Were Students and Counselors Ready for The Switch to Remote Counseling?
As a student myself, I understand how the adjustment to remote learning at the beginning of the pandemic was both beneficial and stressful. I remember the day my school shut down and how abrupt it happened. I remember being frustrated at first that I could not participate in extracurriculars, interact with classmates or teachers face to face or have access to certain resources at school. My internship as a high school counselor also moved to remote which was upsetting. But, very quickly I realized how much more convenient it was for me as a student and an intern helping others.
I recently came across an article that discusses the impact moving to a remote environment has had on students and school counselors. More specifically, it focuses on how well and how quickly students and counselors have been able to adapt and make the best of the “new normal”. Each person’s personal experience with switching to remote has been unique, but the flexibility and opportunity that a virtual environment allows, has made the transition convenient and doable for most.
In an article titled “Moving Counseling Online During Covid-19”, the author Annette Wallace talks about the increased support that has been given to students and their families during the pandemic, as well as the changes the counselors have made to adjust to the virtual environment. In the article, Wallace states:
“When it comes to providing counseling, I have a quote on my desk that says, ‘Vision to see Obstacles as Opportunities.’ We like to look at this unprecedented period of time as an opportunity to strengthen our connections with our students in new and different ways.”
Wallace explains the opportunities that her school district made from the obstacles that came from moving online. For instance, knowing how well children today are with navigating technology, the school counselors quickly learned how to use and created more websites and online resources for students and their families to easily access for help and information. They also made a hotline intended for students to call their counselors for immediate assistance. They now have an on-call counseling support team and have additionally made use of multiple social media platforms to reach students and families with daily info and support.
This school district like many others have been getting creative and finding new ways to support each other in a remote setting. Students are finding new routines that fit their personal lives and schedules better with increased ways to receive help. Counselors are learning new ways to do their jobs that are more flexible and help a wider variety of students with different needs. The possibilities that can be done in a virtual environment are endless and most people are adapting very well.
Wallace, A., & *, N. (2020, December 03). Moving Counseling Online During COVID-19. Retrieved March 09, 2021, from https://www.nassp.org/2020/04/16/moving-counseling-online-during-covid-19/
