MSW Field Supervisor TrainingMSW Field Supervisor Training

UMD Department of Social WorkUMD Department of Social WorkApril 3, 2006April 3, 2006

*materials adapted from Council on Social Work Education From Mission to Evaluation: A Field *materials adapted from Council on Social Work Education From Mission to Evaluation: A Field

Instructor Training Program Alan J. DettlaffInstructor Training Program Alan J. Dettlaff

Welcome!Welcome!

Name Name

• • Agency affiliationAgency affiliation

• • Experience providing field instruction Experience providing field instruction

What Is the Field Instructor What Is the Field Instructor Training Program?Training Program?

The Field Instructor Training Program is The Field Instructor Training Program is designed to provide agency-based field designed to provide agency-based field instructors with the specialized knowledge instructors with the specialized knowledge and skills necessary for effective field and skills necessary for effective field supervision. supervision. • Training is required for any social work • Training is required for any social work practitioner providing supervision to social practitioner providing supervision to social work students. work students.

Why are We Requiring This Why are We Requiring This Now?Now?

The Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards The Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) of CSWE refers to field education as “an integral (EPAS) of CSWE refers to field education as “an integral component of social work education” and mandates that component of social work education” and mandates that social work programs provide a minimum of 400 hours of social work programs provide a minimum of 400 hours of field education to baccalaureate students and 900 hours of field education to baccalaureate students and 900 hours of field education to master’s students (CSWE, 2002). field education to master’s students (CSWE, 2002).

EPAS guidelines further mandate that social work EPAS guidelines further mandate that social work programs provide both orientation and field programs provide both orientation and field instruction training to agency-based field instruction training to agency-based field instructors (CSWE, 2002).instructors (CSWE, 2002).

Why are we Why are we really requiring really requiring this?this?

We recognize that our We recognize that our field supervisors are field supervisors are getting squeezed in their getting squeezed in their roles in agencies and are roles in agencies and are having increased having increased challenges in finding the challenges in finding the time to spend with time to spend with studentsstudents

We want our students to We want our students to have positive experiences have positive experiences in their supervisory in their supervisory relationships, as well as relationships, as well as their field placementstheir field placements

Why???……Why???……

We have become We have become increasingly increasingly concerned about concerned about the the quality of quality of supervisionsupervision provided to our provided to our students in their students in their field placementsfield placements

Tell Us More….Tell Us More….

Research indicates that specialized training is necessary Research indicates that specialized training is necessary for social workers acting as field instructors (Ellison, for social workers acting as field instructors (Ellison, 1994; Fortune & Abramson, 1993; Knight, 2001; 1994; Fortune & Abramson, 1993; Knight, 2001; Livingston, Davidson, & Marshack, 1989; Rogers & Livingston, Davidson, & Marshack, 1989; Rogers & McDonald, 1995). McDonald, 1995).

Field supervision requires advanced training as it Field supervision requires advanced training as it encompasses a teaching element. Being proficient with a encompasses a teaching element. Being proficient with a social work skill does not indicate that a person knows social work skill does not indicate that a person knows how to teach that skill.how to teach that skill.

More….More….

Many studies have been Many studies have been conducted to identify the conducted to identify the knowledge and skills knowledge and skills necessary for effective necessary for effective field supervision. This field supervision. This workshop will provide workshop will provide you with this information you with this information and allow you the and allow you the opportunity to practice opportunity to practice these skills. these skills.

Importance of What You Do..Importance of What You Do..

The most powerful predictor of student The most powerful predictor of student satisfaction with field is the satisfaction with field is the quality of field quality of field instruction.instruction.(Fortune & Abramson(1993)(Fortune & Abramson(1993)

Kadushin and Harkness (2002) state that Kadushin and Harkness (2002) state that educational supervision is concerned with educational supervision is concerned with teaching the knowledge, skills, and attitudes teaching the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for performance of social work tasks.for performance of social work tasks.

You know you just “want to know” You know you just “want to know” what more research says….what more research says….

Years after the field experience social Years after the field experience social workers can still recall the impact of the workers can still recall the impact of the student-field instructor relationship on their student-field instructor relationship on their professional, emotional, and intellectual professional, emotional, and intellectual development. (Power & Bogo, 2002)development. (Power & Bogo, 2002)

Stoltenberg,et al (1998) stresses the Stoltenberg,et al (1998) stresses the importance of structure, validation, and the importance of structure, validation, and the absolute necessity of observation for entry-absolute necessity of observation for entry-level trainees in graduate education.level trainees in graduate education.

We know it is complicated…We know it is complicated…

Munson(2002) describes the complex Munson(2002) describes the complex balancing act that field instructors must balancing act that field instructors must master. They must balance the rights of master. They must balance the rights of clients, the policies of the agency, and the clients, the policies of the agency, and the ethics of our profession with the learning ethics of our profession with the learning needs of the supervisees.needs of the supervisees.

Other little-known field research Other little-known field research findings…findings…

Knight (1996,2001) found 10% of students Knight (1996,2001) found 10% of students were receiving less than the recommended were receiving less than the recommended level of supervisionlevel of supervision

Knight’s study (2001) showed that about Knight’s study (2001) showed that about 2/3 of the students did not have live 2/3 of the students did not have live supervision; and that students valued the supervision; and that students valued the live supervision later in the placement when live supervision later in the placement when supervisors tended to supply lesssupervisors tended to supply less

Results of a very recent study on Results of a very recent study on “Quality of MSW Field Instruction”“Quality of MSW Field Instruction”Freeman,Duncan-Daston,Forrester, presented at CSWE APM, February, 2006Freeman,Duncan-Daston,Forrester, presented at CSWE APM, February, 2006

Meeting supervision requirements is the key Meeting supervision requirements is the key to student satisfactionto student satisfaction

Ethical/legal issues, whether resolved or Ethical/legal issues, whether resolved or not, lower satisfaction for studentsnot, lower satisfaction for students

The one variable associated with The one variable associated with satisfaction for both students and field satisfaction for both students and field instructors was that of a structured student instructors was that of a structured student orientation to the agency!orientation to the agency!

The Mission of Field EducationThe Mission of Field Education

Field education is generally regarded as the capstone of the Field education is generally regarded as the capstone of the social work education experience. It is the time when social work education experience. It is the time when students get to learn by doing, under the supervision of an students get to learn by doing, under the supervision of an agency-based field instructor. agency-based field instructor.

In the field, the focus turns from the acquisition of In the field, the focus turns from the acquisition of knowledge to the application of knowledge. Students are knowledge to the application of knowledge. Students are provided with opportunities to apply the social work provided with opportunities to apply the social work knowledge and skills obtained in the classroom to actual knowledge and skills obtained in the classroom to actual practice situations. practice situations.

OK, OK, What is the Point?OK, OK, What is the Point?

The goal of the field placement is for The goal of the field placement is for students to successfully integrate theory students to successfully integrate theory into practice, thus learning to serve clients into practice, thus learning to serve clients effectively. effectively.

Upon completion of the field placement, Upon completion of the field placement, students should be ready to begin social students should be ready to begin social work practice within an agency setting. work practice within an agency setting.

Your Role as the “Field Your Role as the “Field Supervisor/Instructor”Supervisor/Instructor”

Field instructors are Field instructors are considered social work considered social work educators in the field educators in the field and play an important and play an important role in the professional role in the professional development of social development of social work students. work students.

How you interact with your How you interact with your student matters….student matters….

Research indicates that Research indicates that the supervisory style the supervisory style and characteristics of and characteristics of the field instructor the field instructor have a significant have a significant impact on students’ impact on students’ overall evaluations of overall evaluations of the instructor and the the instructor and the placement experienceplacement experience

……really..what not to do….really..what not to do….

Furthermore, research Furthermore, research indicates that the indicates that the quality of the field quality of the field instructor is the most instructor is the most significant factor significant factor affecting students’ affecting students’ satisfaction with the satisfaction with the field placement field placement (Fortune & Abramson, (Fortune & Abramson, 1993).1993).

Your Challenge as a Field Your Challenge as a Field Instructor/SupervisorInstructor/Supervisor

It is the role of the field instructor to assist It is the role of the field instructor to assist students in applying the social work students in applying the social work knowledge, values, and skills they have knowledge, values, and skills they have learned thus far to an agency setting. This learned thus far to an agency setting. This involves involves creating learning opportunitiescreating learning opportunities for students to integrate theory and practice. for students to integrate theory and practice.

Teach them how to practice Teach them how to practice social work!social work!

The challenge for field The challenge for field instructors is to teach instructors is to teach students how to practice students how to practice social work, not how to do social work, not how to do a particular job in your a particular job in your particular agency. It is easy particular agency. It is easy to teach someone how to to teach someone how to do a job. The purpose of do a job. The purpose of field education is not for a field education is not for a student to learn how to student to learn how to work in your agency, as work in your agency, as most students do not work most students do not work in their field agency after in their field agency after graduation. graduation.

Teach the knowledge, values, and Teach the knowledge, values, and skillsskills

By the conclusion of the field placement, your By the conclusion of the field placement, your student should be able to apply these abilities to student should be able to apply these abilities to any practice setting. If your student completes the any practice setting. If your student completes the placement knowing how to work in your agency, placement knowing how to work in your agency, but has no understanding of how to use the but has no understanding of how to use the knowledge, values, and skills necessary for knowledge, values, and skills necessary for effective practice, the student is no more prepared effective practice, the student is no more prepared to begin social work practice than before the to begin social work practice than before the placement began. placement began.

Who do you want your student to Who do you want your student to be?be?

As a field instructor, one of your first tasks should be to As a field instructor, one of your first tasks should be to create a vision of the qualities and characteristics you create a vision of the qualities and characteristics you would like your field student to have by the end of the would like your field student to have by the end of the placement. placement.

The immediate vision involves helping your student apply The immediate vision involves helping your student apply all of his or her knowledge to a practice setting. all of his or her knowledge to a practice setting.

The larger vision is your role in the life and professional The larger vision is your role in the life and professional

development of the student.development of the student.

Oh yes..the “small group”Oh yes..the “small group”

Discuss in small groups the qualities and Discuss in small groups the qualities and characteristics you would like your students characteristics you would like your students to possess by the end of the placement and a to possess by the end of the placement and a write these on the worksheet. write these on the worksheet.

As the mentor to your student, think about As the mentor to your student, think about the qualities and characteristics you would the qualities and characteristics you would like your student to have by the conclusion like your student to have by the conclusion of the field placement. of the field placement.

I have a dream….I have a dream….

Identify the methods and techniques you Identify the methods and techniques you will use to teach these qualities and will use to teach these qualities and characteristics to your students ; write these characteristics to your students ; write these in the space provided. in the space provided.

For every quality and characteristic you For every quality and characteristic you identified previously, determine the identified previously, determine the methods you are going to use to provide methods you are going to use to provide your student with these traits. your student with these traits.

Your “assignment”Your “assignment”Quality Quality /Characteristic/skill/Characteristic/skill

Method to make it Method to make it happen….happen….

empathyempathy Have student observe Have student observe myself or other workers myself or other workers demonstrating this quality demonstrating this quality and then discuss in and then discuss in supervision.supervision.

We require MSW supervisors to We require MSW supervisors to meet with their field student how meet with their field student how

often?often?1.1. Once a monthOnce a month

2.2. Once a weekOnce a week

3.3. Every other weekEvery other week

4.4. Never. Just thinking about the student is Never. Just thinking about the student is enough.enough.

Is it reasonable to expect that the Is it reasonable to expect that the student might need supervision student might need supervision

outside of their regularly scheduled outside of their regularly scheduled time?time?

1.1. YesYes

2.2. NoNo

Which is the most important to Which is the most important to students?students?

1.1. That the supervisor is availableThat the supervisor is available

2.2. That the supervisor provides feedbackThat the supervisor provides feedback

3.3. That the supervisor is empatheticThat the supervisor is empathetic

What should you NOT do?What should you NOT do?

1.1. Go on vacation and neglect to tell your Go on vacation and neglect to tell your student or make any arrangements for student or make any arrangements for their supervisiontheir supervision

2.2. Attend required meetings that UMD says Attend required meetings that UMD says are importantare important

3.3. Provide a written evaluation at the mid-Provide a written evaluation at the mid-point and end of the placementpoint and end of the placement

4.4. I would not do any of the aboveI would not do any of the above

Top 10 ListTop 10 List(what not to do as a field supervisor)(what not to do as a field supervisor)

Agree to take a student and then Agree to take a student and then “assign” them to someone else, “assign” them to someone else, without discussing it with the other without discussing it with the other social worker or UMDsocial worker or UMD

Have a sexual relationship with Have a sexual relationship with your internyour intern

Neglect to provide a basic Neglect to provide a basic orientation (parking,computer, orientation (parking,computer, what folks do for lunch,role,agency what folks do for lunch,role,agency “issues”/”policies”/”practices”,etc)“issues”/”policies”/”practices”,etc)

Blow off the regular supervision Blow off the regular supervision meetings or refuse to schedule anymeetings or refuse to schedule any

Violate the NASW Code of EthicsViolate the NASW Code of Ethics Tell them to ignore the stuff they Tell them to ignore the stuff they

are learning in graduate school and are learning in graduate school and just pay attention to how it is just pay attention to how it is “done” in your agency“done” in your agency

Ignore information they might Ignore information they might bring to you regarding new bring to you regarding new research or “best practices” they research or “best practices” they have learnedhave learned

Pretend like you know everythingPretend like you know everything Pretend like you do not know Pretend like you do not know

anythinganything Ignore any communication from Ignore any communication from

the field coordinator or liaisonsthe field coordinator or liaisons