Bangkok, Thailand – Kusnarto Kurniawan, M.Pd., Kons., a lecturer from the Counselor Professional Education Program (PPK) at the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FIPP), Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), together with the community service team, conducted an International Community Service Program at the Indonesian School of Bangkok (SIB), Thailand.
The program, titled “Strengthening Teachers’ Competencies as School Counselor Partners,” aimed to enhance teachers’ capacity in supporting guidance and counseling services in schools through the development of collaborative competencies and effective communication skills.
In his presentation, Kusnarto Kurniawan emphasized that educational challenges in the Society 5.0 era require all school stakeholders to establish a comprehensive support system for students’ development. Teachers are not only responsible for delivering instruction but also serve as strategic partners for school counselors in identifying students’ needs, facilitating their development, and supporting their psychosocial well-being.
One of the key topics discussed during the program was the importance of communication competencies through the 3M Approach, which consists of:
- Active Listening – paying full attention during communication to better understand others’ perspectives and needs.
- Understanding Explicit and Implicit Messages – not only grasping what is directly communicated but also recognizing the underlying meaning, emotions, and context behind the message.
- Responding Appropriately and Positively – providing constructive, solution-oriented, and empathetic responses that strengthen relationships and collaboration.
According to Kusnarto, strengthening these 3M competencies is fundamental to building healthy collaboration among teachers, school counselors, students, parents, and other educational stakeholders.
“Effective collaboration begins with quality communication. When teachers are able to listen actively, understand comprehensively, and respond positively, various student-related issues can be addressed more effectively and proactively,” he stated.
Furthermore, the program highlighted the crucial role of teachers as the individuals who interact most closely with students on a daily basis, enabling them to identify academic, social, and emotional challenges at an early stage. Through strong partnerships between teachers and school counselors, schools can establish a more effective support system that promotes students’ holistic development.
This International Community Service Program reflects FIPP UNNES’s commitment to expanding international partnerships while contributing to the enhancement of Indonesian education abroad. Through initiatives such as this, FIPP UNNES continues to promote the development of educators’ competencies, enabling them to respond to global educational challenges while upholding the values of humanity, character building, and student well-being.
By strengthening communication and collaboration competencies, teachers are expected to become effective partners for school counselors in creating safe, supportive, and nurturing learning environments that foster students’ optimal growth and development.
