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Wynnum High and Intel-mediate School Page 81
But there are many more factors to be taken into account in
choosing an occupation. The most brilliant child will never get far if
his parents spoil him, for he will never make the necessary effort; or
if his family scorn his ambition or if he lives in dreams and unreality.
We could once have added, if he cannot afford to continue his
schooling : but now, very few families cannot really afford to give a
good student a start—perhaps at some sacrifice; and then he can win
scholarships to go further.
Guidance takes account of all these factors and many more; school
record, health, sight, family, friends, attitudes, interests; his whole
nature, his complete self.
A Guidance Officer, then, has three main tasks :
1. To understand each student and help him to understand himself;
his abilities, his limitations, his goals and whether he can
achieve them.
2. To give him information; on educational courses and subjects,
on scholarships and allowances available, on occupations and
the work they involve, on the requirements of employers, on
the number of jobs available and the rates of pay; and the
countless other questions that enterprising students ask.
3. To give personal advice and help; to the boy whose father is
too exacting and erratic in his demands; to the girl torn between
high ideals; to the fellow who is always in trouble; to the bright
person who gets poor results because he has not learned how
to study; to any student who has a problem.
But there are also three things no guidance officer can do :
1. He cannot personally interview every child in a big school—
one of several big schools he visits every week; though he can
give group talks to impart information, to inspire ambition, and
to answer questions.
2. He cannot give more brains to the student who has few;
though he can help him to regain confidence and find and make
good use of the abilities he has.
3. He cannot get any student to reach the highest goal of which
he is capable unless the student wants to get there and will
work, and work, and work.

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