Page 113 - DEDU502_GUIDANCE_AND_COUNSELING_ENGLISH

Unit 9: Personal Guidance at School Level

9.5.1 Guidance at the Elementary-School Level Notes

The elementary school for a majority of children is the first experience of attending school and
marks a very important stage in their lives. For those who had pre-school education like going
either to nursery or kindergarten, going to an elementary school may not be a big change. The
elementary school has the basic responsibility to develop the fundamental skills known as the three
Rs in children. In addition, the school has also the responsibility of encouraging the development of
creativity, initiative and leadership qualities in children. It is during these crucial years that a child’s
self-concept develops.
In going to school, the child is away from his home, parents and siblings. This could be an unpleasant
experience for the child and children usually react by crying and showing unwillingness to go to
school. The school has to take the responsibility of making the children feel at home and not become
anxious and withdrawn. The other children in the school are strangers to the new entrant and it is
up to the teachers to integrate the newcomers into the group. They need some kind of reassurance.
Teaching of subject matter at this stage is not as important as promotion of social and emotional
maturity in children. Most schools and parents pay no attention to the social and emotional
development of pupils. Parents are usually anxious that their children should study well. But what
is important to appreciate is that learning can usually take care of itself provided the child is adjusted,
feels at home and secure in school.

If the child has anxiety, insecurity, fear and other feelings of stress affecting him, he
will not be able to learn. Forcing him to learn under such circumstances will only
develop negative attitudes and the child will respond by becoming withdrawn from
the learning situation.

This results in producing an effect opposed to the reasons for sending the child to school.
The teachers’ role in this context is of a great significance. He has to know about the child and give
the necessary help in personal and social development. However, with increasing enrolment of
pupils and consequent increase in the size of the class, it is becoming difficult for teachers to have
sufficient knowledge of each child. As a result, most children do not receive the attention that
should normally be given to them. This explains the need for provision of organized guidance at the
elementary-school level.
Early guidance of the child helps him adjust to new situations and develops the ability to face
problems and resolve them.
This is in keeping with the basic philosophy of guidance, namely, ‘prevention is better than cure’.
Children can be helped by utilizing the resources of the school as well as the home and the community.
Early assistance towards adjustment can help the development of mental health of the pupils. The
preventive measures required to be taken depend on the resources available. In order to provide
guidance to the pupils one has to appreciate three points :
1. The child is flexible in his early years and any problem(s) of the child has (have) less time to
become deep-rooted to resist modification.
2. The parents are keenly concerned about their young ones in school and their cooperation and
help can be easily obtained.

3. Many years of adjustment lie ahead of the child to grow and develop.
Going to school involves the important problem of ‘readiness to learn’. This apart, two other equally
important factors of vital concern for the school are social and emotional maturity. Children’s social
and emotional development depend on home environment and the attention family members give

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 107