Get the right help from the education specialists in your school

In many high schools across Quebec, classes in each grade level have a homeroom teacher. Typically, this person will be one of your school subject teachers—maybe your math, ethics, or language teacher. Their primary role, as your homeroom teacher, is to keep track of important student information, such as forms, permission slips, and attendance, but also to act as a point-person for you. They can provide emotional support, guidance, and a safe space for you to share concerns or seek advice. In other words, your homeroom teacher is the first person to ask when you think you need help from another education professional in your school. They will be able to point you in the right direction.

Need some help deciding which courses to take in Secondary IV or V? Are you wondering what classes and credits you need to apply for certain college programs? Are you anxious and need someone to talk to? Your school guidance counsellor is the person to ask! They specialize in all these areas and so much more.

One of the primary roles of the school guidance counsellor is academic advising. They can help you with course selection and understanding high school credits and prerequisites, as well as guide you towards the right academic path based on your goals and personal aspirations. They can also assist you if you are struggling in a certain subject by helping you come up with learning strategies. They will help you persevere. They will also get involved if you have an individualized education plan (IEP).

Guidance counsellors are also there to offer emotional support and personal advice. Most high school students will face certain emotional obstacles at some point in their school career. These can range from a breakup to more extreme events, such as the death of someone you love or anxiety and depression. Your school guidance counsellor will listen to you, offer personalized support, advise you on how to regain your motivation, reach out to other members of the school community (with your permission), and will refer you to outside support services if necessary.

Finally, your school guidance counsellor is there to help with post-secondary academic advising. In other words, they are your go-to person for whatever you need to know about college and vocational programs, including the types and number of credits needed for specific programs, the application process and deadlines, and can offer up advice and options for students who are still unsure of what they want to do after high school.

Learning specialists, often called resource teachers, are key to helping students with learning disabilities or other special needs. Because resource teachers work hard to make sure that students with these profiles stay and succeed in school, they interact with many key players: the student and their family, the student’s teachers, the principal, and even the guidance counsellor. Your school’s resource teacher can develop individualized education plans (IEPs) that include strategies and goals to support each student. They can also strategize with students to find solutions to problems and offer extra academic support when needed.

Some things you might see them doing include:

• Making sure that a student has a quiet space and extra time for an exam

• Ensuring that the appropriate technological device is used to support a student with a learning disability, such as text-to-speech for a child with dyslexia

• Working with small groups of students for extra academic support

Even if you don’t have a learning disability or behavioural issue, you can still visit your school’s resource teacher if you think you need some academic support. Because they are busy people, reach out to them first and let them know of your concerns in advance.

Special Ed. technicians work hand-in-hand with resource teachers, subject teachers, and directly with students. You may find them in classrooms working with individual students who have IEPs to help them apply the techniques and methods that will best support their academic success.

Do you find yourself feeling anxious sometimes? Are you having trouble making friends? Are you going through a particularly difficult time at home? There are times when you might need to speak to someone who can offer you the right emotional support, and a school psychologist can do just that. Although they may not be on site at your school each day, a school psychologist is an expert in mental health, learning, and behaviour. They can help you succeed by teaching you strategies to cope with difficult and stressful situations. They will work with you, your parents or guardians, and the school to ensure that you feel supported in your learning environment.

Psychoeducators work with students who have behaviour disorders. They strive to support students as they work towards integration into the classroom, socializing with peers, and becoming independent learners.

Although they may not be on site each day of the school week, your school nurse plays a pivotal role in your health and well-being. Not only will they provide first aid should the need arise, but they can also provide information and advice, sometimes in the form of student workshops, on important topics like physical and mental health, sexuality, substance abuse, nutrition and body image, and healthy relationships.

The role of a speech-language pathologist is to help students who struggle with their communication and language abilities (speaking, listening, structuring and ordering ideas, etc.). They will assess and make a diagnosis if a student seems to be having difficulty in any of these areas. Once a problem is identified, they will create a plan, similar to an IEP, with strategies to support the child. They will work one-on-one with the student using these techniques to help them improve their overall communication abilities.