Panel Activity: 

 The panel activity allowed me to see possible positives and negatives for each field. Though it seemed that school social work has more possibilities for negatives according to their feedback and experience, I know that is where my passion is compared to student affairs and college counseling. 

 I also appreciated hearing their honesty about what was most difficult for them to handle in their fields. They also expressed that their journey changed once they got into their fields so they made it clear it is alright to change what was originally planned.  

Being able to use what I learned in my time with learning social work content also will more likely be utilized as a school counselor and I think I will enjoy how applicable it is to my future line of work.  

Interview with Current Counselor Mike Todd: 

My interview with Mike Todd also clarified my interest in school counseling in addition to the panel activity. I learned the specific innerworkings of what a school counselor’s day would traditionally look like in a school. I enjoyed hearing that working at a small school has its advantages and Mike focuses on those heavily. He also talked about opportunities for collaboration and research opportunities.  

Mike also expressed how important getting shadow experiences are and how important the connections during internships are to a person’s future. For example, he ended up getting a recommendation from his supervisor that he worked with during one of his practicums. This is important to constantly hear because it reminded me of my goal to make connections with mentors. 

Stereotype Activity:  

This activity is something I am familiar with hearing. However, this time was different because we talked about how many stereotypes are negative but also can have negative effects even if they seem positive. For example, if someone is expected to be smart because of their race or something similar, that can put pressure on the individual to be something he or she may not want to be.  

Microskill Class Discussion:  

There were many things I do on a personal level that I practice and did not realize were microskills used in counseling. Some examples include, using body language such as nodding and eye contact. Also, I learned there are times for open ended questions and closed and specific times where one works better than others.