Training

Different roles in the staff.

Teacher usually is responsible for the cognition of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses, emotional and motivational state, encouragement, and support during the learning process. Teachers have to be able to understand pupils as personalities, to clarify what feelings and experiences pupils bring from their families and social environment, to cooperate with other staff members- counsellors, psychologists in identifying pupils’ interests, aptitudes, inclinations and potentials in order to develop personalized guidance service to motivate them to learn and proceed their educational pathway towards the career and life style that might suit them the best in the future.

Counsellor evaluates pupils’ abilities and interests through aptitude assessments, interviews, and individual planning; identifies issues that impact school performance; helps pupils understand and overcome social or behavioural problems through classroom guidance lessons and counselling; counsels individuals and small groups based on pupils special needs; helps pupils create plans to achieve academic and career goals; collaborates with teachers, administrators, representatives of the labour market and parents aiming to help pupils succeed; teaches pupils about certain topics, such as bullying, drug abuse, assists in planning their future educational and career path. Counsellors help pupils to identify their hidden potential, aptitudes and skills, to identify the main areas of improvement, to enhance motivation to continue their educational pathway.

Psychologist’s responsibility covers identification and deeper understanding of personal strengths, difficulties, psychological aspects of self- cognition, provision of psychological consultations to pupils, teachers and parents; consultations on career development, social, communication and self-control training; training and development of leadership and conflict resolution. The role of a psychologist is particularly important in the upper grades, when individual education plans are made, when pupils get interested in psychology and career development. Psychologists play the most important role in cognitive development of adolescents

Special education teacher is responsible for identification of special development needs and for providing consultations in case of learning difficulties. Special education teacher takes care about pupils' adaptation at school, attendance, training of social communication skills, learning motivation.

In a well functioning school environment cooperation exists among all the staff members. Team work is the most effective. Teachers, counsellors and psychologists working in a team, in close collaboration help pupils to adjust to the school environment at different stages of their development. They help pupils in the formation of a positive attitude towards school and education, in identifying and dealing with behaviour and learning difficulties, they help pupils to unveil their interests and attitudes, to plan and implement personalized educational and career plans.

Online Resources

• A Breakdown of the Roles of SchoolThe webpage provides the definitions of different school staff roles and their main responsibilities in school management and teaching processes.
• Developing the Role of School Support StaffThe paper offers solutions on how to involve school staff raise standards of pupils’ achievement.
• Staff in High SchoolsRoles of staff members.