Interview With A Counselor At John H. Guyer High School

During an interview with Donna Jones, high school counselor, at John H. Guyer High School in Denton, Texas, I was able to learn some of the many qualities a school counselor must exhibit on a daily bases. Prior to arranging the interviewed, I reviewed various articles and literature on the topic along with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) list of suggested questions to ask a counselor.
Feeling prepared, I conducted the interview at Ms. Jones’s office on Wednesday, June 8, 2016. The first thing I observed was the little to no distractions (ringing telephones, staff interruptions) in her office since school was not in session. During most school days, it is difficult to get school related questions asked and answered by her due to the volume of interruptions she experiences.
One of the first questions I asked of Ms. Jones was what did she see as her main role as a school counselor. I felt I had firsthand knowledge, because at my school each teacher of special education is required to carry a caseload of students. As case managers, we monitor their progress, grades, and assist them when problems arise along with insuring they graduate. Her answers mirrored my own personal experience in dealing with my caseload. Looking at the child as whole is vital to their success in
Jones was related to the characteristics of a school counselor. What did she think was important? She agreed with my response of honesty, empathy and compassion, but added integrity. I would have to definitely agree with her. She said stated it was important to maintain distance too (personal communication, June 8, 2016). At this point in the interview, she started to share some personal experiences with me. One was related to a middle school child who was being sexually abused at home. The case went all the way to court but the parent was exonerated. You could tell when she was sharing the story with me, it still brought back unhappy