Counselling Pupils for Social Justice

Along the dynamic freedoms of democracies of the 21st century, counselling pupils for social justice is a radical democratic process of learning. This is within awareness of metacognitive application of critical thinking that transforms prior obtained frame of reference. It also ignites, without imposing, critical self-reflection as a deliberate cognitive activity on experiences that bring about perspective transformation. Ironically, that school counselling continues to be less regarded as a management role in schools is a misconstrued perspective that not only disadvantages the pupil but also alienates counsellors while also deflating effectiveness of teaching efforts. The teaching and learning process is a collaborative effort that can only succeed when existing school's networks are utilised in the most effective manner especially for a transformative and democratic education. This chapter explores avenues of school counselling along post-constructivist perspectives determining a democratic pupil as sought to be a change catalyst for good citizenship in the society.

Maximizing Students' Learning Success Through Lab-on-Line

This chapter foregrounds the Lab-On-Line project, a technological innovation developed to enhance visual processing skills, improve memory and vocabulary, and increase reading fluency with the explicit aim of improving comprehension. Thirty (30) 3rd year students at one of the University of Namibia campuses participated in the pilot study. A pre-test was conducted for placement purpose. Subsequently, the selected sample commenced with the Lab-On-Line program that consists of 20 lessons that were carried out twice a week over a period of five months. Thereafter a Standardized Reading Evaluation was performed to determine their language proficiency, reading speed per minute and comprehension ability. Results show that the majority of participating students had improved their perceptual development and reading speed (VPF), cognitive development and comprehension skills (CDF), and relative reading efficiency (AIUF).

Child Neglect

This chapter provides a groundwork for school counselors. It amplifies their roles and responsibilities to neglected children and also discusses the issues that should be considered in the assessment and treatment of neglected children and their families. The chapter provides professional guides to therapists who specialize in the treatment of neglected children and school counselors who meet with the neglected children occasionally. The methodology adopted for the assessment and treatment of neglect in this chapter is child-centered, family-focused, and culturally receptive. The author posits that dealing with child neglect will be more effective when school counselors leave the four walls of the school to provide support for neglect children and thus integrating them into the school system.

Student Trauma, the Hidden Curriculum, and Cultural Humility

Student trauma can set up challenges and obstacles to a student's academic success. The correlation between experienced childhood trauma and negative medical and social problems is significant, creating problems at school with academic work, behaviors, and social interactions. Further compounding this issue are cultural differences in traumatic resolution and the hidden curriculum of education, especially as the globalization of school communities increases. The complexity of this issue generates an ideal situation for a multidisciplinary team approach, with precise defining of each team member's role to increase comprehensive services for teachers, students, families, and the administration. Essential members of the multidisciplinary team are school administration, teachers, family members, guidance staff, counseling staff, school social workers, school nurses, and community resources that can coordinate with the school to create individualized plans to optimize student success. The chapter is a compilation of scholarly research through desktop research.

Secondary Trauma in Children and School Personnel

A review of childhood secondary trauma is presented. Secondary trauma involves the transfer and acquisition of negative affective and dysfunctional cognitive states due to prolonged and extended contact with others, such as family members, who have been traumatized. As such, secondary trauma refers to a spread of trauma reactions from the victim to those who have close contact with the traumatized individual. Assessment devices are reviewed and most of these appear to be designed to assess secondary or vicarious traumatization in therapists rather than in the general population of adults. The majority of scales lack cutoff scores and this is a significant weakness. The modified Stroop procedure is presented as non-paper and pencil method of assessing secondary trauma reactions. The evaluation of the efficacy of therapeutic interventions for secondary traumatization is virtually non-existent. Systematic studies of secondary trauma are in their infancy and a good deal of further research is needed.

Addressing the Need for Anger Management in Young People

Anger in young people is on the increase worldwide and effective anger treatment services are in demand. However, the lack of research on the construct of anger and little evidence-based practice makes it difficult to ascertain the best service for these angry young people. Moreover, there is a lack of extensive evidence and qualitative research in the combination of psychoeducation and positive psychology interventions in anger management programmes for young people. Therefore, this chapter will summarise a phenomenological study of an existing psychoeducational anger management programme in the UK and discuss its findings. This chapter will present anger and positive psychology in the context of developing an effective anger management programme and provide a simple anger management strategy to use as a foundation for developing anger management programmes in schools.

The Effect of Examination-Related Anxiety on Career Pathway for High School Graduates

It has always been said ‘Knowledge is Power' and that knowledge is gained through education, an idea as old as humanity. Learners acquire life skills such as cognitive ability, interpersonal, psychosocial, and social skills that help learners in decision making, problem solving, critical thinking, creative and effective communication. These skills are learnt through the numerous subjects within a curriculum. Dewey's assertion is that education is life itself, but it focuses on the examinations, yet life depends on the examination outcomes. This chapter focuses on how learning institutions use tests and examinations to grade learners which affects their future. The examination process causes anxiety due to lack of relevant information, inadequate preparation, and overloaded curriculum content. The pressure to achieve a certain level of excellence, family pride, academic recognition, and social mobility is stressful. The chapter will also explore the sources of stress, the levels of stress and stress management tactics.

Attentiveness to the Voiceless

Children worldwide begin life with greater vulnerability as they suffer from various forms of mistreatment, discrimination, and exploitation at the hands of those who are supposed to protect and provide for them. This chapter focuses on how the rights of the child are violated through child abuse and neglect based on socioeconomic status in multi-religious and multi-cultural societies. Child abuse and neglect are social ills that threaten to diminish the social and moral obligation of every parent causing moral decay in the youth populace. While neglect may be viewed as parental behaviour of failure to nurture children, children suffer various forms of abuse from trusted relatives, caregivers, and strangers. Factors such as political instability, famine, and poverty have robbed children of their right to normal life. The chapter will also explore the criticisms or loopholes in the children's rights so that parents and caregivers can infuse them in their nurturing of the child.

Guidance and Counselling Through the Teaching of Life Orientation

The education system in South Africa is exacerbated with challenges that influence the effective teaching and learning in school, for example, discipline, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, low self-esteem, lack of positive role models, peer pressure, poor study habits, poverty, etc. Guidance and counselling nurture learners to make informed decisions and about life and this deepens learners' self-knowledge, beliefs, interests, etc. Since the dawn of democratic government in South Africa, guidance was phased out in schools and replaced with Life Orientation (LO). LO as a compulsory subject focuses on self in relation to others and society. It addresses skills, knowledge, and values for people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, involved in solving problems and make informed decisions. The teaching LO in schools prepares and empowers learners to become responsible citizens. The chapter aims to help LO teachers to understand the key role of LO in schools, in the midst of the challenges.

Child Abuse and Neglect

Child abuse and neglect is a global problem which needs attention from every corner of the world. This chapter aims to investigate the definitions, types and causes of child neglect and abuse, as well as their impacts on children, risk and protective factors associated with child abuse and neglect, and child abuse neglect prevention and intervention. This chapter will provide an insight into problems faced by child abuse and neglect victims in particular because they are extremely vulnerable and incapable of defending themselves. This will in turn provide a base for school counsellors to have introspection on the existing frame of strategies/policies with this sensitive section of the population. It may provide baseline for designing new strategies in accordance with the needs of the victims of child abuse. Further it will be a unique way to address this complex social problem.