About the Department:
Vivek High’s counselling department is created to support students’ academic success and optimal personal growth by addressing their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive needs. We offer ongoing preventative and intervention services to build a comprehensive learning environment. The Counsellors conduct Personality Development classes offering systematic, step-by-step training based on the Round Square Discovery Framework for holistic personality development; students who are open minded, creative problem solvers and above all good humans with potential to lead the world into a better future. In addition to classroom-based learning, students also receive individual and group guidance and counselling sessions. Acknowledging the teacher’s role in a student’s mental well-being and the need for student advocacy, school counsellors also serve as a liaison between the teachers, the student, the parents, and the administration. Crucially, the counsellors work in tandem with class teachers, subject teachers, parents/guardians, and other authorities to help students choose between various careers and life path options.
Our Counselling department works using three main pillars:
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Counselling
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Careers
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Special Education
Counselling
Personality Development Classes:
Keeping Round Square Discovery framework as the centre, the counsellors at Vivek High nurture the young minds through Personality Development classes. Starting with developing and nurturing their inquisitiveness and self-awareness our step-by-step lessons lead them into creative problem solvers. From here their journey into teamwork starts where these classes offer them a variety of opportunities to work within the team thereby appreciating the diversity and develop compassion. Once the students learn creative problem-solving skills and working within the team, we already have ready innovators. We lead these innovators to deeper understanding of their sense of responsibility and commitment to sustainability. At the heart of all these skillsets development are attributes such as tenacity and courage, which serve as the foundation of the PD class environment.
Individual and Group Counselling:
Counselling is provided in small groups or on an individual basis for students expressing difficulties dealing with peer relationships, personal concerns, or normal developmental tasks. Individual counselling for facilitation, catharsis, problem solving etc is conducted by school counsellors.
School counsellors also conduct group and individual meetings with the parents for consultation, providing information regarding students and to seek their support in the proper development of their ward.
Workshops and Campaigns for Students:
Adolescence is a time of transitions, both formative and dynamic. What happens in the future is largely determined by the choices adolescents make when they approach these years. As a result, it is critical at Vivek High to make efforts and develop innovative strategies to direct adolescents’ energies in a constructive direction. To this end, the counselling department organises several awareness initiatives for students and parents, emphasizing that the greatest therapy for societal ills is prevention. Campaigns such as AEP, Substance Abuse, Physical Abuse, POCSO, and others are held on a regular basis by the experts.
Workshops and Campaigns for teachers:
Good mental health is essential for success in life, and at Vivek High, teachers’ contributions to providing this atmosphere is a key goal of the counselling department. We run several initiatives at least twice a year to provide all teachers with the knowledge and confidence they need to create mentally healthy environments in their classrooms. These campaigns also address issues such as how to cope with special needs students in the classroom, in order to provide a level playing field for all children.
Careers
Career Counselling:
At the intersection of the career education curriculum and the provision of personal counselling, Vivek High offers an all-encompassing school-based career counselling to its students. It benefits both individual students’ professional development in their most formative years and individual counselling helps them take the right direction in life. Starting from Class IX students are introduced to Career Development Classes in addition to the Personality Development classes.
‘Aspire to Achieve’ by BridgeU
VivekHigh has partnered with BridgeU to build a strong foundation curating a life path for the students. This programme has been specifically designed for the students of grade 9 and encourages them to discover and explore myriad opportunities the world over. Aspire to achieve help our students to learn more about their personality, learning types, talents, strengths and plan their careers accordingly. It assists our students in discovering and exploring over 28,000 universities worldwide. Through the Career Development classes we guide our students in a systematic step-by-step manner for preparing high quality university applications.
Differential Aptitude Test
DAT is conducted for class 10 students. The test comprises of a battery of 3 psychometric tests –
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Personality Test
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Interest Test
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Aptitude Test
After the test has been conducted, a comprehensive Career Profile is created for each student of class X indicating the results of the 3 tests as mentioned above along with stream suggestions and careers possible. This is followed by meetings with parents of each student individually to discuss regarding the DAT reports. Senior students of classes X, XI and XII are registered and nominated for scholarships, research projects and online competitions for various universities as per the requirement.
Job shadowing and Internships:
Students of classes IX, X, XI and XII are offered Job Shadowing and Internship opportunities in their area of interest during the summer and winter break in collaboration with the Alumni and Parent-in-Partnership. Certificates for the same are made and given to the students.
Career Fest:
University representatives and experts in the field of higher education are called and invited to present and interact with the students and parents. They share pertinent information about their university, courses offered, admission process etc. The Career Fest is organised for parents and students of classes IX, X, XI and XII. Talks from experts is also organised as a part of career fest.
Special Education- All Inclusion
Empowerment For All Who Need a Levelling Ground
Making a difference to a different child
At Vivek High, we believe that all our students should have equal opportunity for growth and learning. We provide a therapeutic education programme designed to help children with Learning Disabilities become independent lifelong learners. All special needs are covered, including Locomotor Disability, various Impairments, Specific Learning Disabilities, ASD, Speech and Language Disabilities, and Multiple Disabilities. At all times, the programme provides a model of all-inclusive education that assists children in achieving academic success within classroom.
Education Therapy
Our one-on-one education therapy is available to children with special needs. Each session includes a variety of research-based techniques designed to address their specific areas of difficulty and to improve their overall ability to think, to reason, and to process information. Therapy aims the intervention just above the student’s current level of functioning and raises expectations for performance. They use techniques to develop language and thinking through effective questioning, using metacognition to help overcome cognitive challenges. They teach students to defend their answers and to reflect upon their thinking process. Students transition from dependent learners to those who think and reason independently.
Search and Teach Programme-Early Detection & Teaching
For decades, we’ve known how beneficial early education can be for a child’s brain development and later success in school, work, and life. At Vivek High we follow one of a kind early detection programme SEARCH & TEACH. SEARCH & TEACH was developed by child psychiatrist Archie Silver, M.D. and psychologist Rosa A. Hagin, Ph.D., and the staff of the Learning Disorders Unit at the New York University School of Medicine. SEARCH & TEACH is an early intervention program that ascertains the needs of young learners before they experience academic failure and its associated emotional consequences.
Growth Mindset– Focusing on STRENGTHS
Too often, children with learning and attention issues are defined by their limitations rather than their strengths. At Vivek High here is where we create a difference by equally focusing on the individual strengths of our special needs children. Assisting students in discovering their unique abilities and, as a result, increasing their self-esteem. Self-efficacy and mindset are non-cognitive factors that can positively impact the overall achievement of students with special needs. Teachers’ special intentional instructions are applied within one-on-one sessions to develop students’ growth mindset. A mindset that empowers one to accept and celebrate mistakes while consistently working upon self-improvement.
Facilities and Accommodations
Being affiliated to CBSE board, we follow the standard operating procedures and exemptions/concessions extended to persons with benchmark disabilities for class X & XII examinations conducted by the CBSE. School provides support through assistive devices and have trained education therapists. We constantly adapt our teaching methodologies to meet the needs of all children with Special Needs, while physical infrastructure already being in place to cater to all their needs. We also ensure regular in-service training of teachers in inclusive education at the primary, elementary and secondary levels.
We offer various subjects for the special needs children to choose from like Painting, Music Vocal and Instrumental, Elements of Business, Computer Application and many more skill-based subjects for their professional development keeping in view their unique strengths and interests.
CREATING AWARENESS
At Vivek High, we recognise that by being mindful of the needs of children with learning and attention challenges, we can collectively ensure that no kid is left behind. We don’t stop there; via workshops for children, staff, and parents, we’re continually working to create an open environment for special needs children to be accepted beyond their obstacles. Reduce discriminatory culture through increasing knowledge of diversity rather than disability, so that empathy develops and helps in the breaking down of social barriers.