EDF 1005 Required Assignment #2: Teacher Interview

Jackie Lawrence
EDF 1005
Required Assignment #2: Teacher Interview/Role of the Teacher

There are two school psychologists at North Miami Senior High School, Ms. Schneider and Ms. Tate. On October 15th, 2009, I was lucky enough to sit down with Ms. Tate for about forty-five minutes, in between mounds of paperwork, while most of the students she needed to see were eating lunch. Not only did she allow me to pick her brain, she also bestowed upon me tons of priceless information that will be tremendously helpful once I begin my own career.
Ms. Tate completed her undergraduate studies at Juniata College in Pennsylvania, where she received a bachelor degree in psychology and biology. It was here she discovered her passion for psychology and the study of people and behaviors. Afterwards, she spent the next three years at Northwestern State University in Louisiana for her master’s degree in clinical psychology. Ms. Tate received her Psy.D five years later from Argosy University in Washington DC. Her one-year clinical internship was based in Miami at a mental health organization called Citrus Health Network.
This is Ms. Tate’s fifth year at North Miami Senior High, along with an elementary school in Dade County she is assigned to. Because school psychologists make nowhere near the amount of money I thought they did, Ms. Tate also teaches two online classes for a school counseling program and practices private therapy sessions on the side. She thoroughly enjoys her time at the elementary school since she prefers to work with younger children, as they are more impressionable and open to what she has to offer. However, she mainly performs IQ tests, achievement tests, and evaluations there. She expressed her passion for counseling and developing bonds with the students, which is her primary function at the high school. Between Ms. Tate and Ms. Schneider, as many students as possible are seen on a weekly basis for as long as time permits. On average, they usually have enough time to counsel around twenty students each every two days. Keeping up with paperwork, IEP’s, and evaluations is tedious, but worth the effort in the long run.
Ms. Tate provided me with a plethora of invaluable information I had never heard before. For instance, it is imperative to undertake a clinical internship accredited by the American Psychological Association for doctoral hours. She also managed to clear up my confusion about what type of degree I want to earn in the future. Licensed mental health counselors work mainly in hospitals and community mental health centers, which can be extremely stressful environments. Becoming a licensed clinical social worker is also an option, but aspiring towards being a clinical or counseling psychologist is truly worth the long, strenuous path. A Psy.D in clinical psychology, versus a PhD, provides more practice in counseling and therapy, which is exactly what I am looking forward to. When I asked about future employment opportunities within the education system, Ms. Tate informed me that many school psychologists were being laid off two years ago because of budget cuts. However, many schools are now understaffed in this area, so rehiring has commenced. And regardless of the state of the economy, psychologists will always be a significant component to a successful school. I also asked Ms. Tate what she has a hard time with when it comes to her job. She mentioned her frustration at having too many kids to counsel and not enough time in the school day. Unfortunately, poverty, crime, and drug addiction go hand-in-hand with many large cities, which can have a big impact on inner-city schools. And, sadly, sometimes issues concerning lack of care and bad parenting are presiding factors as well. She also implied that every now and then students are over-identified and diagnoses aren’t always 100% correct. However, these kids aren’t doomed for failure at all. Schools that are lucky enough to have driven, motivated, empathic, and caring employees have a good chance in guiding students to develop these same characteristics. And North Miami Senior High School is definitely one of them.