The other flags

In these days, more and more people embrace an excessive nationalism, wrapping theirselves in flags to justify their fears and prejudices and competing to see who is the most patriotic person. The situation, not only in Spain but in many other countries, is every day more worrying and this affects me, no matter how far I am. I still have ties which link me in somehow to all these regions. That is why I try to concentrate on what is worth fighting for and going forward, beyond identitarian matters and politic ideologies. One of these things which gives meaning to my life is the work I do, something that makes me feel proud everyday and I would like to summarize in this post.

Basically, my main mission at the school as a counsellor is helping students to achieve their goals, not only academic, but also social and emotional ones, in cooperation with both teachers and parents. To this end, I carry several services and actions, such as individual and group counselling sessions for students, consulting for teachers, workshops for parents, gathering data through observations and other methods, and guidance lessons twice a day, talking about topics related to social and emotional development (self esteem, empathy, emotional management, etc.) o preventing problems which can happen in the school (bullying, stress before exams, segregation, etc.). This year I work only with Primary school students (Year 1 to Year 6). In each year there are seven or eight classes, with an average amount of 25 students in every classroom, so you can imagine that there is always work to do.

Notice board at the entrance of my office

A part of the place where counselling sessions take place

Although there are some days when the amount of sessions, observations, meetings, etc. can be a bit stressful, I love what I do and when I arrive home with a positive feeling. At the moment, the management supports me and they motivate me to go on with my projects. Among the teachers, some of them are more prone to receive help and suggestions and other are more reticent and conservative, as in everywhere, but in general they acknowledge and value my job. But the ones who show more gratitude and affection are, of course, the students. Everyday I see them greeting me and smiling without stop. The youngest ones even come to me running to hug me and sometimes I even can’t walk because they are so many. It is wonderful, there is no reward or incentive compare to all this. In other hand, I already got messages from parents congratulating me because I am helping their kids. Do I need more reasons to be proud?

In short, even if this place is not the best I ever worked before, this is at the moment the first school year in which I am doing a job completely related to my professional goals. Last year I did the same too but I have to teach Spanish at the same time, something I like but it didn’t let me to focus on the job I would like to do till my retirement. For me it is one the most needed profession in this agitated World where we live in.