Earlier than my first ever flight, which was for a examine overseas program within the UK, my mother and pop escorted me to the gate (it was that way back), and my mother whispered to me in my ear earlier than I boarded: “Bear in mind who you might be, and whose you might be.”
It’s a phrase that continues to be repeated all through my life. At the same time as careers, locations, relationships advanced, this phrase is one thing that my mother nonetheless says to me. In flip, I discover myself saying it to my college students as properly.
Bear in mind who you might be, and whose you might be.
The position of college counselor/advisor/no matter title is used inside your faculty means we’re charged with guiding college students in the direction of their futures. That serving to them make the correct choices or advise on choices is, certainly, life altering and affirming. However this work can be arduous.
We work arduous on our personal consciousness, attempting our greatest to be the very best sort of grown ups in entrance of those younger adults as a result of we consider of their futures. We work arduous to see our college students from their wants and factors of view, we work on our personal biases and supply a way of confidence, consolation, battle, and congratulations.
In all this tough work, it typically takes one individual, one administrator, one mother or father that questions not solely what we do, however how we do it, and if we’re certified to do what we do.
It’s superb the quantity of people that have opinions about the place a baby goes to college or what their profession could also be, primarily based on the straightforward perception that additionally they went to college, or they heard of a specific faculty.
Figuring out who we’re and whose we’re provides us room to advocate not just for our work, however our college students and households, and likewise ourselves
As a result of we pour a lot into this work, we start to generally query if we’re doing proper by the scholars that we’re working with. We query our worth and our personal id. However fellow counselors, educators, advisors, let me inform you to recollect who you might be and whose you might be.
Listed here are some reminders to think about about your position and id on this work:
- You’re a serving to skilled – however that has limits. The components of the college advising course of could be quite a few: monetary want, tradition wars inside the baby’s group, status, lecturers, and many others. It’s straightforward to get caught up within the politics of all of it. Admittedly, there are moments when I’ve even needed to take a pause after I see a baby and their guardian make software choices that don’t have anything to do with the wants expressed. However that’s their choice, not ours.
- Bear in mind your boundaries, and personal when to stretch and when to retract. Once I first went abroad, I labored on a regular basis. Breaks, weekends, holidays – I made excuses as a result of I course of somewhat longer and the children don’t have sufficient time, so I gave up my very own. That’s not sustainable. As an alternative, I’ve some clear guidelines I attempt to maintain myself to, as a result of nobody else will do it for me. I select to work over a brief vacation in a busy season (ie October break as a result of November deadlines), however I lower off the world throughout winter break. To conferences I deliver my laptop computer, however not on holidays. With my boundaries, I’m additionally clearer to my mother and father, college students, and directors.
- Discover the remainder that you simply want – not what others outline for you. Based on Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, there are seven varieties of relaxation, and every method is outlined the best way you see it: bodily, emotional, psychological, sensory, artistic, social, and religious. Every could be outlined by your perspective and what you want. Genuine relaxation is outlined by you.
- Discover skilled connections to assist outline your position and id. Skilled connections and networks generally is a career-saving supply, and are a necessity. My skilled memberships like Worldwide ACAC and the Worldwide College Counselor Affiliation present assets, connections, and advocacy. My native counselor group is a supply of information, perspective, and a sounding board. Ensuring you might be energetic in these areas permits so that you can proceed to outline your position and id on this work.
To do that work means to additionally know what it means to be ourselves; remembering who we’re and whose we’re, in order that we are able to proceed to deliver our greatest selves and to additionally maintain ourselves.
Figuring out who we’re and whose we’re provides us room to advocate not just for our work, however our college students and households, and likewise ourselves.
The views expressed on this article are these of the writer and don’t essentially mirror the views of The PIE Information.