Core Competency 3

Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments.

Social workers are knowledgeable about the principles of logic, scientific inquiry, and reasoned discernment. They use critical thinking augmented by creativity and curiosity. Critical thinking also requires the synthesis and communication of relevant information. Social workers

In social work this core competency is important because it is significant to have a wide range of skills and the ability to communicate clearly. To be an effective social worker you need to be able to distinguish, appraise and integrate multiple sources of knowledge while working in the field of social work. In social work you study a wide range of subjects such as economics, psychology, biology, sociology, cultural anthropology and political science. Also, to be successful with your client you need to be able to communicate effectively. Communication is not only oral but also may include written communication

SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 3

Practice behavior one: distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including research-based knowledge, and practice wisdom;

In social work, it is crucial to gather information from many different sources to be sure the interventions you are practicing are effective. Through my time at Western New England, I have developed the ability to use and identify many different theories that may be useful in a specific case. I have then been able to take these theories and create effective interventions.

Beginning in my sophomore year, I began learning in great depth about many different theories, as you can see in my Human Behavior paper about role theory, family system's theory, and Erikson's Theory. This continued to progress during my junior year where I began to implement the theories we had learned in the past, even if I did not always know I was implementing the theories. In my senior year, I was able to purposely implement the theories I had learned about within practice at my internship. Which is evident in within my senior case presentation.

SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 3

Human Behavior in Environment: role theory, family system, erickson 2.doc

Helping Relationship: case presentation.doc

Senior Seminar: Case Presentation 2016 final.doc

Practice behavior two: analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation; and

As a social worker it is important to be able to analyze past interventions and create new methods of interventions with a client. Through my time at Rick’s Place and the Children’s Study Home, I have learned how to evaluate models of interventions that have worked and models that have not worked. You can read in case note #17 from Rick’s Place when I quickly realized that the intervention I had planned for that night was not working and I changed the intervention. At the Children’s Study Home I have analyzed both short term interventions and long term interventions. These range from single meetings to the systematic set up of the program, which you can read about in the diversity audit below. Overtime I have been able to create interventions that are productive towards the overall goal of the Children’s Study Home, and more importantly the client. I also have experience with analyzing and creating models of assessments. As a Junior I created a full BioPsychoSocial, which has helped me to be able to properly analyze the assessments of the clients that I currently work with at the Children’s Study Home. As a student of social work, I believe that there should be more work on prevention of future issues, rather than intervening when the issue is currently happening. However, even given my beliefs, I have done minimal work on changing large issues on the macro level, and that is why I gave myself a three for this practice behavior.

SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 3

Rick's Place: case note 17.doc

Senior Seminar: Diversity Audit.doc

The Children's Study Home: Learning Log 5 due week of Nov. 9.doc

The Children's Study Home: Learning Log 1 due week of Sept 14.doc

Methods: biopsychsocial assessment final.doc

Practice behavior three: demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and colleagues.

Through my time at Western New England I have developed effective communication skills, both oral and written. In SW 302, the second section of methods, we talked a lot about interviewing and how to properly communicate with clients. In the final assignment of the class, we interviewed acting students that played roles created by the professor. We had to conduct a 20 to 30 minute long interview. This assignment shows my ability to communicate orally and think quickly during a conversation.

While interning at the Children’s Study Home my supervisor has taken a great amount of time to teach me how to properly communicate through writing, because written communication in a social work setting is much different than the type of written communication I have done in the past. After every meeting, the worker has to describe in writing exactly what happened. During treatment reviews you have to write clearly and effectively so the DCF worker and others can understand the progress of the client. I gave myself a three in this area because I have great ability to communicate orally, but I am still growing on my written communication in the professional field of social work.

SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 3

Methods: final part 2.doc

The Children's Study Home: Learning Log 6 due week of Nov. 23.doc

The Children's Study Home: Treatment review 1.pdf, Treatment review 2.pdf, Treatment review 3.pdf, Treatment review 4.pdf