This course develops advanced knowledge and skills for effective school social work practice. Students learn to identify, select, and apply evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies with individuals, groups, families, and school personnel to enhance student learning, development, and school success. Course content emphasizes practice skills advancing social justice and educational access, including trauma-informed models, positive behavioral supports, crisis prevention and response, behavior intervention planning, mediation, conflict resolution, and collaborative problem-solving. Students examine interventions supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Emotional Impairments, and other IDEA disabilities, as well as strategies promoting family engagement and collaboration among teachers, families, and school personnel.
Students develop competencies for school social work practice through multi-tiered systems of support for socio-emotional and academic success, interdisciplinary approaches strengthening individuals, groups, and families within school and community contexts, and methods increasing student and family access to education and resources. Intervention methodologies focus on promoting human rights and educational equity while fostering welcoming, supportive, inclusive school climates. Schoolwide interventions examined include positive behavioral supports, restorative practices, family engagement strategies, intergroup dialogue, conflict resolution, and coordination with community agencies. Students practice classroom-wide, small-group, and individual interventions. SW 628 is one of two electives meeting School Social Worker Specialization requirements.
Pathway Elective For
- Children, Youth, and Families
Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Determine empirically supported, culturally relevant, evidence-based prevention and intervention methods effective for use with individuals, groups, families, school personnel, and communities to enhance student learning, development, and school success.
- Develop functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plans.
- Apply principles of social justice to school-based practice by selecting interventions that promote social justice and access to education.
- Apply proven tools and methodologies to provide mental health support and interventions in school settings.
- Explain skills to facilitate and coordinate student and family access to medical, health, mental health, social services, and other community resources and to promote collaboration among school personnel and other community agencies.
- Assess factors that promote a positive school climate and a culture of belonging among students, families, and school personnel.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of programs and services available to students, families, and schools.
Design
This course will use a variety of teaching and learning methods, including lectures, PowerPoint presentations, group exercises, case material, role plays videos, guest presenters, and seminar techniques. The class format is based on the understanding that students are prepared and active learners. Reading the assigned materials prior to the class session is a prerequisite to getting the most out of each class and successfully meeting the course objectives.
Intensive Focus on Privilege, Oppression, Diversity and Social Justice (PODS)
This course integrates PODS content and skills with a special emphasis on the identification of theories, practice and/or policies that promote social justice, illuminate injustices and are consistent with scientific and professional knowledge. Through the use of a variety of instructional methods, this course will support students developing a vision of social justice, learn to recognize and reduce mechanisms that support oppression and injustice, work toward social justice processes, apply intersectionality and intercultural frameworks and strengthen critical consciousness, self-knowledge and self-awareness to facilitate PODS learning.