With an eye to the future, Sevier Middle has added two classes for career exploration. This year, to help students make a plan for the future, Jan Street joined the staff in the new position of career counselor.
“I have been teaching for 22 years,” she said. “Prior to becoming a teacher, I worked with the state of Tennessee as a child and teen crisis counselor. I worked to keep children and families together. It was a grant-funded position, so once the grant expired, I became an English teacher with Sullivan County Schools.”
Street became a career counselor because, as an English teacher, she would often help her students with their schedule and find the courses and electives that are right for them.
“I would write college recommendations and I would help my students earn a place in college or help them earn a scholarship to help them pay for school, maybe diesel mechanic school, maybe going into Princeton University,” she said. “So, when I was not teaching my classes, I would help them and then, naturally, when this position opened, I was interested in it.”
One of the big reasons Street decided to become a teacher was because she had fond memories of her time in middle school.
“I enjoyed middle school a great deal,” she said.”I always had a large group of friends who loved being in school and I always made very good grades.School was always a fun place for me and I guess that’s one of the very main reasons I became a teacher.”
Now, she has left the classroom behind to work as a career counselor.
“A career counselor is someone who works with all the students on looking at their personality and their interests,” she said. “I look at what they are interested in and possibly find career education classes that match up with their personality and their career interests.”
Since this is a new position this year, Street has a lot to figure out about the job.
“So far everyone’s been very helpful,” she said. “I have really not had many challenges that I couldn’t overcome. Usually, I get to see about eight to ten students per day.”
Overall, Street has found her work at Sevier rewarding.
“The most rewarding part is helping students find a career or maybe two that spark their interest and help them look at their career fair,” she said. “Help them look at their personality, things that they are interested in. It’s exciting to see their excitement over future plans.”
Street also has a lot of support, including two career exploration teachers who collaborate with her, Kris Markl and Tony Weaver.
“We are very fortunate to have two career resource teachers,” she said. “We all work with our students in helping pinpoint fields of work or areas of interest to explore as a future career. I also work with our school counselors, Miss Ferguson and Miss Collins and the ninth grade DB school counselors in helping our eighth graders select their freshman schedule and their four-year high school plans.”
If students are interested in the field, Street will even recommend education as a career.
“I would recommend education to anyone who’s passionate about the field and passionate about working with children,” she said. “You’ve got to really love to be around children and want to see children succeed. It’s a career where one needs to be strongly vested in because it takes a dedicated person to do all that is required as a teacher, but it is also a very rewarding career.”
As a career counselor, Street always has plenty of advice for Sevier students.
“Students should take all their classes seriously,” she said. “They should try to do their best, whether that’s a B or a C or a D. They should be here every day in school; it’s important for their learning. They should join a club or get into a sport. The more you’re involved, the more fun school can be and the more fun friends you’ll make. Take a break away from social media, just enjoy people around you. Don’t always be on your phone or a computer. Enjoy your family, enjoy your pets and friends. I’d say live in the moment and just breathe and enjoy your life.”