A workshop on Inculcating Counselling Skills in Teachers was conducted on 27 February, 2015 in the A.V. Room by Expressions India. Expressions India is a CBSE empanelled agency which conducts life skills', value education and school-wellness programmes across the country. 98 teachers from our School participated in this interactive training programme.
The workshop focused on the role of the teacher as an educator who offers intellectual, moral and social instruction to her/ his young learners by virtue of being their mentor. In the present scenario, it is imperative that the teacher widens her horizon and embraces her added role as counsellor to those children who have behavioural issues from factors beyond their control.
The workshop began on an inspiring note with Dr. Jeetendra Nagpal, Programme Director, Expressions India, emphasising the role of teachers as Mentors for life and not teachers for classrooms. He stated that counselling is climate- building and not a therapy; therefore, it must be practiced by teachers as a routine in their classrooms.
[gallery]Thereafter, the resource- persons, Ms. Geetanjali Kumar and Dr. Pooja Jaitley undertook activities designed to equip teachers with specific skills necessary to enhance their role as counsellors. Case studies and situations were deliberated upon to exhibit how, as teachers, we need to be more responding than reacting. Teachers worked in groups as they attempted role-play and enacted scenarios to help identify solutions to routine problems faced by the major stakeholders in this respect, namely, the students, their teachers and parents.
Ms. Tania Joshis address that, Teaching must bring the freshness in, was reflected in the way the teachers resolved problems in their role-play exercise creatively. Many conventional approaches to handling difficult situations were discarded and the newer, more sensitised approaches were accepted.
It was an enriching experience as we realised the importance of our roles as counsellor, which could often make or break the confidence of a child. This empowerment comes with great responsibility and accountability and therefore must be practiced with utmost caution. At the end of the session we understood that we must stop teaching our subject and start teaching our kids.
Filed by Ms. Vandana Tewari.
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