Cooperation between School Counselors and Teachers: Recognition of the Status Quo and Issues Regarding Improved Cooperation

Abstract

The importance of cooperation between school counselors (SCs) and teachers has been revealed in previous studies. However, such information was based on surveys distributed among SCs and teachers with limited awareness and attitude toward SC-teacher cooperation among school counseling coordinators. Therefore, this study examines the recognition of cooperation as well as the similarities and differences among school counseling coordinators in order to promote effective cooperation. The participants consisted of 43 SCs and 67 school counseling coordinators who completed an open-ended questionnaire. The findings show that the interests of the school counseling coordinators and SCs were closely aligned and that both parties had interest in either the success or failure of cooperation or assuming responsibility for such cooperation. In addition, the SCs’ interest was greater toward the success or failure of cooperation whereas, the school counseling coordinators’ interest was greater toward assuming responsibility for cooperation. Therefore, to effectively realize future cooperation, schools should increase the work hours of SCs, learn from examples of success, deepen the understanding of one another’s specialties, and promote mutual communication.