- Our Goal
- Objectives
- Guidance Services
- Admission
- Placement & Implementation
- Evaluation of the Learner's Educational Placement
- Information Service
- Counseling Service
- Group Guidance and Counseling
- Testing
- Referrals
- Follow-Up Service
- Developmental Career Guidance Program
- The SMA Teacher as a Guidance Team Member
- The SMA Guidance Counselor
Stella Maris opened its doors to the youth of Malolos City and the neighboring towns of Bulacan in year 2004. It is armed with a deep desire to provide quality education and holistic education to all learners premised on its PVMGO (Philosophy, Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives)
The Guidance and Counseling program, as the heart of SMA education is propelled as it has been in the Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9258, Rule Sec. 3(Manila Standard 2007) as a profession involving an “integrated approach to the development of a well-functioning individual primarily by helping him/ her utilized his/ her potentials to the fullest and plan his/ her abilities, interests and needs”. Thus, all the service offerings of the program are guided by the following:
Our Goal
To offer a quality program that provides students with various activities to help them boost their self-awareness to discover their full potential; improve relationships to effectively relate with other people; and unveil a deeper meaning and purpose in life.
Objectives
The SMA guidance aims to facilitate students to:
The collection of extensive information about the individual for proper understanding, decision-making and placement.
This service is a very important aspect of SMA education: Proper placement in the beginning spells success in the end.
Admission
The Individual Inventory Service at the time of admission is an ongoing process from the time of admission throughout the student’s stay in the school. Prior to enrolment, each student undergoes a screening process which includes collection of required documents.
A student cumulative folder is compiled containing the initial screening results based from the child initial test results, checklists reports, documents, school records and evaluation reports thru other professionals, if there are. Interview data from the parents/ caregivers are also recorded and included.
The data collected during the admission phase allow for a view of the entry skill level of the student, possible learning difficulties, and indicated diagnosis of conditions if there are.
This information will help determine the educational placement of the child.
Placement & Implementation
- Regular Program
- Special Education Program
- Individualized Educational Program
- Special Classes
- SpEd Tutorial
- Pull out
- Therapy
Evaluation of the Learner’s Educational Placement
Evaluation is vital to determine program effectivity and success and so the next step may be determined. Each of these programs undergo evaluation periodically, with characteristics differences.
In all the phases of the SMA learner’s education, close coordination with the teachers, parents and caregivers is done on a continuous basis through anecdotal reports, parent-teacher conferences, observation checklists of the learners general personality make-up, performance outputs, biographical sketches, academic/ behavior monitoring procedures, administration of psychological tests and the like.
All pertinent data and information about the learner are periodically evaluated to determine the steps to be taken in helping the learner in his/ her growth and development.
Information Service
The comprehensive and systematic collection and dissemination of information to students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders through various methods and programs are prioritized to ensure the realization of the objectives of the guidance program.
The guidance program provides information necessary for the individual’s adjustment to his/ her workplace or environment. It lays a foundation for all the stakeholders, students, parents, teachers, staff, in the entire stay in school of the child. It promotes cooperation, understanding and support amongst and within the school system.
The guidance program provides regular In- Service Training for all teachers, PEP Talk for parents and staff to equip them with knowledge and skills for the improvement of their craft.
These methods promote close parental engagement with their children as they understand the processes in their developments.
These are powerful learning tools for students, teachers and parents. They are used to relay information, reinforce lessons and promote cooperation, understanding and commitment. Bulletin boards are part and parcel of the information service and are constructed periodically by each department.
Exchange of ideas, feedbacking and giving in and receiving information is a salient feature of the Information Service of the Guidance Program. Parents are encouraged to visit anytime without prior appointments. On the other hand, they may be invited to visit to see the Guidance Counselor as deemed necessary.
Conference is scheduled every end of the quarter to discuss learners academic and behavioral performance. However, teachers’ role as a guidance worker includes giving immediate feedback to parents through phone calls, home visits or a face-to-face interactions.
Counseling Service
This includes the dynamic personal interaction between counselor and counselee(s) where the counselor employs methods and approaches or techniques to enhance the counselee’s intrapersonal and intrapersonal development and competencies.
Counseling strategies and approaches being employed according to areas covered
Group Guidance and Counseling
Testing
This service helps the students assess and understand their abilities, capabilities, interests, personality and pressing concerns. This is also a useful tool as basis for guidance counselors as basis for guidance counseling and helps diagnose behavior that need further attention and assessment.
Test results are vital to the guidance and counseling program of the school. Gathering of information about the child begins during the admission procedure for placement, program implementation, modification and evaluation.
During the school year, testing as a gathering tool for the development of learners undergoes the following cycle:
- Instruct
- Observe children in various situation
- Document, reflect, record while observing as soon as possible
- Analyze, evaluate
- Summarize- plan and communicate
The guidance counselor together with the teachers utilize this scheme within the curriculum instructions and for specific purpose.
Non-formal testing tools, like sentence completion tests, Likert scales or questionnaire are used to get a glimpse of the learner’s interests, aptitude, attitude, abilities strengths and weaknesses.
Skills assessment in Reading and Math are also part of the service for placement, program modification and remediation.
Results of achievement tests administered by the national government are utilized to guide students for decision-making regarding their academic transitions and career.
Referrals
These are made for the purpose of referring an individual to a more qualified person within or outside the school to handle the case.
If a Guidance Counselor sees the problem/ concern difficult to handle and is beyond his/her expertise he/she may refer to the roster of experts to handle the case, provided the client’s decision must be discussed between the counselor and the client.
The counselor should inform the student of his/ her limitations as to why he/ she must refer the student to another counselor/ expert.
The counselor may refer to another counselor due to certain ethical reasons: affiliation with the counselee and/or family ties.
The Guidance Counselor may direct the client to a psychologist/social worker or another counselor with a higher level of training or special expertise related to the client’s needs.
Those who are manifesting alarming signs/ symptoms are referred to specialists:
- Speech Therapist
- Social Worker
- Psychiatrist and other medical specialist
- Psychologist
- Occupational Therapist
Follow-Up Service
The SMA guidance program sees to it that students with behavioral problems, absences, incomplete school works, failed subjects and other problems pertaining studies are followedup for academic consultation.
Furthermore, follow-up is done to check how the students are doing and assess if further assistance is needed. Special Programs like tutorials and class pull-outs maybe recommended.
The following are the practices under the Follow- up Service of the Guidance Program:
Class Advisers shall submit a list of students to be followed-up due to failed/ incomplete/ dropped subjects.
The list shall be submitted during the first month every quarter. Thus, students to be followed up are those who are not doing well the previous quarter.
The counselor shall call and follow up the students listed through Academic Follow up Form and submit a report to the Principal.
If the student has history in having poor attendance or academic performance, the counselor may perform and facilitate the accomplishment of the Academic Performance Monitoring Form.
Teachers of the student may then fill-out the necessary details as to when the student was absent, as well as his/ her academic performance.
If two or more subjects are failing, the counselor may call the student for a consultation/ counseling and confer with the parents as well.
a. Student with Academic and Behavioral concerns shall be monitored by the counselor by means of interviewing with their advisers, subject teachers, parents as well as the students.
a. After the student has been counseled, it is the duty of the counselor to follow him up for any development or further assistance needed.
Developmental Career Guidance Program
SMA believes that career development must take place during the entire educational journey of every learner. It is important that learners along with academic knowledge must also grow knowing themselves, their abilities, intelligences, values among others in order to be successful in the future in which career generally partakes in. With this, the SMA Career Guidance Program ensures that every learner develops holistically for them to be productive and purpose-driven members of the community.
SMA’s Career Guidance Program is anchored on the school’s Mission-Vision. The program aims to develop the learners to be intelligent, self-directed, values oriented and proud Filipinos who in the long run have a strong sense of identity and thus, are able to determine the career path that they want to pursue in life.
The SMA learners are nurtured according to the Multiple Intelligences Theory of Howard Gardner. Through this, the learners are well aware of their own intelligences or their strengths which are big factors in determining what they are capable of doing as their future professional careers. Along with their capability is their passion in certain activities associated with their dominant multiple intelligences. With this, the learners are instilled with the knowledge that they are intelligent in different aspects and that they need to find which path they will be interested in. The school is providing opportunities for the learners to establish themselves, explore and develop their intelligences and cultivate their love and commitment to what they are passionate about.
The lessons in every grade level not only revolve around the Multiple Intelligences, lessons also ensure that learners are equipped with 21st century skills necessary to be globally competitive. Learners starting from their young age are honed to be good and effective communicators, collaborators, critical thinkers and creators in order to contribute meaningfully in their respective career paths.
It is very important for the learners to receive the necessary knowledge and skills that they will need in their professions. But along with this, as part of the school’s mission-vision, the career guidance program also ensures that the learners really live the school’s mantra: Education for Myself and My Community. The learners are taught that in crafting their career, they must also know and decide what their unique contributions for the betterment of the community will be. It is instilled with them that they are receiving quality education not only for themselves, but more importantly for the greater community.
All in all, SMA aims to guide its learners to create their directions in life through ensuring that they are having quality and meaningful academic and career journey in school.
The SMA Teacher as a Guidance Team Member
The teacher is the first line of contact between the students and the school Guidance Program. He/she communicates with students on daily basis, and is in a position to establish a relationship based on mutual trust and respect.
The teacher can facilitate the implementation of Guidance services through various roles:
Students will often confide in a teacher and ask for advice. If the teacher is able to help, there will be less need for the students to see the guidance counselor. If not, he/she can be of help in other, less direct ways.
Daily personal contact with students enables the teacher to detect needs and strengths. From projects and written work and frequent interactions, he/she is aware of individual needs and can be instrumental in identifying and referring students who need counseling.
Because class activities can help identify student talents and potentials, the teacher can encourage and assist in their development and provide inputs for career planning, when the counselor and the student discuss these concerns.
The teacher can incorporate and integrate career education with teaching. He/she can develop positive attitudes and respect for honest work and promote positive attitudes towards education and its relationship to career preparation and decision-making.
The teacher can be a model of positive human relations while he/she plans and directs group interaction. His/Her role modeling which serves as an experience of healthy human relationship can be successfully undertaken through the following:
- Sharing in the development of the materials and methodologies that will enable counselors and teacher to work together in special educational activities
- Verifying or validating observations as to whether some students are in need of special education
- Recommending improvements on the curriculum and classroom instruction
- Acting as a resource person when needed, according to his/her expertise
- Providing a team effort in home-school partnerships
The SMA Guidance Counselor
- Strives to make each student feel that there is someone in the school who knows and cares about them. Above all else she is an advocate for students. She accomplishes this by acting as a resource for all students when their needs extend beyond the classroom.
- Academic success is essential to the educational process, but it is not the only area where students can excel in. By molding thoughtful, empathetic, and forward thinking students, she provides them with a greater opportunity for success in all walks of life.
- She maintains a close working relationship with the Teachers, Child Study Team, and Administration to provide a more vivid picture of each students’ strengths and areas of improvement. She achieves these goals by providing a variety of services to the students; these services include, but are not limited to the following:
- Emotional, social, developmental and behavioral services to students and families.
- Academic guidance and support services, including the monitoring of academic performance, facilitating communication between school and home.
- Career awareness, exploration and planning services, including goal setting and decision making assistance for students.
- School crisis and intervention referral services.
- Classroom observations
- Coordination of state testing programs Individual Counseling, Small Group Counseling, Social Groups
- Classroom Guidance Lessons to promote the character education values of RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, TRUSTWORTHINESS, FAIRNESS, CARING, and CITIZENSHIP.
- Participating in academic teams and consulting with teachers on a regular basis regarding the needs of the students.
- Teacher/Parent Consultation
- Referral Assistance