The counseling office has the power to provide our youth with professional assistance. This will enable them to get admitted into college and set informed career goals. High school counseling is in desperate need of improvement. The Village Method is determined to help students, families, and counselors with this change.
Preparing young students for college starts with how well we promote academic excellence for all. It should go without saying that with the right resources and the optimal support, all children can flourish. It is a matter of educational equity that needs to be addressed right away.
In this article, let us show you everything you need to know about high school counseling. What should your expectations be when interacting with high school counseling programs? Read on to find out!
High School Counseling and the Achievement Gap
Most school counselors are prone to perceiving the world through its unfair color lines.
Systemic racism gets in the way of educational equity and prevents many young people from achieving levels of optimal personal growth.
Let us take a quick look at the facts. Black students are subject to harsher discipline than white students. This ends up hindering the learning process and prevents them from reaching the heights of academic excellence. The racial disparities that our children have to face while attending any given high school counseling program are impossible to ignore.
The mental health needs of Black students are rarely met. In order for everyone to achieve optimal personal growth, we need to focus on how we are going to close the achievement gap. Each school’s mission should be to come up with sustainable solutions that will enable our children to acquire positive social skills.
Culturally affirming community resources and unbiased, respectful high school counselors are needed now more than ever.
According to the American School Counselor Association, school counselor education needs to be refined. The predominantly White high school counselors should at least use their many privileges and start advocating for the closing of the achievement gap.
We believe that every high school counseling team that truly embraces diversity should hire Black counselors. Educational equity starts here.
Why Black High School Counselors Are Essential
A respectful learning environment goes hand in hand with developing a comprehensive school counseling program for all. A career in school counseling is no walk in the park. It comes with many challenges and it requires active advocacy for educational equity.
High school counselors enhance the chances of academic excellence whenever they interact with our youth in a genuine and friendly manner. It is our belief that personal experience will always outweigh the advice given by authority figures.
Imagine how many of our young people would benefit from the frequent interaction with a high school counselor who stood where they stand now. Their mental health needs would be met. In addition, they would receive assistance with their college admissions, the financial aid application process, and have the rare opportunity to relate to an adult on a personal level.
Students begin to doubt their sets of social and emotional skills when systemic racism gets in the way. We need to assist students every step of the way if we want them to get into the colleges of their dreams. Actively addressing systemic racism is part of the counselors’ work.
The competitive job market and parental pressures can intimidate even the brightest students. The K-12 curriculum should promote Black success stories, family engagement activities, and give senior year students a chance to connect with adults they can identify with.
The power of personal example can instantly enable a child’s full academic potential.
Counteracting the Performance and Achievement Gap
The COVID-19 pandemic brought forth a painful statistic ━ the college enrollment dip affected students of color the hardest. This could have been easily prevented by embracing diversity.
Every school counselor is responsible for overseeing the progress that our youth is making. Culturally affirming family engagement activities done throughout the K-12 years can lead to student success and therefore to academic excellence.
The achievement gap is not going anywhere unless we join forces and decide to provide our children with qualitative high school counseling. The damaging effects of systemic racism and the skewed perceptions fueled by countless stereotypes and biases must stop being perpetuated.
Let’s Make High School Counseling Culturally Affirming
This should be the common goal. By disregarding and belittling the importance of inclusivity, diversity, and educational equity, we will continue to run into the same obstacles.
In order for college applications to be submitted confidently, we must prioritize the mental health and skill development of our young ones.
The Village Method believes that it takes a village to raise a child. Our ancestral African culture, values, and way of living deserve their rightful recognition Get involved now and help us nurture our youth, from their K-12 years all the way to college, and beyond!