Part Time, Smart Time!

So, as I have mentioned before I am in a part time school counseling position. Part time is pretty laughable because as a first year counselor I am massively overwhelmed and the little time I am at school is spent seeing students and doing lessons. That leaves a lot of time at home to goof off right? Wrong! I spend a lot of nights researching and compiling information for teachers and trying to find effective ways to spend my time like most other school counselors and educators. I call the sheets I currently use as Smart Time Sheets. I track my time in 15 minute increments just like I did in internship. That way I can accurately show how much direct service I am giving, the students I am unable to meet with (I track how many I wasn't able to see) and how much time I actually spend on the phone with parents, outside therapists, DHHS or the police. It also allows me to show how much of my 3 days I have to spend on 504 plans and what that does to the little time I can spend with the students.

At this time there is little hope I will be ever made full time next year because of budget issues. If, by the grace of God I am, the counselor from last year has dibs on my position (kinda crazy right?!). So I am working hard to keep my portfolio up to date with interventions I used that worked and didn't work. And graphs of time I actually spend with students so I can apply to jobs next year with real data to show.

Now some people may think, part time? That's great you get two days off a week! Yes, sometimes it's nice to have a "day off." For two reasons that rocks at the moment. One, I can go on long morning runs and greet the sunrise on top of my version of mt. everest (best view of town). Two, because I can plug in my iPod and take a long shower belting out my favorite show tunes and pop hits and working on my dance moves. Other than that I spend my time trying to not spend money and testing my cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques on my dog because he is afraid of the outdoors. And then I sit around trying not to worry about how my students are doing. Hopefully I will be able to substitute teach consistently in the districts near my house so that I can get my name out there and secure a job closer to home that pays me enough to do my dream job and move out of my parents house (although I love it here Mom and Dad!). I will also be working for LL Bean in their call center so that I can get a discount to buy kayaks and other fun outdoorsy stuff!

But for now its all about Smart Time. Using every minute to be a support to my students, asking about their day as I tie their shoes, keeping track of students for groups I need to start and trying to keep my laptop closed and my ears open. I love my job and am excited that eventually I will be able to do it full time but just like school counselors whose positions are in trouble of being eliminated altogether, I have to prove my time is worth the money they pay me and that I could make a better impact with more time! (yay education!)

Great moment of the week:
In giving my meet the counselor lessons I collected a variety of ideas on what school counselors do and what students wanted to know. One student asked if I lived with my parents...yes, yes I do. And another told me school counselors dress well, my middle/high/college school self gave me a high five. My current self decided there was a lot of education on my job that needed to be done!