![]() LA Johnson/NPR Counselors play a big role in helping students succeed: They help with scheduling, college applications and with issues like mental health. Since 2015, first lady Michelle Obama has honored a school counselor of the year in a ceremony at the White House. Friday, the honor goes to Terri Tchorzynski of the Calhoun Area Career Center in Battle Creek, Mich., where she works with 11th- and 12th-graders drawn from 20 public high schools in Calhoun County. Tchorzynski started her career as a high school English teacher, before getting her master's degree in counseling — a role she says she 'always knew she wanted.' NPR Ed caught up with Tchorzynski about her work in Michigan and the important role she sees counselors playing in schools. Is it true that school counselors don't like the term 'guidance counselor' anymore? Can you explain that? We use the term 'school counselor' now. We cringe when we hear the term 'guidance counselor.' It's kind of that older-fashioned model from years ago, the, 'I'm gonna guide you towards your college or career.' It's from when people didn't really understand what was going on with the whole realm of school counseling. But now with a school counselor, we're much more than just the guidance counselor. So what is the role of a school counselor? There are three ways to break it down. First is college and career readiness, preparing our students for what life looks like after high school. If it's college, then getting them focused on FAFSA completion, college scholarships and being academically ready. If it's for a career, figuring out what pathways are appropriate for them and what careers are available to them that fit their interests and their skills. Second, we work in the social-emotional domain. This is more dealing with behavior, or with personal problems that students may have that impact their education. So we help them through those things so they can be successful in school. Third, we'll call the academic domain. ![]() ![]() ![]()
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September 2019
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