The Bilingual School Psychologist

The role of a school psychologist is complex. We wear many hats, juggling multiple responsibilities at once. People often ask how do we manage the workload and what gets us through the day. I simply answer, “The students, I am here for the students.” Of course the workload is insanely overwhelming, but the mere fact that I am helping students for the better keeps me moving and working even harder. Knowing that I am impacting lives of children is enough to appreciate the career path I have chosen. This is my philosophy and this is how I view myself as a professional.

On paper you may see the role of a school psychologist as the one responsible for three major things: assessment, counseling and consultation. However the role of a school psychologist is beyond those three things. The way I view my role is as such: the nurturer of the school. I walk through the halls of my school with one mission in mind and that is to care and encourage the growth of all the students I work with. My nurture also extends to the teachers and parents because we have to remember the important role they play in each child’s life. We take into account the children’s wellbeing everyday but not so much of the adults. As a school psychologist, I feel like it is my duty to extend the support to not only my students but also to the adults providing their public service to them as well.

Yes there is paperwork after paperwork. Reports, assessments that can last hours, meeting on top of meetings, the list is endless. I visualize myself as an octopus managing it all and still being able to maintain my sanity for the sake of my mission, for the sake of growth within those who I work with. It is my mission to continue maintaining my nurturing support to inspire and motivate my teachers, students, and parents. Consistency is key and despite the hardships I encounter, I gave myself this mission to continue to push me forward. There is an underlying satisfaction within it all when I see the appreciation from those I work with especially the students. It gives me great pride that I have been achieving my mission in my profession and achieving the ability to create a nurturing and supportive environment within my school community.