I’m sorry, I am not feeling very well today and started to get sick over the weekend. I had to call in to my job at the school district today as well. I am canceling our zoom class for tonight, but we will still meet one last time next week for an informal celebration and end of the semester.

Unit Resources

I created a video a while back about Working with Vulnerable Populations, a Rationale for Social Work Policy Practice.

Unit Assignments

A–01: Synchronous Class Engagement

Class canceled for tonight

A–02: Asynchronous Class Engagement

Meta: Public policy or social societal problem discussion forum with an initial post due Friday 12/04/20 at 11:55 PM and two replies due Sunday 12/06/20 at 11:55 PM via My Heritage Class Forums

Purpose: To help students apply the content in the textbook about advocacy to their future plans as a social workers.

Tasks: Hepworth et al. (2017) describes the following as times in which advocacy might be appropriate:

• When services or benefits to which people are entitled are denied to a group or community
• When services or practices are dehumanizing, confrontational, or coercive
• When discriminatory practices or policies occur because of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, culture, family form, or other factors
• When gaps in services or benefits cause undue hardship or contribute to dysfunction
• When people lack representation or participation in decisions that affect their lives
• When governmental or agency policies and procedures or community or workplace practices have a disparate impact that adversely affects or targets groups of people
• When a significant group of people have common needs for which resources are unavailable
• When clients are denied basic human, civil, or legal rights

Write a couple of paragraphs discussing any advocacy you have previously been involved with, what groups or situations you could see yourself wanting to help advocate for, and how you might go about advocating.

Criteria for Success: Students will write their thoughts about advocacy.

A–03: Reading Quiz

Chapter 14 is due at 5:30 PM before class via My Heritage

A–05b: Interviewing Skills Reflection Paper

Meta: Points 100 pts (25% of student’s final grade); Deadline Friday 12/04/20 at 11:55 PM; Submission via Assignments section of My Heritage

Purpose: The Interviewing skills Video Role-Play Reflective Paper offers students a chance to reflect on the experience of their role-play after having watched themselves using a critical eye.

Task: The second component of this assignment is an individually authored reflective paper regarding the process. Students are to review the role-play recording they completed and write a reflective essay describing your experience and what you learned from watching the recording. The reflective paper rubric describes how the paper will be evaluated. The paper should be between 500 and 750 words in length, formatted in APA. Abstracts are optional, and if your paper does not cite any sources, there is no need for a reference page. The following should be included in your paper:

• Areas of Strengths: The paper should include a discussion of your areas of strength demonstrated in the role-play. For example, “I used attentive body language because I leaned in slightly and maintained eye contact.” Be specific about what went well. Include quotes from either party.
• Areas for Improvement: The paper should also include a discussion of your areas for improvement. Again, be specific and use concrete language. State how you will work on these skills.

Criteria for Success: Students will submit a paper that demonstrates their ability to self-reflect and to write using strong academic writing skills. Grades assigned based on the reflective paper rubric. Feedback will be provided with final grades which are due by the instructor no later than 12/16/20 at 5:00 PM.

To Do Lists

• A–01: Synchronous Class Engagement Attend Class
• A–02: Asynchronous Class Engagement Public policy or social societal problem discussion forum with an initial post due Friday 12/04/20 at 11:55 PM and two replies due Sunday 12/06/20 at 11:55 PM via My Heritage Class Forums
• A–03: Reading Quiz for chapter 14 is due at 5:30 PM before class via My Heritage
• A–05b: Interviewing Skills Reflection Paper is due Friday 12/04/20 at 11:55 PM via My Heritage