Now, the year has closed. My Spanish exams are graded, my grades verified and my classroom, my home away from home for the past 10 of 13 years, emptied, and my keys now in the possession of my old boss. I strolled down the hall of Northeastern for the final time and got in my car. 12 years of hard work, love, inspiration, pride, dedication, all wrapped up like the previous 11 years.
This year is different. This year, I will begin my second first year in my career. I was hired as the new middle school counselor at South Vienna Middle School, and now the mixed focus of what will be and what needs to be has come to a conclusion. I can solely shift my attention to becoming the best school counselor I can be. Hence, the second first year.
I enter my 14th year of teaching and will be redoing my first year. I cannot be any more excited. I have been looking forward to this for some time. In my career, I have never been satisfied with the year before. I was always looking for new ways to engage and reach my students. This summer, I am planning and creating my views of a school counseling program. I am lucky to follow in the amazing footsteps of a wonderful school counselor. She was absolutely incredible.
I have moved in my things and am in the process of going through the plethora of resources that my predecessor left for me. This process is both overwhelming and invigorating. The fun part of creating your space and making it you is well underway. It is an ongoing process and continues to evolve daily. I have began working on my webpage, creating procedures for referring students to the counselor, and ways to track the services I provide.
It's a good thing I have the summer to prepare.
I am going to finish up preparing my space this week and next, go on vacation with my wonderful family, and then delve into preparing my classroom guidance lesson themes for my 3 grade levels. My plan is to at least get into the grade level classrooms once a month. This plan will be fluid as this year goes, but this will allow me to create meaningful lessons that are engaging and fun.
Not many get the chance to have their second first year, and I plan on making the best of this first year. Just like I did the last one.
Join me on my journey as a first year school counselor.
