A Day for Musings

It's funny how I cannot remember anything but the current day when people ask how my week has been. There are so many different things to juggle in a day, that it's hard to remember anything from previous days. Which is why I love my job. I love that it's so different every hour of every day that it doesn't get old. Today for example, here are the things I remember doing:

* 2 senior meetings to discuss college options
* meeting with junior to figure out lunch schedule snafu and schedule change
* scheduled in an independent study for a student
* scheduled un-scheduled seniors into additional senior sessions
* prepped for senior sessions
* printed schedules out for two students who lost theirs
* worked out issue with registering for SAT II's with a junior
* taught senior career prep session
* 2 senior meetings to check graduation requirements/fix schedules
* checked in with a senior on the summer
* return voicemails
* return emails
* discussed several students with administrator
* discussed Special Ed teacher conflict with student currently on IEP
* met with department

As discrete tasks, this doesn't sound like much, but imagine them overlapping with each other, with constant interruptions to address other students. Being a guidance counselor means having the expectation that the job is all about being able to switch gears: switch gears often and quickly. I. LOVE. IT.

My only frustration today came from a parent who had come early to try and meet with me. She came at 7am with her son. They waited until 7:45 (start of class) and then left. My workday typically starts at 7:30, and this day, I had gone directly from the parking lot to a meeting.

A patient wouldn't go into a doctor's office half an hour before they opened and expect to see a doctor immediately to resolve an issue on the spot. They would call and make an appointment because they wouldn't assume that the doctor would be able to see them right away. I feel badly the parent and kid had to wait, but I know all this could have been avoided if the parent had just thought to send me an email or call and ask to set up a time to meet, as opposed to assuming that I will be at her beck and call.

It shows a lack of respect and knowledge about the job of a school counselor. We get to school early and leave late because these are the times we use to "process" paperwork, get work done behind the scenes, and return emails that we can't get to during the day because we're busy directly servicing students and parents. People coming in unannounced and assuming immediate action takes away that time we set aside to resolve other issues in the works.

Anyway, I am not being too eloquent at this point in time. My main frustration is this profession be valued but not respected. It is akin to the book written about the nanny to wealthy Manhattanites - where she is held responsible for others' issues, thereby releasing them from the emotional stress of dealing with their own issues, and allowing them to place the blame for not getting done the impossible, on her. It's about being pushed into enabling others because it's easy although it's not right.