SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II
SW 352
FALL 2006
Instructor:
107 Bradley Hall
677-2392
evens@bradley.edu
Office Hours: MW 1:00-3:00 and TTH 3:00-4:30 or by appointment. For this
course, my electronic office hours will be Wednesday 2:00 – 3:00
Class Hours: T and TH 10:30 - 11:45 a.m. BR
100
Accommodation: Any student with a disability or
special need who requires accommodation should inform the instructor at the
beginning of this course.
Non-Discrimination Statement: Students will be expected to display
respect of fellow students unique characteristics including race, color,
religion, creed, ethnic or national origin, age, appearance, veteran status,
disability, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, and political orientation. All
written assignments will use non-discriminatory language.
Intercollegiate Competition: Any student representing
Relationship to Other Courses
in the Social Work Curriculum: This course builds on the micro practice skills learned in SW
351. The skills learned in this course will be used to better accomplish the
skills for practice at the macro level studied in SW 353. The course also uses
the theoretical and research knowledge base acquired in SW 354 and SW 358.
Confidentiality: Any information shared in this
course, which is protected under legal codes or the NASW Code of Ethics, must
be treated in accordance with legal and ethical standards. In addition,
students are expected to use discretion in discussing any agency information,
which they may acquire in their volunteer experience.
Creation of a Proper Learning
Environment: The
instructor encourages students to ask questions and to critically evaluate
class material. However, this must be done while still creating a proper
learning environment. Any behavior that disturbs the learning of others such as
talking with peers during a lecture or presentation by a peer will not be
allowed and the student will be asked to leave class. Students are encouraged
to discuss with the instructor any concerns or suggestions for improvement for
the class as soon as possible and not to wait until the end of the course. This
allows the instructor to modify the course to meet student needs as much as
possible.
Generalist Practice
Principles: The
following eight generalist practice principles support all courses in the
social work curriculum:
1. A
systems approach provides the basic framework for understanding the generalist
practice perspective and planning interventions with multiple systems.
2. Problems in living are
presented from a person-in-environment perspective, with focus on the
transactions between individuals and the environment.
3. Assessments and interventions
must address both intrapsychic and environmental strengths and stressors.
4. Generalist practice
involves assessments and interventions at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
5. Practice is based on the
problem-solving process and the knowledge, skills, and values which are
applicable across settings with diverse populations and in a variety of problem
areas.
6. Critical analysis of
social problems is inherent in and results in both practice and policy
responses.
7. Empirical research provides
a solid foundation for both education and practice, and generalist
practitioners are expected to participate in practice evaluation activities.
8. Generalist practice often
requires the social worker to function in multiple roles depending on the needs
of the client system.
Course Description:
This course will emphasize
generalist practice with a focus on families and small groups. Assessment,
appropriate use of groups, methods of creating groups, phases of group
development, and utilization of group skills at the mezzo level will be
studied. Methods of assessment, intervention, and evaluation of families and
various types of small groups such as task groups, self-help groups, and
therapy groups will be examined. Special emphasis will be placed on the role of
diversity in group functioning and leadership and on the social work ethics
specific to group work. This course requires a volunteer project. Learning
methods will include assigned readings, class lecture, audiovisuals, class
discussion, group experiential exercises, presentations by speakers about their
group social work practice, peer and instructor evaluation of group leadership
skills, and ongoing task group assignments. Students will be assigned to a
small group with which they will work throughout the semester to develop skills
in social work with groups including families.
Course Objectives:
Students will be expected to
demonstrate learning in the following areas:
Knowledge
1. Students will gain knowledge of the fundamental concepts of group dynamics and their application to social work practice.
2. Students will gain knowledge of family
dynamics and intervention techniques.
3. Students will gain knowledge of application
of mezzo interventions to diverse populations and how assessment of areas such
as culture and developmental level change group work interventions and
planning.
4. Students will gain knowledge of ways to
evaluate group work practice.
5. Students will gain self-awareness into their
own intrapersonal and interpersonal
attributes that may enhance
or interfere with therapeutic relationships or the social work role at the
mezzo level.
Skills
1. Students will develop the beginning mezzo
level skills to enable them to develop working relationships
with client systems of various sizes and to formulate an initial assessment of group needs.
2. Students will develop the practice skills
essential for organizing, facilitating, leading, and
evaluating groups.
3. Students will develop the beginning skills
which will enable them to join with a family and to complete an initial
assessment of family functioning
4. Students will be able to describe and
complete documentation for group work and family sessions.
5. Students will be able to list and employ methods
of evaluation applicable to group work services.
Values
1. Students will display regard for individual worth and dignity and a person’s unique characteristics of race, color, appearance, religion or creed, ethnic or national origin, age, veteran status, disability, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, and political orientation.
2. Students will appreciate the importance of
advocating for populations at risk with organizations and communities to ensure
protection of rights, access to needed resources, and to strive to influence
social institutions and agencies to be more responsive to human needs.
3. Students will show appreciation for
professional ethics and recognize clients’ right to self-determination,
confidentiality, honesty, and active participation in the helping process.
Students will be able to appreciate how the form of case recording is
influenced by social work core values.
Resources:
Text:
A. Zastrow,
Charles. (2001) Social Work with Groups – Using the
Class as a Group Leadership Laboratory. Fifth Edition,
To be distributed in class:
Standards for Social Work
Practice with Groups. Association for the Advancement of Social Work with
Groups, Inc., Adopted October 17, 1998.
All students are expected to
have a copy of the NASW Code of Ethics, 1999.
Materials posted to the Blackboard website for the course.
Other readings may be assigned
throughout the course.
It is expected that students
will come to class prepared by having read the assigned readings.
Learning Evaluation:
Written assignments should be typed and double-spaced, grammatically
clear, and properly documented. Please leave adequate margin space for
comments. Final grades will be determined on points earned by successfully
completing the assignments as described below. Points will be deducted for
assignments submitted after the due date.
A. Attendance and Participation - 50 points
Preparation, attendance, and
participation in this course is the responsibility of the student. Students
will be expected to actively participate in an on-going task group. The task
groups will address the issue of empowerment and how social work faculty and
students should relate to increase students’ empowerment.
B. Case notes - 50 points
Students will use the SOAP
model of case note writing to keep a record of the class and their responses to
it. The SOAP process will be explained in class and will be posted on
Blackboard. Case notes will be handed in each Tuesday beginning Oct. 8 and will
cover the last week’s activities. Students
should treat the textbook, lectures the instructor and fellow classmates as a
client system. Each set of notes will be worth 10 points.
C. Examinations (2 exams of 100 points each)
There will be two exams
during the course. Each exam may cover material from assigned readings,
exercises, lecture, and class discussion. The exams will posted
on BlackBoard. The midterm will be posted on Oct. 25 and must be completed by
Oct. 29 at 5:00 PM. The final will be posted on Dec. 4 and must be completed by
5:00 pM, Dec. 8.
D. Volunteer Project - 100 points
At least 15 volunteer hours
with a group during the semester is to be arranged by the student with a
community agency in which group services are provided. The purpose of this exercise
is to provide direct experience in or direct observation of group work
services. By SEPTEMBER 20, the student must provide the instructor with the
name, address, and telephone number of the agency, the staff person
responsible, and the volunteer experience that will be undertaken.
A five to six page report about
the group volunteer project is to be submitted by NOVEMBER 26. A separate
handout will describe the expectations for this paper. The paper must be
accompanied by documentation of the required hours completed signed by agency
personnel. A form will be provided for this purpose.
The following is the evaluation
scale for the course final grade:
360-400 points = A
320-359 points = B
280-319 points = C
240-279 points = D
below 239 points = F
CLASS SCHEDULE:
A. History of Group Work, Types of Groups, How Group Work Differs from
Work with Individuals, Group Work as Mezzo Level Social Work Practice
This section discusses the history
and roots of group work from the settlement house movement to the evolution of
current agencies serving populations in a primarily group work model such as
the YMCA and the YWCA, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Club Houses, and the Jewish
Centers of the 1800's. The different types of groups as well as the way in
which the group goals and norms influence methods and outcome studies are
explored. Finally, this section looks at the unique characteristics of mezzo
level social work practice; how group work can be a part of generalist social
work practice; and the use of the problem-solving approach in setting group
goals. Students will also be divided into groups during this time and the
procedures for conducting of group exercises throughout the semester will be
discussed. Students will begin to discover their comfort level in group work
approaches.
Learning
Resources:
Zastrow--Chapter 1 pp. 3-17, Chapter 2
Dates: August 25, 30
B. Stages of
Group Development
This section discusses the
stages of group development and skills necessary to enhance the group
development. Several models of group stages will be presented. Students will
practice group leadership at various stages of development with their in-class
groups.
Learning Resources:
Zastrow - Chapter 1 pp. 17-30.
Standards for group practice
hand-out
Dates: September 1, 6, 8
C.
Characteristics of Groups and Group Skills
This section examines the skills necessary to facilitate groups
characterized by mutuality, collaboration, and respect for all clients that
will enhance well-being of people and ameliorate the environmental conditions
that affect people adversely. This section examines the skills for group
formation, leadership roles in groups, power in groups, the development of
group goals, the establishment of norms in groups,
problem solving in groups, and the management of disruptive behavior and
conflict in groups. Time will also be spent in this section in looking at how
the above principles are also used in working with families.
Learning Resources:
Zastrow - Chapters 3, 4, 5, 9
Experiential in class
exercise designed to explore leadership functions of task and maintenance
functions.
Experiential in class
exercise designed to explicate the process of establishing group goals, the
impact of personal goals or hidden agendas on the group process.
Experiential
in class exercise to examine the functions of conflict in group settings.
Experiential in class
exercise role playing how disruptive behavior can be respectfully handled in a
group setting.
Experiential in class
exercise designed to role play problem solving, controversy, and conflict
resolution in groups.
Dates: September 13, 15, 20
D. Group Communication
Techniques
This section examines verbal
and nonverbal communication techniques in group and family settings. The use of
communication skills to enhance group cohesion and meet the needs of clients to
enhance well being and functioning are addressed and practiced.
Learning
Resources:
Zastrow - Chapters 7, 8
Experiential in class exercises
will examine communication skills for group intervention and increase students?
self-awareness of personal styles of communication
which may enhance or detract from helping clients.
Dates: Sept. 22, 27, 29
E. Group
Treatment Techniques and Ethical Practice
This section examines
techniques for self-help and therapeutic groups which help to promote, restore,
maintain, or enhance the functioning of individuals, families, or groups by
helping them to accomplish tasks, prevent and alleviate distress, and use
resources. The processes of engagement, problem and issue definition,
assessment, planning and contracting, assessing intervention strategies and
implementing intervention strategies, evaluation of effectiveness of groups,
contraindications for group treatment, and the termination of groups will be
discussed. Methods for case recording of group sessions will be shown and
students will practice case recording. This section will examine the standards
of ethical practice at the mezzo level of intervention.
Learning
Resources:
Zastrow - Chapters 14, 17, 32
NASW Code of Ethics
Experiential in class role playing exercises
will practice group skills.
Dates: October 4, 6, 11
F. Working with
Issues of Diversity in Groups
This section examines
differential assessment and intervention group skills that enable practitioners
to serve diverse populations. Discussion will examine skills that transmit
respect for unique characteristics of race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender,
sexual orientation, mental ability, age, appearance, political orientation, or
national origin.
Learning
Resources:
Zastrow - Chapters 6, 23
Experiential exercises will examine myths and
stereotypes and will increase students? self-awareness
of the experience of many people of nondominant
groups.
Dates: October 13, 18, 20
G. Group
Interventions Applied to Specific Populations and Problems
This section examines the
application of group intervention skills with specific populations. Guest
speakers will address these areas that are common in social work practice.
Guests will discuss the use of group treatment to enhance well being and
functioning and to alleviate distress. This section will further point out the
need for differential assessment in planning group interventions.
Learning
Resources:
Zastrow - Chapters 22, 25, 26, 28
Dates: October 25, 27, Nov. 1
H. Mezzo Level Interventions
with Families
This section will focus on
understanding family systems, providing an assessment with families, and
intervening with families to further individuals’ well-being and the ability to
function. The impact of the social, political, and economic environment on the
family will be examined. The different forms of family will be examined as
reflecting the diverse nature of this in society. The setting in which services
to families are provided will be discussed.
Learning
Resources:
Zastrow - Chapter 24
Dates: November 3, 8, 10
I. Assessment
of Skills Accomplished and Needs for Further Practice
Students will practice
skills acquired during the semester and will learn from both demonstrating
specific skills and by evaluating other students.
Learning
Resources:
Dates: Rest of the semester
November 23 – Happy Thanksgiving!
Saturday,
DECEMBER 9 11:00 AM FINAL DUE