>> One of the things I like most is I love working with the kids
and I love that every day is different.
You know, you walk in every morning, you have no idea what you're going to get,
who is going to be on the other end of the phone, what kid is going to show
up in your office with what need and for me that's one
of the most appealing things is coming in
and just every day is new and exciting and interesting.
The kids are so sweet.
They're just, it's just really rewarding to know that you have that opportunity to make
that difference with them in so many different ways.
Establishing a rapport with the kids, building a relationship
with the kids you know having those personal interaction
in such a meaningful way is really powerful and really enjoyable for me.
Probably one of the biggest challenges that I feel like I face
as a school counselor is meeting the demands of the position
and the constraints of the time and the resources.
The state of education these days you know, everyone is doing a whole lot
with a very little amount of time and resources.
Caseloads are very high.
Ideally for a counselor to be delivering a fully comprehensive school counseling program with all
of the components that the national standards want to see you're working
with a caseload of about 250 students.
I'm trying to give a fully comprehensive guidance curriculum with a caseload
of almost 450 students so that increases the needs.
That increases the issues it also increases the amount of services that I'm doing with regards
to the amount of groups that I'm doing, the amount of classroom lessons I'm teaching
so I'm still trying to do everything that I know a good counselor would do and what I want
to be able to provide but for twice as many kids almost and so every day I feel like I'm dropping
and running or I'm jotting something down and going back to it later.
I'm like what did I have to do there?
Things happen very fast which I do like but it also can be stressful.
It can be overwhelming.
The reason that I'm in this job is because I want to make a difference and so when you feel
like you don't have all the time to make the difference in the way that you want
to it can be an overwhelming feeling.