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After taking this course in school social work,

I have discovered my ability to develop my skills in engaging individuals, families, groups and organizations, as well as my ability to conduct research regarding my role as a school social worker.

I hope to apply my new skills to family engagement with the students and families I will serve, and hopefully be able to assist the school sw I shadow in carrying out my action plan to prevent child abuse.

My next steps are to graduate in May and find a job doing school based mental health social work so I am able to provide tier 3 counseling to individuals and groups.

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After taking this course in school social work,

I have discovered how needed school social workers are in school systems. School social workers play a key role in connecting home and school in order to maintain family engagement. I have taken a similar class like this one before in undergrad,  but it was really interesting to take this class and being able to apply some of the concepts and resources in my field placement.

I hope to continue to use more of the resources that you all have provided to us next semester. I hope to continue to explore the mezzo side of social work within a school setting.

My next steps are to complete the requirements for the school social work certificate. I hope to get hired as a school social worker or serve another role within a school system next fall. In the future, I plan on working toward obtaining my LMSW next summer and the LCSW in a few years.

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After taking this course in school social work,

I have discovered the many different ways a school social worker can influence their school system. I also have a better understanding of how important family engagement is and the different ways to do so. Coming into this class, my idea of family engagement only meant parent-participation, but I now know it’s so much more than that and begins with the school first. I also learned so much from hearing about everyone else’s experience and roles within their school/placement and discovered school social work varies depending on community need.

I hope to apply what I’ve learned this semester in my internship and general work moving forward. I’m going use the resources from this class and my peers to use in the future as well.

My next steps are to graduate in May, get my school social work certificate and begin working.

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After taking this course in school social work,

I have discovered how essential school social workers are in school systems and the variety of roles they can have. Having experience in a school system during undergrad, I was able to see how similar but different roles are for social workers depending on the county.

I hope to continue expanding my knowledge and experiences as a school social worker. I am excited to use what I learned in this course and apply it to my future work. I have already been utilizing what I have learned this semester in my internship and it has been extremely beneficial. I hope to continue to grow as a professional and leave a positive impact on the students and families I work with.

My next step is to complete my degree next semester and obtain my school social work certificate. I hope to begin applying to jobs next semester in school systems in the Richmond area. I am also open to other job opportunities, as I am aware of the circumstances and limited jobs right now.

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After taking this course in school social work, I look forward to working within the school system. Because the locality that I am in, school social work looks a bit differently than taught in this class. I fell in love with the idea of being a school social worker from information that matched the course's components. I now know what I want and what I do not want when it comes to finding a job after school. I want a job that follows this course's descriptors... and not like my county, so I really appreciate this course providing me with guidance and reiterating my career desires.

I have discovered the importance of our role in a school during a pandemic. Even though I am not working with a school social worker, I am working one-on-one with students, trying to support them from a distance. This has been eye opening, as I am called on day and night for crisis situations. Additionally, when working with students, virtually, it takes longer to build that trust, but through this experience, the importance of building rapport has been emphasized.

I hope to gain some experience in working with a school social worker this coming semester. I am currently working in a school district that has the high schools set up a bit differently. I am working with what we call a Student Support Specialist, and mine has a degree in counseling. There is a gap between what I have learned in this class and what I have experienced in my internship. But hopefully, I will be able to expand my knowledge next semester with personal exposure.

My next steps are to decide where to go after graduation. I wanted to work in Newport News Public Schools, but after my internship experiences and learning that Newport News' social work position did not coincide with what I had known a school social worker to be, I am looking at some non-profits in the area. I am also looking at schools in Hampton. I was originally stuck in the mindset that I only wanted to work with kids, but I am now extremely open to exploring the arena and maybe finding a position with a population that I had not thought about working with when I entered this program.

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After taking this course in school social work,

I have discovered how important school social workers are to students, families, their schools, and the community. I now have discovered just how much they really do often behind the scenes to help the students, families, and the community. This class has really allowed me to further connect my learning experience to my current internship and ultimately has given me many tools to be successful in this field. This class has really allowed me to see how impactful school social workers are to students, families, and the community.

I hope to implement all the knowledge I have gained from this class to my future career in school social work. I also hope to continue to implement my learnings in my current internship. I also hope to continue to gain more knowledge regarding school social work in the future.

My next steps are to complete graduate school then to become licensed. I hope to gain my licensure and work as a school social worker in the Hampton Roads area. I will continue to learn and apply everything I have gained from my graduate school experience and classes to ultimately become the best school social worker I can be.

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After taking this course in school social work,

I've discovered how important a school social worker role is in a school system. I have a great idea of what a school social worker did before taking this course due to being in an elementary school internship last year. This course help me to connect my experience from that internship to the course material that was learned this semester. I gained a much deeper knowledge of connecting course work such as assignments and techniques to my practice as a school social work intern. These pass two semesters I learned just how important the social work role is in a virtual setting.

I hope to work in a school setting in the near future. I am graduating this December and have a job interview for a school setting on December 3. Fingers cross things goes well.

My next step is to complete my school social work certificate next semester. As I mention above I hope to be employed in a school setting. I do plan to get my LCSW. I hope to start that process within the next year.

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After taking this course in school social work, I have gained a greater understanding of the role a social worker plays in the school setting. Previously, I believed that the social worker, someone who has a background in mental health, would be the person who is primarily responsible for providing counseling to students. I have since learned that while counseling is just one role a school social worker plays. This class has opened my eyes to all the ways a social worker can be impactful to the school and the community.
I have discovered that I really enjoy the mezzo aspects of social work. I am very interested in the resource coordination and case management of homeless students.
I hope to incorporate what I have learned from my peers working at larger schools to the medium/small school I am placed in. The experiences my peers have in school districts with multiple social workers is very different from the two social worker staff at Colonial Heights. Learning about how our communities have similar challenges and the ways that they have over come them can greatly improve my practice (and hopefully the lives and school experiences of the students).
My next steps are to enjoy this break and continue with the school social work certification program! I hope to look for jobs both in the Richmond area and maybe abroad!
(ps I have a school social work group chat-- email me whiter6@mymail.vcu.edu with your phone number if you want to be added to it)

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After taking this course in school social work,

I have discovered that I did not know so much/had the wrong perceptions about what school social work looks like. I did not appreciate what a significant portion of the school social worker's time is spent in meetings, doing assessments and screenings and being buried in paperwork. Granted, it has been challenging to truly get a good sense of what school social work is about in a virtual environment, so it is possible that my view is partially skewed.

I hope to be able to come to the school at some point in the next semester and get to work with the children in a more natural setting.

My next steps: I am not really sure and I guess it depends on what opportunities I come across. I do want to get my LCSW as soon as possible and I am also tempted to move back to Europe and work as a social worker there. I will be exploring both options and hopefully the next right step will present itself.

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After taking this course in school social work,

I have discovered a better understanding for what it means to be a school social worker. I had not realized how much I enjoy doing family engagement. Before, I thought of it more as group work or helping individual students.
I hope to implement the knowledge gained from this course into my internship and future jobs. I would like to see my family engagement project be implemented as well.

My next steps are to decide if I will continue with being a school social worker after graduations or work at the psychiatric facility as a therapist, where I am currently employed. There are so many wonderful options and career paths in the social work world. It can be overwhelming to pick a starting place.

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After taking this course ...

I have discovered so much about the role and importance of school social workers. Before taking this course and being placed at my field placement which is a school, I did not know anything about school social work in general. I now know the impact the work they do has on their community and that engagement is crucial. I am aware that every school district is different and I have more knowledge regarding individuals who receive special education support.

I hope to continue to gain more knowledge and experience. I will use the resources that have been collected, the skills I have acquired, and advice from my professors and peers to guide me in my practice.

My next steps are to become a licensed school social worker within the Richmond region after graduation. Next semester I will take more courses to enhance my experience and understanding. Ultimately, I will work collaboratively with school staff, fellow school social workers, and families to become the best social worker I can and meet the needs of my clients to the best of my ability.

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I have discovered so much vital and interesting information about school social work that I feel would have been much more difficult for me to obtain if it weren't for this class. This class has enabled me to have a much better understanding of what exactly school social workers do, as well as their importance in family engagement and the school community. After taking this class, I feel solidified in knowing that this is my passion and what I want to pursue, and I also feel more prepared.

I hope to be able to use the resources and knowledge that I have gained from my course into my final semester of my master's degree, as well as in my future career as a school social worker. I also hope to use this information as my baseline, and a springboard for me to continue educating myself and growing as a professional.

My next steps are to make it through the end of this semester, practice lots and lots of self care over the winter break, and finish my final semester of grad school strong. After that my goal is to obtain my license, and get a job as a school social worker to do what I am most passionate about.

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I have discovered what exactly school social workers do, and that I very much want to pursue this as a career. Before this class and the first semester of my placement I did not know what school social workers did and I did not know if I would even like doing it. I had an interest in working with children, but I thought that I didn't want to work with children with disabilities, since for me, someone who was a child with a disability I thought it would be too triggering for me. Instead I have found the work incredibly interesting and fulfilling. I feel very empowered and like that I have the perspective that I do have because I was a child with a disability.

I hope to continue to learn and grow during this final semester of the program. To use my resources and sharpen my skills, as well as develop myself more as a school social worker. I also hope to continue working on my self awareness and reflection, my own personal biases and continue my anti racism work and stay dedicated to it long after I graduate from the program.

My next steps are to complete grad school next semester. I then plan on obtaining my school social work certificate and begin applying to jobs in public schools in the surrounding area. I really want to jump into my LCSW and start working toward that as well.

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I have discovered how extensive the role of a social worker is within a school. At first I thought that it wasn't that involved within different aspects of the school-but I was way wrong. The work that social workers do with students is really important for the student life and the environment of the school. This class has helped me understand the role that I will be fulfilling more, and help me feel more equipped to handle it.

I hope to use the resources and information given to create my own resource manual for practice. This is something that I am not disciplined in, and is something that can help in future practice. I also hope to keep learning and stay engaged in some form of education, definitely informal. I want to me sure to stay updated with new information and knowledge in how to continually better in practice.

My next steps is to complete grad school next semester. Afterwards, I want to obtain the school social work certificate and apply to a local school district. A few years down the road I want to start the process of licensing and become an LCSW.

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After completing this course, I have discovered the many hats that social workers wear. After the trainings, the interviews, and having to ask questions that I originally would not have even thought to ask, I've only been exposed to part of what social workers do. After watching and listening to my peers explain what their roles are at their schools, I know that the roles of social workers are different in every environment.

I hope to be a great school social worker, to use the resources provided in this class, and continue to make connections with the staff. I hope to be able to grow more as a social worker and continue to expand my communication skills.

My next steps are to continue to expose myself to different learning opportunities, learn from superiors, supervisors, and peers. My next steps are also to graduate, but to find a job that provides me the supervision needed to get my LCSW, after that to find a job within the school system as a social worker.

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I have discovered that family engagement is not only necessary, but a critical aspect of a school social worker’s role. I have also learned that engaging families is not as difficult as I once thought and there is not a one size fits all strategy for this. Instead, it simply requires active listening, respect, openness, and honesty.

I hope to continue to actively apply the clinical skills I am learning to better connect with diverse families and engage the professionals around me to bridge gaps between families, the community, and the school system.

My next steps will be to continue learning, experiencing, and growing. I am excited to continue my field placement in my local school division into the spring semester so I can continue to practice the skills I have been developing while in this course.

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I have discovered just how much school social workers do and the variety of work we can do. This class has been so informative and has truly educated me on school social work. It has helped me see how important this job is, sometimes I feel like social workers are put on the back burner but we really are a key part to the school system.

I hope to be able to use what I have learned in my future practice and take the resources with me as I graduate and move forward with my career.  Dr. Hebb has been one of the best professors I have had and has given me knowledge I can take with me throughout my career!

My next steps are to continue with the spring semester,  obtain my school social work certificate, graduate and get a job! I am going to start working towards my LCSW. I am hoping to get a job in the school systems in Richmond.

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I have discovered so much about the responsibilities of a school social worker. Taking this class has really helped me in expanding my knowledge on what social workers do and WHY our jobs are so important. I feel a lot more prepared for my career than I did before this semester.

I hope to be able to use the resources provided by Dr. Hebb and this class in meaningful ways throughout my career. I have also taken her advice and have created my own resource folder. My hope is to continue to add things to this folder and share it with others in my future schools.

My next steps are to finish this last semester and get a job! Like I said, I am feeling more prepared for real life practice thanks to this class and feel very grateful for Dr. Hebb.

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I have discovered the responsibilities of a school social worker and the importance of creating a positive student relationship. I have learned that school social workers wear many hats, but that I will use my knowledge from this course to succeed in the position.

I hope to utilize the resources and knowledge that we have been given in my future practice.

My next steps are to expand my knowledge by practicing some of the methods and skills that were discussed as well as independently working to create new learning opportunities.