Introduction

I would like to start by saying how appreciative I am of all the school counselors that have been sharing through their blogs, twitter, facebook, and more! I am excited to join the bandwagon and start sharing.

Since this is my 'introduction' post I will tell you a bit about myself.  I was born in New York and ever since a young age I always thought I wanted to teach.  It was while I was getting my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from SUNY New Paltz that I realized teaching wasn't for me.  I was student teaching my fifth grade class when I had to write out a pass for one of my students to see her school counselor.  She had come into school late that day and in the middle of my lesson she had me step into the hallway to tell me that her grandmother had just passed away.  I knew that I couldn't just write her a pass and get back to teaching my 21 other students.  The teacher I was working with let me to go with her to see the school counselor while she finished the lesson I was teaching.  It was in that moment, while I was sitting with my student and her counselor that I realized I needed to be the counselor for my students, not their teacher.  I shadowed and interviewed my old high school counselor before I enrolled at Long Island University, C.W. Post to get my masters in school counseling.

My first job as a school counselor was in an elementary school in Connecticut.  Next, we moved to North Carolina where I worked as an elementary school counselor for two years.  Budgets were being cut and I was getting worried about the security of my job.  I was told the last two school counselors that were hired were the first two that would be asked to go (I was the second to last hired).  I had already started looking into working internationally and this pushed me to look even harder.  After a few months of interviews, an international job fair and lots of waiting and thinking I accepted a job in an international school outside of London.  I prepared to move my entire life (including my two cats) to the other side of the pond all while planning my wedding!  Well, we got married in May and this past school year we have had the experience of a lifetime working and living in Europe.

I couldn't be happier with the decision I made to make this big move and would love to tell you more about how it has changed my life.  I also look forward to sharing some of my school counseling ideas with you and highlighting some of the great posts that I find from other school counselors.

Cheers!
Lauren