Within the social work realm, I think that it is important for me to guide students in several ways. The first is helping them identify the areas that they need the most support, which is the area that is causing the interruption in their learning. I can identify the area, but they need to understand how the behavior is impacting them negatively.
They need time figure out what it is that is preventing them from accessing all of their opportunity to learn. Sometimes, this can be the most challenging aspect. It is hard to acknowledge that you have challenges and then admit them to someone else. There is also the competing factor that these children range in ages 3-13, gaining insight as to how to change internally to have a greater gains externally is just plain hard. Once they have recognized what thought process, behavior or stopping block is getting in their way, then we can start the process. Just like in the classroom, every student is at a different place academically and we want to get to the end point. However, the road each student takes can be very different...that is the creative and innovative part of learning. Therapeutically, it is the same process, everyone's healing, learning and changing behaviors may have the same goal but how we get there will be different for everyone. That is my challenge to overcome. Generally, I have a very short time frame with students to allow them to dig deep to figure out what will be the best way for them to learn what they need to be more successful. Time is not always my friend. I can have plan time in my day, but my day is lead by student needs. I need better time management skills, but I have a hard time prioritizing planning and paperwork over a student who needs time to cope with their feelings. When I have time, to follow the lead of a student who expresses interest in particular way of learning or coping with something, it is just awesome. Empower discussed Mr. Flynn (a teacher) and the impact that he had on the author. He mentioned that Mr. Flynn may not have ever known the impact he had. The one simple suggestion or taking the time to talk with a student had a greater impact than the teacher could ever know. This week my fantastic colleagues, had students write thank you notes for School Social Work Week. It was so thoughtful and heartfelt without me even reading any of the notes. Once I did, reading how "I" impacted them was amazing and reassuring, but really all I did was follow their lead.
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I agree with you completely. There needs to be structure so there is not chaos and confusion. It's necessary to teach students how to interact, collaborate, innovate before you can expect them to do it on their own. This starts at the preschool level and goes up through all grades. When we got a new student in pre-k, who had some behavior difficulties and just did not know the structure of school, we were advised that 'maybe you just have to let her play for a while'. She did need to play, but she first needed to learn how to play in the school setting. I know that if we didn't take the time to teach her and give her the structure about how to play she would not be as successful as she is today.
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I could never do you job- I wouldn’t know how to prioritize either and kids at a level 10 make me anxious. I think your work is so important, not even the times you get a kid from a 10 to a 3, but helping kids figure out how to cope and who they are once they grow through some of those behaviors. Just like you said, sometimes the Mr. Flynn’s of the world, never get to see their impact. I am glad you got a little glimpse into your impact this week- you deserve it!
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Tarah
3/21/2018 08:56:37 am
I really appreciate the thinking you described in your post here regarding building student understanding of how behavior impacts them, especially when it impacts them negatively. That has to be such a big step and something they practice with you a lot to build into habit, right? In addition, as you mentioned, what works for one student might not be the same pathway for another. Kudos to you for all that you do!
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AuthorI have worked in social work for over 25 years. The past 19 years have been within an elementary school setting. Archives
March 2022
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