Virtually every school holds Parent-Teacher meetings as not only do they keep parents abreast of their child’s progress at school but they also give teachers the chance to assess the kind of environment in which their students are being brought up in. Through such meetings, both parents and teachers can work together towards creating an atmosphere that is geared towards growth and progressive learning.
Another figure that has rapidly begun to gain prominence with relation to a child’s overall development in school, however, is the school counselor. When it comes to assisting students in dealing with everyday challenges at school, the school counselor plays an integral role in building their confidence and shaping their futures. For parents who wish to help their children develop the skills and knowledge needed to get ahead in their academic and professional careers, it is important that they meet with their child’s school counselor on a regular basis.
In order to get a fair assessment on how their child is doing and what more needs to be done, the following matters can be discussed between the school counselor and parents:
Academic Performance: Through their meeting with the student counselor, parents can identify any weak spots that their child may have as well as determine the best way in which they can be improved.
Career Path: Since school counselors remain updated about their students’ academic and professional aspirations as well as their aptitude for various subject fields, parents can discuss with them the best possible career path for their child and even help devise a personalized plan that outlines the skills, aptitude and attitudes needed to attain success in their chosen field.
College Options: If their child has expressed the desire to go to college, parents can collaborate with their child’s school counselor to determine the best local and international options for higher education. The student counselor can advise parents on the various aptitude tests needed to attain admission in various universities as well as the different kinds of courses that their child will need to enroll for in order to increase his/her chances of getting into the college of their choice. In addition, a student counselor can also guide both parents as well as their students on college applications, which universities offer scholarships as well as the compilation of various other application materials.
Letters of Recommendation: A number of universities require a letter of recommendation detailing the student’s overall performance as well as impact on his/her teachers and peers. A student counselor is generally regarded as the best person to draft such a letter as he/she holds the authority over their student’s entire tenure at school. The letter plays a key part in determining whether their student gets in to the university or college of their choice or not as it is on the basis of this document that university admission representatives are able to assess whether the candidate is the right fit for their institution.
Other Opportunities: Parents can also discuss with student counselors various internship or work-study employment opportunities that they believe their child can benefit from and which can help develop the necessary skills and knowledge needed f
or either college or a proper career.
A meeting with a student counselor can help parents get a well-rounded perspective of how their child is doing at school and what other improvements are needed in order to ensure long-lasting success, in both the academic as well as professional world.