Transcript Practicum Student Panel

IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING
CHALLENGING SITUATIONS
WITH STUDENTS IN THE FIELD
UW School of Social Work
Field Instructor Training Program
Module 10
Identifying and Addressing Challenges
in the Field: Competency Objectives:
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1) Describe the qualities of effective student-PI
relationships
2) Identify common challenging situations involving
students
3) Develop effective strategies and strength-based
methods for problem-solving with students
4) Describe ways of adjusting teaching or
supervisory approaches for optimum student
outcomes.
5) Identify solutions for challenging situations
through small group discussion with practicum
instructors.
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The Changing Context
of SW practice
• increasing complexity of presenting client
problems
• agency constraints and limited resources
• need for workers and students to be
culturally competent
• need for agencies to accommodate for the
special needs of students
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Categories of Challenging
Situations in Practicum
• Wrong placement or “mismatch” requiring
replacement of student
• Student learning problems – the “marginal” student
– Student anxiety or ability may affect progression in achieving
learning goals and objectives.
– Students may have difficulty in “grasping” concepts, applying
social work skills to practice or in being able to integrate theory
and practice.
– It is important to determine if this can be addressed successfully
through intervention.
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Categories of Challenging
Situations in Practicum – Con’t
• Problems with students professional development
– problems with organizational or professional behavior
– difficulty in building collaborative relationships with supervisor,
staff or clients
– inability to give or receive feedback, overreliance on PI over time.
• Emotional, unethical, or illegal behavior
• PI instructional challenges
• The gifted or experienced student
• Other factors or special concerns
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QUALITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE
STUDENT-PI RELATIONSHIP
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Availability
Support
Structure
Promotion of increasing student
autonomy
• Feedback and Evaluation
• Linkage of Theory and Practice
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TIPS ON ADDRESSING
PROBLEMS
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Schedule regular time for supervision
Model the process
Model accountability
Prioritize urgent issues vs. non-urgent
issues
• Actively observe student performance
• Consult with SSW Practicum Liaison as
early on as possible
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TIPS ON ADDRESSING
PROBLEMS – Con’t
• Consider appropriate revisions to
performance expectations
• Be “specific”
• Give “balanced and effective” feedback
• Keep an undated and ongoing records
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Feedback
Should be:
– based on learning objectives
– stated in behavioral terms; concise;
specific; direct; respectful
– timely, ongoing, regular and as close to
the event as possible
– identify skills that need to be developed
and alternative helpful behaviors sought
– reciprocal and invite discussion
– made accessible to BOTH student and PI
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Case Scenario’s
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Case Scenarios
• 1) Your administration student fails miserably at
leading a staff meeting.
• 2) You compliment your student for a job well done
and learn later that he actually performed poorly
• 3) Your student seeks out another staff member for
supervision without your knowledge
• 4) When Should a Field Instructor Become a
Counselor?
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Case Scenarios
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1) JILL, ENTHUSIASTIC BUT COMPLETELY GREEN
2) JANE, BORDERLINE ABILITY
3) VERA, CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
4) BILL, FAILURE TO ABSORB VALUES
5) KETIH, CLASSIC NEGATIVE TRANSFERENCE
6) JOHN, EXPERIENCED AND APPEARS TO BE RESISTIVE
7) SARAH, HIGHLY ADVANCED AND SKILLED IN
PSYCHOTHERAPY
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Activity: Group Discussion
• (a) Discuss the range of and nature of the
challenges?
• (b) What approaches would you use to
address them?
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