What Makes a Social Work Supervisor “Great?”

A new school year has begun and thus begins another round of interns for me. For the first time, I have social work interns, which I am really excited about, though I also have more nursing students and I am thrilled to improve upon the experience I gave to last year’s students. In NY, anyone supervising social work interns must complete a 2-semester course on supervision in field instruction (SIFI), which I attended the first session of last week, before the interns began.

Let me be very blunt… in the first SIFI class, I couldn’t figure out why I had to be there or what the teacher could teach me, considering that this class was meant for beginners. I have a teaching background, after all, and I’d mapped out an entire plan for my students months ago. I’d considered my personal experiences in internships, I’d chatted with former classmates about their internship experiences, I’d read articles about supervision, I’d made sure the internship binder I’d created was labeled and had proper tabs and was color-coded, I had their ID badges laminated and set out on my desk the day before their first day. I.Was.Set. …

Until the students arrived.

Suddenly, I found myself being asked logical questions for which I didn’t have all of the answers. I was given paperwork from the school that asked for information I didn’t have. The assignments in the binder didn’t match up as perfectly as I’d hoped to the clients’ choice to come to our agency at any given time. In short, I went from feeling on top of the world, Madame Preparation, to feeling like I was starting the race from 10 feet behind, Mrs. Oh… I Hadn’t Thought of That.
Well, we’re now a few internship days in and things are beginning to settle down. Anxiety levels are dropping for all involved and the students are beginning to ask questions and follow them up with ideas on how to make things better than the answer provided to them. Clients are becoming more familiar with new faces and are starting to open up. Those fancy binders I worked so hard on are now becoming living works, being altered and tweaked as life requires.

But no matter the ease we’re baby-stepping into, I remain humbled by the experience. So I write to you all this week with my mouth shut, ready to listen to what the genius SIFI professor has to teach me, ready to listen to what my quick-thinking interns teach me through their experiences and questions, and ready to listen to your thoughts on what makes a supervisor great.

M.S.W.

IT'S OFFICIAL. I can now add those three initials to my name. What a weekend it has been! I received my degree during a three-hour ceremony that included a commencement speech by the Honorable Clarence Thomas. After the prelude, procession, invocation, address, and presentation of awards and candidates, we were conferred our Masters' degrees.

Once we exited via Recessional, my husband whisked me home where 30 or more of my dearest friends awaited. We celebrated for a good five hours and then went on to a dear friend's home for yet another celebration.

As the weekend comes to an end, I am counting my blessings and praising my Higher Power for all the gifts that this graduate school adventure has included.

~Ms. T. J.
M.S.W.

Two Sleeps Til Graduation

THE BIG DAY is almost here. It's been five days since I've had to do anything school-related, and I am finally beginning to relax. There are many preparations for this milestone celebration. Slowly but surely, I am ticking them off my list. I am a pretty good planner, so I have been taking care of business for several months (ordering invitations, gown, cap, hood, honors cords, hiring a caterer, etc.)

I picked up my mother-in-law from the airport this afternoon. I am so happy she is here to celebrate with me. My family members do not travel, and I know they will be thinking of me on my special day. My "family of creation" will be here, however, and I am filled with joy for their presence in my life.

When I came home today, there was a box of flowers in the kitchen. I opened the box and was so excited to read a note from a dear, long-time friend. She is so thoughtful and kind. She has always been there--since junior high school, all the way through college--and for many years thereafter. She read a psalm at my wedding, I rocked her twin babies to sleep, and we have spent memorable bits and pieces of time together over the years. She is in Illinois, and I in Georgia, yet no matter how much time lapses, we fall back into place and it seems like it was only yesterday that we were acting in plays and practicing speeches together in high school, or skipping sociology classes during the summer semester at UW-Oshkosh.

I am touched that she always remembers, and I will try to never forget...

~Ms. T. J.

Graduation Day: One Week From Today

AS I TYPE at 9:27 a.m., it occurs to me that on this day, at this time next week, my classmates and I will be preparing to walk across the stage to get our diplomas.

After that, we will go our separate ways--some of us may celebrate together--but for the most part, we will head off with our families and friends to eat, drink and make merry.

It's heady stuff, these endings and beginnings. I ticked off my assignments, papers, presentations, and exams last week, knowing each one signified the end of this adventure. It was not lost on me that as much as I stressed over the workload, I had also taken a great deal of comfort in the academia track I was on.

It's over. No more pencils, no more books ... you know the rhyme. I am relieved; I am ecstatic; I am filled with gratitude; and I am sad.

As I walk through the next days preparing the house for guests and planning for graduation day, I will allow myself to take it all in: the joy, the light, the love, and the change.

~Ms. T. J.

Field Instructor Luncheon

TODAY WE SAID THANK YOU to our field instructors. These are the men and women who took us under their wings at our internships. They plotted our journey and guided us along the way all these days and months while we learned how to work in the field of social work.

We treated them to a delicious lunch of chicken, fish, greens, macaroni and cheese, chocolate cake and peach cobbler. We said nice things to and about them. We gave them presents and hugs. We recited poems and letters. And some of us cried.

Here is what I wrote and read to my field instructor (FYI: the references to the peach are because whenever you ask her how she is she always replies, "Just peachy!")

Thank You, _____!
You are a real Peach!

Thank you for Thursday mornings at 9-ish (supervision)
Thank you for listening
Thank you for teaching
Thank you for NOT candy-coating the realities of the job
Thank you for noticing when I needed to talk
Thank you for the feedback and the praise
Thank you for working in the solution and not the problem — and we all know there are plenty of challenges
Thank you for being so easy to talk to and even easier to trust
Thank you for telling it like it is, with your cup always half-full
Thank you for modeling the behavior that I want to emulate
Most of all thank you for being real and for letting me know that life at the agency can be PEACHY!

With great appreciation and respect,
Ms. T. J., M.S.W. Candidate

(4.29.2010)

The FINAL final

THIS IS IT. The end of this adventure. My last final exam ever in grad school. Can I just say my will to study has left me. I'm all set up: I've got the flashcards and books in front of me. The flashcards are empty. The books are closed.

I need to study, but my mind and body are rebelling. School's out, and the internship is over. Why should I have to study for a dang test?

So, I'll post on my blog instead.

Someone asked what was the hardest part of graduate school. I should have told them to read my posts. It's all right here: the triumphs, the tough times, the days I wanted to give up, and the events that made it all worthwhile.

So, send me your best study energy, or give me a hard time about being slack at the very end. Let me know you are out there--doing this deal, or thinking about it. That way I can read your comments and NOT study some more!

~Ms. T. J. (who is going to start right now!)

Saw My New Office Today

IT'S OFFICIAL. I saw it with my own two eyeballs. The memo that said I was hired, the department where I will be working, the floor I'll be on, and my office number. So I took the elevator up to the fifth floor and took a peek at my new digs. I am in an interior office; no windows. Call me zany, but I have had three offices and two cubicles here, and the interior offices felt cozier to me. I usually closed the blinds, anyway, to better see my computer when I was in the offices with windows.

Glass half full? Yup.

Am I nervous? Yup. Am I excited? Yup. Do I have any regrets? Nope.

My last day of the internship is April 21; the last day of class is April 24. I will have a work exam and a final exam the last week in April. Graduation is May 8. I will start my job May 17. I will have a good bit of "me time" until then--so I can unwind.

It's official...

~Ms. T. J.

I Can Do This

I AM SO CLOSE TO FINISHING ALL OF MY ASSIGNMENTS. And this week is testing me a little. Well, maybe more than a little. I have two papers--BIG ones ... and I am in a migraine cycle. Yup. It really sucks. Plus, my husband flew to New Orleans this morning--at 5:30 a.m. Yup; I was his 3:30 a.m. driver.

So, I think I will count my blessings to try to gain perspective:

• The house is quiet--just me and the dog. Not that my husband makes a lot of racket, but I am looking for a silver lining here.
  
  
• I was given a reprieve on a BIG exam for my new job. I asked if I could take it later, after graduation, yet before I start the job--and they said yes. (If you don't ask, the answer will always be "No.")
  
  
• I get the bed to myself which will be helpful with the headache. I could always sleep in the guest room if my husband was home, and again, looking for the gratitude...
  
  
• I have field practicum, and it's NOT a job, yet, so if I go home early, or call in sick for that matter, I am not letting any clients down.
  
  
• I am making progress on my papers. Migraines don't help with concentration or focus, but it could be worse; I could be in the fetal position.
  
  
• My prof would probably give me a break if I need one; I have never asked for one, so if worse came to worse, he might be understanding.
  
  
• I am able to see, hear, walk, talk, taste and smell ... and for these gifts, I am eternally thankful.

~Ms. T. J.

Pure Clover Honey and Tulsi Tea

I WAS SO STRESSED TODAY!

I was at my internship and I was thinking "I have to know everything about everything (adoption and initial placement)," and I could hardly breathe, and I was trying to finish my training modules, and I was worried because I couldn't find my mentor, and I wasn't hungry, and I was famished, and I was irritable.

Then at dinner with my husband I ran into my Title IV-E coordinator who told me the exam for training would be next week (ACK!), and I felt like I was over-eating, and the restaurant was noisy, and my sweet husband was patient, and he told me I looked wonderful.

We went to a favorite store, and found the outdoor chairs we've been seeking for our "shelter house" he built in the backyard, and there were so many beautiful seat cushions, and we learned that there would be a 25 per cent off sale on Thursday, and we were excited.

We came home, and I brewed myself a cup of Tulsi tea (red mango, caffeine free, organic, abundant in rooibos and antioxidants). It is called the "Queen of Herbs" --revered throughout India as sacred, and infused with healing power that "relieves the body's negative reaction to stress."

I added pure clover honey (straight from the honey bear) and suddenly I feel better! I worked on my family intervention analysis paper and I really think the tea helped me...

These are the days
~Ms. T. J.

The Big Overwhelm

MAYBE IF I POST, IT WON'T FEEL SO BIG.

So here it is--32 days from graduation (May 8), 20 days left of the semester (April 24), and three weekends of classes to attend. I have three papers, a journal assignment and a final exam to complete and then I will be finished. In addition to that, I will complete several modules for the child welfare agency that I am currently interning with, and will be employed by(!) on May 17. On the very top of all of this (right beside the cherry), I want to study for the Master's Exam.

{insert silent scream here}

I am writing this post for two reasons: 1.) to release tension, and 2.) to help another student who might be out there feeling overwhelmed, too.

These are the days we will probably not remember in the days, months, and years to come. Like my Dad used to say about stuff that was troubling me when I was just a child: "You'll forget all about this by the time you get married." Back then it was a skinned knee or a lost toy; today it's a Master's degree. Go figure!

A quote from a meditation book I keep close at hand states:

On accepting your path through life:

Your way is decided
There is nothing you will not be told,
if you acknowledge this.

So be it.

~Ms. T. J.

Homework Countdown

ONE FAMILY INTERVENTION ANALYSIS (due date April 10). One Clinical II final exam paper (due date April 16). Part three of the integrative seminar paper (due date April 17). Field practice journals (due date April 24). One final exam (test date April 24 0r May 1).

Can I say Senior-itis? UGH! I am going to finish them in order of their due dates. It feels a bit overwhelming tonight, but I am going to pick away at them in the days to come until they are completed. If I could offer any advice to new students, it would be to do things in order, on a schedule, unless you just want to do something first to get it off your plate. I find that it is less stressful if I just do things in the order they are due; that way I get assignments in on time.

A few weeks ago, right after mid-terms, we had two big papers due. It was maddening. That week, for me, was tougher than the actual mid-term week. I stayed with it, though, and I ended up getting an A on a really tough project. Our professor commented that we were getting tired. It was true. I was exhausted! But I stayed the course, and finished everything in good time. I pulled an all-nighter; it was the second one in the two-and-a-half years I've been in school.

Right now, I am working on the Family Intervention Analysis paper. It's a doozy! The class is a doctorate level course; it's a terrible thing to do to an MSW student during the last semester.

Good luck to you as we head into the end of the semester. If you are getting ready to graduate, hang in there! You can do it.

~Ms. T. J.

Got the call; Got the offer; God is good.

THIS AFTERNOON AT 12:27, I GOT THE CALL.

The polished HR professional called to make an offer. I let him tell me all about it and "sell me" a little. I listened as he talked salary, and hire date, and orientation. He explained the job and the fast-track possibilities and the benefits. I asked questions and had him repeat some information so I could write it all down.

And then, I accepted the offer.

Wow. It's still 36 days from graduation and I have a job. While many folks are unemployed, I will soon have a new career (and a paycheck). Do I feel grateful? You bet I do.

For all of you soon-to-be or wanna-be Social Workers, let this be a beacon of hope for you. Getting your B.S.W. or M.S.W. is worth it! There are jobs out there. For YOU! If you decide to "do the deal," go the extra mile, work like you mean it, and love what you are working toward, you will find a place to begin your career. The world needs us--more than ever!

I was awarded the Title-IV-E grant from the state at the onset of my MSW education, but that did not guarantee that I would be hired. Yes, the state hopes they will hire us as we are an "investment" for them. But I have heard of many Title IV-E grant recipients who did not get hired. We are thrown into the applicant pool like every other person--and it's competitive.

As I get ready to settle in for the night after a celebratory dinner with my husband, I am counting my blessings. I am also grateful for what I have brought to the table these past days, months, and years. I have been a dedicated student, a diligent worker at my internship, and a good person. I don't take the credit, however. I know that I was created by a Higher Power, and that Source has guided me every step of the way.

~Ms. T. J.

Job Interview No. 1

I BELIEVE THE INTERVIEW WENT VERY WELL. And while it was no walk in the park, I think I have a good chance at getting the job. There were three components: the interview; a short written exercise; and a typing exam (more for form and accuracy than speed). I was impressed with the caliber of the interview team, as well as the fact that the government social service agency takes the business of child welfare so seriously.

The HR team's interview process was streamlined, and I was the last interview of the day. This made my day a bit maddening; I would much rather have gotten it over with in the morning when I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

When they asked me where I wanted to work, I told them that I was more interested in the ongoing units, and that I think Foster Care might be a good place for me to start. I have only worked on the placement unit for one day! I am basing this on what I have heard and witnessed--not on what I have done. My entire internship has been on the CPS side of the agency. It would actually be easier for me to work on that side because I have the most experience there. But I am drawn to Foster Care.

I am going to turn this over to my Higher Power because at this moment in time, if I get a job offer, I don't really know where my best fit may be. And there may be more than one "great fit." What I know is that I have officially left my comfort zone. It is a thing of the past!

My hopes and prayers are that I will continue to be teachable, that I will continue to be divinely led, that I will continue to be willing to step out--to leap in faith, and to trust that all is well.

~Ms. T. J.

The other side of the house--and a job interview

TOMORROW I MOVE INTO PLACEMENT at my field practicum. I have been on the CPS side of the child welfare agency ever since I started my internship back in Fall 2009.

I have always been drawn to Foster Care. Now is my opportunity to find out if it's a good fit for me. With just a few short weeks left in field placement, I want to experience as much as I can before I consider a position.

Oh, did I mention I have my first interview on Wednesday?

I was really excited when I got the call last week. I'll "go upstairs" at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Please send lots of light!

~Ms. T. J.

Learning to be flexible

FIVE. That's the number of work spaces I've inhabited since I began my internship back in the Fall of 2009. On the bright side, I've gotten the lay of the land in my agency like nobody's business!

I am happy to report this move was an upgrade. Once again I am in an office rather than a cubicle. I started in a cubicle, moved into an office, then into another office, back into a cubicle, and now I am in an office. These are all different offices and cubicles, mind you. I say this not to complain but rather to let you know that the only thing certain about an internship is the uncertainty!

I have learned many things while at this agency, and I believe one of my biggest lessons has been the one I've learned about attachment--or more specifically, detachment. In some 12-step programs detachment is defined as "letting go with love." I can't say that applies exactly, but my attachment to attachment has been a fickle source of comfort for me over the years.

Change is imminent, and while I like to try new things, travel to new places, and meet new people, I have also found it comforting to be in positions which offered a sense of security and routine.

This internship is not like that.

Every day that I walk in, I never really know what's in store for me, or if I'll be in the same space. And, as surprising as it is to me, I like it. The lack of structure is liberating in a way that is hard to describe. I like the not knowing! I like not being in charge of my day, to some extent. And, I enjoy the challenge of it all.

Today I worked until 7 p.m. and it felt like I was only there for a few hours. I know this isn't something I can keep doing as an intern, and yet today it felt really great to be working on a project, and seeing it through to the end.

As crazy as this sounds--even to me--I can't wait to go back tomorrow!

~Ms. T. J.

Healthcare Bill Divides Friends?

I WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT IF IT HADN'T HAPPENED TO ME. Today I was snubbed by a "friend" who isn't in favor of the health care bill! I guess he doesn't like my politics--and you know--I don't like his either, but I treated him as I always do, with a hug and a smile. But I could tell he was holding my viewpoint against me.

Gone are the days when I hold in my thoughts, beliefs, values, ideas to make someone like me. Getting this Master's degree has changed me. Hallelujah!

~Ms. T. J.

Three Days Left

WHERE DID YOU GO THIS SPRING BREAK? The beach? The mountains? Home to see your family? Did you stay at school and catch up with your work? Whatever you did and wherever you went, I hope you had a great time.

Me? Oh, I've been in bed. Alone. With the flu. Yep. My husband had it, too. We decided we'd rest better apart. That coughing can really cut into hard-won slumber.

Homework? Nope. Didn't have any focusing abilities. I tried. I even started a power point presentation I need to give in a couple weeks. I think I set up three slides.

Reading? Here and there--in between feverish, sleepless hours tangled up in the sheets.

Did I bathe? Now you are getting personal! Well, um, perhaps I splashed some water on my face and brushed my teeth.

Drink a lot of fluids? Yup.

Eat? Not very much. Funny how the appetite can vanish when a bit of nourishment would do a world of good.

See the light of day? Nope. Fortunately it was dreary and chilly most of the time--okay so maybe the sun came out, but hey, if a tree drops in the forest...you know the story--I wasn't there to see it, so hey, did it shine?

Talk to anybody? Lucky for me, I have persistent, loving friends. So I didn't isolate as badly as I could have, given the hibernation-type behavior I have been exhibiting. One dear friend even drove me to my massage therapist's home so I could get some reflexology. I believe it made a difference. The massage, and the company of my friend.

Feeling better? Yep. Drove my car today. Went to the store to get some more orange juice. Took the dog around the block. The sun was shining and the temp was in the high 60s!

Three days of break left? Hurray!

I am grateful for my usual state of good health. I shall not take it for granted for a long time!

~Ms. T. J.

The Final Spring Break

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT: I am sick during spring break! My husband was really sick last week and despite all my preventive efforts, I am now down with a cold, too.

Is the universe trying to slow me down? Is it, like Carolyn says, normal for the body to hang on when you need it to, and let go when you don't? I am definitely paraphrasing and hopefully I got it right.

I have been doing a lot of sleeping, something I am certain I need. The house is so quiet and peaceful. I believe I need that, too. My energy level is so low, I can't muster up enough of it to do much of anything except, now and then, get on the computer, and lay in bed reading short stories by Dorothy Parker.

As I begin to feel better, I plan to finish my child welfare training, get a massage, have lunch with friends, and maybe take a short trip to a nearby island. Until then, I'll be laying low, drinking lots of fluids, and getting through it.

~Ms. T. J.

My Social Work Philosophy

SOUNDS PRETTY HEADY, EH? Pondering, and stating, my social work philosophy is Part III of a three-part assignment in my Capstone course, Integrative Seminar.

In Part I, we wrote about our "espoused theory," (our values and assumptions, and what we think we want to do); in Part II, our "theories in use," (are we actually doing what we think we are doing?); and now, for Part III, we must scrutinize the first two assignments, and choose the areas of our practice that we want to work on to bring them more into agreement with our espoused practice theories, and also consider whether there are parts that we'd like to drop--or tweak--based on the assessment of our work.

A clear statement of our practice philosophy, along with the findings from Assignment I and II will be used to propose a plan for our professional development. We are allowed to use music, art and poetry to help us express our ideas.

Sounds cool, challenging, exciting, and intense--all rolled into one final assignment for the class (yes, I wrote final assignment--big smiles all around). It's due mid-April, so I have some time to let the ideas marinate...

~Ms. T. J.

The Two-Month Countdown is On!

WHEN I LOOKED AT TODAY'S DATE, I knew there was something significant about it. Hmm... March 8--what could it be? Then I realized that it is exactly two months from graduation day! May 8, 2010 is truly just around the corner. We passed the half-way point of the semester last week, completed our mid-terms, and we are definitely on the downhill slide!

I was having coffee with a friend today and I shared that now that graduation is so close, I am having many feelings. I am naturally a bit nervous, and I have a lot of faith in the future. The sky is the limit! I know that I can do many things with this degree, including, and not limited to, child welfare.

As a Title-IV E grant recipient, I still have the option to opt out and pay back the grant that covered my tuition and books. My plan, since the very beginning, has been to pay back the grant with my employment at a child welfare agency.

A friend of mine is chief of surgery at a local hospital in my city and, before I started school, I consulted with him about the child welfare idea. He encouraged me to apply for the Title-IV E grant, and he likened the child welfare agency to the "bowels" of big city hospitals where he completed his residency in New York--where they get the chance to treat the "sickest of the sick." He said the state agencies would be the best training grounds for me, because I would be working on the toughest cases in child welfare.

I am excited about it. I believe I have something to offer, and I want to help. There have been days when I have left my internship deeply saddened and disturbed by the behavior of human beings--and the ways they maltreat children. And, I have not wanted to leave when it was time to go because I was so impassioned about the work.

In a mere two months, I will be a M. S. W., and qualified to take a job as a clinician. It seems hard to imagine, yet totally real! And, what a journey it has been so far.

~Ms. T. J.