Plato’s Philosophy of Education and Its Implications to Counselling (Published)
The focus of this work is on the implication of Plato’s philosophy of education on counselling. It unveiled that Plato’s philosophy of education hinges on education for all boys and girls to the limits of their ability and in the same analysis, people should be educated according to their various talents and abilities. This has implication for trait and factor theory in counselling which surmises that decisions about vocations are not adequate if one does not understand himself as much as the characteristics of the vocation which an individual want to pursue. At the end, recommendations were made which includes, for the avoidance of wastages, talents should be engaged where they fit in and that the curriculum should be flexible.
The focus of this work is on the implication of Plato’s philosophy of education on counselling. It unveiled that Plato’s philosophy of education hinges on education for all boys and girls to the limits of their ability and in the same analysis, people should be educated according to their various talents and abilities. This has implication for trait and factor theory in counselling which surmises that decisions about vocations are not adequate if one does not understand himself as much as the characteristics of the vocation which an individual want to pursue. At the end, recommendations were made which includes, for the avoidance of wastages, talents should be engaged where they fit in and that the curriculum should be flexible.
Keywords: Counselling, Implication, Philosophy of Education
Assessment of Guidance Services in Senior High Schools in Upper Denkyira East Municipality (Published)
The purpose of the study was to assess guidance services rendered in the Senior High Schools(SHS) in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality. To accomplish this, descriptive survey research design procedure with a quantitative approach was adopted. The study employed a multistage sampling procedure where sample size of 474 respondents were used. There were 133 staff (teachers, counsellors and headmasters) and 341 SHS students. Questionnaires were used to obtain data from the respondents. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages, means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (independent t-test and MANOVA). The study revealed that generally both students and staff have positive views about the nature of guidance services provided in Senior High Schools within Upper Denkyira East Municipality. Again, it was confirmed that most staff and students agreed that guidance resources and materials are unavailable or inadequate in the schools for effective implementation of guidance services. The findings prove that there was statistically significant difference between the staff and students in their perception towards the nature of guidance services provided. It was therefore recommended that the Ghana Education Service implement fully its policy of assigning guidance and counselling coordinators to each Senior High Schools to allow for constant and fulltime access of the students to guidance and counselling.
Keywords: Counselling, Guidance Services, Senior High Schools, Students
Integrating Counselling into Early Childhood Education in Nigeria: The Benefits, Challenges and Implications for Practice (Published)
This paper focused on the role of the professional counsellllors in early childhood education. It is observed that little or no attention has been given to this level of education in Nigerian school system until recently, particularly with the enactment of the 2013 NPE. The involvement of professional counsellors at this cadre of education could help young learners to achieve more guided educational successes as they navigate the other levels of education. In pursuit of this goal, this paper further examine some challenges and benefits of early childhood education which could be ameliorated and facilitated respectively by guidance and counselling. The paper argued that appropriate counselling interventions at an early stage of young learners could contribute to their successful education as well as maximize their future well being. In this regard, the paper put forward multilateral counselling interventions at five levels. They include counsellor’s collaboration with school proprietor, counsellor’s partnership with preschool teachers, counsellor’s interface with parents, counsellor’s interface with young learners and Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON) consultation with government. It is therefore, recommended that guidance and counselling should be an integral component of early child education in Nigeria as a means of enhancing the attainment of its educational objectives.
Keywords: Counselling, Early Childhood Education, Integrating
Students from Different Cultural Backgrounds, Their Difficulties upon Elementary School Entry in Greece and Teachers’ Intercultural Educational Practices (Published)
The present research aims to explore intercultural practices that are adopted by primary school teachers so as to address the difficulties faced by students from multicultural backgrounds upon their school entry. Moreover, it aims to explore teachers’ perceptions regarding the counselling dimension of their role. For that purpose, a questionnaire was used including open and close type questions. The sample was composed of 106 teachers from Primary Schools of Achaia in South West Greece (86 women and 20 men, 25-55 years old). The results indicate that intercultural activities adopted by teachers as long as their pedagogical suggestions are mainly stereotypical. They also refer to an early conception of intercultural pedagogy based more on acceptance than in coexistence / inclusion. Moreover, teachers do not seek further counselling to address students’ difficulties, although they acknowledge the major problems faced by students coming from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Keywords: Counselling, Intercultural education, Teachers, educational practices
Counselling Implications of Conflict and Conflict Resolution in Secondary Schools in Ebonyi State (Published)
The study investigated the counselling implications of conflict and conflict resolution in secondary schools in Ebonyi State. Specifically the study assessed the extent to which school principals adopt dialogue, arbitration, third party and sanction in conflict resolution in their schools. The population for this study consisted of all the principals of public Secondary Schools numbering one hundred and fourty-seven (147), and the entire population was used. Four research questions and one null hypothesis guided the study. The instrument for data collection was a four point modified likert-type questionnaire – conflict resolution assessment scale (CRAS), while the data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for the research questions and t-test for the hypothesis. The findings showed that while sanction was used to a great extent, dialogue, arbitration and third party were used to a low extent. Again, gender of principals does not significantly influence the type of conflict resolution method used. The counselling implications of the findings were outlined including: the fact that people have problems which should not be taken for granted or sub-summed in their conflict. Recommendations were also made for example that Government officials who relate with the school authority should also be involved in dialogue, arbitration and third party methods of conflict resolution instead of just using sanction as the only option.
Keywords: Arbitration, Conflict, Counselling, Dialogue, resolution, third party and sanction
Guidance and Counselling: A Creativity for Promoting Sustainable Well Being and Adjustment of Secondary School Students in Nigeria. (Published)
The Nigerian education system adopted guidance and counselling as a school service programme meant to promote well being and optimal adjustment of learners. Its scope covers all aspects that enhance student’s excellent academic performances, preparation for and adaptations into vocations, and abilities meant for use in resolving personal, social and psychological problems. It emphasizes self direction and clear definition of purpose meant to actualize life skills for growth and development of learners in and out of school. Its importance in schools cannot therefore be over emphasized. It follows therefore that among other counselling techniques used in group dynamism, peer group counselling technique appears to among others, be good modalities for championing the means of creating the sustainable students’ well being and adjustment. Guidance and counselling should therefore be supported to cater accordingly for the stated purpose.
Keywords: Counselling, Creativity, Guidance, Students, wellbeing and Adjustment