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Benefits of school based counseling
Career aspirations related to the field of Special Education
Career aspirations related to the field of Special Education
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Recommended: Benefits of school based counseling
I am currently employed by the New York City Department of Education. I’ve been working with the Committee on Special Education for the past 26 years. Initially, I worked in the Placement Office as a Compliance Monitor processing paperwork generated by the School Assessment Team. However; as a result of changes within the New York City Department of Education, I am now placed in a school setting, with a different title, performing the same duties for the School Assessment Team. The team is comprised of a Psychologist and Social Worker. However, based on school enrollment and the number of Special Education students, there could be more than one or two of each discipline.
My responsibilities as a Clerical Worker for the Assessment Team limits my interactions with students in the school. My duties entail processing paperwork, monitoring reports in the system, tracking students
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As a Social worker intern, I have a caseload that allows me to interact with students, parents, and the administration. On the Micro level, I have direct contact with students from sixth grade to eighth grade, offering counseling and support services using the concepts of the Generalist Practice. Systems Theory at this level allows me to focus on how students interact with the school environment and their families. The emphasis is placed on strengthening skills for working with individuals. According to Kirst – Ashman & Hull (2015), the system is defined as a set of elements that are orderly and interrelated to make a functional whole. While working in the school system with students, I am identified as part of the system that is interrelated to achieve the desired goals. In Micro level, the emphasis is on the individual. As a social Worker Intern, I need to establish good communication skills with the students, set rules and boundaries as it applies and set the foundation that would allow empowerment and
Netting, F. E., Kettner, P. M., McMurtry, S. L., & Thomas, M. L. (2012). Social Work Macro
Social Work is the study of people and how they interact with the systems in their environment and other people. Social Workers use theories, sets of ideas or concepts, of human behavior and apply them within their professional social work ethics to the problems facing clients in order to help them gain balance in the systems in their lives. Theories help to organize knowledge enabling social workers to help make sense of problems. There are many different theories. They have been grouped into broad categories called theoretical lenses (Rogers, A. 2013).
The person-in-environment approach views a client’s problems by how they react to the environmental contexts within their environment and how they occur. According to Gordon and Richmond, it has been stated that the person-in-environment approach is the “cornerstone” of social work practice. (as cited in Rogers, 2016, p.24). A clients’ systems are the interrelated aspects of a clients’ lives where all parts come together to function. Social workers utilize and focus on a clients’ systems when applying the person-in-environment. A clients’ system is anything that they interact with and hold roles in their lives. These systems can be on a micro level which is the individual and their biology, personality, and genetics. The individuals’ mezzo level would include their immediate environment, family, school, friends, or work. A macro level would include the larger social aspects of a clients’ life such as government policies, discrimination, oppression, or social class. Social workers incorporate these interactions and how they impact clients’ and their presenting problems. This theory and approach are beneficial as it allows a social worker to find out what resources are available to the client during their time with the worker (Rodgers,
Theory has been defined as, “an organized set of assumptions, beliefs, or ideas about particular phenomena in the world (Teater, 2015).” Theory is used to understand and explain possible and perceived instances, behaviors and outcomes (Teater, 2015). Social workers use theory in order to understand, as well as, introduce interventions and solutions to their client’s individual situation. It is important for students entering into the social work profession to have a base knowledge of theories, with basic understanding of their similarities and differences to appropriately apply theory in practice. The theories which will be focused on in this paper include Systems Theory and Cognitive Behavioral Theory.
For the lead teacher interview assignment, I had the opportunity to sit down with and interview my son’s EC teacher from last year, Mrs. Hamm. Since my son started at the school last year, Mrs. Hamm has helped him in so many different ways. Mrs. Hamm has been teaching for over 20 years from her home state of Pennsylvania and more currently at Mount Energy Elementary School in Creedmoor, NC. Mrs. Hamm has been teaching at Mount Energy Elementary School in Creedmoor, NC for the last 12 years and recently awarded “Teacher of the Year”. Mrs. Hamm, up until this school year, was the main EC teacher for all grades Kindergarten through fifth grade at Mount Energy Elementary School. As of the present school year, the school district made the determination that she was over the acceptable number of students. As a result, they decided to hire an additional EC teacher and assistant to teach grades 3-5th and Mrs. Hamm would teach grades K-2. Mrs. Hamm was the teacher of 18 students until this decision was made, now with grades K-2, she has 9 students in her class.
Systems ideas is referring to three different types of systems, each created in a different era; general systems theory, ecosystem perspectives and complex systems theory (Healy, 2005). Systems Ideas in social work originated with general systems theory in the 1940’s and 1950’s, formulated by Ludwig Von Bertalanffy in the 1970’s (Payne, 2005). Systems Ideas are very relevant to human related professions such as; doctors, social workers and other institutions. The systems Ideas theory aids social workers to find an individual’s “fit” and “adapt” to the current society (Payne, 2005). There are many people involved in an individual’s social system, from friends and family to institutions such as schools and doctors. These can also be put into further categories formal and informal theories. Formal theories consist of systems such as institutions like social worker and doctors but informal theories include friends, family and community. In complex situations, systems ideas and theory is more appropriate to use than other more casual models of practice.
Practice: Purpose, Principles, and Applications in a Climate of System’s Integration. In Saleebey, D. (Ed.), The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice. Fourth Ed. 171-196. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Forder, A. (1976). Social Work and System Theory. British Journal of Social Work, 6(1), 23-42.
I see the word “system” and conceptualize of all the things that intertwine that make an impact in the client’s life. From what I have learned in lectures my definition of system level interaction is a way in which the social worker helps clients by intervening in large systems. Examples include lobbying to change a health care law, organizing a state-wide activist group or advocating for large-scale social policy change. I believe system level intervention is where the social makes a profound impact in their client’s life. The social worker has the opportunity to create a positive impact not only on the client, but also with other people that are dealing with the same problems. The social worker in system level intervention is an advocator for the unheard because they have the platform to create change, therefore, Macro practice empowers clients by involving them in systemic change. Community development is another system level intervention practice, from forming task groups in the community or treatment groups for the purpose of helping their client overcome their problems at
The practice of Social Work is made up of a variety of systems which organizes the setting for either an individual, small group or a combination of both individual and small group. Furthermore, the setting of micro, working with an individual, and mezzo, working with a small group will be further discussed along with the benefits and challenges of working with each setting. Ultimately, the discussion of which setting will suit this future social worker will also, be discussed. Micro practice is a system which consists of working with an individual. For example, the micro system targets, “personality, emotion, beliefs, behavior, interests, goals, strengths, and weaknesses that make a person unique (Kirst-Ashman, 2014, p. 24).”
Introduction This paper will provide an overview of three social work theories and how they informed social work practice on the macro, mezze, and micro levels. The main tenants of each theory will be discussed. A critical evaluation of each theory’s strengths and limitations will be discussed.
...nce of human relationships, integrity and competence (NASWCE). As a social worker, one will have to understand and stand by these principle’s whether it is in a difficult situation or not. The main key is to stand by what is right. For an example in the story “The Seed,” the young boy stood by his plant even though it did not seem right. Sometimes what one think is not going to work will be the main thing that will work as long as they have the courage to keep pushing and working hard at it. As stated, “if you plant hard work, you will reap success (The Seed).”
Social work practice has become a vital part of our society. They are found in almost every aspect of our community as well as our schools. Social workers are problem solvers that help people deal with daily issues that may become problems that affect them. As our society becomes more challenging, social workers help bridge the gaps for people who face extraordinary challenges in their lives. The social worker’s scope of practice may contain helping at risk or overwhelmed individuals find resources, develop new coping strategies, resolve problems and conflicts, and secure opportunities to improve their quality of life. (Flynn, 2013) Although the scope of practice is basically the same, there are various types of social workers with various levels of education. It doesn’t matter if you are a medical, clinical, school, military, psychiatric or community social worker, the goal is
Over the course of the semester, I have learned a variety of many things regarding social work. These things vary from learning how to help oneself to understanding how to help others. Not only were the textbooks very useful, but also the materials that furthered this textbook learning. The in class presentation, activities, and guest speakers gave us insight and a different perspective on the material we were learning. I feel like this course has given me a good foundation and prepared me as a future social worker (1).
There are many models and theories that shape the practice of social work and the ways in which professional social workers engage with their clients. Most of the models and theories that shape the practice are interchangeable and closely related or intertwined ideas but the oldest models like the Remedial Model, Reciprocal Model and the Social Goals models are the foundation for social work practice and the models and theories that govern it. In order to fully grasp the concepts of any of the resulting models and how to use any model in your practice, you as a practitioner must first master the definition and conceptional use of these models in practice.