Michelle Mc Callum, Specialist Wellness Counsellor & Qualified Educator

About

I am an accomplished, knowledgeable and versatile Registered Specialist Wellness Counsellor, former educator and offering extensive national and international experience in both academics and the private sector. I leverage strong communication, listening, observational, strategic thinking interpersonal and leadership skills to effectively resolve problems and provide superior service. I am comfortable working in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments as part of a team or on an individual basis. I possess the ability to take initiative and manage time effectively. My diverse set of skills also covers excellent facilitation, planning and organising. I have strong work ethics and I consider myself a dedicated, responsible and goal orientated individual, who always strives to deliver more than expected. I am known for building strong working relationships and I am committed to being a confident and respected member in my environment.

Experience

North West University

Feb 2023 – Present

South Africa

Student Administrator

• Marking of assignments, test and exam papers; • E-Fundi - Assessment of audio/ visual assignments; • E-fundi- capturing student marks on gradebook; • Google Drive Mark book - Exporting student marks on to Mark book; • Facilitation of Philosophy classes – presenting and assisting lecturers during classes; • Communication – Receive student queries regarding marks and clarification of marks or providing feedback on assessments; • Record keeping - Follow up with students regarding missed assessments and documentation of medical certificates and death certificates; • Support lecturers – Administering of class test, taking in class test, invigilation and any other hand-outs to students.

Private practice - Michelle Wellness Counselling

May 2019 – Present

Remotely

Owner and Specialist Wellness Counsellor

• Founder and manager of MB Counselling private counselling practice (cash practice). • Demonstrated managerial skills in managing face to face counselling clients, online client sessions and presenting corporate wellness presentation to companies (independent work contracts). • Successfully conducted counselling sessions from private practice rooms in Gauteng. • Demonstrated good ethical practice by writing referral letters to relevant mental health practitioners when a counselling case fell outside my scope of practice. • Used strong analytical and problem-solving skills to develop corporate wellness presentations in challenging situations observed in the workplace of companies who I had independent work contracts with. • Cultivated strong interpersonal skills by building positive relationships with a referral network of Psychologists, Doctors, Psychiatrists and Lawyers. • Cultivating interpersonal relationships by building positive healthy therapeutic relationships with clients and provides excellent service. • Managing all aspects of business, client management such as session bookings, payments, receipts, administration of client files, writing client’s progress notes and safe-guarding of client’s confidential files. • Securing independent work contracts with other companies through marketing and consulting with professionals in other professions. • Marketing by identifying the needs within the community – Designed social media content, wrote informational blogs for my company’s website and ensuring excellent word of mouth feedback from clients. • Proven adaptability and learned different ways of counselling during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the livelihood of the practice by conducting telepsychology (online sessions). • Delivering online service to LifePsych (Balito – KwaZulu Natal) such as corporate wellness presentations to MANCOSA Private University

Hoërskool Driehoek

Jan 2019 – Present

Gauteng

High school educator

LEADERSHIP SKILLS - SUBJECT LEADER for Life Orientation Grade 11, Grade 10 and Grade 8 – Develop all formal, informal assessments and memorandums for all grades mentioned. • Distribute and make these assessments available to all relevant subject teachers. • Host subject meetings with all educators sharing the relevant grade and subject – Discuss memorandum and marking before all teachers assess formal assessments. • Plan two weekly teaching plans according to the Teaching Assessment Plan (ATP document) and share with educators teaching the same grade and subject. TEACHING: • Taught Grade 12, Grade 11, Grade 10 and Grade 8 – Life Orientation and principles to high school learners by using real-world application-based examples to create interest in the subject Life Orientation (philosophical in nature). • Taught Grade 8 and Grade 10 English First Additional Language • Evaluated (marked) learner’s academic work and kept appropriate records, and prepared progress reports to measure performance. • Developed communicative relationships with parents to support learning during extremely difficult times e.g. walk-way collapse incident followed by 3 months of teaching temporary in tents. • Showed immense resilience during difficult teaching circumstances. • Taught Grade 12 during COVID-19 by creating additional support with Google Classroom and following up with learners via Zoom and Whatsapp groups, especially during a formal research assessment project (Life Orientation). ACHIEVEMENTS: 100% Pass rate across x3 Life Orientation classes – Grade 12 ACHIEVEMENTS: 100% Pass rate across x3 Life Orientation classes – Grade 11 ACHIEVEMENTS: 100% Pass rate across x1 English FAL class – Grade 8

GEMS International School - Dubai

Aug 2022 – Nov 2022

Dubai, UAE

International Educator

• Taught Psychology as a selective subject based on an American curriculum – Grade 10 • Taught English on an American curriculum – Grade 10 • Evaluated student’s understanding of course material through baseline examination by using elite computer programs such as Achieve3000. • Helped students explore concepts with engaging, learning – focused activities by using programs such as Quizzes and PowerPoint. • Created short tasks and online testing materials to facilitate learning after teaching by posting tasks and communication to students on Google Classroom. • Engaged with fellow staff members often in team building activities and end week meeting discussions.

Department of Education

Jun 2013 – Dec 2018

Vereeniging, Gauteng

Special Needs Educator

LEADERSHIP SKILLS - SUBJECT HEAD DUTIES: • Planning two weekly planning for subject staff, distributing and ensuring all grades are taught on the same level. • Creating formal and informal assessments as well as memorandums based on special needs level. • Distributing and sharing amongst relevant subject teachers. • Taught learners across multiple classifications of degrees of special needs (Grade 8.0, 8.1, 8,2 and grade 8). • Taught learners across multiple subject fields in special needs – English FAL, Afrikaans FAL, Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Life Orientation. • GENERAL TEACHING DUTIES: • Created and managed IEPs to define student learning objectives and educational strategies, in addition to applying instructional knowledge and methods to support goals. • Instructed learners with physical and cognitive disabilities. • Modified English educational curriculum for special-needs students using various instructional techniques and resources on different IQ levels. • Redirected students using Positive Behavioral Support (PBS). LEADERSHIP SKILLS - GRADE LEADER DUTIES – GRADE 8: • Coordinating regular meetings to share and analyse student performance data and success plans with colleagues and parents • Handled concerns from parents as the grade leader and held meetings with relevant parties. LEADERSHIP SKILLS - SCHOOL BASED SUPPORT TEAM MEMBER – PEER EDUCATOR: • Participated in numerous professional development trainings +- 14 trainings per year. • Writing referral letters to School based HPCSA appointed counsellors on matters reported to me such as child neglect, child abuse, sexual assault. • Attended court proceedings as first witness testimony for sexual assault cases reported at school. • Attended numerous meetings held by the district on topics such as HIV/AIDS as SBST member. • Completing SNA (Support Needs Assessment) forms or collecting such forms from educators to be sent to district office.

Education

SACAP - The South African College of Applied Psychology (Private University)

Jan 2018 – Dec 2020

Bsoc Sci Honours, Clinical Psychology

North West University

Jan 2012 – Dec 2012

PGCE - Further Education and Training Level, Education and training

North West University

Jan 2009 – Dec 2012

BA degree, Psychology & English (Humanities)

Michelle Mc Callum

Specialist Wellness Counsellor & Qualified Educator

Skills

Languages