I'm Actually a School Counselor!!

So, I thought it was time to start blogging again. It's been awhile and I am not so great at it but as I have started a new job I feel the need to write and share!

I am now an Elementary School Counselor! That is still weird to say but I love saying it. I am so thankful to have a job in my field, even if it isn't full time. I am bummed that I have to continue to find other part-time work but there are sacrifices you make to get started right?! Or maybe we could all get on the bandwagon of how awesome school counselors are and budget them in full-time? I mean how do I tell a student they can't have a bad day on Tuesdays or Thursdays?

My official title at my school is *gag* Guidance Counselor. I have launched a not so subtle plan of attack on using the "G" word. I never introduce myself as just the guidance counselor, I introduce my self as school guidance counselor and then transition to school counselor. It's only been a few weeks so I don't know if I have made any lasting change yet but I refuse to give up and will slowly change the title if that's what I have to do! Mainer's HATE change so this is quite an endeavor. Students on the other hand have picked it up!

I work in a K-3 school in rural Maine. It is a far cry from Chicago but nothing about what I deal with is any different. Except this time it's just me. No awesome supervisor to bounce ideas off of or busy office where I knew what was going on at all times. It's a bit intimidating, ok a lot intimidating, but I feel confident in my skills and have started to really find my own voice and style which is great.

I have an office to myself which is nice in theory. Except that when I was reorganizing all the stuff that was left behind I found a ton of mouse droppings! Now, if you know me and my background, you'd know my intense fear of mice from first grade on. It was hard enough to start a new job, but to be scared of what you'd find in your office, I was so nervous! However, the silver lining is it gave me something else to be nervous about; I operated on instinct and that made a huge difference in the first few days of school. I also find it cave like (no windows), so it gets me out into the school and visible!

I'll end on a note about working with elementary school students. Although I've already had that moment where I had to shut the door and convince myself not to cry, after hearing a student's background, they provide the best stories and the best learning moments.

Today's learning moment comes from my recess duty where I helped a student look for his friend Philip for a good 5 minutes before the student revealed to me that Philip was actually a fly... Lesson learned: details are crucial.

Happy Monday!