Students counselling service

All students at MH have access to the school's counselling and career service. The service centre is located at Iðavellir.

Three counsellors are currently employed in the school. Ásdís Birgisdóttir is the IB counsellor (asdisbirgis@mh.is). The others are Fríður Reynisdóttir (fridur@mh.is), and Sigríður Birna Bragadóttir (sbb@mh.is). Information on office hours is available at their premises. 

The goal of the counselling centre is to offer students service that is both personal and confidential. Students may want to seek advice due to various different reasons, some of which are discussed in the following pages. Teachers can also direct students to the counselling centre.

STUDY SKILLS, PLANNING AND TIME MANAGEMENT: Successful learning is based on systematic working habits. Thus it is very important to develop good study skills. Time management is also an important factor in successful learning. The counsellors help students improve their study skills and learning habits by teaching them how to use systematic methods and working skills.

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL LEARNING DIFFICULTIES: Students who fear that they may have learning difficulties or disorders can either contact the IB coordinator or the counsellors directly. Those who have been diagnosed by specialists as having such difficulties should immediately inform the counsellors of such diagnosis as they are entitled to special treatment in many respects, e.g. in test situations. They must deliver their examinations schedule to the counselling centre no later than Monday the 18th of April. Students taking the final IB examinations must make sure that they have a proper diagnosis at an earlier date as it can take a lot longer to inform the IBO.

ILLNESSES: Students suffering from long-term illnesses that can adversely affect their learning outcome or attendance must contact the counsellors who will then evaluate if and how the school can support them and enable them to continue their studies in spite of the illness. This might, however, be more complicated for IB students than those in the national programme due to the strict formalities of the IB programme. Still, IB students who may fall under this category are encouraged to discuss their problems and inform the school, either through the IB coordinator or directly at the counsellors. 

PERSONAL DIFFICULTIES: Students are encouraged to seek advice and support from the counsellors when personal difficulties arise. Cases in point are: difficult external conditions, parental divorce, personal problems (e.g. in family or with loved ones), pregnancy, anxiety, e.g. test anxiety, depression or mood disorders, lack of self-confidence, lack of friends, being bullied or bullying, violence, drug-addiction etc. All these factors can adversely affect school performance.

INFORMATION: The counsellors can also help and give advice concerning educational opportunities inside and outside the school. They are also willing to assist students in gaining or obtaining information from universities or other higher-level schools and institutions. 

STUDY AND CAREER COUNSELLING: Many students are confused and don't know where exactly they are heading or where their strengths and weaknesses lie. They may need help to find out what they want to do when they have finished the matriculation examination and what career options they have and can pursue. Personal interest plays a key role in this process and the counsellors can provide special career interest tests to help students figure out in what field their main interests lie. Students who have reached 18 years of age can take the test. Further information on these tests is available at the counselling centre.