School Social580

Web Page: http://content.parkhill.k12.mo.us/FRS/SW580.htm

School Social Work

• Syllabus/ Assignments• Overview of School Social Work• “Freedom Writers”• “Many Ways of Knowing”• Group- “First Memory of School”• Ethics and Standards• Roles & Responsibility• History & Major Educational Legislation

Course Requirements   Participation: Be prepared to participate in course discussion and activities. Prompt and

regular attendance is expected. Readings should be completed before class meetings. 

• Book Study: Will lead one book study discussion

• Mini Assignments: There will be 3 mini assignments that will require information brought to class to perform in-class group work.

• Oral/Written Presentation: You will be asked to create a presentation for the class on one of the suggested topics (see handout). This assignment is designed for you to become our class “expert” on a pertinent school topic, and to present it to the class in a manner that encourages participation and discussion. After you have completed your presentation you will need to submit a written discussion of what you learned from presenting to the class.

• Portfolio: Your accomplishment of education outcomes and school social work standards (see handout) will be documented in a portfolio. Guidelines for the content and preparation of portfolios will be presented in class.

Grading     Class participation, (1 point per hour) 40

pts     Book Study (run 1 session each)

30 pts Mini Assignments(3 at 10 pts each) 30

pts    Oral/ Written Presentation 40 pts Portfolio 60 pts

Overview of School Social Work

“As a field of practice, school social work has expanded its scope and changed the professional identity of its practitioners. Many of the economic, educational, and social changes that occur have made family life more difficult, increasing the number of at-risk children in public schools and the range of services they require.”

Knowledge Areas

• Ethics & Standards• Roles & Responsibilities• Major Educational

Legislation• School as a System• Confidentiality/ FERPA• Documentation/ Record

keeping• Special Education• Equal Educational

Opportunity

• Areas of Risk• Behavior Problems• School Issues• Cross-cultural practice• Risk & Resiliency• Services in schools• Assessment & treatment• Group work• Engaging families &

communities• Evaluation

Freedom Writers

The story begins in 1994 when freshmen at a Long Beach high school are assigned to an English class for "problem kids." Darrius is on parole. Henry is dealing crack. Gang membership is the norm in this class of mainly poor and non-white kids. An unlikely new teacher walks in wearing a preppie suit and pearls. Erin Gruwell is fresh out of teacher training and tries to do her job with calm and patience.

But just days later, she flies off the handle. She actually screams at her startled students. Her outburst is not due to the rowdy inattentiveness of Room 203. She has intercepted a note of a sketched black face with cartoon lips. Infuriated, Ms. Gruwell yells that this is the kind of stereotyping that led to the Holocaust. The students respond with blank stares. Her students have never heard of the Holocaust. She asks how many have been shot at for belonging to a "wrong" group. Nearly everyone in the class raises a hand.

"These kids were the failing, dyslexic, gang-member students that got thrown into one class," said Gruwell. "Even in the teachers lounge, they were referred to as 'stupid,' 'dumb,' and 'for heavens' sake don't give them a computer, they'll hock it!'"

"Why does the world's richest economy settle for a poor education system?" And, more importantly, "How can we change that?"

Many Ways of Knowing

• What is truth?• How may we know it?• Is there such thing as truth and may we ever know

it?“Those who define the questions to be asked define

the parameters of the answers, and it is the parameters of the questions and the ensuing answers that function as the lens by which people view reality?

Many Ways of Knowing

• Distance & objectivity

• Deeply personal & empathic knowing

• Statistical analysis & probability tests

• “Being there”

• “practice wisdom”

“We must not turn our backs on any opportunity to enhance or knowledge”

Code of Ethics

Safeguards the reputation of a professional by providing explicit criteria that can be employed to regulate the behavior of members.

  Furthers competent and reasonable practice by its members.

Protects the public from exploitation by unscrupulous or incompetent practitioners.

Principles are basic rules or guides to one’s practice behavior.

 

Principles Focused on the Social Worker as a Professional Person

The Social Worker Should Practice Social Work

The Social Worker Should Engage in Conscious Use of Self

The Social Worker Should Maintain Professional Objectivity

The Social Worker Should Respect Human Diversity

The Social Worker Should Seek Personal and Professional Growth

Guiding Principles for Social Workers

Principles That Guide Practice Activities 

The Social Worker Should Do No Harm The Social Worker Should Engage in Conscious KnowledgeThe Social Worker Should Engage in Conscious Value-Guided and Ethical

PracticeThe Social Worker Should Be Concerned with the Whole Person The Social Worker Should Treat the Client with DignityThe Social Worker Should Individualize the Client The Social Worker Should Lend Vision to the Client The Social Worker Should Build on Clients Strengths The Social Worker Should Maximize Client Participation The Social Worker Should Maximize Client Self- Determination The Social Worker Should Help the Client Learn Self- Directed Problem-

Solving Skills The Social Worker Should Maximize Client Empowerment The Social Worker Should Protect Client Confidentiality The Social Worker Should Adhere to the Philosophy of Normalization –The Social Worker Should Continuously Evaluate the Progress of the Change

Process The Social Worker Should Be Accountable to Clients, Agency, Community,

and the Social Work

Standards for Social Work Services in Schools

• Competence and professional practice

• Professional preparation and development

• Administrative structure and support

 

Roles & Responsibilities

• Broker• Advocate• Teacher• Counselor• Case Manager• Staff Developer• Social Change Agent• Professional

• Team Member• Consultant • Group Leader

History1906-1907 School social work services begin independently in New York City, Boston &

Hartford.

1913 Rochester, NY becomes the first school system to finance school social work services.

1945 The US Office of Education recommends that a professional school social work certificate be a master’s degree in social work (MSW).

1955 NASW by-laws provide for the establishment of school social work specialty.

1959 Specialist position in school social work established in the Office of Education.

1973 NASW Council on Social Work in Schools meets for the first time.

1976 NASW develops first set of standards for school social work.

1992 Standards for social work service in schools are revised by NASW.

1994 School Social Work Association of America is formed, independent of NASW.

Major Educational Legislation1964 Civil Rights Act of 1964-prohibited discrimination in federally assisted programs

based on race, color or national origin, assisted school staff in dealing with problems caused by desegregation.

1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965- (Title I)authorized grants for children of low-income families

1972 1972 Education Amendment (Title IX)- federal law prohibits sex discrimination in the admission & treatment of students by educational institutions receiving federal assistance.

1973 Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) covered students who have a disability and may need special accommodations but not “special education and related services” as specified by IDEA.

1974 Child Abuse and Neglect Treatment Act-federal financial assistance to states that had implemented programs for the identification, prevention, and treatment of child abuse and neglect.

1974 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act of 1974- provided resources to develop and implement programs to keep elementary and secondary students in school.

1974 Family Education and Privacy Act of 1074- (FERPA)- responded to concerns privacy of student records.

1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act- shift in educating children with disabilities and for social workers contribution to the process.

1987 Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act- ensure homeless children & youth receive a public education

1990 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act- extended services to infants, toddlers and preschoolers

1994 Safe Schools Act- grants to implement violence prevention programs

1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997- established IEP as major tool for students progress and that students be included in assessment programs.

2001 No Child Left Behind Bill- The Act is the most sweeping reform of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) since ESEA was enacted in 1965. It redefines the federal role in K-12 education and will help close the achievement gap between disadvantaged and minority students and their peers. It is based on four basic principles: stronger accountability for results, increased flexibility and local control, expanded options for parents, and an emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven to work.

Major Educational Legislation