NOW EVERY SCHOOL WILL HAVE A PSYCHOLOGIST…..swati soni
Counsellors help kids with everyday issues as well as career planning
Counsellors help kids with everyday issues as well as career planning
Just like private schools the MCGM schools, have earned themselves the reputation of having absentee staff and even worse amenities. But, now the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has woken up with a new initiative to help their students – they are going to have psychologists on board.
While psychologists are a given in any private school, this is going to be a first for an MCGM school. LIFE Trust, a registered public charitable trust, has partnered with the MCGM to appoint psychologists to counsel students in ten schools so far such as in Worli, Sion and Dadar. ” Children going to MCGM schools most often come from economically distressed backgrounds that prevent parents from spending quality time with the kids. So, the need for counselling both parents and child is greater,” says one of the education officers on anonymity
Tackling everyday issues
The clinical and counselling psychologists work hand-inhand with school teachers to find solutions for everyday issues. Behavioural problems, academic issues, bullying, drug addiction, low self-esteem and aggressive behavior, are some of the problems that the team tackles every day.
The clinical and counselling psychologists work hand-inhand with school teachers to find solutions for everyday issues. Behavioural problems, academic issues, bullying, drug addiction, low self-esteem and aggressive behavior, are some of the problems that the team tackles every day.
Progressive relaxation techniques are employed with students who have aggressive personalities. Students with low self-esteem are encouraged to speak up. Psychologists also provide extra help to students identified with learning difficulties.
The Class X dilemma
Psychologists are going to play a major role in helping Class 10 students build a better future. ” The need for counseling students in this defining period of their lives is crucial. Many students stray due to a number of factors and career counseling is important,” says Poonam Lalvani, managing trustee, LIFE Trust.
Psychologists are going to play a major role in helping Class 10 students build a better future. ” The need for counseling students in this defining period of their lives is crucial. Many students stray due to a number of factors and career counseling is important,” says Poonam Lalvani, managing trustee, LIFE Trust.
The career counseling programme started with Ek Chotisi Aasha, a 90 minute audio-visual presentation showcasing multiple career options. This was followed by differential aptitude tests. So far, the psychologists have already conducted aptitude tests for over 1,300 Class 10 students.
” We are also planning a career fair in November this year,” says Lalvani. By then, all the Class 10 students will have the results of their aptitude tests. ” Knowing what you are good at will help you find employment based on your skill sets. We expect about 5,500 Class 10 students from all 49 BMC schools in Mumbai to benefit from it.”
How it works?
Psychologists go to each class and observe the students in their natural environment. They study how they interact with each other, how they interact with the opposite sex how they interact with their teachers and finally, how they interact with the psychologists. Sometimes teachers refer kids to the psychologists based on behavior or academic patterns. At other times, psychologists pick out students based on their own observation. ” Our observation helps narrow down issues that are impeding a child’ s progress,” says Lalwani This is followed by one-on-one-sessions. Then, there are group sessions conducted with students and their parents.
Psychologists go to each class and observe the students in their natural environment. They study how they interact with each other, how they interact with the opposite sex how they interact with their teachers and finally, how they interact with the psychologists. Sometimes teachers refer kids to the psychologists based on behavior or academic patterns. At other times, psychologists pick out students based on their own observation. ” Our observation helps narrow down issues that are impeding a child’ s progress,” says Lalwani This is followed by one-on-one-sessions. Then, there are group sessions conducted with students and their parents.
Now, at least every child has a ear.