Practicum Reflection

The qualities of the mentor are an important element of the learning environment. This includes professional and personal qualities such as professionalism, a friendly nature, understanding and patience (Beskine 2009). Added to this the learner must be made to feel welcome through staff attitudes, this will help the learner to become integrated into the clinical environment (Hutchinson, 2003). Throughout the learning experience I felt that I had a strong professional relationship and that being ‘A’ ’s mentor being approachable and friendly enabled us to maintain a trusting relationship conducive to learning. This relationship, according to ‘A‘, reduced stress and anxiety. Locken and Norberg (2005) state that anxiety in students becomes reduced when mentors are able to build a good working relationship with their student and are able to work with them for almost all of their placement. One potential barrier in creating an effective

Working in various school settings, I have been exposed to merely a glimpse of the future in which I pursue. I believe that this passion is driven by looking at my own school counselors when I was younger and realizing how great of an impact they have had on my life. From the counselors in elementary school that have helped me resolve issues with other children over a stolen crayon, to my counselors that pushed me over my limits at Rutgers University, I have become more aware of the positive impacts they have had on my life. I only aspire to be as great of a counselor to others, as they have been for me. This program embodies major values that I possess and would want to expand on in order to support the youth. Through the counseling program, I hope to gain more experience about how to help individuals in various topics such as academic support, self-development, and building relationships with these young

My practicum was a good learning experience of practical public health work and exposure to how zoonotic disease is handled by multiple public health departments. I appreciated my experience giving me the knowledge of day-to-day public health work and what it means to be epidemiologist. My classes in epidemiology prepared me well for understanding terminology and the process of outbreak response. Particularly, my Applied Epidemiology course provided me with the critical thinking skills to evaluate published literature. In reviewing my work I used multiple public health competencies including biostatistics, epidemiology, communication and informatics, leadership, professionalism, and program planning.

When I was in fifth grade, my teacher informed me of an exciting opportunity. I had been selected to act as a peer mediator in my school guidance counselor’s office! I was thrilled at the prospect. The school counselor would guide me in the best ways to deal with student conflict. It was at this point I knew I would be well-suited for this sort of task. Though my undergraduate education was achieved in Aiken, South Carolina, I am called across the Savannah River to achieve a Master’s degree in the counselor education program. This is an important goal to me because working in an educational setting has always appealed to me. I also possess the ability to listen without judgment, positivity, and empathy towards others. These traits will benefit me in this line of work. I also recognize the challenges that this profession will bring. Addressing personal issues that might hinder client relationships will be made possible after receiving counseling education from Augusta University. It is important for me to become sensitive to diverse types of students. I must also prepare for the unpredictability of the job. My goal is to become educated at Augusta University in order to positively impact the lives of students as a school counselor.

Listening to people’s stories and what they have been through in life is extremely fascinating. Seeing how the professional staff members are using the DSM-5, impacting and changing the client’s life only gives me a stronger drive to change the lives of others. It is also extremely exciting to be able to see and use the numerous topics I have learned during my time at Slippery Rock University. Learning the weekly lessons on motivational interviewing, the change cycle, and MAPS goals has allowed me to notice and apply these lessons into my internship. When I had the chance to sit with my supervisor, Alanna, I was able to see her passion for changing lives, setting measurable and attainable goals with her clients, and making sure the needs of her employees are being met. She does not hesitate to take on a client, clear her schedule for a walk-in intake, or answer any questions I may have. I once had a client come into my office and told me she was googling how to kill herself. Not having any prior experience to suicidal clients, I reassured her and brought her to my supervisor where she was able to lay out her options until her appointment with the therapist. She apologized I had to handle the situation, but I was thankful for that opportunity because it allowed me

Before starting graduate school I did not know that counseling was a distinct profession from psychology. I enjoyed learning that counseling was born from the educational field with a wellness focus rather than a medical focus (Granello & Young, 2012, Remley & Herlihy, 2010). In different classes, we learn how counselors are different from other mental health professionals. For example, we discussed how psychiatrists and psychologists focus on the biological and psychological factors that influence mental illness, and social worker seek the environmental factors that address a person’s wellness. Counselors operate in the niche between psychologists and social workers. I was excited to learn the new opportunities and training available as a student in a distinct field to address unique

The six thinking hats model of conducting supervision appears to offer several benefits for counselor interns as a method of discovering possibilities for working with challenging customers. Counselor interns often feel a great amount of stress both from the new experience of seeing clients with real issues and from the supervision process (Bernard & Goodyear, 2004). Because counselor interns may encounter anxiety when presented with challenging cases, supervision strategies that help minimize anxious feelings may be helpful. This model provides a useful structure for exploring options in working with clients, and this structure can be an important component for managing counselor interns’ anxiety.

This semester has been emotionally, mentally and physically taxing; the topics (suicide, homicide, sexual abuse, death, intimate partner violence, etc.) in class have been exceedingly bleak and distressing. Each week has presented its emotional and mental challenges, some more difficult than others (child sexual abuse), but the information gained will be invaluable in my counseling career. The emotional strain and exhaustion that accompanied the task of processing this information, processing my feelings and thoughts, and practicing self-care were well worth the outcome. As mentioned previously, all of this information and insight gained will be essential in my counseling career, but also the habits that I have developed, as they relate to

making Practice-Based Learning work Reflection on PRACTICE A resource commissioned by the Making Practice Based Learning Work project, an educational development project funded through FDTL Phase 4 Project Number 174/02 and produced by staff from the University of Ulster. www.practicebasedlearning.org Author Patricia McClure School of Health Sciences, University of Ulster www.practicebasedlearning.org contents Reflection on Practice 02

Overall, I am glad that I was able to benefit from this practicum placement, as it provided a feasible context to my studies.

During the first half of my Integrated Practicum, I was independent for the most time, applying my critical thinking, decision-making, communication, and research abilities, but I also asked for assistance or support from my Preceptor and CCD if difficult question raised. I followed the CHNC standards of building trusting relationship and demonstrated professional accountability, responsibility, and adaptability in approaching clients, groups, community partners, nurses, peers, and other professionals. I worked collaboratively in teams and fostered growth with other nursing students by sharing knowledge or alternative approaches or offering the topics to explore. I am confident that I am gaining the necessary

At my practicum site I have always seen my supervisor and the other councilors go to treatment team meeting but I was never invited to go, so I was interesting and exciting for me to experience that. I also notice how the mental health level six facility I was at have a more in depth group therapy session, however the patients there are younger and they conduct therapy for six hours a day for their Intensive Outpatient Program, so there was more time to cover things. I also noticed how knowledgeable nurse case managers can be about insurance, so that explains why in some positions RNs can apply for some social work or case management

Discussing fear was a great way to start the discussion. Often, counselor educators speak of being a leader and an advocate, which may lead to discomfort among their students. Personally, I am excited to break through my comfort zone to expand my knowledge of counseling. The more practice I have, the more comfortable counseling will become.

Every fourth-year teacher trainees will have to conduct practicum and will work under the guideline of their associate teachers and supervisors. The purpose of doing the practicum are to put training into practice, to become accustomed to teaching in the tertiary school settings, and to develop and expand each trainee’s teaching expertise and confidence. In the following paragraph, I will express what I have learnt from doing practicum to reflect on my past teaching strengths and weaknesses from the teaching practicum.

Evidence based instruction is a collection of practices that have been tested and show a record of success and improvement. Evidence based instruction is based on information that is reliable and with verifiable as well as valid evidence that shows when this practice or program is implemented, there is a moderate to substantial chance that students will make strides in achievement. Research based means that there has been researched, but does not definitely imply success or achievement.