Tips for Being Super Intern

At this point, I'm just starting at Syms Middle School. I'm learning a ton and getting my feel for the way things are done. I will say, it has been quite some time since I've had lunch with an adult, let alone several adults. The first few days I was extremely quiet, finally one counselor asked, "Do you not speak?" At that point I had to explain that I'm not used to eating lunch with humans over age 11. She laughed. I stared back blankly. It's going swell.

Anywho. In an effort to continue blogging on a regular basis, I started thinking about topics I could tackle. Then, I had the idea- tips for being a great school counseling intern. Let's face it, being an intern is a 16 week on-the-job interview. If you take it seriously, you could be beating off contract offers. That's always the goal, isn't it? Here's what I've come up with so far.

1. Be enthusiastic and KEEP that enthusiasm.

At the beginning of the semester, it's always easy to stay positive and enthusiastic about the semester. However, you'll have a day where you didn't sleep well the night before, or maybe you aren't making the results you want to with a student, or heck, maybe you forgot your coffee at home that morning. Chin up, buttercup! Keep that smile and take every issue that arises as an opportunity to learn and hone your skills. Have the same enthusiasm on day 60 as you did on day 1. Your site supervisor will not only appreciate it, but also sing your praises through stellar recommendation letters and job opportunities.

2. Be honest about your weaknesses as a counselor.

When we all began our school counseling degrees, there were topics when broached that made us extremely uncomfortable. Chuckling to ourselves, "Man, I'm not looking forward to doing that!" You will have to do that thing. Wrap your mind around it. It's happening. Tell your site supervisor what that thing is and they will not only help you overcome that issue, but man, they'll make you do that thing until the wheels fall off.

That thing for me was classroom guidance. I, unlike many of my peers, did not begin my career as a teacher. I was an Admission Counselor. I had experience with public speaking, but I knew precisely diddly squat about creating lesson plans, classroom management, and differentiated instruction. In passing, my site supervisor asked me: "What are you most worried about doing while you're here?" CLASSROOM GUIDANCE, I shouted from the hilltops.

Know what she made me do? ALL of the classroom guidance for the rest of the semester. Every grade, Pre-K thru 5th every month: September, October, and November. I wrote lesson plans, I gave classroom guidance lessons, I created a classroom guidance series on kindness. And you know what? I'm not scared of them anymore. In fact, it's probably one of my favorite parts of being a school counselor!

3. Go in early and stay late if you need to. Be accommodating and make the most of your experience there.

There will be times where big events are planned for outside your scheduled internship hours- award ceremonies, testing, SIT meetings, etc. If you're lucky like myself, and not working full-time anywhere- this is an option. Adjust your schedule based off experiencing important components of being a counselor. This will happen when you're a paid school counselor, and you should work it into your schedule as a school counseling intern. Period. This should be your top priority!

4. Keep copies of every resource you create and co-facilitate, as well as items that you will want to use in the future.

I personally attend Liberty University for my graduate studies. However, most schools will require you to complete some sort of comprehensive school counseling portfolio as part of your graduation requirements. One of the components of this is showing evidence of all 32 ACA competencies. If you leave this project to the last moment, and saved absolutely nothing from your internship semesters you will be cursing your ignorance. I assure you. Keep them. Scan them. Some examples of these documents are: recommendation letters, in-service agreements, faculty & staff meeting notes, pictures of events, lesson plans, presentations, personal development opportunities, etc. Save any and everything. Err on the side of caution guys. This is not something where less is more.

If you have a wonderfully supportive site supervisor like I did, and do (I might add), they will share their resources with you. I know there was a surplus of worksheets and lesson plans I wanted to use from my time at Burbank. I scanned the crap outta those documents because I planned on using them. At Barron, I did use them from time to time. I assure you this will be the first 30 minute rendezvous with the school copier you will NOT regret.

5. ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS. ALL THE TIME. WHEN IN DOUBT- ASK!

This is extremely important. I, myself, am not a very imposing person. I hate coming across as needy or annoying. However, I asked so many questions that I began to think she was going to kick me in my face if I didn't cut it out (she didn't, btw)! This is the time to ask questions. When they decide to take on interns, an email goes out to them that states the requirements. One of those requirements must be

"Has a lot of patience to answer every inane question your intern throws at you."

"Willing to explain the most remedial of tasks."

You get it. Ask. They'll appreciate your attention to detail and your dedication.

6. This should go without saying, but be nice- extra nice to everyone who works in the building. You'd be surprised the amount of collaboration required to pull off the most simple tasks.

I pride myself on being a fairly nice human in general. My parents raised me right, after all. However, some folks may need the reminder. In the school environment, you will collaborate with TONS of people who work in the school. Teachers, administration, instructional assistants, cafeteria workers, and by God the custodian! A little niceness can go a LONG way.

Flashback to the end of October, picture this: A 5'2'', petite, female whose scared of heights, trying to use a tall ladder to place Red Ribbon Week Informational Posters (which can be found on my cumulative projects tab). It's unseasonably hot and the stress of it has me sweating thru my nice top. I'm quite literally swaying in the breeze, seconds from losing my footing when an angel appears.... in the form of a 6 foot, burly custodian. He laughs, helps me off the ladder, and continues to put up the posters for me. I thanked him feverishly from the ground and he said, "Oh that's alright ma'am. You smile and say hello to me everyday and sometimes I barely get acknowledged."

Yes, we're busy, but we are NEVER too busy to be kind to our coworkers.

A new internship site is upon me, time to kick butt and take names!