School uses innovative therapy to aid students
Published: 04 May. 2012, 19:22
Students and counselors gather on April 25 at a counseling center run by Cheonil Middle School in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul, which helps the students adjust to school life through therapy. By Kang Jung-hyun
A 14-year-old student surnamed Lee of Cheonil Middle School located in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul, visits the school’s counseling center called “Share Love” once every two weeks. Lee has been making regular visits to the counseling office since last April.
When Lee showed repeated patterns of regular tardiness and often left early from school, his homeroom teacher suggested that he enroll in long-term therapy.
Therapist So Hyun-jeong, 27, took out some 50 toys including a sandbox, dolls and clock tower for Lee’s visit on April 25. This was for the “Sand Play Therapy,” which encourages patients to pick out their favorite toys and build their own world to their heart’s desire.
After a little hesitation, Lee picked out a house and a car to place them above the sand. After picking a one-eyed pirate doll, Lee said, “It will protect me.”
Therapist So explained, “During therapy last year, Lee always took it as a joke. There seems to be a positive change now that he picks out the models by himself and seems to take the therapy more seriously.”
In addition, Lee rarely leaves early or is late to school. Teachers complimented Lee, stating, “He has been a good student during classes.”
Cheonil Middle School is known to be innovative in providing counseling services to students. Last month alone, the school conducted 1,250 personal counseling sessions and 156 smaller-scale and in-class counseling sessions, totaling almost 1,400 sessions. Statistically speaking, each student of the entire student body, which has 1,051 students, has received at least one counseling service.
In this school, counseling services are provided by a total of nine people, including seven counselors and two teachers. Compared to most school systems in which one counselor proceeds the entire counseling, Cheonil Middle School provides a much larger-scale counseling center.
The effect of the active counseling services is clear. Some 30 percent of Cheonil Middle School students come from low-income or one-parent families. The principal of the school, Na Jing-gi, 52, said, “Once our school was well known for delinquent students and therefore was avoided by many. After actively creating a counseling environment, the school has experienced a decrease in school violence and an increase in academic accomplishments.”
Last year’s national scholastic achievement test showed the school increased the ratio of excellent students from 48.5 percent to 59.5 percent within a year. The number of students scoring below average has also significantly decreased from 12.8 percent to 6.3 percent.
The school started these kind of positive counseling programs since last year. After last year’s district election, Lee Hae-sik, 49, the head of Gangdong District, chose Cheonil Middle School to be the first target of his pledge, which was to “place counselors in schools with poor conditions.”
Lee added that he “felt sorry for the parents who had to move to different locations so that their children can attend schools with no violence.”
The school received the first financial aid of 70 million won ($61,867), which was used to turn the third-floor classroom into a counseling office. Along with the decorations, the counseling office also bought board games and snacks.
Four professional counselors stay at the school and an additional three counselors rotate.
Therapist Ma Yeong-hwa, 46, said, “Most school violence often starts from a minor conflict. By solving minor conflicts among students through providing active counseling services, we can prevent school violence.”
By Kim Kyung-hee [enational@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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