Teresa Palmercase Part II Field Orientation Undergraduate Experiential Learning
Teresa PalmerCase | Part II Field Orientation | Undergraduate | Experiential learning
This exercise is designed to assist you in practicing how to quickly navigate and practice documenting the three main field education forms:
1. Time &Task Log, 2.Student Integrative Learning Contract, 3.Student Evaluation.
This exercise is also designed to increase your awareness of the role and importance of these documents in documenting your developing social work competencies.
Even though, you will not complete the “Other Field Evaluation Forms”, upon completion of the Palmer Case, ☐navigate to this area on the website and make a mental note these documents are due at the end of each semester.
Finally, as you complete each step, place a or
in the corresponding box ☒and be prepared to sign the Field Agreement stating you completed this experiential activity.
Submit Field Agreement to your Orientation Instructor.
Field Document #1:Time & Task Log for Teresa Palmer
Step #1: ☐Read the entire Teresa Palmer Experience (pg. 3-6)
Step #2:☐Navigate to the website and open a blank TimeTask Log
Step #3:☐Complete one week of the TimeTask log based on the Teresa Palmer
Experience- all practice is based on the Teresa Palmer Experience
Step #4:☐Compare your TimeTask Log to the Sample
Field Document #2:Student Integrative Learning Contract for Teresa Palmer
Step #1:☐Navigate to the website and open a blank Student Integrative Learning
Contract
Step #2:☐Complete the Cover page- Type directly into the document (page 1)
Step #3:☐Read, to yourself, the (10) Program Competencies associated with you
earning aProfessional degree in social work
Step #4:Select one of three learning areas- Direct Practice, Service Impact, and/or Professional Learning):
☐Create one Learning Objective, Identify relevant Competencies,
☐Create five (5) Incremental Task Assignments,
☐Select Most Appropriate Methods of Evaluation,
☐Type your Initials and date
Field Document #3: Student Evaluation for Teresa Palmer
Step #1:☐Complete the Cover page – Type directly into the document
Step #2:☐Read the paragraph in the box on the cover sheet, describing how
students are evaluated and how a competent student is described
Step #3:☐Read the (10) Program Competencies associated with you earning a
Professional degree in social work
Step #4:☐Read the information under the Performance Dimension Scale
Step #5: ☐Read the five rating levels and their general definition
Step #6:☐Read Practice Behaviors and Outcome Measures for all three learning
areas: Direct Practice,Service Impact, & Professional Learning
Step #7: ☐Navigate to the final page, signature page
Upon completion of this activity please check in with your instructor and then close all documents without saving them.
The Teresa Palmer Experience
OnWednesday,September 14,2016,Teresa Palmerbeganherfield placementatStowAwayChildrenandFamilyServiceslocatedinArrowhead,Ohio.Sheattendedtwodaysofhernewfieldplacementon Wednesday from8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (8 hours)andFriday from 8 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (7 hours) for a total of 15 hours.
TheweekpriortoTeresa'sscheduledhoursatherfieldeducationexperience,shesentan emailtotheagencyfollowedbyaphonecallconfirmingthedate,thelocationforherfirstday,andtheindividualshewassupposedtoreport touponherarrivalthefollowingweek.
TeresaarrivedtotheagencyatthescheduledtimeonWednesdayandwasgreetedbyherfieldinstructor-Larry.Larryimmediatelyshowedhertheareaassignedtoherwhenevershewasattheagency.AsTeresaplacedherworkbaginthedrawerofherassigneddesk,Larrysaiditwastimetomeet thestaff.HewalkedTeresaaroundtheagencyintroducinghertovariouspeoplewithassignedroleswithintheagency.TeresametLourdes,theofficemanagerandbookkeeper,Anna,theadministrativeassistant,Jerry,thecaseaide,Jennifer,Cheryl,andAnna,thesocialworkers, andMonserrat,thedirectorofprograms.
Aftertheseventhintroduction,TeresawhisperedtoLarrythatshewasnotsureshecouldrememberallthenames.Larrysmiledandstatedthatherconcernwasunderstandableandsuggestedshetakenotesasheintroducedhertopeople.Hecontinuedbysayingshecouldwritetheirnameandtheirrole intheagencyin her notebook orshecouldaskfortheirbusinesscardandplacethisinformationon thebackalongwithwhatstoodoutaboutthemtohelpwithherrecollectionofeachofperson.WhenTeresastaredbackathim,hesmiledandreassuredherthatthestaff atthisagencyunderstoodwhatshewastryingtodoandwouldappreciatethatshewasattemptingtorememberthem.Larrycontinuedbyexplainingthatsuccessfulagenciesworkasateamandeventhougheachpersonisassignedarole-theserolesintersectwithoneanother.Therewillbemanytimeswhenthestudentwillhaveaneedandtherewillalsobetimeswhenthestudentisthehelper.Larry continued by stating: “Bothroles areneededin our agency.”Once Larry paused, Teresathought,"Whatdoesasuccessfulagencylooklike?Whatdoesitdo?Thesequestionsremainedwithher.
LarryresumedintroducingTeresatoemployeesoftheagencywhile also takingheronatouroftheagency.Teresabegantowritenames and relevant information in her notebookoraskforbusinesscards, and placed the business cards in her notebook.Teresafeltawkwarddoingthisbutnooneseemedtobebothered. Each person waitedpatientlyasshewrote their names, titles, and roles within the agency or eagerly located a business card.
Astheyenteredthewaitingroomoftheagency,TeresawasstruckwiththeleveloffamiliaritythatLarryseemedtohavewithclientsinthewaitingroom.Eventhoughthestaffseemedtocalleachotherbyfirstnames,thestaff,includingLarry,calledclientsbytheirsurname-Mr.JacksonorMs.James.TeresaalsonoticedthatLarry thankedtheclients forpatientlywaitingtoseetheirworker.Teresawasthinking,"Whythedifference?Whysuch formalitywithclientsandinformalitywithemployees?TeresadidnotsayanythingbutthepotentialanswerstohergrowinglistofquestionsinherheadwereimpactingherabilitytostayinthemomentwithLarry.Shelookedupattheagencyclockandrealizedthatithadonlybeen45minutessinceshearrivedtotheagencyforherfirstday.Shealreadyhadsomanyquestionsinherheadandheremotionsvacillatedbetweenexcitementandparalyzingfearwhenherfieldinstructor,Larry,interruptedherthoughtsandtoldherthatshewasinluck,todaywastheirstaffmeeting. The meeting would begin inonehourand theywouldmeetintheconferenceroomdownthelonghallway,seconddoortotheleft.
TeresagaveLarryablankstareandhesmiledandbegantowalkherbacktoherarea.Astheywerewalking,Larrybegantotalkaboutthemanyquestionshe assumed she was contemplatingandhowoverwhelmingbeginnings were in general for most people.Hedescribedanexercisehefoundusefulwithnewinternsandbasedonprevious interns’ feedback,the exercise seemed useful for them.Hecontinuedbystatingthatthisexercisecanalsobetemporarilyusedastheiragendafortheirrequired weeklyonehour face to facesupervision.Larrydid notknowthatTeresawasreadytohide, notwork(ormaybehedid).AstheyarrivedtoTeresa'sarea,heaskedhertotakeoutaregularsheetofpaperanddivideitintotwocolumnscreatingalinedownthemiddleofthepage.Ontheleftside,writethelistofquestionsshewas thinking aboutsincearrivingtotheagency.Ontherightside(orsecondcolumn)listthefeelingssheexperiencedsincearrivingtotheagency.LarryandTeresasatdownandLarrycontinuedbyexplainingthathediscoveredwhen-newbiesocialworkstudents'pause'and'document'theirquestions, thoughts,andfeelings,itprovidesawealthofdevelopmentalinformationtouseforboththestudentandthefieldinstructor.Thisdocumentedinformationprovidesanopportunityforthestudentstonoteeithertheirgrowthorlackofgrowthbyreviewingthesenotesoveraperiodoftime.
Teresawassorelievedtositquietly,yetshe experiencedsomedifficulty
focusingherthoughts becauseofallthenewsounds,smells,andsights,yet
afterseveralminutes,shebecameimmersedinwritingher initialquestions and
feelings.Thelongershesatquietly,clarity surfaced and shebegantothink
aboutadditionalquestionsshewanted to askLarryrelatedtoherinitialexperiences
attheagency.Asshewasfinalizingherthoughtsandfeelingsonpaper,
astaffapproachedherandremindedherthatthestaffmeetingwasscheduledto
beginin15 minutes.Teresathankedthepersonandwondered(inherhead)what
was this person’s name,howshe fitintheagency,andthelocationofthe
conferenceroom.
AsTeresarealizedthatshetrulydidnotrememberthelocation oftheconferenceroomandwhetherornotitwasshowntoheronthetour,shedecidedshehad10minutestolocateitandifshelocateditearly,itwasbettertobeearlythanlate.Teresaalsoknewthatshedidnot haveagoodsenseofdirection,sothismight takeherawhile.Teresapickedupherpadandpenandbeganwalkingdownalonghallwaylookingfortheconferenceroom.Shewasjustbeginningtothinkshewasquitelostwhenshepeekedintoaroomandsawherfieldinstructorhunchedoveradocumenteditingprofusely.Whilehewaspreoccupiedanddidnotknowshewasthere,Teresalookedaroundtheroom.Shequickly saidto herself:"Thisisnota conferenceroomthisisanofficewithtableandchairs."ItwasatthismomentthatLarrylookedup,smiledandsaid:"EarlybirdgetsthewormI"Teresasmiledandhadnoideawhathewastalkingaboutbuthe seemedquitepleasedshewasearlyforthestaffmeeting.TeresasatquietlynexttoLarryasheresumedhistask.Teresa'smindbegantogeneratequestions:Whatwasexpectedofherduringthisstaffmeeting?Howwouldthestaffrespondtoher?Whatifshehadtotalk?Teresaremembered'pause'and'document'.She glanced quickly at her field instructor, pulledoutherpadandbegantowriteherthoughts,herquestions.Teresawassoimmersedin herwritingthatshewasstartledwhensheheardlaughter.Severalstaffhad enteredtheconferenceroomandsaw bothherand Larryworkingandbegan to tease Larryabouthowhardhewasonthenewinternsoearlyinher field placement.Teresawasembarrassed,yetthelaughterseemedtobegood.Larrywaslaughingandthegroupseemedtounderstandeachother.LarryproceededtointroduceTeresa.Hestatedtothegroupthat overthenextthreeweekstheywouldcreateadevelopmentalplanforTeresa'sacademicyear-twoconsecutivesemesterswiththem.
TheuniversityreferredtothisplanasaStudentIntegrativeLearningContract.LarrycontinuedandsaidheexpectedTeresatobeabletoworkeffectivelywiththeirclientele,haveherowncaseloadofaminimumoftwoclientspriortoleavingtheagency,learnhowtodocumentservicedeliveryontheirelectroniccaserecordandcreatea'cheat sheet'fornewinternswhowouldusetheirelectroniccaserecordingsystem.LarrythenturnedtoTeresaandexplainedthattheirelectroniccaserecordingsystemislessthanoneyearoldanditisstillquitenewforthemajorityoftheagencystaff.Anotherstaffshoutedoutthateveryoneisstilllearningsotheymayneedthat'cheatsheet'also.Everyonebegantolaugh.Teresaalsolaughedbutshehadadditionalthoughtsinherhead.Thestaffacknowledgedtheimportanceoftheprojectsandthen each staff personbegantocomplementadditionalpossibilities.Teresa'sinitialthoughtwas"Whatiswrongwiththesepeople?Her thoughts continued:''Thisplacementcouldbeamazing.Iwouldlovetolearnhowtodowhattheyareasking.” Afterthemeeting,Larrystateditwastimeto'pause'and'document'.Afterthis'pause'and'document'time,theycouldmeetabouttheentireday.Theydid.Thefollowingdaywassimilartothefirstday.Teresa'paused'and'documented'asshebegantogetorientedtoheragency.
OnFridayat3:15p.m.Teresasatinhercarreadytomeetfriendstocelebrateherfirst week in her field practicum. Shepaused,pulledoutherphoneandtexted:Longweek.Crashingearly.Won'tmakeit.TTYL
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