Students learn about social work values, ethics, knowledge, and skills in the classroom. Learning to critically analyze and intentionally apply this information occurs in practicum education. Social work students begin the evolution from student to practitioner through the hands-on experiences, coaching, and teaching feedback provided by Practicum Instructors. Reflective practice begins with your teaching! Integrating knowledge and practice is a critical feature of practicum instruction and supervision.
Students learn how to become critical thinkers on their feet by learning to be reflective, by asking intentional questions, and by considering closely information provided in practicum supervision meetings. When processing with students about their observations of client contacts, groups, meetings, and progress with assigned tasks, a few simple questions to begin with are listed below:
What was the purpose?
What? So what? Now What? Why?
What knowledge, value, or skills were important and why?
What happened? What result did you see? What might be an alternative course?
Why? Why? Why?
One great 'why' of helping students learn to integrate and reflect on their observations, thinking, and actions is intentionally and explicitly modeling the behavior. Dissect your observations, thinking, and actions in your own work, and your observations of the student's work.
Social Work Values
Service
Social Justice
Dignity and Worth of the Person
Importance of Human Relationships
Integrity
Competence
Social Work Knowledge
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Populations-at-Risk and Social and Economic Justice
Human Behavior and the Social Environment
Social Work Practice and Interventions
Research
Skills
Attending
Rapport
Clarifying
Paraphrasing
Reflecting Feelings
Summarizing
Stating Where the Client Is
Probing
Focusing
Verbal Following
Empathetic Communication
Confrontation
Establishing Goals
Identifying Tasks
Contracting
Educating
Reframing
Reviewing & Evaluating
Terminating Skills