The hardest part about interviewing right after graduate school is not having "enough experience". How can one get "experience" without a job? Isn't that the point of having practicum and an internship? Unfortunately, I have been asked the question, "How many years do you have as a school psychologist"? Well none! Frustrating...
I have interviewed for three jobs so far. The first one my car broke down, the second one was fine, and now the third one I came home with food poisoning. Not having the best luck! 0-3. I have been very good about asking why I haven't been chosen so I can have some feedback, but the only answer anyone can give is that there were candidates with far more experience in the field. I received one letter letting me know I wasn't even chosen for an interview and that was because I didn't have a clear credential. BUT I will in like a month!!!!
Rejection is rough. Trying to stay strong!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Interviews...
Being that I do not have any kids and my husband owns his own business I have the great privilege to apply anywhere and everywhere (in the state of California)! This past month I have spent hours on my lap top researching school districts, writing letters of interest, and now I am beginning to interview!
I am so thankful for California's edjoin website which makes it possible to find jobs all over the state. Without that I would be shooting in the dark.
Two weeks ago, I had my first job interview in Folsom-Rancho Cordova (near Sacramento). It was a four hour drive and my car broke down on the way home 45 minutes away from my house. I did not get the job but I learned a lot. At first, I looked at the interview as strictly practice. I couldn't really picture myself living in the Sacramento area but I really loved what the district is doing once I researched their special education department. I was pretty bummed after all that I did not get the job but maybe it was because of my attitude going in. When they called they said I had impressed them and if they had more money coming in for another position they would let me know but the person who got the job had more experience.
On Monday, I have another interview! This time in Santa Rosa! Getting this call made my heart skip a beat. I am so excited to interview with them! This location is about 5 hours from where I am going to school but randomly, my husband was already planning to go to Santa Rosa for work this weekend. So I was able to tag a long (work on my thesis in the hotel room) and he is staying an extra night with me so I can interview. Maybe it is fate... we will see...
Applying for jobs can be so nerve racking! The school year hasn't even ended and I am already having to stress about the next one! It is kind of exciting however not know where I will be next year. It is fun to think I will be somewhere new and different than where I am now! Yesterday our county office of ed posted 3 positions, so I know that if Santa Rosa doesn't work out, I have a good chance with my home county.
Advice to second year psychs who are applying to internships... start early! Either for internship positions or psych positions next year! I started applying for jobs as early as late February... I am the only person in my cohort who has interviewed so far! Although I didn't get the job I feel like going in to an interview will help me do better at the next one!
Good luck to all who are searching for jobs!!
I am so thankful for California's edjoin website which makes it possible to find jobs all over the state. Without that I would be shooting in the dark.
Two weeks ago, I had my first job interview in Folsom-Rancho Cordova (near Sacramento). It was a four hour drive and my car broke down on the way home 45 minutes away from my house. I did not get the job but I learned a lot. At first, I looked at the interview as strictly practice. I couldn't really picture myself living in the Sacramento area but I really loved what the district is doing once I researched their special education department. I was pretty bummed after all that I did not get the job but maybe it was because of my attitude going in. When they called they said I had impressed them and if they had more money coming in for another position they would let me know but the person who got the job had more experience.
On Monday, I have another interview! This time in Santa Rosa! Getting this call made my heart skip a beat. I am so excited to interview with them! This location is about 5 hours from where I am going to school but randomly, my husband was already planning to go to Santa Rosa for work this weekend. So I was able to tag a long (work on my thesis in the hotel room) and he is staying an extra night with me so I can interview. Maybe it is fate... we will see...
Applying for jobs can be so nerve racking! The school year hasn't even ended and I am already having to stress about the next one! It is kind of exciting however not know where I will be next year. It is fun to think I will be somewhere new and different than where I am now! Yesterday our county office of ed posted 3 positions, so I know that if Santa Rosa doesn't work out, I have a good chance with my home county.
Advice to second year psychs who are applying to internships... start early! Either for internship positions or psych positions next year! I started applying for jobs as early as late February... I am the only person in my cohort who has interviewed so far! Although I didn't get the job I feel like going in to an interview will help me do better at the next one!
Good luck to all who are searching for jobs!!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
My next thesis will be on graduate students and mental breakdowns...
Today = writing thesis, mental breakdown, tears, counseling from bestie, meeting with supervisor, tears, laughter, confidence, scratched entire thesis (12 pages), mental breakdown, packing to run away, talk with husband, tears, ate feelings with Mc D's, gardening, relaxation, screaming in a pillow, light bulb, rewriting 5 pages, of thesis... deep breaths... confidence... Let's do this!
Current state: Rewriting Literature Review... but still breathing.
Current state: Rewriting Literature Review... but still breathing.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
CASP
Thursday and Friday I was able to attend the annual CASP (California Association of School Psychologists) Conference in Costa Mesa, California. Having gone to the national (NASP) conference last year in San Francisco I was very excited to be able to hear what California specifically is talking about.
Only one other student from my cohort attended with me and only one other student from the entire school attended in addition to the two of us. The presentations were interesting and the main focus this year was on mental health and behavior. When we first got there we were really nervous that we wouldn't be able to "keep up" with lingo and topics covered by people who had been in the field longer than us. To our surprise we were every bit able to keep up and even offer what our own districts were doing when people had questions. What I really liked about CASP was that so many people were able to connect and converse about issues. When we went to NASP it was a lot more about just listening and not really voicing your own ideas and thoughts.
My favorite part of CASP was a practitioner student luncheon that was put on. This was an opportunity for students to sit at small round tables with practitioners and ask questions or discuss anything that they were curious about. Originally I thought this would be a great opportunity to pass out my resume' and be potentially hired... unfortunately that didn't happen. Most people we talked to weren't hiring at all! (NOT GOOD NEWS!) We did get a chance to meet the NASP president and talk to people from northern counties like Sonoma, and southern counties like Palm Springs and San Deigo. I was pretty disappointed that we didn't see or hear about ANYONE from central California!
Overall, I think we both learned a lot about pressing issues and were very happy to see that the main focus of most topics was behavior and BCBA, which we both have a lot of experience with! Not to mention, holding the conference in beautiful Costa Mesa gave us some time to enjoy Huntington Beach and other parts of Orange County!!
Only one other student from my cohort attended with me and only one other student from the entire school attended in addition to the two of us. The presentations were interesting and the main focus this year was on mental health and behavior. When we first got there we were really nervous that we wouldn't be able to "keep up" with lingo and topics covered by people who had been in the field longer than us. To our surprise we were every bit able to keep up and even offer what our own districts were doing when people had questions. What I really liked about CASP was that so many people were able to connect and converse about issues. When we went to NASP it was a lot more about just listening and not really voicing your own ideas and thoughts.
My favorite part of CASP was a practitioner student luncheon that was put on. This was an opportunity for students to sit at small round tables with practitioners and ask questions or discuss anything that they were curious about. Originally I thought this would be a great opportunity to pass out my resume' and be potentially hired... unfortunately that didn't happen. Most people we talked to weren't hiring at all! (NOT GOOD NEWS!) We did get a chance to meet the NASP president and talk to people from northern counties like Sonoma, and southern counties like Palm Springs and San Deigo. I was pretty disappointed that we didn't see or hear about ANYONE from central California!
Overall, I think we both learned a lot about pressing issues and were very happy to see that the main focus of most topics was behavior and BCBA, which we both have a lot of experience with! Not to mention, holding the conference in beautiful Costa Mesa gave us some time to enjoy Huntington Beach and other parts of Orange County!!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Suicide Prevention... in 3rd Grade?
When should we start talking about things like suicide prevention in schools? I don't think I even knew that was physically an option until junior high! Why someone would want to take their own life completely had my mind blown back then. My parents told me if I ever committed suicide that I would go straight to Hell. Being religious back then, that was the scariest thing to me! It still blows my mind today that someone would want to commit suicide, but now I know about stress, pressure, depression, etc. and can see the frame of mind someone might be in to take their own life.
I have been working with elementary age students (about 80% of the time) for most of my internship and practicum hours. I do not believe ever hearing about suicide prevention being taught. Honestly, I feel like teaching students this young that sometimes people kill themselves might be a bit too early considering their brains are most likely too immature to handle the concept. Knowing this may also be a chance for them to reek havoc on their parents by threatening suicide and learn that by saying it, will in turn get them immediate attention. Another concern I have is that children don't really understand finality.
"If I kill myself, I am dead." The end.
I feel a lot of children might think more like this, "If I kill myself I will watch my parents be sad and miss me and then once they learn their lesson I will come back."
The whole reason that I bring this up is that last year at the school I am doing my internship at, a third grade female student hung herself. When I heard about it I immediately assumed it was some kind of accident. It may have been, but after asking around about what happened teachers told me that the student was having issues making friends, she was very impulsive (ADHD diagnosis as well), and she had recently watched a program with her family on television where someone committed suicide by hanging.
Third Grader.
Last week, I had to call in a crisis team and do a suicide risk assessment on a third grade boy. This boy has a history of neglect and his parents are not in his life. The last thing he remembers about his dad is his dad saying he was not his son. He told his teacher he wanted to kill himself by going home and taking a bunch of pills. I do not feel that this child is going to go home and kill himself but the fact that he threatened it, had a plan, and that this has happened before at this school makes me very concerned.
Would suicide prevention at such a young age make things worse or better? I am very torn about it.
I have been working with elementary age students (about 80% of the time) for most of my internship and practicum hours. I do not believe ever hearing about suicide prevention being taught. Honestly, I feel like teaching students this young that sometimes people kill themselves might be a bit too early considering their brains are most likely too immature to handle the concept. Knowing this may also be a chance for them to reek havoc on their parents by threatening suicide and learn that by saying it, will in turn get them immediate attention. Another concern I have is that children don't really understand finality.
"If I kill myself, I am dead." The end.
I feel a lot of children might think more like this, "If I kill myself I will watch my parents be sad and miss me and then once they learn their lesson I will come back."
The whole reason that I bring this up is that last year at the school I am doing my internship at, a third grade female student hung herself. When I heard about it I immediately assumed it was some kind of accident. It may have been, but after asking around about what happened teachers told me that the student was having issues making friends, she was very impulsive (ADHD diagnosis as well), and she had recently watched a program with her family on television where someone committed suicide by hanging.
Third Grader.
Last week, I had to call in a crisis team and do a suicide risk assessment on a third grade boy. This boy has a history of neglect and his parents are not in his life. The last thing he remembers about his dad is his dad saying he was not his son. He told his teacher he wanted to kill himself by going home and taking a bunch of pills. I do not feel that this child is going to go home and kill himself but the fact that he threatened it, had a plan, and that this has happened before at this school makes me very concerned.
Would suicide prevention at such a young age make things worse or better? I am very torn about it.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
I've hit a wall.
I have a dilemma.
To give you some background: I work in a district that does not have a special day class. Our special education kids are either given RSP services in the "Learning Center" or if they are very low may be sent to the county classroom off site. The school I am primarily at is a 2nd and 3rd grade school (yes every 2nd & 3rd grader in the whole town). Right now our school only has four IEP students, two HH and two ID.
Let me give you a scenerio... a kid is referred by their teacher for help because they are low and way behind in her class. Let's say they are reading at a level 2 when they should be at a level 16-18. The teacher would like them to be assessed. A COST meeting is called (Coordination Of Team Services) to discuss options for this kid before we talk about assessment. The team decides to progress monitor weekly using DIBELS to gain more data since the student is already receiving two periods of learning center assistance and wants to see if the student is improving.
The next COST meeting comes up (two months later) and the student has gone from reading one word per minute to fifteen words per minute with scores showing that he is making progress but in no way will he meet what he should meet for his grade level. This is where I hit my wall. Normally, this child would be assessed right? They are not making enough progress to meet grade level expectations. This child could possibly be assessed for SLD or ID. However, since the district does not have a special day option, he is already receiving the max period of learning center time, he is too low for "reading lab" since that is reserved for students at level 10-12, teacher is not referring him for tutoring because "it won't benefit him" ... what else is there?
What can I do for him? I feel like there are no other services I can even provide for him.
Being a school psychologist does not make us superheroes, contrary to popular belief. We can not perform brain surgery and bring the kid back "all fixed". Yet, I feel like I need to do something else... being an intern makes me feel even less powerful and I don't feel like I have any right to revamp any programming since I will be gone next year and anything I try to change will be lost anyways.
Help Please? Or have I done everything I can do? I know not all kids are mean't to be rocket scientists... society has jobs that do not require as much thinking as others. Right now I just feel like I am helpless and I do not like to feel that way.
To give you some background: I work in a district that does not have a special day class. Our special education kids are either given RSP services in the "Learning Center" or if they are very low may be sent to the county classroom off site. The school I am primarily at is a 2nd and 3rd grade school (yes every 2nd & 3rd grader in the whole town). Right now our school only has four IEP students, two HH and two ID.
Let me give you a scenerio... a kid is referred by their teacher for help because they are low and way behind in her class. Let's say they are reading at a level 2 when they should be at a level 16-18. The teacher would like them to be assessed. A COST meeting is called (Coordination Of Team Services) to discuss options for this kid before we talk about assessment. The team decides to progress monitor weekly using DIBELS to gain more data since the student is already receiving two periods of learning center assistance and wants to see if the student is improving.
The next COST meeting comes up (two months later) and the student has gone from reading one word per minute to fifteen words per minute with scores showing that he is making progress but in no way will he meet what he should meet for his grade level. This is where I hit my wall. Normally, this child would be assessed right? They are not making enough progress to meet grade level expectations. This child could possibly be assessed for SLD or ID. However, since the district does not have a special day option, he is already receiving the max period of learning center time, he is too low for "reading lab" since that is reserved for students at level 10-12, teacher is not referring him for tutoring because "it won't benefit him" ... what else is there?
What can I do for him? I feel like there are no other services I can even provide for him.
Being a school psychologist does not make us superheroes, contrary to popular belief. We can not perform brain surgery and bring the kid back "all fixed". Yet, I feel like I need to do something else... being an intern makes me feel even less powerful and I don't feel like I have any right to revamp any programming since I will be gone next year and anything I try to change will be lost anyways.
Help Please? Or have I done everything I can do? I know not all kids are mean't to be rocket scientists... society has jobs that do not require as much thinking as others. Right now I just feel like I am helpless and I do not like to feel that way.
Friday, January 20, 2012
On the other side of the table.
It has been a fun and exciting week! Since I am so new to the field and so new to being "on my own" (for the most part) everything is still very exciting to me. Since coming back from winter break I have worked very hard on being more organized. I am always organized for the most part but what I really want to do is schedule my counseling sessions better. The problem with that is a kid may be on my calendar but then when I am about to call them in I get called in for an "emergency". This may be a kid refusing to do x-y-z or maybe a full on tantrum. One of the fun things I was able to be a part of this week was interviewing candidates for an independent facilitator position. This person will be working 1:1 with students who need the assistance but to start out this person will be in our Head Start Preschool classroom assisting a child with autism who has just joined. Interviewing was exciting for me because I have never been on that "side of the table" before. I have been a part of many interviews. It was really nice to be able to discuss the candidates and be a part of the process to hire a new person. I feel very fortunate and appreciate being chosen for various jobs in the past even more now. We interviewed six people and only one person was chosen. I saw that even though the person chosen did not have the most experience she came in with confidence and kept our attention for every question we asked. She made us feel comfortable and interested more than any other person. With that type of personality and energy she was by far the best candidate because I just knew that children would love her.
There is a down side to being on that side of the table. One thing I learned was that if I don't know the answer to a question I need to be honest and instead of babbling on and making things up, the best thing to do would be to talk about how I would begin to find the answer. Many times the interviewees went on and on and I just kept thinking "Stop! You're going the wrong way!" but I just kept smiling and nodding interestingly. The last thing I wanted to do was make anyone feel as though they had completely messed up. I asked myself, how would I want someone interviewing me to look? So I tried to be that person.
Although this week was very fun and exciting for me. I do have some bad news to report. Sadly, I had to make my 2nd CPS report ever. It always breaks my heart to make that kind of report because I struggle with trusting that the foster care system would be better if that child was actually taken from the home. That my friends is another post in itself!
Have a great weekend!
There is a down side to being on that side of the table. One thing I learned was that if I don't know the answer to a question I need to be honest and instead of babbling on and making things up, the best thing to do would be to talk about how I would begin to find the answer. Many times the interviewees went on and on and I just kept thinking "Stop! You're going the wrong way!" but I just kept smiling and nodding interestingly. The last thing I wanted to do was make anyone feel as though they had completely messed up. I asked myself, how would I want someone interviewing me to look? So I tried to be that person.
Although this week was very fun and exciting for me. I do have some bad news to report. Sadly, I had to make my 2nd CPS report ever. It always breaks my heart to make that kind of report because I struggle with trusting that the foster care system would be better if that child was actually taken from the home. That my friends is another post in itself!
Have a great weekend!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Kids are so Honest.
I absolutely love how honest so many young children are. I work a lot with 2nd and 3rd graders in my internship and yesterday I was counseling a very honest, very outspoken seven year old. In my office I have two personal photos in frames above my bookshelf. One of my husband and I and the other from our wedding day on the beach. Upon entering this little girl looked around my office at various posters on the wall, coloring pages that I hang on a bulletin board colored by students to decorate for the closest holiday, and then she came across my photos. She started giggling loudly and walked up to the one from my wedding. "Ew! Sick!" she said as she continued to giggle. Surprised, I laughed a little and thought what could possibly be wrong with the photo from my wedding day? When I asked her what was so "ew and sick" about the picture she said, "Why did someone take a picture of your butts?!" Butts? I thought... Well see for yourself...
Oh the mind of a child. Here we were thinking we were being so artistic and symbolic by "staring out in to our future". Thanks for the reality check little one.
Oh the mind of a child. Here we were thinking we were being so artistic and symbolic by "staring out in to our future". Thanks for the reality check little one.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
A day in the Life...
Greetings to all!
I am a student studying school psychology. I have spent over 500 hours volunteering my time in the field without pay to learn the varying responsibilities of a school psychologist. I am currently in a paid internship with 700 more hours (the remainder of the school year) to complete until graduation!
After reading various blogs by others in the field, I have decided to join in the fun and begin my own blog starting with my experiences in my internship. I have tried to write blogs before including boring day to day life blogs (who cares?!), photo blogs (eh kind of cool), and I even attempted a 365 photo blog without success. I find that sometimes I need to step on to my soap box and shout to the rooftops about kids I encounter (keeping their privacy of course) or just vent about the stresses of being a school psychologist... especially being an intern.
Sometimes I come home and tell my husband a story about something I encountered that day only to hear a response like, "oh try this... " or "cool". I am glad that he has taken the time to pretend to listen to me and sometimes he actually does but I know he gets tired of hearing things that he may not understand and I don't like to get advice from him because I usually find myself telling him how his plan wouldn't possibly work in a school setting. Another major dilemma that I am about to enter in to is finding a job... dun dun dun. Out of everything I have experienced and been confronted with, the idea of a job search is the most scary!
I am hoping that this blog can be my outlet, and that I can also draw the attention of others in the field to comment and give expert advice. I hope if you are reading this, you will stay tuned and find my rants to be interesting, comical, obnoxious, and controversial... depending on my mood. I leave you with this amazing video that was shown to our internship class by our advisor.
I am a student studying school psychology. I have spent over 500 hours volunteering my time in the field without pay to learn the varying responsibilities of a school psychologist. I am currently in a paid internship with 700 more hours (the remainder of the school year) to complete until graduation!
After reading various blogs by others in the field, I have decided to join in the fun and begin my own blog starting with my experiences in my internship. I have tried to write blogs before including boring day to day life blogs (who cares?!), photo blogs (eh kind of cool), and I even attempted a 365 photo blog without success. I find that sometimes I need to step on to my soap box and shout to the rooftops about kids I encounter (keeping their privacy of course) or just vent about the stresses of being a school psychologist... especially being an intern.
Sometimes I come home and tell my husband a story about something I encountered that day only to hear a response like, "oh try this... " or "cool". I am glad that he has taken the time to pretend to listen to me and sometimes he actually does but I know he gets tired of hearing things that he may not understand and I don't like to get advice from him because I usually find myself telling him how his plan wouldn't possibly work in a school setting. Another major dilemma that I am about to enter in to is finding a job... dun dun dun. Out of everything I have experienced and been confronted with, the idea of a job search is the most scary!
I am hoping that this blog can be my outlet, and that I can also draw the attention of others in the field to comment and give expert advice. I hope if you are reading this, you will stay tuned and find my rants to be interesting, comical, obnoxious, and controversial... depending on my mood. I leave you with this amazing video that was shown to our internship class by our advisor.
The Speech Therapist Meets with the School Psychologist
by: nobodyreally
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