I have recently finished my genogram project. This is where I researched three generations of my family to find out about their careers, educational backgrounds, and values. I found out that I am the first person in my family to be working on a master’s degree. Most of my family has had some college and values education. My family also for the most part picks a career and sticks with it.
I am not the first member of my family to choose to be an educator. My father taught high school math and computer programming. He was the math department and taught algebra I and II, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. He had to write the curriculum for the computer programming class because it was such a new topic. He left the teaching field to make more money as a computer programmer. My mother went to college for three years to be a teacher but she lost her scholarship when she got married and dropped out of college. My younger sister is a history teacher and received her degree before me because I stayed home with my kids before becoming an educator.
I was led to become a counselor because I care about people and I am a good problem solver. I have the ability to be able to see both sides of a story. People have always told me their problems and I used to see it as a burden because I did not understand that it was a gift. Not everyone is a good listener. My family has always tried to help anyone out when in need. My mom was the neighborhood mom. My friends would come to her before their own parents because she was good at fixing any situation calmly. I think that is another good trait for a counselor to remain calm when everyone else is falling apart.
