Career Path of a School Psychologist in Special Education
Anjanette's career path began with a psychology major at UC Berkeley, but a negative student teaching experience revealed that "my brain was not suited for" traditional teaching. This led to a master's degree in school psychology, where fieldwork and internship experiences solidified their passion for the field, ultimately leading to a career as a school psychologist.
Career Exploration, Overcoming Challenges, Resilience, Achieving Goals, Motivational Stories
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Anjanette Pelletier
Director
Special EducationConsulting
UC Berkeley
Cal State Hayward, Masters in Clincial Child School Psychology
Psychology
Coaching, Speaking & Writing, Education
Education
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. After completing her psychology degree, Anjanette realized the value of teaching experience for a school psychologist and added an education minor, gaining practical experience through student teaching. This highlight emphasizes the importance of practical experience and adaptability in career choices.
2. Anjanette's student teaching experience, while initially negative due to a poor mentor, led to a crucial self-discovery about her own learning style and attention span. This shows the value of learning from both positive and negative experiences and self-awareness in choosing a career path.
3. Her decision to pursue a master's in school psychology and complete a full-time internship showcases the dedication and commitment needed for specialized roles in education and the importance of practical experience in a chosen field. This highlight underscores the importance of further education and hands-on experience for career progression.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I went to the University of California at Berkeley, which I usually call Cal. When I was in college, I majored in psychology and really enjoyed it. I thought I wanted to be a school psychologist.
However, as I was nearing the end of college, I considered becoming an educator first. I reasoned that a school psychologist who hadn't taught wouldn't be taken seriously. So, I added an education minor and began focusing on education-related work, including educational psychology.
During my senior year, I had a student teaching experience that wasn't quite an internship. I was taking a class and placed in a classroom for a semester to try teaching. Surprisingly, I hated it.
A part of my dislike may have been due to the teacher I was paired with. I didn't think they were a good teacher; they weren't interesting or compelling. They were teaching English, and even though I tried innovative approaches, they weren't receptive.
I also realized my own brain wasn't suited for it. I have ADHD, and I struggled with needing to pay attention to the same thing for 50 minutes.
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in clinical child psychology, I moved on to pursue school psychology. I needed a master's degree in that field. During my master's program, I had fieldwork placements doing school psychology.
This included a year and a half of part-time fieldwork, with the first half-year as a student. My final year was a full-time internship in school psychology. I really enjoyed that experience and became a school psychologist.
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