PROFESSIONAL TIP #1
Unhealthy Work Environments Struggling in an unhealthy work environment can be very difficult and it can take a toll. Here are some suggestions to keep your head up:
Creating S.M.A.R.T. GoalsWhat is a Professional Development Plan?A plan to clearly define where you are going in your career and what you need to do in order to get there?
Download the document below to create a simplified version of your own Profession Development Plan
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JUNE 2015: Jaimyn Torres-Sanchez
Chapter President 2015-2016 Chapter, Semester, Year:
Alpha Epsilon Graduate Chapter, NY Spring 2009 Profession: Elementary School Counselor for Hillsborough County School District Educational Background: B.A. in Social Sciences Interdisciplinary with a Minor in Child and Family Studies-Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, N.Y. Master in Social Work-Adelphi University, Garden City, N.Y. Master of Science in School Counseling-Long Island University Brentwood Campus, Brentwood, N.Y. What has been the most important aspects of your success? I’ve always maintained goals in my life. It didn’t matter how long it took me to reach them. I have followed a goal in my life and steps to achieve them all. But, I am also aware that the mishaps and bumps along the way only make me stronger and more determined. I have changed my career along the way in order to make myself happy. I look back and realized that everything that has happened has lead me here. Every job that I have had provided me with experiences that I am able to utilize in my current career. Everything happens for a reason. What’s a typical day look like for you? I wake up early in order to get to my school early. Our days begin at 7:15 a.m. I make sure to leave my worries and stress behind so that I can greet the kids with a hug and a big smile. They are usually the first ones to tell me that I look tired or worried. Gotta love the kids and their honesty. The day then is filled with classroom presentations, team meetings, group and individual counseling, parent/teacher conferences and anything else that I might be needed for within the school. After work, I come home to make dinner, check my girls’ homework, run errands or take them to their activities. This is the best part of my day. I love being a mommy. What do you feel is your impact on the community – personal, professional or economic? I believe that I make an impact on every child I speak to and interact with at my school. Every time I smile at them, laugh at their goofy jokes, reprimand them for making poor choices and/or giving them their daily hugs, I am instilling in them that an adult can be trusted. As one of the only Latinas in my school, I also show them that they are capable to do more for their future. What is the most rewarding professional experience you have you had? One of my most rewarding experiences was when I had a troubled student on my caseload. Whenever this student got into any trouble, he would only speak to me. We spent months talking to each other about his goals and his future. One day, he had not returned. I found out that he had transferred to another school. The next year, I was called to the main office. My student had come back to visit me! He had made it to middle school and was on the honor roll. I have to say, we were both so overwhelmed and happy that we cried. This was the highlight of my school year. What advice would you give to other sisters looking to make their mark? Never give up! Just when you think that the pendulum of life is stuck on the negative, it will swing back the other way. Don’t be afraid to take chances in life! I went from living in New York as an out-of-work school social worker to moving to Florida and happily being employed as a School Counselor. What have been the most important aspects of your success? I would have to say that I took the make opportunities that came my way. Every job that I had has interwoven into my current career one way or the other. The past negative experiences have taught me what not to do or to whom I shouldn’t put all of my trust in. The past positive experiences have taught me what I am capable of doing. How do you relieve the day-to-day stress of your work? I take time for myself when needed. I live far from work but that allows me time to decompress in the car before going home. |