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Community Building Circles are amazing and if done right they can create a safe, supportive space where all participants can talk about a variety of topics, as well as working through differences, and build community awareness. Some teachers might see Community Circles as the “one more thing” they have to do in their work day; but if presented in a way that highlights the ease of classroom integration and its usefulness a teacher can be persuaded in their class day. My experience in introducing Community Building Circles was I began using Circles during staff meetings. Because I worked in an expulsion school our staff was very small and the facilitation was relatively easy. I then targeted teachers that identified as willing participants during staff meetings and supported in the facilitation and preparation of the circles; thereafter I supported when needed. It became an expectation in our classroom cultures to open the day with a circle or check-in that helps get the day started. We were also privileged to work with an organization M.I.L.P.A. that used circles to facilitate groups with our students and showed the positive impact on the classroom environment through their work.

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Based on what I have read so far, I will not say that it has changed my view of what a social worker does, but it did expand my knowledge of all of the roles that are involved in our profession. I learned a lot from the book and class about the laws that schools have to abide by in a macro and more conceptual sense. The laws that schools have to abide by actually help me as a school social worker next school year in advocating for my students. My knowledge of social work practices gives me the ability to do frameworks for each child who walks through my door, but knowing what policies can help my students or families gives me the ability to better serve them. Working in the education system can sometimes be difficult, because the system has historically been unfair to marginalized communities, but we have to learn how to intertwine and promote good education practices, and I think I could do that if I understood macro-level laws. Readings and lectures in this class have given me a better understanding of what we can do for our students.

Ruby M.

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Based on the readings, I have gained in depth knowledge about the school social work role. Social workers are children, family advocates in the school settings, they offer support to teachers, they provide information on the variety of resources available in the community, and do so much more. It is essential to have a social worker in every school to address challenges/barriers/needs. It is known social workers wear many hats in different work settings. Therefore, my view on social work has remained the same.

Although, not having experience in a school setting, being introduced to the variety of models used in the schools has provided me with a broader perspective. One of the models used, such as the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support identified classroom behavioral issues and special needs. MTSS was very informative and focused on early intervention. The Multi-Tiered systems in place obtain early interventions to decrease needs, which can be helpful long term to the students and classroom environment. One of the problems mentioned (p.45) was that school social workers did use the MTSS however preferred to use individualized treatment rather than universal interventions and other factors that contributed to the lack of efficiency in the MTTS models. As school social worker roles expand across the state, I hope the use of evidence practices are in place and proper training is provided to target the overall needs in schools. In addition, providing adequate training to get the staff and admin on board with using evidence-based practices will provide early intervention and help long term.

Sally

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Based on the reading so far, I would say my perspective on school social work has slightly changed because of the policies and regulations that come with school social work. As an intern in a school in a rural area, it appeared that these schools weren't very knowledgeable on state policies. Since these schools are relatively small, teachers, administration, and parents aren't likely to enforce state policies. Therefore, state policies and regulations are relatively new to me for the most part. There were policies implemented. But, now, in this course and going in-depth into state policies and how there are many specific, I see how important it is to be aware and knowledgeable, especially in the school setting. That way, one can advocate for students who may be struggling in various aspects and can use the extra support.

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Based on the reading so far and what we have learned in class, what has changed in how I view school social work is having an awareness of all the legislation available to help us advocate for students within the school system and school setting. Though I have learned a great deal about legislation and the protection of vulnerable populations throughout my social work education, the reading and lectures in class are specific to legislation for school social work and K-12 education. I was unfamiliar with much of what we have gone over this far, and it makes me feel more confident knowing of more ways to help advocate for the students I will be serving soon. For instance, in class, we had a student share her experience of a student in foster care having to leave his school of origin against his preference, and though he was "thriving" in that school. We also learned that legally he could have stayed according to AB 337. We also learned of other pertinent legislation, such as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Also, AB 216, which assists H.S. students with graduating and other similar legislation. All of these and the other legislation we reviewed have positively changed my view on school social work, knowing I have more ways to help and advocate for the students I serve.

In chapter seven of the book School Social Work: National Perspectives on Practice in Schools, I learned more about special education and expanded on what I learned in class. Again this information assists me in viewing school social work to have more opportunities to help and awareness of how to help. Before this class, I was unaware of the exact difference between an IEP and a 504 plan. I am now aware that they fall under different legislation and that 504 plans do not require specialized instruction and can have accommodations made within the classroom. I feel this is basic information that I should have known prior, but I am grateful I have taken this course. I am learning more about specific legislation and how to be more effective at assisting students as a school social worker.

Much like a couple of my classmates who have shared stories of feeling helpless in their school social work roles, I have also felt that sense of helplessness. Some of us may have gone against what was most beneficial for the student or justly due to a lack of awareness of legislation or facing politics within school systems or school admin. Unfortunately, some schools run in ways that somewhat ignore (though not usually purposely) the legislation that protects their most vulnerable students or those facing great challenges and hardships. I do not believe most of these school administration staff and teachers do this purposely. Nonetheless, I have observed a school intentionally go against the California Minor Consent & Confidentiality Laws with a student who was mature and intelligent enough to make the decision and found in great need. This student's mom opposed the student being seen though the student was 13 years old and sought out services via a self-referral. Unfortunately, this student went without services. Though advocating via sharing legislation information & the student's needs/requests were made, I learned that, at times, school politics could make this process difficult.

-Denise Baldwin

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Coming from a Hispanic background social worker is not a profession that is known. When my parents asked my what does a social worker do, my answer is 'help people'. Clearly I can spend hours explaining to my parents what a social worker does because there are so many jobs and within a job so many responsibilities. I spent a year in my internship at an elementary school and I was under the impression that my Field Instructor did so much work on a daily basis, 8 hour days are not enough. After reading this chapter I am in shock of the amount of macro work and involvement that a social worker does in a school setting. As I was reading the roles of a social worker today I was very surprised by all the hats a social worker must wear. Based on my internship a social worker may have more hats than those listed in the book depending on the location and environment of the school. I feel that every school is unique that have different populations and different issues come up therefore every school site does things differently depending on the need. One of the things that I was not aware of being a social worker was being involved in policies and lobbying for change. I think that this profession should be recognized as much as a lawyer, attorney, doctor, I don't think we get as much credit nor recognition. I view school social workers as heroes they are in school supporting our children our future trying there best for all students to be successful and get the help they need mentally and emotionally.

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I think my view of school social work has changed in that I am becoming aware of how macro level aspects affect the micro level work of a school social worker. To illustrate, one of the requirements of I.D.E.A is timely meetings with all stakeholders regarding the child’s education, however, because there are professionals who have to split their time with different schools because of the lack of funding, these timely meetings don’t always happen. Furthermore, I already knew the integral role of the school social worker in helping students, but it is helpful to now have access to the steps that lead to an IEP as well as the content that goes into an IEP. I have previously worked with kids who have had IEP’s and BIP’s to help execute them but now I am learning about how what I have previously helped implement came about. Lastly, I enjoyed reading about how as a school social worker my approach to helping children with disabilities will differ compared to my previous roles.

Celina Ramirez

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Teachers often see us as the “pros” when working with kiddos and it took me some time to realize I was the one to turn to defuse situations as well as support students in the classroom. I found the best way to implement interventions in the classroom is to have an informal meeting with the teacher prior to going into the classroom to explain what will be happening and our goal with utilizing circles. For the first two sessions, I would like to lead them and by the third session, have the teacher cofacilitate. The long-term goal would be to have the teacher leading circles on their own. Key points to mention to the teacher would be the importance of being able to form a circle in the setting, allowing students to make rules in the group, and some ideas for prompts. The setting of the group could be in the classroom if space permits or sitting outside away from distractions can work as well. I found using an object for the speaker to hold while speaking has motivated students to participate in the past, and I would aim to include this. If needed by the teacher, we could brainstorm for the prompts/questions to be utilized in the group. Since I would only be available once a week, it would be important for us to meet and staff any questions, concerns, or provide additional support.

In my experience, I have found it challenging for teachers to implement group activities because of the trust they have developed with the children or the picture they have painted for themselves to these students. I will remain optimistic. In chapter 7, Bonnie Bernard (2004) summarizes the importance of adult support on school campuses, the importance of setting a neutral, safe, caring climate for students to be in. One caring adult can make all the difference for these students. Classrooms serve as a place to function as a small community, collaborate to resolve any conflicts, and support one another. Circles consist of that, to have students come together, work collaboratively in a group setting surrounded by supportive adults. Circles are fairly new to me but I have found them to work effectively with my students at multiple sites. It is interesting to see students grow.

ruth

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My views on school social work have not significantly changed based off the readings thus far; however, I did take into further consideration the various responsibilities of what school social workers may be required/expected/anticipated to achieve and felt slightly overwhelmed at the thought of how one individual is truly able to manage everything (e.g., case management, 1:1 intervention(s), psychoeducational groups, advocacy, staff development, etc.) on a day-to-day basis. Personally, I did not realize the extent school social workers provide staff development and opportunities for leadership regarding evidence-based practices of equality, social justice, school discipline reform, school-community-family partnerships, proactive and preventative behavior interventions, etc. For instance, I recall my last placement as an MSW intern at an elementary school site and the extent of consistent knowledge and support my field supervisor shared with the school administrator daily. The follow-up conversations my field supervisor and I would have regarding the lack of understanding this specific school admin had about the majority of the previously mentioned societal issues was always very eye opening and I honestly believed this was an isolated issue. With that being said, I was surprised when we discussed in class the possibility of needing to gently educate/share with other school staff research and values associated with evidence-based practices because I did not realize this was a common occurrence. Yet, I can see how not everyone who works within the school system would be knowledgeable about these ongoing issues and may not recognize the value of providing an equal and safe environment for all students that set foot on campus. As a result, I am grateful for the experience I had in my MSW internship because I was able to see first-hand the various roles/responsibilities school social workers regularly tackle and recognize the importance of remaining up to date on policies, laws, and research with regards to serving, supporting, and advocating for the youth, adolescents, and families I will be potentially working with at a school site.
-Vanessa Petty

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While making my way through the readings, I found myself getting increasingly excited about completing the PPSC and putting this new information to work. Before starting this program, I questioned how much I remembered from Grad school and doubted if I would be able to keep up with the material. But I have been faced with nothing but excitement. I am aware of the several "hats" school social workers must be prepared to wear- but I see it as a necessity for change moving forward for the sake of our children/students. This weeks readings gave me hope for future generations despite the additional challenges that we did not have when we were in school. When reading Benard's text, I found the information about parenting styles not only informational as a future school social worker but also as a future parent. I believe this text should be available for parents and all staff as the information would benefit anyone who comes into contact with children regardless of the age. An important suggestion from the Villarreal Sosa text that I will hope to implement moving forward is including students communities resources/people in their IEP meetings to get additional input but also to show the student the importance of collaboration. All in all, I am very excited to but all of this new information into schools that need it most.

Gianni Malvo

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Based on the reading so far, my view of school social work has expanded significantly. I have learned that in schools social work can mean so much more than I thought and it can vary from school to school. The chapter about special education really set into perspective all of the work that social workers are doing with our special education populations. Social workers are not only part of the assessment, intervention, and evaluation phases but also are critical in educating parents and students of the process of special education and their rights.

My view of school social work also continues to shift as I learn more and more about how different laws guide the work that we do, not only with students in special education but all students. It is important for school social workers to be knowledgeable about different laws and regulations in order to better advocate and provide appropriate services for vulnerable students and for families that may be needing additional support.

Although this chapter really outlines the importance of rights for students in special education it is also extremely important for social workers to be aware of the disproportionality there is of students from different backgrounds in special education. Some disadvantaged populations are over represented which may lead to stigma and segregation of these students. Social workers should be aware of this disproportionality as families with disadvantaged backgrounds may also face language barriers to advocate in meetings, may lack understanding of educational plans, and barriers attending meetings. Overall, there continues to be many things in the readings that are expanding my view of what school social workers do.

- Yadira Nieto

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The reading so far has definitely expanded my knowledge on what roles and responsibilities a school social worker may have, regardless if the duties performed or responsibles place are in the job description. I believe it is essential for every school or district to have a school social worker. I believe SSW are seen as the ‘problem-solvers’ and to some extent that is true. We are seeing SSW more as of recently. SSW do a lot more than just work with the students and their families. They can also can provide essential support and education to teacher, staff, and community partners. I tend to put a lot of focus in the support I can provide to a students and their family but what the reading has made me realize is that I need to also spend time focusing on what kinds of services and support I can provide to school personnel, the community, and the school district. I am only one person, if I can support in increasing knowledge of others that also support students and their families, that could be beneficial for everyone. I learned in my very first social work position that there are no “typical days” in a social workers day and I am learning this will most likely also be true in a SSW position.

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Throughout my reading in Chapter 7, “Special Education”, in the book “School Social Work” my perspective on the role as a school social worker has changed very minimally.   As I began my career in this field in the past school year I have always been aware of the significant impact we, as school social workers, can be in advocating for students needs.  In this case for their special educational needs.  What I have come to realize and has changed slightly my view is that we can be as involved as needed, especially if we notice the parents may not know how to communicate the needs of their students.  Which is something that happens more often than not, especially in the Latino / Hispanic community due to the language barriers.  Entering this past school year I entered with the mindset of being supportive simultaneously also with the mindset of not overstepping school staff decisions / plans.  From this chapter and from the information received during class last week, I feel more confident in putting the needs of students first rather than being worried of what the school staff may say or feel worried of overstepping.  However, I do not intend to be unprofessional, if anything more assertive with the needs of students, especially when I notice the ball rolling to to slowly or not at all.  I plan to enter this next school year with the mindset of identifying students who are at risk of falling through the cracks because nobody spoke up.

Alejandra Castellon

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If a teacher came to me to discuss implementing circles in their classroom I would be ecstatic. I would begin by trying to get a sense of their motivation, experience, and goals for the circles. I would ideally have some curriculum or a guide I could provide and discuss with this teacher about the usefulness and power of circles, as well as important steps to consider in implementation.

In this conversation and collaboration, I would seek to communicate the numerous benefits of community circles in the education setting. As the text mentions, positive developmental outcomes emerge from a nurturing environment, in which students can have their needs for belonging, affiliation, self-esteem, autonomy, and safety met (Bernard, 2004). The protective factors to ensure such needs are able to be met include caring relationships, high expectations, and opportunities to participate and contribute (Bernard, 2004).

Community circles have the ability to incorporate all of these protective factors when conducted intentionally and appropriately. They can create a sense of caring and community between the teacher and the students, as well as among the students themselves. Teachers are able to hold students to high expectations related to behavior and participation in these circles, such as active listening, appropriate responses, and respectful communication. They also provide students an opportunity to contribute and participate, sharing about those topics that matter to them personally. Circles have the ability to address student desires for connection, identity, and meaning (Bernard, 2004).

The benefits of community circles are many. As circles contribute to the nurturing environment of a school, they stand to positively influence student behavior. According to the text, the more time students spend in schools with nurturing elements such as circles, the more problem behaviors decline (Bernard, 2004). Additionally, circles would likely positively contribute to students bonding with the school environment, viewing it as a positive and rewarding space. School bonding is incredibly important to developmental outcomes, as some research shows it functions as an even stronger protective factor than family bonding (Bernard, 2004).

I would coach and support this teacher to develop strong routines for her circles. They should occur at the same time throughout the week, and typically in the same space. The teacher may want to incorporate a mindfulness routine to start their circle, such as bringing the group together, asking the question of the day, and then playing a relaxing song while students have time to consider their answers. Expectations should be set related to sharing and responding. For example, the teacher may want to set the expectation that students should not respond audibly or interrupt one another. As a class they could develop their own signal of support for the person sharing, such as snapping your fingers in appreciation after someone has gone. In addition to creating an opening routine, the teacher should consider some sort of closing ritual as well.

The text identifies circles as something that might be part of a health class or afterschool program. I would stress to the teacher the importance of dedicating prime time for their community circle. The message should be sent to students that this activity, building community and giving attention to their social emotional development, is just as if not more important than any other subject one learns about in school. Additionally, I am such a fan of community circles, I would likely recommend to the teacher conducting them more than once a week. This would be challenging in a middle- or high-school setting due to shortness of periods and more appropriate for elementary school in which the same teachers are with the same students each day, all day. In the secondary setting, I would likely seek to bring circles across the school community, collaborating with administrators to set time aside on Mondays and Fridays for circles to happen among advisory groups or homeroom sections.

Lastly, I would truly seek to empower as many teachers in my community to adopt circles into their classroom practice on their own. If it would be helpful or beneficial, I would offer to attend the first few circles for support.

Source
Bernard, B. (2004). Resliency: what we have learned. West Ed.

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Reading Reflection #2 - Clarissa Jovellanos

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Reading Reflection #2 - Clarissa Jovellanos

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The readings thus far have given me more background and information on the various roles school social workers carry. One of the common roles the readings highlight, is that school social workers are advocates and liaisons for families. These readings have not changed my view of school social work, but it has emphasized the importance in making opportunities and resources more accessible for all youth and families. Chapters 1-3 in the "Resiliency: What have we learned" book, discussed the ability for children's resilience to be strengthened through environmental supports. When reading these chapters, it reminded me of the successful outcomes I've witnessed at schools when they utilize a wraparound approach (i.e. connecting the youth with supports at school, in the community, and strengthening natural supports). I've also heard stories of many youth "falling through cracks" in school systems due to staff overlooking students and advocates not being available for them. Overall, these readings show the various roles school social workers have, especially the importance of being a leader to ensure collaboration is happening to reduce gaps of services and increase opportunities towards success for all youth. Children seek connection from others, especially adults, when those connections aren't accessible in their home setting. Therefore, school social workers also carry that responsibility to support school staff in creating a welcoming community that models prosocial connections and a healthy environment.

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Based on what I have read and in regards to school social work, I would say my opinion about the profession has remained the same and I’ve been impressed as to the different roles the school social worker has the ability to assume. Based on my past work experience I would not expect anything less from a Social Worker in any realm. Parts of me embrace the ability to be multi-faceted and the ability to adapt to the environments that we are in. The “Elderly” Social worker in me understands that it is also important to take care of oneself and only give as much as we can and not more. This work can be draining in all aspects and in order to be of service to our client/ consumers we must ensure that we are able to be of service to ourselves and our needs as well.  Overall reading goes into, data collection, policy, case management, clinical etc.. Personally I feel as though I have had my foot in almost all of those areas my favorite was working with children with disabilities in a clinical setting implementing Behavior plans using ABA. The reason I bring that up is because mush like any area (county level, school, behavioral, nonprofit etc.) that social work is practiced, there is a change in language used. For me learning and being familiar with the languages used across these disciplines has been helpful and better prepared me to assist clients/ consumers. 

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Based on what I have read and in regards to school social work, I would say my opinion about the profession has remained the same and I’ve been impressed as to the different roles the school social worker has the ability to assume. Based on my past work experience I would not expect anything less from a Social Worker in any realm. Parts of me embrace the ability to be multi-faceted and the ability to adapt to the environments that we are in. The “Elderly” Social worker in me understands that it is also important to take care of oneself and only give as much as we can and not more. This work can be draining in all aspects and in order to be of service to our client/ consumers we must ensure that we are able to be of service to ourselves and our needs as well.  Overall reading goes into, data collection, policy, case management, clinical etc.. Personally I feel as though I have had my foot in almost all of those areas my favorite was working with children with disabilities in a clinical setting implementing Behavior plans using ABA. The reason I bring that up is because mush like any area (county level, school, behavioral, nonprofit etc.) that social work is practiced, there is a change in language used. For me learning and being familiar with the languages used across these disciplines has been helpful and better prepared me to assist clients/ consumers. 

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Jesse

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My view on school social work has not changed however, I have thought about strategies I can change or integrate into my role on campus. We took a dive into special education in class and the reading for chapter seven went more into depth and elaborated on the topic. Children with disabilities should be able to work in the least restrictive environment as possible and I feel like I can integrate this with the students I work with who do not have a disability. At two of the school sites I went to for my internship we would work with the children on a pull out basis. Due to their age, admin thought it would be the best option. However, I feel like this can become a restrictive environment and it takes the children out of their element. If I were able to observe their behaviors, mannerism, and triggers into the classroom, the interventions that I implement might be more effective. If a child is experiencing heightened anxiety in the classroom and I continuously remove them from the environment, I am not truly helping them. It can be more effective to work through the triggers and anxiety in the environment that is causing them so we can come up with realistic ways to help reduce or overcome the issue. The same goes for a child with behavior issues such as outbursts. I would get a better idea of the triggers or context that is causing the outbursts if I am able to work with the child in their environment. If I am able to not restrict the services to just removing them and walking through steps of the anxiety then I feel like the outcome might be more effective. I do believe that pull outs are effective but I would like to utilize both in environment and individualized sessions for children with behaviors issues or mental health issues such as anxiety.

I am also excited to be learning about the laws and protections of children who are disabled. I have only worked with a handful of students with an IEP and 504 so I would love to continue expanding my knowledge on this. I am hopeful to be able to work with special needs children in the future.

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Based on the reading so far, I would not say my view has changed towards school social work, but what it has done is expand my knowledge about the laws and services that school social work supports.  For me that translates into being able to better advocate and support the students I serve as well as the school district for which I work.  I provide services and support to many students who have IEP's.  The information in the chapter on special education helped to clarify some knowledge gaps.  I also liked the way special education was reframed as a "resource for learning" as a way to reduce shame or embarrassment.  I believe our language has power and will absolutely implement that term when talking with students, parents and staff.  The other chapter that really spoke to me was the chapter on The Evidence Base for School Social Work.  Part of the chapter discussed data collection and supporting the justification for school social workers.  I related a little too well to the social worker in the first case study who was remiss in her data collection.  It was a good reminder to make sure I am keeping up to date with my data collection so I will be able to easily provide data (when the request comes) about outcomes and services provided.

Heather