Competences needed by Class Masters in Counselling the Students

Abstract

In the present study we aimed to investigate the perceptions, attitudes and expectations of school counsellors towards minimal competences needed by class masters in the field of counselling students. The methodology employed in-depth interviews based on structured guide with active school counsellors in the field within Arges County. The qualitative analysis of the responses aimed primarily to identify a minimum set of competences in educational counselling that class masters should possess. The second aspect focused on the class masters’ ability to carry out counselling activities in class, during the counselling classes. According to the results, school counsellors say that class masters should „have complex competences in the field of psycho-pedagogy, that of group management and, at the same time, to know thoroughly the particularities and specifications for each school age, to have a good ability of self-analyse, self-control and organizing”, while having regard to their own development through self-knowledge and personal development in order to improve our own communication style. The counselling activity accomplished in class by class masters is evaluate by school counsellor as rather weak, for two reasons: firstly due to time reason, only one hour/week allocated of the counselling and guidance in the case of secondary education institutions and without this hour schedule in the case of high school institutions, and secondly insufficient time for class masters from secondary schools to approach counselling and guidance activities in the context that the curriculum has a reach contents.