Abstract
Good quality guidance services that will be provided abused and neglected children, who come from poor socio-economic status in their early childhood years, will increase both the children's and their families' life quality and indirectly contribute to social structure. Without investigating the contributions of counseling services to the education and development of children in preschool education, the abolishment of counseling services in preschool constitutions has been on the agenda. Thus, in this research preschool institutions' administrators and teachers' perceptions of preschool counselors have been examined. The survey model has been used for the research. The research sample consists of 43 preschool institutions managers and 211 preschool education teachers. To reveal preschool administrators' and teachers' perceptions about school counselors, "School Counselor Perception Scale" has been used, which was developed by Mamett (2008). The results of the study have revealed that preschool teachers and administrators, who meet with school counselors more frequently, have a better perception about school counselors. Preschool teachers and administrators think that the most important tasks of school counselors are individual guidance, group guidance, orientation programs and participating in classroom activities. Administrators and teachers have low expectations regarding administrative duties, discipline and keeping student records from school counselors.
Highlights
Preschool education should provide all children counselor services (American School Counselor Association, 2003; Gerler, Edwin& Robert, 1991)
Studies in the relevant literature and field suggest that counselors working at preschool education institutions do not have sufficient knowledge and experience to be able to work with children at preschool education age (Akgün, 2010; Aliyev, Erguner-Tekinalp, Ülker & Shine-Edizer, 2012; Gerler et al, 1991)
Job descriptions of guidance counselors working at preschool education institutions are not specified and this situation constitutes another problematic area that they cannot conduct their jobs properly (Aliyev et al, 2012)
Summary
Preschool education should provide all children counselor services (American School Counselor Association, 2003; Gerler, Edwin& Robert, 1991). For accomplishment of counselor and guidance program targeted at school, administrators as determining education policy and a decision maker should be in compliance with counselors and they should share perspective of counselors This harmony between administrators and counselors makes a substantial contribution to child’s success and counselor services (Hackney, 1975). If counselors are aware of school managers’ perceptions toward them, they will be able to see consensus and conflict areas with school administrators and when they seek for support of school administrators for studies that they want to do at school, they will consider these consensus and conflict areas This knowledge serves a favorable chance for establishing a good communication between school administrators and counselor, creating an understanding between the parties and a good teamwork (Zalaquett, 2005). Perceptions of preschool teachers and preschool administrators toward counselors have been examined through this study
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