Techniques of Counseling for Teachers (& Parents)

LISTENING:

• Paraphrasing:  restating the student's message in similar, but [usually] fewer words.
• Clarifying:  asking for clarification when unable to make sense out of students' statements or responses.
• Perception Checking:  asking the student for verification of what s/he said, usually over several statements.  Ask for feedback about the accuracy of your listening.

• Indirect Leading:  to help get the student started and to keep responsibility on the student (e.g., "what would you like to talk about?").
• Direct Leading:  focusing the topic more specifically (i.e., ipsillative questions).
• Focusing:  helping the student get in touch with her/his feelings (e.g., "tell me more about your feelings about").

• Reflecting Feelings:  expressing in fresh words the essential feelings, stated or strongly    implied, by the student.
• Reflecting Content:  repeating in fewer and fewer words the essential ideas of the student    and is the same as paraphrasing.
• Reflecting Experience:  goes beyond reflecting verbalized feelings in that the teacher notes body language and reflects the body message back to the student.

• Feeling:  how the student says it.
• Content:  what the student says.
• Process:  the purpose, timing, and effect of the student's statements.
• Describing Feelings:  in self and sharing them with the student (e.g., "I am confused, I find it difficult to believe what you're saying").

• Expressing Feelings:  "telling it like it is" method which may threaten or motivate, depending on the timing and readiness of the student to be confronted with honestly offered    feedback.  This technique should not necessarily be attacking.
• Repeating:  the student is asked to repeat a word, a phrase, or a short sentence one or more times (to see where s/he goes with it;  is used to foster more feelings).
• Associating:  pick out an emotionally significant word from the student's statements and ask
• him/her to give all other words that come to mind in rapid order.
• Indirect Confrontation:  use this technique to mildly confront student;  or teach them to use it to improve their social skills.  "When _____,  I feel  _____, because _____."  For example, "When you goof-off so much in class, I feel sad for you, because you're probably going to have considerable difficulty on tomorrow's test."

• Explaining:  the teacher explains the meaning of events to the student so that the student is able to see his/her problem(s) in new ways.  The main goal is to teach the student to individually interpret events in his/her life.
• Questioning:  some interpretation is done in the form of questions such as "do you think you distrust teachers because of the way your parents treat you?"  This questioning form implies a more tentative quality than the more declarative statements and makes interpreting less risky for the teacher.
• Fantasizing:  a stylized way of introducing an interpretation is to put it in the form of a fantasy (daydream), even using picture language like a metaphor.  For example, "I have a fantasy about what you just said.  I picture you walking down a path in the woods, coming to a fork in the path, and being undecided about which one to choose."  Fantasy is especially effective when working with younger children.

• Giving Information:  this skill is so common that it needs no elaboration.  There are times when
• sharing simple facts possessed by the teacher is the most helpful thing to do.
• Giving advice:  the teacher is thrust into the role of expert in many areas by students who expect some sound advice on what to do.  Advice giving is probably the most commonly employed technique, yet the least effective.
• Suggesting:  providing suggested alternatives without the "blessing" of any of them.

• Reassurance:  verbally assuring the student about the consequences of her/his actions or feelings;  oriented to the "here-and-now."

• Building Hope:  "future oriented hope," telling the student that his/her problems has a solution, that people with this problem make it, or that annoying symptoms disappear at fairly predictable times.

• Identifying Strengths:  is a simple exercise of asking the student to focus on his/her strong points and to list them out loud.
• Reviewing Growth Experiences:  asking the student to focus upon pleasant or unpleasant experiences (the more recent the better) that have had a profoundly positive effect on his/her growth.
• Reviewing Peak Experiences:  Maslow's term "peak experience" means those life experiences, usually short and infrequent when the person is aware of intense pleasure, exhilaration, joy, and fulfillment.  Recalling and focusing on such experiences can be rewarding in terms of comfort and satisfaction.
• Silence:  can be very valuable.  The teacher does not necessarily have to be talking:  give the student time to feel and gain insight.

• Referral:  there are times when even the most skilled and confident helpers admit frustration and defeat in dealing with people with problems.  Referral is one approach where the student can have a fresh start.

The original source/author of this information is unknown;  it was obtained from the PPSY Department at the University of Northern Colorado in 1989.  If you know who the author is, please notify me.