Abstract
Guidance and Counseling (B&K) are important when conducting teaching and learning process. Different students implies different attitude. Nonetheless, the difficult problems in facing negative attitude are the students that involve in personal issues, especially with family. Several problems are identified among parents and childrens, namely separated parents or divorced, financial problems, fully focus on working, high expectation in education, and pressuring the students to undertaken dislike matters. Hence, students will behave badly and negative attitude in the classroom, which will affect the process of teaching and learning process. Based on the researcher experiences, teacher play an important role in overcome and solving the problems faced by the students with applying appropriate therapy towards them selves. If the teacher is ‘fail’ to manage and solve the students’ problems, then the students may ‘fail’ in their future. However, if the teacher successfully helping the students to overcome the problems, then the students may become the future leader to lead the world towards positively impact.
Keywords: Guidance and Counseling, parents and children, issues and problems, positive and negative impacts
Citation of Article:
Ping, O.W., & Hua, A.K. (2016). Guidance and Counseling: An Experience of Practicum. International Research Journal of Humanities & Social Science, 1(4), 89-95.
Introduction
Guidance and Counseling Services (B&K) is a profession that play an important role in helping people to get to know, understand and explore our-inner-self in order to adapt to the environment that is constantly undergoing rapid changes. The service began in the 1800s in the United States that aims to meet the requirements of extremely changes in industrialization and urbanization. This current situation proved that rapid modernization leading to variety of issues and problems appear especially in terms of social and economic development. When the social values are ignored, this causes the relationship in family to be loose and cause separation. This situation prompted the program of B&K emerged that appear to help to resolve the problems faced by giving advice and guidance. There are many books that published about the counseling and guidance. In 1898, Jesse B. Davis has started counseling services to students about educational and career (Aubrey, 1982). He was able to guide students to explore on their own potential. Guidance and Counseling Services in Malaysia began in the early of 20th century, but the development is in slow motion. However, it flourished in the mid to late 20th century. Until today, it is being recognized in all areas of employment in Malaysia.
In recent years, we are often surprised by the issues of violence in schools are exposed in the newspapers every day. Various steps and strategies have been implemented, yet the problems cannot be solved completely. Definitely, it becomes a serious issues and problems that need to concern and seems to be unstoppable. One of the examples is the death of a student name Mohd. Hadzrin Mohamad, after an eight-day of coma due to beaten up by a group of teenagers because of a scramble lover in 2009 (Bakar, 2009). This issue happens near to the school in Cheras, Malaysia. News reported in the Sinar Harian Online (2015), where a student is being beaten by friends causing the student to become difficult in standing and walking. Sadly, the problem happens in the classroom and there are no action is taken by the teachers when students are complained about the incident. What is the main reason to cause this problem to happen? Who are needed to be blame for?
Discussion
In practicum for phase 3 at National Chinese Schools of Wen Khai, the researcher had an interview with the counseling to know about the issues and problems that might face by the students in the school, how to identify the students who have problems, counseling skills and theory commonly applied to help the students (as a clients) who have problems. Through this interview, researcher realized that the problem of B&K can be divided into several categories such as academic, psychosocial, family, personal, disciplinary, and drugs. Commonly, the problems faced by the students of this school are academic, psychosocial, family and personal. The main factors to cause this occurrence of problem are family background where most of the students came from families with moderately or in poor condition. In other words, the financial of the family become issues and problems that may affect the children. On the other hands, the serious problem exist in the school is a problem in academics. The problems that involve with academic are almost every classes have students with learning problems (or refer as slow learner) and some of them are categorized as ‘special needs’. Another factor are pressuring from families where they are forcing the children to study causing the students to lose interest in learning. According to the guidance teachers, one of the students who have hearing impairment has shown a stubborn attitude and contributed to discipline problems. This is because the students are being pressure by the mother to study and will get beaten if the student are ignored on the mother. Indirectly, these students have lost interest in learning and demonstrate protest against the actions of his mother by making a mess in the classroom, and reject the teacher's instructions. The situation became worse year by year due to students protest and showing negative attitude in school.
In additional, family and personal (refer to parents it selves) problems is also a common problem faced by guidance teachers in school. Majority students have family problems, where most of the parents are separated or divorced. This situation will bring negative impact to the students, especially to their attitude where they will behave badly (due to the protest attitude) and likely doing mistake in school. On the other hands, ‘professional parents’ will also affect the students in term of family love. These because the parents are too busy with working (job) and the time are spending more on the job. The expectations by the family towards their children will indirectly pressuring the students to cause them to become stress and emotional instability. Based on the experience of guidance teachers, there was a student in standard 2 who are always crying and looking for the mother to accompany when in the classroom. Through observation and survey, the student are depress due to pressuring from the mother to go to tuition, even the student are dislike. This action will cause the student emotionally unstable and often cried when they are force to entering the school tuition class or private tuition class.
Through an interview with the guidance teachers, researcher is realizing some process and procedure when sending the students who have problems to counseling sessions. The class teacher will have a short discussion with guidance teachers about the problems face by students before sending them to counseling session. In official procedure, the teacher is compulsory to fill the registration forms provided as a record before counseling session start. Afterwards, counseling teacher with have a short chat with the students or having a therapy session to identify the problems faced by students. During the conversation, the counseling teacher is encouraged to practice ‘caring and love’ attitude, as same vision with the Ministry of Education (MOE) through ‘Surat Siaran KPPM Bilangan 4 Tahun 2012’ for the teachers to adopted an attitude of caring in school (Atan, 2013). Normally, counseling teacher will conduct a talk sessions with students in a short period of time between 15 minutes but over and over again. In terms of the content in the conversation, the teacher will encourage the students to tell the problems encountered and give encouragement and support to students. In every each month, there will be a mentor session and mentor will celebrate birthday with a mentee and give little gifts to show appreciation to these students. Indirectly, the belief towards teachers will exist in students and teachers are easily to help the students when they have problems.
Theory Approach
Next, researcher will also inquire about the theory that is often applied by guidance teachers when conducting individual counseling sessions. According to the guidance teachers, the theory that is always used is Client Centered Theory, Theory of Gestalt Approach, Behavior Theory, Therapy and Art Therapy play. The Client-Centered Theory is the most selected by guidance teachers in giving guidance to the students who have problems because this theory is person-centered approach where the session are in the form of therapy that focus on the client experience towards themselves. In this theory, the role of the mentor is not important where the students get to know their own problems with the help of guidance teachers. This theory is highly dependent on the quality of relationships between teachers and students. Guidance teachers would build Rapo with students before asking the problems faced by students. The main purpose is to ensure that students have the trust toward guidance teachers so that the students will feel comfortable when telling the problems. Therefore, guidance teachers will also need to present Core Condition, where it consists of empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard. In additional, this therapy uses self-healing process in which students can make their own decision properly and correctly about the problems faced by the teacher.
Next, guidance teachers stated that often used the theory of Gestalt approach developed by Kurt Koffka, Wolfgang Koehler and Max Wertheimer (Brauner & Scholl, 2000). Gestalt is from the word of German means "whole". Thus, every behavior and experience is organized into Gestalt. This approach is concern on the present, at here and now. During counseling sessions conducted, guidance teachers will use questioning skills to guide students in knowing and understanding their own personal and aware on what is happening at the moment. According to this theory, conflicts will arise when a deadlock exists between students with the surrounding nature and this will cause them to avoid in dealing with the issues and problems. For example, based on teacher experiences, a student will cry for all day and searching for mother when she need to attend an extra classes at the school. The conflict in this case is the students dislike to attend the extra classes, and the deadlock start to exist when it is pressuring by family. These situations will cause the students to become moody and silent in the classroom. Therefore, the guidance teachers have been used this therapy through telling a story is likely can help the students to told the problems they faced.
Continuously, the Theory Behavior theory stated that individual behavior is a response to a set of events, experiences or stimuli that learned in a person. Members of behavior use various methods to change individual behavior. According to the guidance teachers, using this theory will provides positive and negative reinforcement to students. For example, a student with hyperactive is class will be given rewarded when the student are behave like what are the teacher needed, and this must need to be agreed by both parties like teacher and student. In additional, guidance teachers will also apply the emotional teaching method to older student because if scolded by the teacher, students will cry. Therefore, teachers will receive an alternative emotional response to emotional reactions that are less desirable.
Counseling skills are often applied by teacher is a behavior for paying attention to aimed at creating respect and secure for the students when the conversation in solving problems between the two individuals run easily and smoothly. Therefore, the guidance teachers should build good repo between students before entering the problem. In behavioral component in paying attention, guidance teacher should take note of the position of the body, facial expressions, eye resistance, and minimum impulse to speak in attracting the students. Position of the body need guidance teachers tilted forward slightly because this posture shows students that the teacher guidance keen to hear what the teacher might want to say to the students. Indirectly, more students feel comfortable to share their problems.
Other than body posture, face expressions also play an important role in providing guidance. Face expressions of a teacher should always be radiant and smile, where it shows that the teacher is willing to accept and offer assistance to students in solving problems. Guidance teachers are also need to opposite between eye by eye with the student because it shows teachers are interested in listening to the hearts of students in solving the problems; but if students do not feel comfortable with the teacher's guidance resistance then the teacher should divert the eyes to other part so that students do not feel stressed while sharing his problems. In conducting counseling sessions, teachers should be encouraged to talk to a minimum but maximizing in listening. The minimum in chit-chatting are including having some gestures, head nods, single words and others flexibility movements because it shows that teachers are listening carefully and want to help these students.
Listening and questioning skills are also important in providing guidance to students. According to Carl Rogers (1951), guidance teachers must listen carefully in understanding their problems better and able to do something positive to help students solve the problem. In additional, when teachers have a good listening skill and this will be more help especially the teacher that needs to ask necessarily questions to guide students in making decisions and avoid asking less important questions. Through listening and questioning skills, teachers can understand students with a deeper and receive more useful information for further discussion. Hence, guidance teachers should use questioning skills to obtain information that can help by asking open-ended questions as it will facilitate student to told the problem in a clearer picture of the problem to the teacher guidance in order to help students more easily and effectively.
Last but not least, the reflection-feeling skills are also play an important role in guidance teacher. Reflection feeling is intended to improve student awareness of the problem arises whether the student itself are wrong, or vice versa. Indirectly, students have ability to evaluate the problem and find a solution to any support teacher guidance. Guidance teachers have to do the conclusion with what was discussed during the counseling sessions so that students know the things that have been discussed and tried to take action, and the suggestion proposed by the guidance teachers to students will either can help or not. Finally, guidance teachers play an important role in helping students who had problems so that they do not feel neglected and engage in negative symptom.
An Experience of Researcher in Practicum: A Case Study
During the process of teaching and learning (P&P) is carried out, researcher found that one of the students who are in class are love to run in the classroom during the class session. The students love to disturb in class and cause the process of P&P cannot continue as planned because researcher have to always to keep the eye on the students. At the same time, researcher has to make sure that the student will not have any accident in the class. The students are always running around in class and talked with his friend. There are various complain from other students about the naughty student that love to disturb and cause trouble when P&P going on. However, when researcher are scolded to the students, immediately the student turn to be aggressive started showing the negative behavior such as hitting the researcher as class teacher, throwing other students thing out of the classroom and so on.
To overcome this situation, researcher take an alternative by interviewed several teachers who teach the class about the student to obtain more information. Most of the teachers said that the students have serious behavioral problems and they had to take action by penalty on this student. Through interviews with classroom teachers, are also said that the student behave in a way due to the family issues and problems. The parents are putting a high expectation on their children and this will cause pressuring to the student. If the students are refused to study hard, the parents may beat them up. This action will cause negative behavior in the students and they will show negative and protest attitude in the school. In additional, teachers already had discussed with the students’ parents (the keeper), but the discussion led to worst situation where the student was beaten by the parents in front of the teacher. Due to this drastic action, the student looks back to the parents with feeling of anger and hate. Hence, researcher is work hard by trying to build a good relationship with the students to identify the problems.
In additional, researcher went to library to find several books that have related to counseling and therapy, and also doing some searching in website for information on appropriate therapy to help the student to sort out the problems that being faced. After searching for information, researcher decided to apply ‘play while learning’ therapy because it is believe to provide an appropriate situation for children to express themselves and experience the situation through play (Ping & Hua, 2015a). Children are easily to express their feeling when they expose to ‘play’ condition. ‘Playing while learning’ becomes an important element to children to socially interaction with the surrounding people. The aim of ‘play while learning’ therapy is to reduce behavioral and emotional problems and able to control the student to behave normally (Ping & Hua, 2015b). ‘Play while learning’ therapy can be divided into two types, namely "non-directive" that pioneered by Virginia Axline and "directive" was introduced by Carl Rogers (Blunden, 2001). According to the Association of Play Therapy state that play therapy can help clients to prevent or solve psychosocial problems and enable them to have optimum growth (Parham & Fazio, 2008).
Based on information gathered from various sources, researcher has made an analysis on the information. Again, researcher has made an observation on the students to analyze the information that successfully gathered. As a result, the students are likely to experience tremendous pressure that causes him to lose interest in learning and behave negatively due to the family that are also behave the same way. Indirectly, this student had to imitate the behavior of his family, especially when he was angry or dissatisfied about something. The main reason for the student to disturb others friend when P&P process is to attract the teachers’ attention. This could be happen due to lack attention from the family. Therefore, this student react negatively is to get attention from the teacher and his family. However, this student is only listening to several teachers that he prefers and like it.
Continuously, researcher also conducted a survey on the students where researcher appointed him (the naughty student) as leader to collect the books from his friends and give positive reinforcement when it behaves as desired. The results of this study found that the students' behavior is seemed to have improvement but it does not last long. Next, researcher also use ‘play while learning’ therapy to help the student to identify the problems as ‘playing’ situation is a therapy used to help students who struggle with mental disorders and unable to solve the problem properly. In play therapy, usually students will communicate each other and feelings in a more natural way through play activities than through verbal communication. In this therapy, the teacher is able to identify the problems faced by the student because students will play based on their life experiences. When playing, researcher can identify themes and patterns, and help students to reveal the meaning of the game. Indirectly, the teacher can give proper guidance when students have identified the cause of such behavior. Researcher will give guidance to the students how to manage relationships and conflicts that are more appropriate and give advice to him. The results of play therapy can reduce students' concern and anxiety over something as the student has expressed the feeling through playing activities. It's very difficult for students to express their conscience during oral. Normally, the students will behave negatively and being rude to the surroundings.
Researcher applies the ‘play while learning’ therapy to understand the real problems faced by students, with the hopes that this therapy can change student behavior little by little. Firstly, researcher builds Rapo with students so that they adhere to the commands and he can benefit from the play therapy. To build the Rapo, researcher has to spent time during the break at the cafeteria and chit-chatting with the students so that they feel comfortable. At the same time, researcher are also provided an opportunity for the student to help teacher in picking up a book and praised him in front of all his friends as positive reinforcement for him to behave positive. Indirectly, every student will believe in researcher and feel comfortable to talk or express feelings that are hidden.
Next, researcher will set the appropriate type of play therapy with some problem students to this therapy so that an effective impact can be done towards the students. Play therapy is therapy that researcher use "non-directive" where students could play alone. Through this therapy, researcher was able to observe how students are playing with the selection of the materials used, and may also reflect the difficulties faced by the students. Researcher will take 30 minutes to carry out this treatment. In additional, these materials need to play with appropriate age of students. During therapy sessions conducted, students are allowed to make the choice of materials required and play according to their wishes. Researcher will be watching what are the students will be doing with materials chosen and record it so that researcher can assess the extent of play therapy can help students in reshaping her behavior. Before the therapy session is over, researcher will hold a brief discussion with the students and will asked some questions why he or she chose these kinds of materials. Researcher also used the technique of reflection to respond to the comments of these students to play therapy are ongoing.
Lastly, researcher will decide whether to continue or terminate the session. If continue, researcher will inform the students when the next session will conduct and give the students a little work he or she needs to do, such as not to disturb the student during the R & D is conducted. If the students are manages to do as instructed, then researcher will reward positive behavior that he or she has motivated him to change the negative behaviors to positive behavior.
Conclusion
Based on the experience of researcher conducting practicum at primary school, researcher does opinion that many students will face a lot of issues and problems. The bigger problems will be involved with family. ‘How the parents teach the children, then the students will react as the same with what they are train’. Hence, if there is no problem in family background, then the students will success in the learning process and finish the study until a higher level of education. However, if the parents are treating badly to their children, then the student will show negative attitude to the other students and teachers. Therefore, teacher plays an important role in overcome and solving the problems faced by the students with applying appropriate therapy towards them selves. ‘It is not difficult when using accurate formulae to calculate and solve a question’. If the teacher is ‘fail’ to manage and solve the students’ problems, then the students may ‘fail’ in their future. However, if the teacher is successfully to help in solving the students’ problems, then the students may become the future leader to lead the world towards positively impact.
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