In the news - Understanding Gen-Y

By TAN EE LOO
educate@thestar.com.my

School counsellors and teachers learn tips on how to reach out to students at a lively workshop.

IF YOU are a school counsellor, getting your students to open up about their troubled pasts or life problems can be anything but an easy task.

They are either too embarrassed or intimidated by the prospects of divulging their woes and aspirations to a school teacher.

Lack of trust and loss of self-confidence are the common reasons that could be holding your students back from communicating openly and effectively during a counselling session.

However, as a counsellor, there are many things that you can do to help put your mentees at ease.

Paying close attention to details often pays off, said Applied Scholastics trainer Punitha Krishnan.

“Get up and look around. Is the colour of your counselling room too bright? Is the colour of your lipstick too distracting?” she asked.

“You should not be ‘interesting’. Instead, you should be ‘interested’ (in helping your students),” she said at a workshop recently.

Organised by IAEC Education, the workshop saw some 50 secondary school teachers learn tips and techniques of effective communication.

The workshop was aimed at helping the school counsellors understand the mindset of Generation Y students.

Punitha’s quick and witty response drew much laughter from the participants.

Being proactive is a key to making a difference, said Punitha.

She encouraged the teachers to take their own initiatives to transform and enhance their counselling experience.

“Don’t wait until the school gives you the funds. You can also decorate the room by putting up some curtains,” she said.

Find ways to make your mentees feel as welcome as possible during the counselling session, she advised.

“For example, it could be as simple as waiting for your mentees at the door,” she said.

School counsellor Mohd Pilus Abdullah of SMK Maxwell, Kuala Lumpur said he saw a gap between the older generation and Generation Y.

“With the increased use of technology like social media websites, there is a need to bring back the ‘human touch’ in communication,” he said.

As he teaches at an all-boys school, he said, it gives him even more reasons to tailor the way he interacts with his students.

“Based on my experience, I find that boys tend to be more reserved and less inclined to seek help. So, as a counsellor, I should look for means to reach out to students in need and create the awareness that it is perfectly fine to get help from others,” he said.

Pesan Pengetua:

1. Ada 2 generasi yang lahir selepas Gen X, ia itu Gen Y dan Gen Z. Ketiga-tiga gen ini mempunyai ciri-cirinya yang tersendiri. Kalau kita ada pengetahuan tentang ciri-ciri ini, kita boleh mempengaruhi mereka. Mempengaruhi adalah sifat kepimpinan yang semua kita perlu pelajari. Setiap kita adalah pemimpin. Keberkesanan pimpinan kita bergantung kepada sejauh mana kita dapat mempengaruhi orang lain (John C. Maxwell).

2. Ada sebuah buku yang boleh membantu kita memahami gen ini: “ENGAGED. The ‘New’ Rules Of Engagement. A guide to understanding and connecting with Generation Y” by Michael Mc Queen, 2011.