A Study on the New Paradigm in Collaborations Between Teachers and School Counselors

Abstract

As the SC system spread, activities of clinical psychologists in school became outreach style and SC-Teacher collaboration is becoming an important issue. In this paper, we reconsider the "collaboration", which clarify the "roles" of teachers and SCs, and propose a new paradigm. In previous research (Takashima et al., , 2008, both Japanese SCs and teachers had "SC-like" and "teacher-like" viewpoints, and inspite of their job type their individual "way of reviewing cases" ("perspective") existed as an internal framework. In this study, comparing the practice of Western (Swiss) SPs who function independently, it was discovered that Japanese SC relations are characterized by an "understanding of feelings." In order to create SC-Teacher collaborations, there is a need for a relational "multiple viewpoint mode" that takes advantage of Japanese mentality. This approach will have them reflect their own mind towards their "viewpoints" and "perspectives," rather than defining people and events through static, substantive "roles."

Mental Health and Social Withdrawal in Contemporary Japan

“…The overlapping of counseling, support, and guidance provided by several professionals within the school is not the result of a bad outcome, but the product of a deliberate policy that serves specific goals. It is not uninteresting to note that scholars who support this "nurturing" model (Kuwabara et al 2008) write in a journal founded by Kawai Hayao and are located in his school of thought. In their article, he is quoted to legitimize the views that the Japanese Self is different from the Western Self, the leitmotiv of the discourses on Japanese identity (nihonjinron).…”