Didactic Counselor: When Does He Intervene?

The figure of the didactic counselor is extremely important. For this reason it is always present in all centers where pupils of secondary school, high schools or other training courses are trained (for example, technical institutes).

Most people, however, are unaware of what this professional’s job is all about. What does a didactic counselor do?

Perhaps, when we were students, the orientator was a figure we hardly ever met. Nor did we have any idea what his job was.

Unfortunately, even today in many schools, the didactic guide is a kind of ghost figure, who acts in the shadows, without ever appearing. In reality, many of its functions remain hidden, but in today’s article we want to reveal all the secrets of this profession.

The functions of the didactic counselor

The didactic counselor can be seen as a professional who advises and helps pupils imagine their professional future. Above all, it intervenes when the pupil does not know what he wants to study, which elective subjects to choose or which university faculty he would like to undertake. But this is only a small part of its functions.

1. Preventing school dropout

Early school leaving is a situation that worries families and teachers. Among the countries of the OECD area, Italy can boast an unenviable record: it is the last country for the education of young people. The national average, in fact, is 52.8% against the average of the other OECD countries which is around 73.7% (source Actionaid). A frightening figure.

In these cases, the role of the didactic counselor can be fundamental. This figure develops individual programs to help the pupil, offering him personalized advice.

In many cases, the problem of early school leaving stems from family conditions. For this, the counselor will try to get together with the family to explain what happens and look for a meeting point to support the pupil’s training opportunity.

2. Develop the adaptation of curricular objectives

Adaptations of curricular objectives are another of the competences that correspond to the didactic guide. When there are pupils in the classroom who have difficulty following the rhythm of the class, for example because they suffer from ADHD or other forms of disorders or disabilities (anxiety, blindness, etc.), then the counselor intervenes.

For these pupils with special needs, different actions can be implemented:

• Eliminate physical barriers : provide for the adaptation of facilities to facilitate the accessibility of the center to pupils who, for example, are in a wheelchair.

• Eliminate communication barriers: in the case of a blind pupil, for example, notes will be provided in Braille so that they can study.

• Support classes : the pupil will follow support courses, in which he will be provided with the educational tools appropriate to his needs. This type of intervention is used both for pupils with high abilities and for those with some kind of cognitive disability.

3. Offer psycho-pedagogical counseling

Another very important function of the counselor is to offer psycho-pedagogical advice, both to teachers and to families. In addition, it is responsible for providing adequate and necessary resources and methods for each pupil’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan) to be followed and completed successfully.

This part of the work is not rigidly defined. The evaluation of the pupils is continuous over time and it is frequent that, in the course of work, it is decided to make some changes to the initial plan.

Similarly, family counseling can lead the pupil to agree to go to a specialist, such as a psychologist, who will assess the condition and offer a precise diagnosis.

The didactic counselor: a fundamental figure

At this point, you will certainly have realized that the didactic guide is a fundamental figure in secondary schools. However, let’s review its main functions in this summary:

• He is a pupil and family advisor whose goal is to improve the educational quality of the center.
• Study and plan educational needs individually.
• Organize meetings with families and teachers to provide them with the tools they need to improve the pupil’s academic performance.
• Observe the pupil’s progress to assess the need for changes or improvements to his IEP.

Now we can also forget those rumors that said that the orientator is useless. As we have just discovered, his work is fundamental and is aimed at improving the relationship between pupils and the educational center.

Did you know what a didactic counselor is dedicated to? What idea did you have before reading the article?