When I was in grad school I had a professor who told us about the “Better. Better. Great.” philosophy. It really struck a chord with me way back when and 20+ years later, I still follow its principles.
Better, Better, Great means that each day we should simply try to pick a goal and work towards it. We are looking to be great. For students it could mean getting Great grades, or being a Great track star. But, Great, may be far off in the distance for some. What we should shift our focus to is Better. If we focus each day on Better, we will soon reach our goal. But, what is Great? How can it be defined? Is it the end of the path? Or, can Great be Better
I want to think of myself as a great counselor. But, tomorrow I’ll learn something new that will help me to become Better.
Recently, I had the opportunity to have a counselor from another local school district shadow me for the day. We talked about our programs and what our typical days looked like. We talked about how our schools ran and the programs we offered. We discussed what we thought worked, and what needed improvement. When the day was over, I learned a lot. I received ideas, feedback, and a spark to try something new. I am looking forward to shadowing my colleague and seeing her in action.
If you have the opportunity to get out of your space and see what other programs look like, do it. You can learn so much. It’s much different than attending a local, state, or ASCA conference because you become a part of the experience. Experiencing something first hand is learning at its finest. What you walk away with is a tactile experience that can be very helpful in the moment.
While we’re at it, here is another way that you can get out of your space and catch a glimpse of someone else’s. Join the #SCin30 conversation and put together a quick 30 second video for the question of the week. More details can be found here.
This week’s question is: How do you see the roles of school counselors changing in schools today?
Want to connect with other counselors? Click on a link below.
The Middle School Counselor Facebook Page
The Middle School Counselor on Twitter
Caught In The Middle School Counselors (Facebook Group)
High School Counselors’ Network (Facebook Group)
Elementary School Counselor Exchange (Facebook Group)
