Brew a Better Internship Experience Dianne Acua Thompson

Brew a Better Internship Experience Dianne Acuña Thompson, Ed. S Director, Advisement & Counseling Gwinnett County Public Schools Lauren Wynne, Ph. D, LPC, RPT-S Clinical Assistant Professor, School Counseling Program Georgia State University

Essential Question: Why? • To create minimal standards of preparation at the county level • To address concerns related to differing counselor education program requirements • To utilize the internship experience as a true yearlong induction and interview process

Essential Question: Why? • Leadership through collaboration • Combination of strengths to support advocacy and potential for systemic change

Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How? • Identification of Key Players – Counseling Program Leadership – University Leadership – Local School & Human Resources Leadership

Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How? • Principal Permission – – – Supervision training Site supervision Office space Technology Access to student data for interns

Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How? • Minimum Requirements of Interns – Number of hours on-site – Number of direct service hours – Accountability project – Group experience requirement – Background check/liability insurance – Current employee considerations

Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How? • Requirements of Onsite Supervisors – Attend countysponsored supervision training – Commit to one hour of intern supervision per week – Commit to completing middle, EOY & impromptu evaluations of interns

Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How? • Onsite Supervisor Training – General supervision training – Handling intern problems – Offering “useful” evaluations • Ongoing Support of Onsite Supervisors – Part of annual plan – County support – Supervision of supervision visit – Data collection

Excerpts from Supervisor Training Facilitating the Supervisor’s Role in the Yearlong Interview

Reflecting on Our Last Time Together • Definition of Supervision • Supervision Metaphors • Supervision Theories • Supervisory Relationship • Multicultural Aspects • Supervision Goals • Supervisee Anxiety • Supervision Games • Supervision Interventions • Structuring Supervision • Idea Sharing & Consultation in Supervision Practicum/Internship

The Jolly Rancher Theory of Counseling

Activity 2: Theoretically Speaking • You are meeting with your assigned intern for your first “official” supervision meeting. • Gut Check: Use your experience to guide their experience, but you still need to explore their experience. • What do they need to know about your supervision style right off the top. • Choose a partner and practice what you might share with your intern.

The Importance of You Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh, " he whispered. "Yes, Piglet? " "Nothing, " said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you. "”

Meeting Your Intern, Making Them Part of Your School An individual A partner A team member A staff member A committee member A counseling meeting participant • In what other ways can they belong? • • • JOE INTERN

Pederson (1991) believes virtually all counseling is multicultural. Supervision is, too.

Facets to Consider Interpersonal Style Learning Style Cognitive Style Consider Belief System Theoretical Orientation Spirituality Political Context Professional Context The Ethnicity Race Identity Development Gender Age Power Differential Sexual Orientation Experience Level Interaction Training Program Prior Professional Experiences Prior Personal Experiences What Else?

Charting the Course • Intern-Supervisor Agreements – Formal, upfront, clear, written, & signed – Answers many of the who, what, where, when and some of the how questions – Creation of goals sets the stage for accountability, evaluation, feedback, and GROWTH – Note: These agreements are two-way streets.

Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How? • Intern Meetings – Beginning of the year • Security issues • Expectations for professional conduct • Team building across universities – During the year – Ending of the year • Accountability project presentations • Data collection

What the first day of internship feels like to an intern…

Providing Feedback • Feedback about what they’re doing • Feedback about how they’re doing • Clear, specific, & direct • Timely & balanced • Scaffolding & Zones of Proximal Development • Ask them what their preferences are at the outset • I-Messages • Exploration • Avoid telling them how

Initial Assessment Phase • Begin with the end in mind. • “What are we looking for in a hire? ” • “What does GCPS look for in a hire? ” • Think needs assessment. • Think asset search. • What is their worldview? • They are sort of insightful at this point. • Think informed consent. • Formal documentation helps.

Midpoint Assessment Phase • Middle of the… – Semester – Experience – Session/Lesson • They all progress differently, but you should see marked progress at this point. • If not, the university should already know. • Your midpoint feedback really shouldn’t be a surprise at this point. • Creating/changing plans (aka differentiated instruction) • Formal documentation with discussion

Final Assessment Phase • Is this intern insightful about her/his strengths & areas for growth? • Is this intern ready? • What are they ready to do? • Do they have a working awareness of ideal and real? • Would I want him/her to work at this school? In GCPS? • How would I describe them to an interviewer? • Can you stand behind your ratings? • Formal documentation with discussion • There should be no surprises

This or That…or Both • Planned supervision v. Drive. By Supervision? • Administrative Supervision v. Clinical Supervision? • Self-report v. Observations? • Taped v. Not Taped? • Audio v. Video? • Individual v. Group Format? • Positive v. Constructive Feedback? • Casual Feedback v. Formal Evaluation?

An Additional Role

Getting the Go, Whoa, or No Feeling About Your Intern • Go is good. • Whoa is a good enough reason to call or email. • No means call immediately. • Supervisors are pretty willing to let things go on longer than we’d like. • University Retention Policies & Procedures take forever…

Answering Questions: Determining the “So What? ” • Our Data Collection – County Intern Midpoint/Endpoint Evaluations – University Intern Midpoint/Endpoint Evaluations – Supervisor Feedback • Training opportunities – General supervision issues – Intern problems/concerns – Assessment preparation • Evaluation tools – Understanding the rubric – Areas not assessed – What they would need to fully assess

“So what? ”: Site Supervisor Feedback Continued Quality Improvement Lessons learned: Do pre-/post regarding this question. Examine definition of the role of the supervisor

“So what? ”: Site Supervisor Feedback Lessons learned: Make part of the pre-/post-test during training as well as a reflection piece at the end.

“So what? ”: Site Supervisor Feedback

“So what? ”: Site Supervisor Feedback Lessons learned: Offer more on-going support Visit sites minimum of 2 x a year

“So what? ”: Site Supervisor Feedback 3 Yes/No Questions 1. The evaluation tool was easy to use? 2. The evaluation tool was easily understood by the intern? 3. The evaluation tool is easy for me to use as the site supervisor? 100% YES!!

“So what? ”: Site Supervision Feedback Lessons learned: Invite supervisors to the intern orientation Hands on supervision

“So what? ”: Intern Feedback Continued Quality Improvement • Number of interns 2010 -2011 = 20 • Number of respondents = 11 – Elementary – Middle School – High School 3 3* 7* * Two interns had experiences at two different levels Lessons learned: Break up survey to interns

“So what? ”: Intern Feedback Lessons learned: Do follow-up just after or 2 months after intern orientation to be sure it was effective & gain ideas for improvement.

“So what? ”: Internship Feedback Lessons learned: Offer technology training or specify with site supervisor what needs to be covered.

“So what? ”: Intern Feedback Lessons learned: Send out reminder to site supervisors re: this and emphasize as part of the intern agreement.

“So what? ”: Intern Feedback Lessons learned: Be specific with site supervisors about the expectations re: evaluation process.

“So what? ”: Intern Feedback Lessons learned: Send reminders throughout the year to the site supervisor about the requirement/importance of weekly supervision.

“So what? ”: Intern Feedback Lessons learned: Reminders to all parties re: requirements, reviewing intern agreements

“So what? ”: Intern Feedback Lessons learned: Ask for feedback throughout the year. The end of the year was too late. Timing is critical.

“So what? ”: Intern Feedback Lessons learned: Will provide handout outlining project. Defined the IRB process – unforeseen problem Provide more direction to site supervisor Presentation of projects – new for 2011 -12

“So what? ”: Intern Feedback Lessons learned: Add to intern orientation Prepare icons in an email ready to send to interns Make a requirement for site supervisor or designee