ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS' ATTITUDES TOWARD COUNSELING, AS INDICATED BY RECENT RESEARCH, VARIED FROM OPPOSITION TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELORS, BASED MAINLY ON COUNSELOR FAILURE TO ADAPT TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SETTING, TO SUPPORT AND ACCEPTANCE BASED ON A WELL-DEFINED VIEW OF THE FUNCTION OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAM. THE ROLE OF THE
... [Show full abstract] ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER IS DEFINED IN TERMS OF COGNITIVE AND CONATIVE ASPECTS OF LEARNING. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR FUNCTIONS INCLUDE CONSULTING WITH TEACHERS TO DISCOVER PROBLEMS EARLY AND IMPROVE THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE CLASSROOM AND COUNSELING WITH PARENTS, WITH SUCH COUNSELING BEING LIMITED TO CHILDREN'S SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS. ANOTHER FUNCTION IS TO ESTABLISH AN EMPATHETIC RELATIONSHIP WITH CHILDREN. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LATTER FUNCTION INCLUDE COMMUNICATING ON A SIMPLE VERBAL LEVEL, AND HELPING CHILDREN TO RELATE TO ADULTS OTHER THAN THEIR PARENTS. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR TRAINING PROGRAMS SHOULD INCLUDE, IN ADDITION TO A CORE CURRICULUM, GROUP GUIDANCE METHODS FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND PARENTS, SPECIAL TRAINING IN SERVING AS A TEACHER CONSULTANT, AND THE PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE. THE MAJORITY OF MASTER'S DEGREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELORS COME FROM THE RANKS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS. THIS IS ONE OF THE REPORTS FROM THE ZION CONFERENCE AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DEMONSTRATION CENTERS INCLUDED IN "ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GUIDANCE IN ILLINOIS." (PS)