Changing Times of Student Counselling at LFA
During the 2011-2012 school year, my husband and I had the opportunity to experience LFA’s academic counselling services first-hand.
With a daughter in Grade 11, we received multiple counselling updates that helped us prepare for our daughter’s journey towards graduation and, eventually, her entry in post-secondary education. We were impressed with the collection of information and web links that streamed through e-mail during the school year, informing us of scholarships, bursaries, SAT prep, university visits, university entry, summer programs and other useful advice.
We spent time with our daughter reviewing some very interesting university summer programs available for high school students. Our daughter eventually applied to a French-language bursary program and ended up spending five weeks in Quebec City at Laval University’s Collège Saint-Charles Garnier studying French and immersing herself in French Canadian culture – an experience she will never forget.
In my day...
The use of e-mail and the web to provide a constant flow of academic information is a massive leap forward compared to the counselling my classmates and I received in the mid-1980s. Through social media, I reached out to some old friends and asked them what they remembered receiving for counselling. We didn’t have a dedicated counselling service; instead, we had dedicated teachers and the Sisters of St. Ann, whom we confided in and called upon for their experience and knowledge. One former classmate recalled having issues at home and receiving personal counselling from Sister Josephine. To this day, she remembers Sister Jo as her “saving grace”, who helped her make sense of a chaotic time in her life. Another classmate remembered receiving academic counselling, starting in Grade 10, from devoted teachers like Ms. Lyons and Ms. Coady on the electives and classes we had to take in Grades 11 and 12 in order to get into sciences or arts and how to apply to university. They provided brochures of local universities and colleges and alerted us to early admissions. The next step in our academic life didn’t seem overly complicated.
The use of e-mail and the web to provide a constant flow of academic information is a massive leap forward compared to the counselling my classmates and I received in the mid-1980s. Through social media, I reached out to some old friends and asked them what they remembered receiving for counselling. We didn’t have a dedicated counselling service; instead, we had dedicated teachers and the Sisters of St. Ann, whom we confided in and called upon for their experience and knowledge. One former classmate recalled having issues at home and receiving personal counselling from Sister Josephine. To this day, she remembers Sister Jo as her “saving grace”, who helped her make sense of a chaotic time in her life. Another classmate remembered receiving academic counselling, starting in Grade 10, from devoted teachers like Ms. Lyons and Ms. Coady on the electives and classes we had to take in Grades 11 and 12 in order to get into sciences or arts and how to apply to university. They provided brochures of local universities and colleges and alerted us to early admissions. The next step in our academic life didn’t seem overly complicated.
Changing times...
Today, schools are far more competitive, resulting in more pressure on students. As pressure increases, students have to deal with more complex academic issues that their counterparts in the 1980s may not have had to deal with. Students today have to cope with higher academic standards, heavier workloads, and much greater competition for more expensive and fewer seats in university. The pressure to achieve academic success and obtain a coveted spot in university is oftentimes overwhelming. Students are also competing with more international students than in the past. An LFA student today would need more tricks up her sleeve; she needs more coping skills; she needs more knowledge to figure out how to maneuver in such a complex environment. Counsellors today are faced with all those issues and complexities, and are challenged to bring solutions and strategies to the table.
Today, schools are far more competitive, resulting in more pressure on students. As pressure increases, students have to deal with more complex academic issues that their counterparts in the 1980s may not have had to deal with. Students today have to cope with higher academic standards, heavier workloads, and much greater competition for more expensive and fewer seats in university. The pressure to achieve academic success and obtain a coveted spot in university is oftentimes overwhelming. Students are also competing with more international students than in the past. An LFA student today would need more tricks up her sleeve; she needs more coping skills; she needs more knowledge to figure out how to maneuver in such a complex environment. Counsellors today are faced with all those issues and complexities, and are challenged to bring solutions and strategies to the table.
Luckily for LFA students, counselling at LFA has evolved and progressed to a dedicated, structured department, aptly named Student Services, where they can receive personal and academic advice and guidance from a team of experienced counsellors, who have the experience and training to motivate and counsel students. The goal of Student Services is to increase emotional and mental resilience to cope with the academic pressures so that they can achieve good academic outcomes. Furthermore, it strives to be more proactive towards issues rather than reactive. The current counselling team includes Julie Payne (Personal Counsellor), Katelyn Moore ‘04 and Linda Hardy (Academic Counsellors).
Student Services in action...
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Payne, about LFA’s Student Services and the important role it plays in the lives of LFA students and the overall school community. She outlined the services that LFA students currently receive from academic and personal counselling. Academic counsellors are responsible for the Planning 10 class, dispensing post secondary information, helping students select their career path and post-secondary institution, helping students find and apply for scholarships, and supporting students in their application process to post-secondary institutions. The personal counsellor focusses on the students’ emotional and social issues, by helping to create a preventative and proactive plan to build resiliency and strong coping strategies.
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Payne, about LFA’s Student Services and the important role it plays in the lives of LFA students and the overall school community. She outlined the services that LFA students currently receive from academic and personal counselling. Academic counsellors are responsible for the Planning 10 class, dispensing post secondary information, helping students select their career path and post-secondary institution, helping students find and apply for scholarships, and supporting students in their application process to post-secondary institutions. The personal counsellor focusses on the students’ emotional and social issues, by helping to create a preventative and proactive plan to build resiliency and strong coping strategies.
Though the counsellors each have a specialty area, they acknowledge that there is a lot of overlap between personal and academic counselling. Sometimes, personal issues affect a student’s academic life, and vice versa. When this occurs, the academic and personal counsellors collaborate to assist the student with an individual academic plan.
Students know they can visit the counsellors any time. Their offices have adopted an open door policy. Further to a face-to-face meeting, students can send notes and e-mails. They can come alone or with a friend. Ms. Payne emphasizes that everything spoken between the counsellor and student is confidential.
During the 2012-2013 school year, parents and students will continue to receive academic updates via e-mail and, new to this year, mental health updates on common issues such as eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and bullying. The counsellors plan to continue to invite speakers to educate students on current issues (such as Internet safety) and bring in films that address common disorders (such as anxiety). The key is to inform and prevent issues through education and to identify symptoms early on.
Ms. Payne notes that Student Services continues to develop, responding to the needs of the student body. There are areas to improve on, more information to provide, and more education to give – all of which would help our school community tackle issues in a healthier way. LFA counselling continues to evolve in a very positive direction and its profile at LFA will continue to grow.
School Information
4195 Alexandra Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 4C6
Tel: 604-738-9016
Support LFA | Contact Us | School Calendar
Tel: 604-738-9016
Support LFA | Contact Us | School Calendar
