Thursday, April 16, 2009
My Initial Thoughts
Poverty Cirriculum Objectives
First-Year Curriculum Objectives
The above goals have been further delineated through the program’s foundation objectives. These
objectives, in turn, drive curricular planning and development for the first year of the M.S.W.
program. They include:
1. Practice within the values and ethics of the social work profession including:
A. Identifying and articulating one’s own personal values, prejudices, and biases;
B. Recognizing how one’s own values impact on assessment and intervention;
C. Employing the NASW Code of Ethics in social work practice;
D. Identifying ethical dilemmas affecting practice and services to clients;
E. Resolving ethical dilemmas using appropriate decision-making processes;
F. Practicing without discrimination on the basis of age, culture, class, ethnicity,
disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation;
G. Engaging in continued professional growth and development.
2. Demonstrate culturally competent practice for work in diverse political and cultural contexts
including:
A. Recognizing diversity within and between groups;
B. Recognizing one’s own reactions to clients who are different from oneself;
C. Using interpersonal skills to support understanding and tolerance for human
diversity.
D. Working to ensure social services are culturally relevant and appropriate;
D. Working to ensure social services are culturally relevant and appropriate;
E. Recognizing the forms and mechanisms of racism, oppression, and discrimination
and their impact on client systems;
F. Critically analyzing and applying culturally appropriate theories and knowledge about
client system functioning within environmental contexts;
G. Employ an ecological perspective when engaging in assessment, planning, and
intervention.
3. Use practice knowledge and skill to promote alleviation of poverty, oppression, and other
forms of social and economic injustice including:
A. Analyzing historic and current trends in social welfare policy and service delivery;
B. Analyzing policy research relevant to service delivery;
C. Using knowledge of economic, political, and organizational systems to pursue
policies consistent with social work values;
D. Recognizing financial, organizational, administrative and planning processes needed
for social service delivery;
E. Formulate, analyze, interpret, and influence social policy and service delivery issues.
F. Using interpersonal skills to affect social change in systems of various sizes.
4. Function effectively within the structure of organizations and across service delivery systems
including:
A. Using appropriate practice-relevant technologies within the context of organizational
resources and facilities;
B. Using supervision and consultation appropriately to improve practice and enhance
services to clients;
C. Promoting nondiscriminatory social and/or agency policies that enhance social
functioning and interactions of individuals, families, groups, organization,
communities, and society, alleviate poverty and oppression, promote social and
economic justice, and ensure culturally competent practice;
D. Employing/participating in efforts to evaluate program effectiveness.
5. Use the generalist practice model and advanced practice knowledge and skills with client
systems of all sizes including individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, and
communities including:
A. Using knowledge and theories of individual, family, group, organizational, and
community development to assess interactions among individuals and other social
systems;
B. Appropriately applying relevant research findings to social work practice; B. Using supervision and consultation appropriately to improve practice and enhance
services to clients;
C. Promoting nondiscriminatory social and/or agency policies that enhance social
functioning and interactions of individuals, families, groups, organization,
communities, and society, alleviate poverty and oppression, promote social and
economic justice, and ensure culturally competent practice;
D. Employing/participating in efforts to evaluate program effectiveness.
5. Use the generalist practice model and advanced practice knowledge and skills with client
systems of all sizes including individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, and
communities including:
A. Using knowledge and theories of individual, family, group, organizational, and
community development to assess interactions among individuals and other social
systems;
B. Appropriately applying relevant research findings to social work practice;
C. Employing evidenced-based best practices when using professional knowledge and
skills;
D. Using communication skills appropriate to client systems, colleagues, and
community members;
E. Applying critical thinking skills to social work practice;
F. Working collaboratively with professionals from other disciplines;
G. Evaluating one’s own practice effectiveness and sharing findings appropriately;
H. Demonstrating professional (conscious) use of self in social work practice;
C. Employing evidenced-based best practices when using professional knowledge and
skills;
D. Using communication skills appropriate to client systems, colleagues, and
community members;
E. Applying critical thinking skills to social work practice;
F. Working collaboratively with professionals from other disciplines;
G. Evaluating one’s own practice effectiveness and sharing findings appropriately;
H. Demonstrating professional (conscious) use of self in social work practice;
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Lesson Plans and Classroom activities
Understandings:
Poverty is a common reason for the failure of children to develop to their full potential.
Impoverished children are more likely to be exposed to conditions that harm their health, safety and development.
Every child has the right to live a good life and be free from any exploitative or harmful activity.
Identify how children whose families are struggling financially can be helped.
Discuss what local and national governments and civil society can provide to assist families struggling financially.
Examine international documents like the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Demonstrate the extent of the problem of homelessness in different countries and communities.
Use interpersonal communication skills to raise awareness about poverty on local, national and international levels.
Review the success of international efforts to reduce poverty and homelessness. Enable students to synthesize the knowledge they have gained.
Students will know:
Human rights vocabulary
What is being done about this global problem
International documents and the issues they address
The names of international organizations and NGOs that are working to reduce poverty
How to get involved
Respect others through exposure to a way of life different from their own
Advocate for the rights of the poor and the homeless
Explore opportunities to bring about social change locally and nationally
Activity 1:
1. Write the term 'home' on the board. Ask students to think about words, ideas and emotions they associate with the term. Write responses on the board, forming a word web around the term 'home.' Some answers might include: building, space, security, protection, privacy, warmth.
2. Next to the word chart ask students to list activities people do at 'home.' Answers might include: sleep, eat, read, play, watch TV, do work, and bathe.
Think about getting ready for school in the morning at your home: brushing your teeth, bathing, getting dressed, eating breakfast, etc. What might it be like to do all of these things in front of strangers at a homeless shelter? What is it like to get ready for school in the car that your family lives in? What is it like to try and do homework while caring for siblings or in a parents' car?
In a class discussion or written response ask students: How does it feel to get ready for school in these situations? Do you think it would be hard to concentrate?
3. Write "Poverty" on the board. Ask students to list words, emotions and ideas associated with this term.
Ask students: What are the characteristics of poverty? Can you tell if someone is poor, if so, how do you?
Explain that sometimes poverty can be easily concealed. It might not be obvious that your peers and their families are struggling financially. It is important to keep an open mind and be empathetic about people's financial and housing circumstances.
Note: It is important to keep in mind that there might be children in the class who might live in a homeless shelter or consider themselves poor. These children might be embarrassed by the discussion. It is important to ensure that the classroom discussion is respectful and non-discriminatory.