content
Curriculum content is a body of facts, ideas, concepts and skills that are presented, discussed and involved in the course. The content selected should reflect the pre-determined curriculum objectives and experiences needed by the learner.

Guidelines for selection
Prioritise: select what is basically needed in specific circumstances. It should therefore not be overcrowded.
Balance: Ensure that the content is properly balanced in terms of time and resources available
Completeness: It should properly cater for all the three domains psychomotor (hand skills), Cognitive (head-knowledge) and effective (heart-attitudes/values)
Sequence: it should be properly sequenced i.e. simple to complex, known to unknown and spiralled
Comprehensiveness: It should include all the necessary details needed by a specific learner.

Need for selection
Due to the ever changing society, both local and international, there is needed to select from the abundance of generated knowledge and skills.
There is need to remain current by replacing content that may be outdated
Quality: There is need to ensure quality
Quantity: There is need to gauge how much to cover on a particular course.
Scope: helps in demarcating or deciding on the breadth and depth of what to cover.

Criteria for selecting content
Selection of contents is always based on the following criteria:
Philosophical: The knowledge we select must be of established value to participants and the society they are going to serve after learning.

Psychological: This means that what is selected should meet the needs and interests of the learners. The psychology of adult learners should be learned and applied

Sociological/cultural: What society has achieved, its institutions, aspirations, traditions, beliefs etc should guide selection of content. This is because some of these will themselves form the content of courses. For example in Uganda today we have issues of gender, environment, self reliance, poverty alleviation, addiction, HIV/AIDS, small scale enterprises e.g. ICT cafes. These are social issues that should be considered when developing curricula.

Organisation, structuring or sequencing of content/learning experiences
Any curriculum content needs to be properly selected and organized. The following include the different ways of organizing content;

Content:
i. Chronological order: Selecting and sequencing content in order of how things happened e.g. what happened first, followed etc.
ii. Causes and effect: The underlying principles resulting into knowledge.
iii. Structural logic: This refers to the use of normal procedure to organize content e.g. wearing a vest before a shirt
iv. Problem centred: Basing on a problem to learn.
v. Spiral: Continuous re-introduction of the main ideas of a topic as you proceed to the next topic or level
vi. Psychological: organizing content basing it on the interest of the learners
All these are just some of the ways in which content can be organized. As one organizes the content you have to determine the learning experiences e.g. Knowledge experiences- (What will they learn?)
Skills experiences (What do we want them to be able to do?)
Attitudes/values-(What do we want them to feel)
Q.6. “Good teaching is not the prerogative of any one curriculum design.” Explain.
Ans:
Good teaching practice is a key influence on student learning - a desired outcome and primary goal of higher educational institutions. Teachers strive to meet the principles of good practice in an effort to provide the best learning experience for their students.
Curriculum matters mainly because of its potential impacts on students. The fundamental purpose of curriculum development is to ensure that students receive integrated, coherent learning experiences that contribute towards their personal, academic and professional learning and development.
The design and development of curriculum for courses, topics, and major and minor sequences of topics, should focus on how the educational experience contributes to students' development of the Flinders Graduate Qualities. These qualities provide a key reference point for the Curriculum Development process. They must be related to the conceptual frameworks, language and practices of the student's field of study through quality learning experiences.
If designing curricula is like designing any object, process, or system in important
respects, it follows that it has these attributes:
Curriculum design is purposeful. It is not just to “have” a course of study. Its grand
purpose is to improve student learning, but it may have other purposes as well.
Whether the purposes are in harmony or in conflict, explicit or implied, immediate or
long-range, political or technical, curriculum designers do well to be as clear as possible
about what the real purposes are, so that they can respond accordingly.
Curriculum design is deliberate. To be effective, curriculum design must be a conscious
planning effort. It is not casual, nor is it the sum total of lots of different changes being
made in the curriculum over weeks, months, and years. It involves using an explicit
process that identifies clearly what will be done, by whom, and when.
Curriculum design is creative. Curriculum design is not a neatly defined procedure
that can be pursued in a rigorous series of steps. At every stage of curriculum design
there are opportunities for innovative thinking, novel concepts, and invention to be
introduced. Good curriculum design is at once systematic and creative—feet-on-the ground
and head-in-the-clouds.
Curriculum design operates on many levels. Design decisions at one level must be
compatible with those at the other levels. A middle-school curriculum design that is incompatible with the elementary- and high-school designs will almost certainly
result in a defective K-12 curriculum, no matter how good each part is on its own. By
the same token, the middle-school curriculum itself cannot be effective as a whole
unless the designs of its grades are in harmony.
Curriculum design requires compromises. The challenge is to come up with a curriculum
that works well—perfection is not its aim. In developing a design that meets complex
specifications, trade-offs inevitably have to be made among benefits, costs, constraints,
and risks. No matter how systematic the planning or how inventive the thinking,
curriculum designs always end up not being everything that everyone would want.
Curriculum designs can fail. There are many ways in which curriculum designs can
fail to operate successfully. A design can fail because one or more of its components
fail or because the components do not work well together. Or, the people who have to
carry it out may reject the design because they misunderstand it or find it distasteful.
In most cases, however, curriculum designs are neither wholly satisfactory nor abject
failures. Indeed, a key element in curriculum design is to provide for continuous correction
and improvement, both during the design process and afterward.
Moreover, our modern classrooms are heterogeneous and inclusive education is also becoming a common thing now. Therefore any one curriculum cannot suit the needs of all the students in a classroom or the same standard students in different schools. So it is aptly said that good teaching is not the prerogative of any one curriculum design.

. 8. Critically analyse the current challenges to our educational system.
Ans:
Issues and challenges
1.    Expenditure on education
2.    Gross enrolment pattern
3.    Capacity utilisation
4.    Infrastructure facilities
5.    PPP model
6.    Student-teacher ratio
7.    Accreditation and branding – quality standards
8.    Students studying abroad
9.    Innovations required
10. Making education affordable
11. Ethics in education

Conclusion
To sum up, we need to recognize that the knowledge, skills and productivity of our growing young and dynamic work force forms the backbone of our economy. To reap the benefits of such a young work force, we need to implement the reforms in the education system and also bring forth new factors of production, namely knowledge, skills and technology which have the ability to unleash the productive frontiers of the economy in the most efficient and dynamic way. Besides, taking a leaf from the western hemisphere, India should try to become “knowledge economy” to promote inclusive growth. I, therefore, would like underline three major areas to be focused to ensure that our education system is sustainable and meets global standards:
i. Quality of Education – in terms of infrastructure, teachers, accreditation, etc.
ii. Affordability of Education – ensuring the poor and deserving students are not denied education.
iii. Ethics in Education – avoiding over-commercialization of education system.

Saturday 4 January 2014

Paper 9: Educational Administration


Paper 9: Educational Administration
Q.8. Briefly outline the responsibilities of a full time Principal.
Ans:
When the Principal of a high school is the official leader, he can establish himself as a real educational leader only through the use of democratic process and on the basis of the quality of his contributions. He should establish his ability to act as a consultant to the teachers, one who can aid them to solve their problems. He should try to develop the ability of the staff lo work and think together. He should attempt to make changes in the educational programme only through group evaluation and group planning. In light of this let us now discuss the important duties of the Principal.

1. Principal's Supervisory Duties

The officials of a high school may be classified as "Extra-high-school and Intra-high-school officers." The extra-high-school officials are those associated with the central office and the intra-high-school officers are assistants to the Principal.
Their work is within the high school. The extra-high-school officials arc the special supervisors, directors of cur­riculum or instruction etc. The intra-high-school officers include the first assistant, department heads, librarian, counsellors, teachers in charge of games, sports, N.C.C., N.S.S., Red cross and other assistants. The Principal, being the educational leader is to supervise the activities of both intra and extra-high-school officers.

2. Supervision of instruction

To improve the quality of teaching and learning in the teacher -student system the Principal should pay regular visits to the different classes in which the teachers are engaged. He should work as an expert source of help through free discussion with them. Since teaching has independent parts like planning, actualizing the plans, describing what was actualized, analyzing what happened and generalizing in the terms of planning, the Principal should work together with the teachers to improve the "learning environment."
This will be possible through mutual esteem and trust, which again depends upon contact and interaction. He should not interpret his role as 'telling, rather he should accept coopera­tion, help and assistance as a way of life.

3. Supervision of Curriculum Development and Improvement

For the improvement of learning according to the changing needs of the society, constant revision and improvement of the curriculum is essen­tial. Since the Principal is the educational leader, he is responsible for developing the curriculum design, and coordination of the curriculum improvement, stimulating innovation, developing demonstrations of new procedures and practices, keeping information about new curriculum development and conducting research that is appropriate to school sys­tem.
He should educational programme. He should also evaluate the effectiveness of the educational programme. He should organize a cur­riculum development team with the staff members and should consult pupils and parents by conducting investigations of pupils’ progress and by promoting follow-up studies of dropouts.

4. Supervision of curricula rand Co-curricular Activities

The Principal should set-up separate committees with a chair­man to look to their progress. The curricular activities like instructional programme guidance services, examinations and evaluation, audio-visual educational programmes etc., and co-curricular activities like games and sports, excursions, hobbies, debating and literary society, cultural and social programmes, library and reading room, Red Cross and First Aid, N.C.C. and N.S.S. etc., are to be supervised by the Principal with the help of these committees. Distribution of activities should also be made by the Principal. Thus, he can help the growth and development of the whole child, mental, moral and physical activities.

5. Supervision of School Hostel

Though the school hostel remains in charge of a superintendent, who happens to be a teacher, it is also the duty of the Principal to supervise carefully the hostel. He should try to create a homely atmosphere in the hostel. He should pay occasional visits to the hostel to see its management.
Thus, the Principal is responsible for the all round progress and development of the school programme. Through democratic supervision, he can become vigilant and manage the school affairs efficiently.

6. Administrative Responsibilities of the Principal

The administrative responsibilities of the Principal can be clas­sified under two heads - external and internal. The external responsibilities connect the Principal with some external authorities like the govern­ment, the state department of education, the High School Education Board and the governing body of the school. The internal responsibilities connect him with the organization of internal responsibilities of the school, the school office and administering the school budget and the school plant.

7. His relations with the External Authorities

Education has now become the responsibility of the state. Therefore, the government decides the educational policies, prepares educational budgets, provides grant-in-aid to the schools and decides the service conditions of the teachers. The Principal should be aware of these regulations and other administrative developments at the level of the government.

8. His relations with the State Department of Education

The state department of education includes the secretariat of Education and the Directorate. Rules and regulations regarding "admission, withdrawal, attendance, school timings, promotion rules, punishment, time tables, size of the class" etc., are fixed by the department from time to time. So the Principal cannot work without his relation with the State Department of Education or with the Board of Education.

9. Board of Education

The school certificate examination is conducted by the Secondary Board of Education, ft prescribes and writes text-books for the schools. Prepares curriculums, fixes the rules and regulations for the examinations. The Principal cannot run the administrative machinery of the school without being fully conversant with the details of the work of the Secondary Board of Education. Therefore, he should keep contact with the Board.

10. The relationship with the Managing Committee

Every non-government school has a managing committee with a president, a secretary and a few members. This body has direct connection with the state department of education and also with the Secondary Board of Education. It is a very powerful body, which can appoint and dismiss teachers. Of course this power of the management has been curtailed these days. For the smooth running of the school administration, a Principal working in a non-government school should have close contact with the managing committee.

Q.7. “Principal as a leader”. Discuss with suitable examples.
Ans:
In the planning and execution of school programme, the head of the institution, teachers, students and their parents have all to join hands to attain common goals and purposes. The Principal may be described as the Solar Orb, round whom all the teacher planets revolve.
A better analogy is given by W.M. Ryburn, when he compares the Principal to the Captain of a ship, who like Captain in the ship, holds the key position in the school. Ryburn wants a Principal to be a man of faith. It is therefore, essential that he is not only a man of high character, but a man of faith, "Faith in vocation, faith in his pupils faith in human nature and faith in his staff'.
Also Ryburn lays emphasis on the inspiring qualities of the Principal of the schools. "He must also be able to inspire the staff in their day-to-day work, inspire pupils to use all opportunities provided, drawing out the best that is in them inspire the society."
In the worlds of the Central Advisory Board of Education, "No scheme of educational reconstruction will produce the desired result, unless it is administered with vision and efficiency. The person who plans with vision and executes with responsibility is virtually the Principal". In fact, school is the lengthened shadow of Principal.
The Secondary Education Commission (1952-53) opines on Principal, "On him the proper working of school ultimately depends. The reputation of the school and the position that it holds in the society depends in a large measure on the influence that he exercises over his colleagues his pupils and general public.
True, on his ability and skill, as a sound and effective educational leader depends the success of a school system. A Role of Principal and Teachers !Principal is the leader and the centre of the whole organization of the school. P.C. Wren beautifully explains the role of the Principal in the following words :
"What the mainspring is to the watch, the fly-wheel to the machine, or the engine to steamship, the Principal is to the school. The character of the school reflects and proclaims the professional character of the Principal. He is the seal and the school is the wax."
"As the Principal, so is the school". There is no denying the fact that everything in the school, the staff, the curriculum, the method of instruction the discipline, the co-curriculum, activities, the daily schedule and the general atmosphere and the tone of the school is fashioned in the mould of the Principal. It may be recalled that some schools in England are still named after their reputed Principal, i.e. Harrow School, Rugby importance in the school programme. The whole programme of school either grows or remains sterile according to equipment, training and competence of the Principal. Everything in the school, Buildings, Furniture, Library, Laboratory, Methods & Techniques of Teaching, Co-curricular activities and human relationships bear the impact of the personality of the head and reflect his leadership.
The role of the Principal as a man is perhaps the most important. He is both human and human. He is also both trustful trustworthy. He should always carry a young heart.

Q.10. Write short note:
Ans: Provisions for youth needs in the curriculum.
                                               

                                                               



Q.2. Academic freedom is vital to a free society. Explain
 
                                                      








Q.4. What should our schools accomplish? Enumerate.

Friday 3 January 2014

Paper 8: Vocational Guidance and Counselling



Paper 8: Vocational Guidance and Counselling
Q.9. Highlight the major issues, discuss the important features of vocational guidance to adolescents as compared to the other population.
Ans:
·         Taking into account adolescent development is of central importance when considering how to create career planning models for teens. This allows vocational guidance and counseling programme  to be more successful in their compatibility with teenagers’ wants and needs.

·         Cognitive shifts can be observed in how students make decisions; those in earlier grades consider themes at a concrete level whereas students in later grades have the ability to conceptualize themes and concepts. Students’ rationale for choosing occupations becomes more logical, realistic, and more deeply understood as they age.

·         Counsellors can attend to developmentally appropriate content and delivery of career information while encouraging career exploration as a means to assist with identity formation. For example, grade 12 students may benefit from brief proactive interventions on career and life planning, with less involvement from an adult, whereas counsellors for grade 9 students could focus on more intense, long-term involvement and more adult or peer attention.

·         Counsellors must ensure adolescent engagement with the career information that is developmentally appropriate. Engagement and relevance will help to build a strong sense of ownership or self confidence, especially for younger students. One way to establish relevance, specifically for a teenager, is to vary the delivery method (e. g., lectures, technology, or role play), use real-life situations, or use a group approach.

·         Counsellors must ensure continued interest in career information. Interest is maintained by keeping the tasks and discussions developmentally appropriate. In order to do this, younger adolescents must be allowed more exploration and more support as they need time to see what possibilities exist beyond school and to test their emerging identities. This allows students to progress to more advanced exploration as they age, which may allow for greater career skill development and employability skills.

·         Counsellors must seek the assistance of the most influential individuals in student’s career decision-making: their parents. Parental support is an overriding necessity of any school-based counseling career model made for adolescents. Parental involvement should include being kept up to date about what their child is doing regarding career planning (i.e., notes or newsletters sent home, open house formats to bring them into the school).


·         It is especially crucial for school counsellors to ensure that the methods and information used in career counselling are helpful for students. This may be the only opportunity for adolescents to receive career planning before they enter into the world of work.

·         As development affects things like what careers teens are interested in, how they think about their future, and what they need to maintain interest, it makes sense for vocational guidance models to take such cognitive changes into account.


Q.10. Write short notes:
Functions of VOCATIONAL COUNSELLOR
Performs paraprofessional journey level work involved in the compilation of information for the determination of eligibility in accordance with local, state and federal program regulations and procedures for participation in County, State and Federal Job Training Partnership Act (J.T.P.A.) programs and work involved in the training of participants enrolled in the J.T.P.A. Programs.
EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED / ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. Provides training in the interviewing of applicants to obtain appropriate information, the compilation of required forms in accordance with established procedures and regulations,
recording and evaluating of personal and financial data obtained from applicants and completing and determining initial eligibility based upon information collected for submittal to higher level of authority for approval. Performs aforementioned duties as required.
2. Conducts orientation, explains program procedures, process, and time frames to applicants. Conducts vocational and academic assessments. Conducts pre-assessments for pre-employment/work maturity. Evaluates and compiles assessment results.
3. Guides and instructs work experience trainees in appropriate office behaviour and dress. Teaches/counsels in life skills. Instructs in office procedures and provides office machine training.
4. Teaches participants to use various types of computers. Oversees and instructs and implements the Employability Development Plan as prescribed. As assigned, may teach math, reading, spelling, and language arts.
5. Assists participants in use of various types of computer software and audio/visual equipment.
6. Implements clerical curriculum as prescribed.
7. Conducts classes.
8. Performs outreach duties for program.
9. Maintains chronological case notes, charts, forms, folders, and other related documents notating and documenting accurate, up-to-date information of program activities and status of applicants and participants.
10. Performs a variety of clerical tasks to include but not limited to: scheduling appointments; answering phones; utilizing computer keyboard to perform such tasks as, but not limited to, inputting data and utilizing word processor; responding to or routing inquiries; referring and directing individuals, applicants and clients to appropriate agencies; assembling materials in preparation of interviews and investigations; completing and processing of forms and other documents; organizing information, records and other related documents; and filing.
11. Acts as a computer lab aide. Teaches participants to use the computer. Oversees and instructs basic education and other computer-assisted training.
12. May assist Vocational Counsellor Senior and in absence of same, may perform some of their duties and responsibilities as required.
13. Performs special assignments as requested.
14. Performs related work as required.




Psychometric testing in vocational counselling and guidance
Wherever an individual/student wants to make serious decisions about career choices – about choosing careers, changing careers, choosing higher education or training – psychometric tests are an objective measure of not just aptitude, but to a certain extent, of the likelihood of career satisfaction and success.   They help you to know yourself – not just what you’re good at but also to make you aware of those important areas that could use a little work, areas where you are not as strong as you could/should be.
In general, psychometric testing can help students by:
  1. Providing an objective measure of often hidden abilities and form a robust foundation for making career decisions.
  2. Highlighting strengths and weaknesses
  3. Helping to identify interests
  4. Identifying skills
  5. Providing an insight into personality
  6. Providing insights into aspects of work
 The majority of students in and 5th and 6th form (11th and 12th grade) secondary institutions and a large number of those in tertiary institutions often do not know what they want to do; they do not know if what they think they want to do is something that would suit them and even more importantly they have no idea of where to go for advice and counselling.  While this method of testing is helpful, students must remember that it’s just one of several tools available and that it must always be used in conjunction with competent professional guidance counselling especially when used for career guidance.   No one thing or instrument can provide the magical and complete answers.  There is no quick magical fix-it when determining what career you want to pursue.  The tests can assist you and provide insights that may have eluded you, but always be aware that psychometric testing 
  • WILL NOT make decisions for you
  • MUST be supported by adequate professional guidance and counselling
  • WILL NOT rule in or rule out careers
  • WILL NOT take into consideration the economic realities of your situation
  • WILL NOT remove the hard thinking required when making career decisions
The use of psychometric testing within the field of Career and Educational Guidance is therefore understandably on the increase.  This is partly because, when used correctly, psychometric testing is wholly consistent with the aim of providing a high quality, non-discriminatory, independent, and objective Career and Educational Guidance Service.  The use of psychometric tests (where appropriate) can bring benefits to both the client and the Guidance providers, but these benefits will only be derived if tests are used properly.
Ideally, this type of testing is administered in conjunction with consultation from professional guidance counsellors and should be readily and easily available for the majority of 5th and 6th form students. 
In short the career interest questionnaires help us to identify which categories of work the counselee is most interested in according to certain career themes, such as active, analytical, caring/social or artistic/creative. We are often able to help our clients to move forward, embarking on a new career after a decision to make a major change, or perhaps for the first time, if they are school or college leavers. We may be helping them to re-launch their careers if they are returners to work after child rearing or a long period out of work for some other reason.
Q.5. Define Professional Supervision. How is it used in training the counsellors?
Ans:
Professional supervision is a positive and enabling process that offers the opportunity to bring an employee and a skilled supervisor together to reflect on work practice. It is the process by which a worker can review and evaluate their work through discussion, report and observation with another worker. Supervision aims to identify solutions to problems, improve practice and increase understanding of professional and clinical issues.
“Supervision is a process in which one worker is given responsibility to work with another worker(s) in order to meet certain or organisational, professional and personal activities. These objectives are competent, accountable performance, continuing professional development and personal support.” (Morrison 1993).
Working under supervision means that a counsellor or psychotherapist uses the services of another counsellor or psychotherapist to review their work with clients, their professional development, and often their personal development as well. Supervision is a professional service, rather than a managerial role, and for counsellors who work in institutions, supervision and management will normally be entirely separate. The supervisor acts not as a ‘boss’, but as a consultant.
Some counsellors also use group supervision, in which several therapists confer on each other’s work, although ordinarily this is used in addition to individual supervision, rather than as a replacement.
Use of Professional Supervision in training the counsellors:
Supervision exists for two reasons:
  1. to protect clients, and
  2. to improve the ability of counsellors to provide value to their clients.
Supervision protects clients by involving an impartial third party in the work of a counsellor and client, helping to reduce the risk of serious oversight and helping the counsellor concerned to reflect on their own feelings, thoughts, behaviour and general approach with the client.
These opportunities to reflect on how they relate to the client, as well as to garner insights from the perspective of another therapist, also help the counsellor to improve the value they are providing to their clients. In this respect, supervision is somewhat analogous to peer review in the publishing process: few professional scientists would expect to be able to publish their results without peer review, and the quality of the scientific literature is undoubtedly better than it would be without the positive influence of the peer review process.

Q.4. What is the role of a counsellor? What are the qualities required to be a good counsellor?
Ans:
Role of a counsellor:
A counsellor is an individual who helps people, families or groups deal with difficult immediate or ongoing situations. Their role is to help people cope or resolve issues in a non-judgemental and productive manner. A counsellor does not necessarily need any medical training and subsequently may not be qualified to deal with any condition with a medical base or that could severely impact an individual’s personality.
Counsellors will employ a wide variety of techniques in order to resolve conflicts; however, they cannot offer any form of medical advice. Fundamental to almost all forms of counselling is establishing trust by listening attentively and non-judgementally. The role is also likely to involve asking open questions in order to help people understand why they feel a certain way.
Some of the roles of a counsellor are discussed below:
  • Meeting with patients or clients to listen and, where appropriate, discuss problems in a progressive and therapeutic way.
  • Providing assistance in resolving minor mental health issues and ensuring that individuals meet their full potential.
  • Advising on the best course of action/care for individuals, couples, families and/or clients to resolve issues.
  • Providing comprehensive and methodical analysis and notes to assist in the diagnosis or resolution of a problem.
  • Challenging the perceptions that clients may have of themselves or those around them in an empathetic and productive manner.
  • Referring clients to qualified medical professionals as and when necessary.
  • Supervising discussions between parties to help them resolve a situation in the most amicable means possible. This may involve acting as a formal mediator but is unlikely to include any form of binding arbitration.
  • Acting within the ethical bounds of the profession, maintaining client/ patient confidentiality and ensuring that emotional distress is minimised.
  • Keeping records of discussions.
Qualities of a good counsellor:
  • Paramount to becoming a successful counsellor are strong inter-personal and communication skills.
  • Being able to create an atmosphere of trust.
  • An empathetic and non-judgemental nature.
  • Tolerance and sensitivity.
  • Patience and tact.
  • An understanding of your own capabilities and when a client/ patient should be referred to a medical professional.
  • Being able to work with disturbed and emotional people without getting personally involved.
  • Ethics - counsellors need to have a well defined ethical philosophy as they are responsible for ensuring the mental and emotional health of individuals and groups who may be severely disadvantaged. It is imperative that you are able to remove yourself from the work environment and maintain a professional distance from the subject when appropriate.
  • Impartiality - counsellors working with groups or couples will need to maintain their independence and neutrality and display a strength of character to ensure that one individual does not dominate the discussion.
  • For careers focussing on the counselling of businesses or managers a solid knowledge of business practices and organizational behaviours is useful.
Q.8. Describe the details of the first interview in vocational counselling and guidance with suitable examples.
Ans:
Following fifteen are the essential first interview components:
1) Opening the interview.
2) Assessing the reason for coming to counselling.
3) Assessing previous counselling experience.
4) Assessing client counselling expectations.
6) Describing the nature of confidentiality.
7) Searching for meaningful counselling content.
8) Assessing client ability to function.
9) Labelling what feelings are.
10) Determining a counselling structure.
11 ) Obtaining a commitment to counselling.
12) Working on goal-setting.
13) Summarising, reviewing, and evaluating.
14) Using psychological homework.
15) Closing the interview

Web Search Engine

Custom Search