Practice Teaching - Changing Social Work

Practice teaching is an essential component of social work training, yet very little is written about the experience of practice teaching. In this authoritative book, practitioners and academics draw upon their experience of working with social work students to discuss and explore the complex issues that arise in practice teaching. The fundamental challenges related to the organisational context of social work, the role of the practice teacher as the pivot between theory and practice and the need to ensure the development of a sound value base in all social work students are all explored in depth. The contributors demonstrate how they have managed to create stimulating and rewarding learning opportunities for their students by holding on to the essential skills and values of effective social work in the face of continuous organisational re-structuring, resource constraints and an uncertain future.

Table of Contents:
Introduction, Hilary Lawson, Sussex University. 1. Recognising and Addressing Imbalances of Power in the Practice Teacher/Student Dialectic: an Anti-Discriminatory Approach, Michelle Lefevre, Clermont Unit. 2. Community Care Assessments, Anti Disablist Practice and the Social Work Student: an Exploration of the Issues and some Guidelines for Good Practice, Jacqui Jenkins, senior social worker. 3. Working with Lesbians and Gay Men: Sexuality and Practice Teaching, Helen Cosis Brown, University of Hertfordshire. 4. Anti-Racist Practice Teaching: Equipping the Practice Teacher for the Task, Elaine Arnold, University of Sussex. 5. Male Practice Teachers and Female Students: The Role of the Learning Agreement, Phil Jones, NSPCC West Sussex Child Protection Team 6. Practice Teaching: A Solutions Focused Approach, Fiona Mainstone, Brighton and Hove Council. 7. The Practice Teacher and Student Dyad: Using Concepts from Transactional Analysis to Enable Effective Learning and Teaching, Di Metson, University of Sussex and Hillview Family Centre. 8. Managing Endings in Practice Teaching, Charlotte Clow, Brighton Housing Trust. 9. What Works: Essential Knowledge and Skills for the Probation Student, Corinne Pearce, West Sussex Probation Service. 10. Student Placements in Agencies Undergoing Significant Change-Challenges and Learning Opportunities, Tina Cox, Brighton and Hove social worker. 11. `On Shifting Sands': Student Social Workers' Experiences of Working in Multi Disciplinary Medical Teams, Andy Mantell, Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability. 12. Reconciling the Act and the Actor: Probation Practice Teaching, Pre Sentence Reports and Anti-Oppressive Practice, Carole Ballardie, East Sussex Probation Service and University of Sussex. 13. Teaching Social Work Law to Students, Polly Hoad, GAL. 14. Practice Teaching and Violence, Carole Kedward, University of Sussex. 15. Inside the Long-Arm Model of Practice Teaching: The Experiences of Students, Practice Teachers and Onsite Supervisors, Hilary Lawson, University of Sussex. 16. Changing Times for the Practice Teacher: The Conflict of Priorities for Social Work Education, Hugh England, University of Sussex.

About the Author :
Hilary Lawson was a social work practitioner working with children and families for ten years. She supervised many students during that time and in 1990 was one of the first social workers to obtain the new Practice Teaching Award. She is currently lecturing in social work at the Sussex University and is director of the Practice Teaching Award Programme.

Review :
At a time of increasing pressures and moves towards mechanistic forms of assessment it is heartening to read a book where both the importance of a high degree of skill and complexity of the task is demonstrated. This book also re-affirms the practice teacher's unique position as practitioner-researcher (it includes many pieces of small scale research) and stresses that whilst the role itself is being subject to change it can also have a significant influence on such developments... This thought-provoking book represents a first rate collection of articles well edited into three coherent but not rigid sections. It provides a wealth of excellent material for practitioners, college tutors and students/trainees as well as practice teachers. Well referenced and produced, it is highly recommended. This book addressed a range of issues, helpful to practice teachers at any stage. This book is a worthy resource and adds to the all too few books on practice teaching.