Meeting with the Counseling school

Thursday, 12-8-11

On Thursday, December 12th, the JHU School of Education Baltimore SIMAT met the Urban School Counseling Fellows for a sharing session about teaching and counseling. We shared (loads) of pizza while getting to know about each other and each other's programs. We will meet for an informal sharing/Q&A to learn about each the work that we are each doing in our programs and to share perspectives about working with students in our local schools. So first let me give a bit of information on our counseling counterparts. The School of Education Counseling graduate students are in a 15-month program training to be school counselors in Baltimore schools. They have attended classes and been placed in various projects in schools around the city. Beginning in January, they will work more closely with one school assignment focusing on key counseling issues, including: college preparation, advice, and mentoring; deescalating student issues; and providing a space for students to work through some problems.

The meeting began with introductions. These first came from the two advisers of the two groups, Mary Ellen and Ileana Gonzalez. After that, everyone introduced themselves stating their name and what encouraged them to join their respective program. There was a wide range of reasons the counselors-to-be had come to their program and an equally wide range of experience which they brought with them. Some were former teachers, while others were career-changers who were fed up with the coorperate and business life. There were some who had reasons reminiscent of the SIMAT bunch for joining up, but they seemed much more interested in emotionally settling and preparing youngsters than in academically working with them.

Following the brief self-descriptions, the group heard from a representative of each program who concisely summarized their program. Prior to the meeting, Mary Ellen had asked us who would like to present our program. A past co-worker of mine, the ever-energetic and the unflinchingly dedicated Willie Smith, was similar to me in many ways but the one which applies here is that neither of us have a problem speaking up when others won't due to shyness or apathy. He would count to ten and if no one else had said anything or volunteered, he would. Willie is amazing, as is his technique which I often find myself trying to emulate. This time I waited, when no one volunteered to speak for the group, I did. I spoke about my time with City Year Los Angeles as being a foundation for my desire to teach and spread youth empowerment through education.

Following the review of the counseling program by their resident unofficial student who has a lot to say (my counterpart), we broke off to chow down and have more informal chats. Chat and Chow. Many of our assessments of Baltimore's educational need were similar. The difference came in the closeness of the group. It seemed their group was similar to a workplace, with its different ways they interacted with each other. I have written before about the closeness of our group in my post titled, Reflection on Unit Plan Writing. But it extends further than that. Many of us shared a thanksgiving meal together. All the secondary students got together for a late lunch after our last class of the semester WITH OUR ADVISER. I am constantly humbled to be a part of this group. Much more than classmates and interns working at the same site. Closer than adviser and students. There is a general sense of caring and support which permeates our group. This trust helps us push our practice forward and will make us better teachers.

Whoa. That needed to be said. Finally, it was a really interesting experience to relate to people who are in the same field of improving the lives of the inner city youth, but have such a different approach to it. I'm glad I had the opportunity to be there for this event.