Time Schedule:
Frederick Streeck
T SOCW 536
Tacoma Campus
Focuses on child welfare and family services intervention methods, social work in schools, services for early intervention, prevention and family support, child and adolescent mental health services, work with families of developmentally disabled, permanency planning, group work, family violence and child maltreatment, and intensive family preservation services.
Class description
This course is designed to familiarize students with the nature of social work practice in schools. Course work is relevant to people specializing in school practice and to those preparing to work with children and families in related community agencies. Professional standards required for Washington State Educational Staff Associate certification are covered in this class. The course explores the dynamic social work role of advocating for each child’s civil right to “a free and appropriate public education” within the organizational context of school systems. Issues such as legal rights, truancy, cultural and sexual diversity, child abuse and neglect, high-stakes testing, comprehensive assessment of response to interventions, school violence and accommodation of handicapping conditions including special education are discussed relative to current national, state and local trends in education. Lectures, reading, discussion and student demonstrations examine school social work interventions from the perspective of program design, delivery and evaluation.
Student learning goals
Demonstrate understanding of the organizational context of schools and learn to function as a school social worker within school systems.
Demonstrate understanding of the impact of federal, state and local laws and regulations related to education.
Describe the historical progression of the legal rights of handicapped children to receive education, and understand how those rights apply to daily school life.
Demonstrate an understanding of various theoretical approaches to intervention shown to increase the success of certain groups of students at risk of being denied education.
Demonstrate understanding and appreciation of the diversity of the Washington student population and the importance of culturally sensitive practice.
Demonstrate understanding of how to design social work services and understand the importance of assessment, response to interventions and professional collaboration in successful implementation of services.
General method of instruction
The course methodology utilizes an on-site and on-line lecture/discussion/student demonstration format, with emphasis upon discussion and student participation in the learning process. The ability to think critically is essential and students are expected to demonstrate such ability. The instructor will assume the responsibility of providing a positive learning environment, helping students locate and employ learning resources, and helping facilitate student interaction with the material and each other toward meaningful understanding of the course material. Students are expected to assume primary responsibility for analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating concepts, information and ideas presented, and for contributing to class presentations and discussions.
Recommended preparation
Graduate level status in Social Work or Education related major.
Class assignments and grading
Assigments include:-Demonstration of a best practice in school social work (30 points)-Professional portfolio (30 points)-Participation in discussions of weekly readings (30 points)-An in-class game relative to school law (10 points)
Rubric for grading is located in course syllabus.
