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COURSE SYLLABUS
- TITLE OF COURSE: Family Development Services I
PREFIX/NUMBER: SWK 275
- CREDIT HOURS: 3
- PREREQUISITE REA 090, ENG 090 or Permission of Instructor
- RESOURCES NEEDED:
TEXT: Forest, C. (2003) Empowerment Skills for Family Workers.
Ithaca, NY: Cornell University.
Available by email at orderbook@cupserv.org or from:
Cornell University Press Services
P.O. Box 6525
750 Cascadilla Street
Ithaca, NY 14851-6525
1-800-666-2211 or 1-800-688-2877 (fax)
5. COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course, in conjunction with the Family Development Training & Credentialing (FDC) Program, focuses on a family-focused, strengths-based approach to family services. It will provide those who work directly with families the skills needed to empower families to attain a healthy self-reliance and interdependence with their communities. The family development approach helps families develop their own capacity to solve problems and achieve long-lasting self-reliance. This contrasts with the deficit approach that focuses on what is wrong with the family by trying to rescue or fix things.
6. COURSE GOALS: The student will learn skills in an effort to develop partnerships with families, using empathetic and effective communication; understanding their own levels of stress and how to manage stress/burnout; help families assess their needs and strengths, set goals and identify means to reach those goals; help families identify and strengthen support systems and promote self-reliance. Students will identify effective home visiting strategies, collaboration skills and learn to facilitate family support groups and meetings.
Students of family development will need to understand diversity, including the culture of poverty, family forms and systems, and the core principles underlying family development. This knowledge provides the basis for family development approach.
7. COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
A. Skills Portfolio:
Prepare a portfolio that contains, for each of the 5 chapters:
· Response to at least three “Activities to extend your learning” from the Worker’s Handbook
· Plan and carry out at least one skills practice for each chapter. This includes completing a Skills Practice Form and a Skills Practice Reflection Form for each module. The student will share plans and reflections with your Portfolio Advisor and document it in the portfolio.
· Complete three Family Development Plans with one family, to demonstrate an ability to work with family member(s) as they select and strive toward a goal. Must have at least one FDP completed by December.
Students will need to arrange 5-8 hours with the Portfolio Advisor in addition to the classroom sessions.
B. Credentialing Exam
Successfully complete an examination based on the Worker’s Handbook. Credential is not awarded until student completes all 10 chapters (Sections 1 & 2).
C. Theory-into-practice paper
One paper is required that demonstrate mastery of the principles and skills for the unit(s) on which the case study is based. Students will have one opportunity to revise a paper that was deemed “inadequate” in order to receive a passing grade. Paper must receive a passing grade in order to pass the course. The paper is 5-7 pages in length, with appropriate documentation. Detailed assignment will be provided. Due mid-December.
Choose either:
a. promotion of healthy families and competent parenting
b. cultural and economic diversity: implications for practice
D. Supplemental readings
Students will read the referenced chapter(s) in the additional resources (copies available from your in-classroom instructor). A one-page reflection is written and submitted for each reading assignment (4 total).
** All completed assignments will be emailed to the Instructor of Record
Bridget S. Ohl, MA at bridget.ohl@colostate.edu
Additional References: References will be available through your local FDC course instructor.
Competent parenting
Brooks, J.B. (1999). The process of parenting (5th ed.). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.
[Chapter 2: Encouraging growth; Ch. 4: Modifying children’s behavior].
Shonkoff, J. P., & Phillips, D.A. (eds.) (2000). From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development. Washington, DC: National Academy.
[Ch. 9: Nurturing relationships].
Family Poverty
Payne, R.K. (2005). A framework for understanding poverty (4th ed.). Highlands, TX:
Aha! Process. [Ch. 3, 5, 6: Hidden rules among classes; Role models and
emotional resources, Support systems]
Seccombe, K. (2007). Families in Poverty. New York: Pearson. [Ch. 3: Living poorly:
Poverty’s effects on children and their parents].
8. COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the course, students will:
Module (hrs.) Topic Assignment
1 (11 hours) Family Development Chap. 1
Core principles underlying family development
Family forms and systems
Families in communities
Major functions of a family development worker
Restoring a sense of healthy self-reliance
Beyond ‘provision of services;’ empowerment
Other strengths-based approaches
2 (8 hours) Communicating with Skill Chap. 2
And Heart
Empathy; listening well
Handling blame and criticism constructively
Cooperative solutions to conflicts
Confronting people constructively when needed
Communicating about “hot topics”
Language and literacy barriers
3 (10 hours) Taking Good Care of Yourself Chap. 3
Your personal vision for your work
From ‘doing’ to being
Creating a support system for yourself
Balancing work and family life
Stress reduction and wellness
FDC Code of Ethics
4 (12 hours) Diversity Chap. 4
Diversity, oppression, and family development
Prejudice and discrimination
Cultural competence for family development workers
5 (8 hours) Strengths-Based Assessment Chap. 5
Basic principles of strengths-based assessment
Confidentiality
The Family Circles Assessment
Selecting strengths-based assessment tools
Total time: 49 hours
Credentialing Exam given once student completes SWK 275 & 276
9. EVALUATION PROCEDURES:
This class is graded pass/fail. In order to pass the course, students must:
· Complete all sections of the portfolio for Chapter 1-5, as verified by the Portfolio Advisor (required for the credential) 50% of the grade
· Obtain a score of 70% or higher on the credentialing exam (required for the credential) when SWK 275 Section 1 & 2 are completed
· Do 4 supplemental readings and write a one-page reflection (required for credit) 5 % each (20%)
· Complete one theory-into-practice paper (required for credit)
30 % of the grade
10. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
The very nature of higher education requires that students adhere to accepted standards of academic integrity. Therefore, Pueblo Community College has adopted a policy of academic conduct as described in the Student Handbook. Violation of academic integrity may be defined to include the following: cheating, plagiarism, falsification and fabrication, abuse of academic materials, complicity in academic dishonesty, and personal misrepresentation. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the behaviors that constitute academic dishonesty. Sanctions for violating the standards of academic integrity may include warning, probation, suspension, and/or failure of the course or assignment at the discretion of the instructor.
11. ADA NOTICE:
Students who have a documented disability may be eligible to receive accommodations for this class. Please contact the Disability Resources Center at 549-3446 for further information |