It’s National School Counseling Week, which honors the important contribution of school counselors in our schools and the significant impact they have in supporting students. This week, we salute Iowa’s nearly 1,400 school counselors.
Each day this week, we will highlight a school counselor from across the state.
Today we focus on Kelly Oliver, a counselor at Oviatt Elementary School in the Norwalk Community School District. She’s been a school counselor for eight years. We asked her thoughts about being a counselor.
What attracted you to counseling?
I have always been a “helper” and a good listener. I was attracted to school counseling
because I love the fact that I can reach and serve ALL students.
Over the years, counseling has expanded to include many different things. How do you juggle it?
I try to be really effective and efficient with my time. I use data to support what I am doing and if it is not working, I try other things to best serve my students. I think the core concept of counseling is building relationships, which I do all throughout the day and in little ways. I greet students in the hallways, have lunch with students, do check-ins in the mornings and at the end of the day. I get creative with my time. Building these relationships helps to make other parts of my job easier to manage. I also have really great support from my administrators, teachers and families who I work closely with.
What is the most satisfying part of your job? Can you name something specific that stands out in your mind?
The most satisfying part of my job is when I see students using the tools I have taught them that are helping them to be better learners, feel more confident and happier in their lives. I can think of many examples of this but one that stands out to me is a student I worked with many years ago. They struggled to regulate their emotions and it was difficult for them to learn in the classroom. After working together quite a bit, they began to use the tools and strategies that we worked on. One time they were even chosen for student of the month for their school. When asked what teacher had a positive influence on them, they chose me and stated that “Mrs. Oliver believed in me, when no one else did, not even myself.” That stuck with me and keeps me going on hard days. You never know who you will leave that lasting impression on.
What are your biggest challenges?
I would say my biggest challenges are time and resources. Although, I feel like I make really good use of my time, the caseload is large and I wish I could do even more.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first became a counselor? What advice do you have for new counselors just entering the field?
I would tell myself it's OK to ask for help and to not have all the answers. I would tell new counselors to maintain connections with their colleagues and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Find a good support system of counselors to connect and brainstorm with. The most important thing would be to form relationships with students, families, teachers, staff and administrators. Also, to take care of yourself so your students get the very best version of you!
Subscribe to receive email updates from the Iowa Department of Education.