A New Beginning

5-22-08- I figure since I am starting a new chapter in my practicum that I should sum up my experience thus far, then come back every week and reflect on my experience as I am supposed to. Just to avoid confusion, if I discuss people at my practicum I will make up an initial for each person to refer to them by.

So when I first began my practicum I wasn’t scared as most other students were, nor was I worried if I would do alright. I was, however, apprehensive as to whether I would have a good experience, or whether I would learn enough or what I needed at Cummins. I was confident in my interactions with my clients, but I was not sure how I would be perceived by my supervisor or coworkers.

The first week I felt more like a guest than an employee, where I participated in the consumer activities like bingo. I quickly began to build relationships with the consumers, careful to make sure they saw me as an employee/intern rather than a friend. I think this has been one of my biggest challenges in the field as I am used to always befriending everyone I meet. I definitely learned the difference between the role of a social worker and a friend.

I felt like an assistant, where I just followed my supervisor, Amanda, around, doing little things and running canteen. Over time I learned how she did paperwork, and procedures that were used for different situations. There was a daily schedule of activities that we always followed because if we deterred even a little the consumers were quick to remind us what we were supposed to be doing. I knew they came to Hoosier House to have structure during their day, but I did not realize how much they depended on that same structure.

It was not until Amanda had surgery and was off for two weeks that I really stepped up and became more productive. Pam, a case manager, was in charge during this time, but usually had me run things so she could work on her cases. During that time I began filling out the morning paperwork, and was in charge of making sure everyone completed it. I always ran canteen every time it was open, and I began making lunch every day for the consumers. Although I was provided the materials and activities for group, I actually ran group every day.

I saw the difference in how my role changed during those two weeks, and I saw the difference in how the consumers saw me. At first I was just the intern, a helper, but then I turned into a leader, the group supervisor. They looked up to me, and came to me for things.

I also was able to start telling the difference between the consumers’ regular actions and behaviors, and those that were a result of their illnesses or disorders. I was learning what severe mental illness each person had based on their actions and behaviors, and I could tell when someone’s behavior was a result of their disorder. I began learning more about mental illnesses, and all the different presenting symptoms they have.

Once Amanda came back I actually felt awkward because I was not sure how to be. Before she left I was just a helper, but while she was gone I became the leader. When she was around I was used to just following her direction, but by then I was used to taking charge and running everything. We soon got back in a groove where I still ran things, and she just gave me the paperwork for the activities.

In all this time I saw myself become a practicing social worker. I was in situations that seemed oddly familiar, then realized it was because I already learned what to do from my coursework. I remember learning about identifying a consumer's goals and objectives in S231, but I just thought it was part of procedure and I would not use it in my real practice. However, while working with a case manager at Cummins I found out they use this exact system with their clients. The paperwork I fill out every morning for them identifies the goal and objective that each consumer is working on while at Hoosier House.

There have been so many individual situations I have experienced at Cummins that have just reinforced my learning at IUPUI. So far, this practicum has been a valuable learning experience, and I look forward to learning even more in the coming weeks.

Week 8 integration question

Week 8:
HBSE/micro: What theories of development would be useful for you to know about in your field placement?

Erickson’s psychosocial stage’s of development, in which a person consecutively passes through eight stages in life, where each stage builds onto the next stage. In each stage, the person must master new challenges, or they therefore become “stuck” in that stage, presenting problems later in life.

Pavlov “classical conditioning”, with his dogs in conditioning them to change their behaviors with changing stimuli and behavior modification techniques

Carl Rogers’ client-centered therapy, as many say this is the beginning of the strengths perspective, and

Joseph Wolpe’s Systematic desensitization

Week 6 integration question

Week 6:
Practice/micro: When is a client’s right to self-determination not the priority?

If they are at harm to their self or others. The NASW Code of Ethics says “Social workers may limit clients' right to self-determination when, in the social workers' professional judgment, clients' actions or potential actions pose a serious, foreseeable, and imminent risk to themselves or others” (NASW, 2007, 1.02). If a client informs me they are planning to hurt another person, or themselves, it is my duty and job to step in and intervene to ensure it does not happen, regardless of the client’s right to self-determination.

National Association of Social Workers. (2007). Code of Ethics, 1.02. Retrieved January 6, 2007 from http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp

Week 5 integration question

Week 5:
Policy/macro: What was your experience at LEAD? What was most valuable? How could your learning experience have been improved?

The first couple hours at LEAD were boring to me because I had no initial interest in policy. It seemed to me like a sales pitch where they were trying to get us interested in their product- in this case the product was policy and legislation.

When we had a choice of groups, I chose the discrimination group, hoping to learn something new, and hoping to actually be interested. I was surprised by the group started, but loved the way it went. This actually felt like the presenters were talking to us, telling us their thoughts and beliefs, and giving us an idea of their lives. This short group about discrimination was the best part of LEAD. I learned a gay man’s perspective on bills that are aimed towards GLBT, yet somehow affect everyone. He also showed us how many things that are thought to only affect GLBTs could affect anyone.

Taking a tour of the Statehouse for the scavenger hunt was interesting, and a good idea. I had to look around the Statehouse and would not otherwise have done it. I did, however, expect more from LEAD. I would have had a better experience if more had been done at the Statehouse, or the presenters found a better way to show how policy and legislation affected us and was part of our life.

Week 4 integration question

Week 4:Practice/micro: How does your personality reflect and influence how you work with clients and coworkers?

I am very outgoing, and sensitive, as well as extremely positive when I work with other people. By using these skills or traits I try to draw out these same feelings from the client or my coworkers. This can lead to building trust, and then a helping relationship. When I am able to keep people thinking positive, or in positive moods, it opens more room for change, development, or just a pleasant environment.

Another feature of my personality is the caring, empathetic, intuitive, and helping side that picks up on other people’s feelings and moods. Whether it is a friend, coworker, client, family, or a stranger, I am good at reading people around me. This allows me to do a quick assessment of what the person in front of me needs, and what personal tools and knowledge I should use in my interaction with him or her.

Thursday April 3

4th (and last) day of camp
Today I came in and everyone was already putting up the volleyball net. We played volleyball in the morning, then I got out things for the boys to draw. I asked each of them to draw a scene or character from their favorite tv show. One of the boys was upset that J was not there yet so he decided to draw a picture of his feelings. Everyone either drew or played games until lunch.

For the group activity I asked each of the boys to write down 5 things they learned this week. Many of them said they learned new things about their friends. One kid said he learned about art (since we had been in the art room).
The kid who called 911 said he learned not to "do stupid things", not to get angry over little stuff, not to steal, that he can do better, and that he can draw more than he thought.
The boy who drew his feelings said he learned not to cuss, not to fight, how to control his feelings, to be nice, and that his friend ("brother") looks up to him.
Another kid said he learned how to interact with his brother better, how to be nicer to his brother, and how to include his brother.

I feel like I learned a great deal more than all of them. I learned about each kid individually, as well as more about adolescent boys in general. Everything I have done in my practicum has been with older adults until now, and I learned how differently these groups act. I do have younger brothers that I help and interact with, but I learned there is a large difference in a relationship with a sibling or someone I know personally, and with a client. When one of these boys asked to do my hair, I automatically said I don't care. But one of the other adults told him that he needed to remember his boundaries. I am glad she stepped in and said something because I would not have otherwise said anything, or thought that this was too much. When another kid asked for a hug later on I did not know what to do because if doing my hair was crossing boundaries then hugging me had to be crossing boundaries. I told him he should hug the kid he thought of as a brother.

I find my biggest dilemma as a social worker is always trying to figure out where that boundary line is. How close is too close...how friendly is too much?

Wedneday, April 2

3rd day of Camp
This day started out like the rest, but by now we knew we were not going to get anymore kids. When I came in J and the kids were already having what seemed to be a serious discussion, which I found out later was very serious. It seemed the previous day (Tuesday) one of the kids decided at the end of the day to go to the office and call 911. He dialed it, hung up, and left like nothing happened. Of course the cops came to the school, the school called J, J called the boys. The kids all denied it, but luckily the office had a camera so they saw who did it.
So in the morning J was disciplining the boy about doing this, and it seems the previous summer he had done the same thing in another group. We tried to figure out what motivated him to do it, but he just said it would be fun. I tried to get him to realize that when he has the cops coming there for nothing it keeps them from going to a real emergency somewhere else. I asked how it would make him feel if he was hurt and needed an ambulance, but they didn't come because someone else had called and pranked 911. I also let the other boys each go around and tell him how they felt about what he did so that he knew what effect he had on everyone else.
We asked the other boys what they thought the punishment should be for his actions. Most said write sentences while another said stand in the corner. I could see this question reflected the kind of punishments they receive at home.
J and I came up with him having to write sentences, as well as write a short essay about what he did, why he did it, and what effect it had on others. He was not allowed to participate in activities the rest of the day, except when we did group activities. He also was not allowed to go anywhere without an adult with him.
Later that day I had a chance to talk to him alone (which is something I like to do with everyone I work with). I asked him if he could repeat the sentence he was writing without looking at it, but he couldn't. I asked if he knew what the use was of him writing that sentence, except just for punishment, but he didn't know. The sentence said something along the lines of "I will accept responsibility for my actions, and I will behave and follow the rules". I explained to him that he should first write the sentences individually instead of writing "I" down the line, then "will" down the line, etc. This way he would be able to remember the sentence later on when it became significant.
It is obvious why he should remember to behave and follow the rule, but I asked if he knew what being responsible for your actions meant, and he didn't. I explained that it meant he needed to admit what he does, even if it is hard to do that. I said taking responsibility means to tell others when he has done things and not let someone else be blamed, even if he is scared of getting in trouble. I asked if he was scared of getting in trouble for calling 911 and he said yes.
I then asked if he thought J ever got scared like that, and he of course said he thought J never got scared. I explained that that is what being a man is- even when you are scared still take responsibility, you still stand up for what is right. I knew that all the boys looked up to J and thought he was a big, strong man who was not scared of anything. Most kids think adults are perfect and that they have to be perfect too. I told him even J messed up sometimes, but he always took responsibility for what he did no matter if he was scared or not.
He seemed to really listen to what I was telling him, and really catch on to the concept. I asked him further if his best friend had been blamed for calling 911 and was sitting right there writing the sentences all day while he played, if he would accept responsibility and tell on himself. He said he probably would not because he would be too scared. I thanked him for being honest and asked if he would be willing to work on that.

By the third day the kids were getting restless and bored of doing the same activities everyday, so I found one of the custodians and asked if we could have access to the gym equipment. She took me to the principal to ask, and he said we could take out 5-12 items from the closet and keep it with us until the last day. The kids were ecstatic when they got to pick out things to do. We got out a volleyball net, bowling ball and pins, jump ropes, dodgeballs, and a few other things.

After lunch the group activity was another paper that had questions of: I feel (angry, scared, sad, etc) when..., my favorite (toy, color, food) is..., when i think of (black, orange, red, green, etc) I think of..., what is something (sharp, smooth, sour, sweet, warm, etc).... There were 44 questions total. Some things they wrote were:
I feel happy when I win, with my mom, have a good day.
The scariest thing in the world is when I'm in trouble, my mom, going to juvie.
Today I feel happy, pissed, sad, okay.
Rain makes me feel sleepy, tired, dark, good.
When I grown up I want to be a football player, pro soccer player, fireman, army man.

The rest of the day was pretty fun playing a larger variety of games.