Clear Guidelines for Performance: Effective feedback must be preceded by clear guidelines of what the field instructor expects from students in terms of their performance. Without these guidelines, students may feel they are being unfairly criticized, as expectations for their performance were not made clear.
Direct Observation: Feedback is best received when it is based on direct observation of students’ performance, rather than comments from others.
Empathy: Students are likely to respond well to feedback when they believe their field instructor understands them. It is important to analyze situations from your student’s perspective to try to understand his or her actions and to then communicate this understanding to your student.
Timeliness: Feedback is most effective when it is provided immediately following the action it concerns.
Consistency: Feedback should be given after every direct observation of students’ performance. When feedback is provided regularly, students will expect this and be more open to discussing their performance.
Balance: Feedback is best received when it is balanced with both positive and negative comments. It is often best to begin providing feedback by identifying some of the positive elements of the student’s performance, and then addressing the areas that need improvement.
Conciseness and Directness: Feedback should be clear and easy to understand. Specific and concrete suggestions for change should be provided.
Follow Up: Effective feedback involves regularly following up on the student’s use of feedback. When suggestions for change or improvement are provided, tasks or assignments should be developed that offer the student the opportunity to incorporate these suggestions. This will allow students to correct mistakes and practice new skills.
Consider:
The goal of feedback is to learn, whether it be from successes or mistakes.
Learning to receive and use feedback requires a positive mindset regarding its value and purpose.
Each student responds differently to feedback.
Feedback should initially be given tentatively to determine how the student best receives information
Encourage students to discuss their thoughts and feelings about receiving feedback.
When a student is given feedback they also need the opportunity and time to be able incorporate the suggestions.
Feedback is best received once a trusting and supportive environment has been established.
Recognize that you engage in the process of building an effective and positive relationship as you’re providing feedback.
The relationship you have with a student begins the day of the interview and evolves over time, allowing you do work together on a deeper level as you progress.
A student’s first few days in the agency can set the tone for the whole year. Students are often anxious about the placement. Even the most experienced or self-confident student needs information about the agency and your expectations so that they can make a good start to the internship. A formal orientation clears the way for the student to focus immediately on learning.
Plan before the student arrives.
Prepare the physical location where the student will be placed. If possible, the student should have a desk, a phone, office supplies, etc.
Prepare the staff team for the addition of a student intern. Communicate to staff the role and expectations for the student. Students want to feel like a part of the agency and want to be treated like a professional. It is important that other staff members understand the role of your student, which includes that the student is not in the agency to make copies, run errands.
If there is agency paperwork, (ex. fingerprinting, clearances, TB testing etc.) that the student needs to complete, have this prepared to reduce potential delays. If possible, have the student come in and complete the paperwork prior to the first day.
Conduct a tour of the agency including introductions to key staff members.
Schedule a series of brief meetings or presentations by key staff. Possible presenters include personnel/HR, program directors and department heads.
Develop an orientation packet that includes information such as:
Important agency and program policies and procedures
Parking information
Hours of work, “overtime” and how to record hours
Times and dates of staff meetings
Policies regarding transportation of clients
Mileage reimbursement policies and procedures, if applicable
Chain of supervisory oversight and emergency contact information: please note, students need to know from the very first day how and who to contact when they have concerns or serious matters in question
Employee handbook
Readings addressing the practice of your agency/program and the client population
Any other information that you believe will help the student understand your agency/program.
An overview of agency programs with information about the various roles of social workers within the agency.
Note: your agency may have a new employee orientation checklist that includes additional components that could be helpful to the student.
When and how to get in touch with a supervisor, i.e., what kinds of things can wait for supervision, and what should come to the supervisor immediately.
Times you are available for supervision. We recommend you set your weekly supervision schedule as soon as possible and hold to it.
The agency dress code (official and unofficial)
Lunch times and agency norms around lunch times
The clientele the agency serves and the criteria for eligibility
Confidentiality procedures
Safety issues and precautions
Jargon used by the agency
Where to find information for making referrals
Guidelines regarding assignments and deadlines
What else is unique about your setting?
How the student should identify themselves to clients and on written documents. Remember, the profession, through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), has very clear ethical standards governing students and their supervisors failing to identify a practitioner as a student. The NASW Code of Ethics provides ethical standards and violations can be brought to the NYS Office of Professional Discipline. Also, social work programs and field placement agencies that do not ensure that students disclose their intern status are in violation of CSWE standards. Clients and other professionals have a right to know the qualification of their service provider. Clients have a right to decline services from an intern however, this rarely occurs.
Your vision of the placement experience
Your vision for the supervisory relationship including roles and responsibilities for you and the student.
Your expectations of the student.
Adapted from: From Mission to Evaluation: a field instructor training program, CSWE Press, 2003
Making the student feel desired by the agency
Including the student in agency functions and activities
Treating the student like a professional
Helping the student learn about the agency
Clarifying the purpose of assignments
Providing detailed directions and instructions
Working with the student to complete tasks
Regularly reviewing the student’s workload
Providing a variety of learning activities
Clarifying expectations for the student’s performance
Providing early opportunities for client contact
Explaining your role and the role of the student
Encouraging discussion of the student’s concerns
Encouraging discussion of taboo subjects
Helping the student link theory to practice
Providing clear and consistent feedback
Validating the student’s feelings
Reassuring students that they can succeed
Demonstrating that the student is valued as a person and as a colleague
Holding regularly scheduled supervision meetings
Being available outside of regular supervision times
Providing a thorough discussion of the student’s learning needs
Reviewing and analyzing the student’s cases
Providing consistent supervision throughout the placement
Practice skills used by students
Cases and Clients
Ongoing performance issues
Personal Strengths and limitations
Students want direct and practical information that is going to help them become ethical and effective social workers.
Students want dedicated time with their supervisor to focus on their practice issues.
Although students may want to discuss issues such as career plans and classroom assignments with their field instructor, research (gray et al., 1989) suggests that students do not want to discuss these issues during supervision.
Supervision is too directive – students are not given opportunities to practice skills on their own or learning opportunities are limited.
Lack of monitoring – failure to monitor the student’s workload or failure to make arrangements for supervision during the field instructor’s absence.
Inappropriate use of the student – assigning tasks that do not meet the learning needs of the student or assigning tasks that are too difficult or too easy.
Are there certain kinds of feedback that is easier for you to give? (Paperwork versus demeanor)
Do you struggle with finding the right words when giving critical feedback?
Are there certain kinds of students you struggle with giving critical feedback to?
Do you feel supported by the University and/or your agency when giving difficult feedback?
Do you avoid giving critical feedback to students?
Do you know if you are perceived as intimidating or approachable?
Is supervision valued in your agency?
How do you prepare for supervision?
Who do you consult with when you have a challenging student?
What motivates you to be a field instructor?
Adapted from: A. Dettlaf (2003) From Mission to Evaluation, a field instructor training program. CSWE, Alexandria, VA.
Student and/or field instructor identifies a problem or concern.
Student and/or field instructor discuss the issue.
The issue is resolved, or a plan is made to address the problem.
If a resolution is not made:
Student and/or field instructor consult with field liaison who advises student/field instructor regarding potential solutions.
Student and field instructor again discuss issue.
The issue is resolved, or a plan is made to address the problem.
If a resolution is still not made:
Student or field instructor notifies field liaison who schedules joint meeting with both.
Field liaison notifies field director and/or concentration chair.
Field liaison facilitates meeting with field instructor and student.
The issue is resolved, or a plan is made to address the problem.
If a resolution cannot be facilitated:
Liaison notifies director and/or concentration chair who then consults to develop a plan.
Possible resolutions include:
Student is counseled out of the program.
A grade of ‘F’ is assigned.
Placement is disrupted and student is not permitted to re-enter field until certain conditions have been met.
Student is reassigned to a different field placement agency or a different field instructor within the same agency.
Field Instructors are responsible for completing a formal, written evaluation of students at the completion of each semester. The following guidelines will assist you in providing a positive and rewarding evaluation experience.
Be aware the formal evaluation process can cause significant stress among students.
Remember many students have not had the experience of receiving a social work related evaluation.
Students may need coaching in how to manage receiving constructive or negative feedback.
Spend a good amount of time completing the evaluation.
Take time to think about the student and what they have done and how they have grown.
The evaluation is of considerable importance to students in their ongoing professional development. A thoughtful, well written, objective summative evaluation can be an extremely rewarding experience for both you and the student.
You have a significant role in the student’s growth and development and they value your comments and feedback.
Students know when you have not put time our thought into their evaluation and as a result can feel devalued and disappointed.
Students truly value the individualized comments that are made under each section of the evaluation. It is a way for you to support the ratings you have chosen and for the student to have specific detailed feedback.
Base the final evaluation on clear guidelines that were set at the beginning of the field placement.
Review the School of Social Work field evaluation with the student early in the semester so that they know what they will be evaluated on.
You can use the practice behaviors that are set out in the Program Competencies sheet as the main guideline for what you expect the student to be able to do. This is also what the SU School of Social Work and CSWE expects the student to be able to do when they graduate from the program.
Be clear and direct about what you expect from the student.
Evaluate your student objectively and honestly.
An effective evaluation should focus on the work performance of the student, rather than on personal issues. If there are personal issues that need to be addressed do so immediately don’t wait for the evaluation.
Gather data from several sources (yourself, administrative staff, other social work staff, if possible find out what clients think of the intern).
The evaluation should review strengths as well as areas for growth
Be specific about the student’s strengths so they can build confidence.
Be honest about what areas the student needs to grow in. Don’t avoid this. We recommend you take the time to think about what the right words are to explain their areas for growth. Be prepared to discuss this in detail with specifics in how to get better.
Remember the summative evaluation is a review
If you are practicing ongoing, constructive feedback, the evaluation should simply be a formal review of everything that has already been addressed orally throughout the semester.
It is not fair to the student to put in the evaluation an area for growth that has not been addressed verbally prior to the evaluation. They will be surprised and feel like they were not given an opportunity to correct the behavior. It also sends a message that you were possibly avoiding the discussion. If something occurs where you feel it needs to be addressed in the evaluation but has not been discussed, you should first have a discussion with the student about this and explain why it needs to be in the evaluation.
When giving the evaluation to the student to read you should provide an opportunity for discussion and clarification in a supervisory session face to face following the student’s read through.
Be prepared that some students may be defensive about negative feedback written in the evaluation. Receiving feedback that is constructive or negative in nature can be difficult for any of us. Don’t avoid the opportunity to discuss this with the student. Just as they are learning key social work practice skills they are also learning about themselves and how to receive difficult feedback.
Also be prepared that some students may have a difficult time receiving positive feedback. Again, this is an opportunity for them to learn about themselves.
Use of these items will vary according to the agency setting, the supervisor, the student’s level of expertise, and the student’s learning goals. Possibilities are not limited to this list; your creativity is welcomed.
Basic literature about agency and its functions: manuals, annual reports, job descriptions, protocols, brochures, etc.
Agency rules and regulations: personal regulations, dress codes, intern requirements, etc.
Packet of agency forms with instructions.
Information gathering interviews with various agency personnel.
Observations of agency operations: staff meetings, unit meetings, board meetings, direct service routines, etc.
Reading or audio-visuals on agency focal areas (substance abuse, child welfare, delinquency, mental illness, etc.)
I & R Books
Maps, tours, introductions, etc.
Visits to primary other resources/network agencies – or literature
Readings of case records
Observations of client services (observe supervisor or others in interviews, group sessions, conferences, and/or any activity student will be expected to perform)
Field Trips
Exposure to interagency conferences, meetings, etc.
Participation in agency and/or community training opportunities
Learning Contract
Student Internship Manual
Learning Contract
Daily Logs (record of impressions and reactions to share with field instructor for discussion)
Written Assignments:
On specific social work concepts, principals or values (confidentiality, starting where client is, respect for individual or any variety of topics that might apply to the agency setting)
On role data, i.e. – the role of the social worker in the agency
Identify and label interview techniques used in specific sessions and analyze their use
List of things they did best that week
List of things they felt uncertain about
List of things they learned that week
(Training materials from Florida State University)