TOPIC 5

INTERNSHIP/ATTACHMENT SUPERVISION

Background to Experiential learning

Experiential learning has philosophical roots dating back to the guild and apprenticeship
systems of medieval times through the Industrial Revolution. Toward the end of the 19th
century, professional schools required direct and practical experiences as integral components
of the academic programs, for example, medical schools and hospital internships; law
schools, moot courts, and clerkships; normal schools and practice teaching;
forestry/agriculture and field work . Experiential education has been defined as learning
activities that involve the learner in the process of active engagement with and critical
reflection about phenomena being studied. Perhaps the best-known proponent of experiential
education was the educational philosopher John Dewey. Dewey believed strongly that “an
ounce of experience is better than a ton of theory simply because it is only in experience that
any theory has vital and verifiable significance” (1916/44, p. 144). However, he was
convinced that even though all real education comes through experience, not all experience is
necessarily educative. This idea was reiterated by David Kolb who emphasized along with
Dewey the need for experience to be organized and processed in some way to facilitate
learning. Thus, experience alone does not automatically lead to learning or growth. Rather,
the experience must be processed and organized in some way (Kolb, 1984). More
specifically, Kolb contends that one must think about his/her experience, sometimes in
structured ways, and perhaps discuss it with others. Reflective dialogue with oneself and
peers is the primary tool for learning in the internship, as it is in any high impact practice.
Dewey also felt strongly that the educational environment needs to actively stimulate the
student’s development, and it does so through genuine and resolvable problems or conflicts
that the student must confront with active thinking in order to grow and learn through the
experience.
Experience, both intellectual and emotional, is thus the raw material of the internship. One
will be learning mostly through experience, although one may engage in some traditional
academic activities as well. Furthermore, the internship is not just an intellectual experience.
It is a human experience, full of all the wonderful and less-than-wonderful feelings that
people bring to their interactions and struggles. This emotional, human side of the internship
is more than a backdrop to the real work and the real learning; it is every bit as real and
important.
Relationships are the medium of most internships; they are the context in which most of the
learning and growth occurs. Many of you will work directly with clientele, but even if you do
not, you will be involved in relationships with a site supervisor, a campus supervisor, other
interns on site and on campus, and co-workers at your placement. These relationships offer
rich and varied opportunities for learning and growth.
As mentioned earlier, a key component to experiential education is reflection. Reflection is
what connects and integrates the work in the field, to the learning. Otherwise, whatever
theory can be emphasized in classes but not necessarily integrated with practical experience.
At the other extreme, practical experience is left to stand on its own. Reflection is the
connection, and it is a powerful key to success, growth, learning, and development. David
Kolb (1984) originally set forth a cycle of four phases that people go through to benefit from
experiential learning. In the first phase, concrete experience (CE), students have a specific
experience in the classroom, at home, in a field placement, or in some other context. They
then reflect on that experience from a variety of perspectives (reflective observation, or RO).
During the abstract conceptualization (AC) phase, they try to form generalizations or
principles based on their experience and reflection. Finally, they test that theory or idea in a
new situation (active experimentation, or AE) and the cycle begins again, since this is another
concrete experience. James Zull’s research (2002) on the relationship between the brain,
learning, and education suggests that Kolb has it right: Education can affect your brain
maximally when you have a concrete experience in the field, reflect upon it, connect it to
what you already know, then create your own abstract hypotheses about what you’ve
experienced, and test them actively, which in turn will produce a new CE for you.
Supervision is both a series of events—regular formal meetings between a student and agency
staff member—and a process of enabling students to learn and to deliver an appropriate
standard of service to the client group. Students are expected to be taught experientially,
learning by observing others, participating in the agency’s work and reflecting on their own
work. They learn about the practice context; about deriving knowledge from the work done;
and about using knowledge to understand situations and create opportunities for
advancement. Importantly, this learning is about themselves and their orientation to practice.
Fieldwork provides a testing ground for making vocational choices; an important site for
learning and teaching about practice on the job; and a quality control device before new
graduates are ‘let loose’ on the public.
Supervision within fieldwork is a structured, interactive and collaborative process that
involves monitoring, facilitating, coaching and supporting students during their fieldwork
experience. Its primary purpose is to ensure that the student has the opportunity to reflect on
their own practice and their observations of agency work.
Supervision can also be defined as a process in which two people (i.e., student and
supervisor,) work together for the primary purpose of enhancing the professional and
personal development of the person being supervised. Therefore, the major objective is
learning, with the performance of tasks viewed as a means to an end. Nevertheless, it is
important to note that the agency has work to be done, and your supervisor is accountable for
the quality of that work, including your job performance.
The relationship between an intern and the supervisor should be one of interdependence
rather than dependence. While they may begin as “master” and “apprentice,” the relationship
should move toward two people participating in a learning process. There will be mutuality in
the relationship because, while the intern will receive a great deal of feedback, s/he will also
contribute input.

Supervision may focus on the student’s development in most of the following areas:
- Knowledge base needed for the practice context;
- Awareness of the social, cultural and political context of practice;
- Ethical responsibility and multiple accountabilities;
- Beliefs, attitudes and values;
- Linking o f theory and practice;
- Skills for self-monitoring and self-care;
- Effective use of professional supervision;
- Professional identity;
- Theoretical and personal approach to practice;
- Management of service delivery tasks;
- Management of agency requirements and expectations.

A practicum student may receive the following types of supervision;

- Individual supervision – regularly scheduled, one-to-one meetings between the
practicum instructor and the student.
- Group supervision – regularly scheduled meetings between the practicum instructor
and a small group of students.
- Peer supervision – regularly scheduled meetings attended by a small group who
assume responsibility for providing guidance and suggestions to each other and to the
agency’s practicum students.
- Formal case presentations – regularly scheduled meetings at which students describe
work on a specific case and invite advice and guidance on how it should be handled.
- Ad hoc supervision – brief and unscheduled meetings with a practicum instructor to
discuss a specific issue

Types of supervisory support

a) Faculty supervision
There are some issues you may encounter that should be discussed with your faculty
supervisor before approaching anyone at the site. Most of these are in the realm of ethics.
Once you are accepted by an agency, you are allowed to view the internal workings of the
system. Some of the observations may reveal ethically questionable activities. Others may
reveal methods that are in direct conflict with what you may have learned in class, such as a
questionable search and seizure situation. In such cases, it is advisable to call your faculty
supervisor and discuss the matter. S/he can counsel you on how to proceed with the matter or
may choose to handle it personally. You want to avoid being labeled a squealer, so you
should not report the matter directly to your agency supervisor before talking with your
lecturer. Such a label would hamper your role as participant-observer for the remainder of
your internship.
Your faculty supervisor can also help you balance your experience or bring it into
perspective. You may be confronted with cynicism, stress (both psychological and physical),
violent crime, child abuse, deplorable conditions, and/or indifference by agency workers. For
example, someone working in a police department may see the body of a person who has
been violently murdered. Many police officers have, by necessity, developed a callous
outward appearance toward such atrocities. Because of their attitude, you may not feel
comfortable discussing your feelings with them. Your faculty supervisor, being removed
from the situation yet at the same time familiar with it, may be the best one with whom to
discuss your reaction.
b) Peer support
Another source of support, your peers, is also an integral part of the experience. Peers can be
students who are either taking the internship course or have already taken it. Interns who are
having an experience similar to yours can be a valuable resource. When faced with a new
situation, many people wonder whether what they are feeling is shared by others or is unique
to them. Common perceptions include feeling overwhelmed, anxious, inadequate, and
unprepared for the experience. While a faculty or agency supervisor can appreciate your
situation and offer support during this period, your peers are likely to be having similar
reactions at the same time. Discovering that you are not alone and learning how others are
coping with these issues can aid you in working through this period. An exchange of feelings
and experiences with a peer will also help you broaden your perspective. Not all probation
departments, district attorney’s offices, or police agencies function in the same way. For
example, if you are in an urban department, you can discuss your experiences with someone
placed in a rural or suburban setting. Areas to compare might be managerial style,
interpersonal interactions, inter and intra-agency relationships, and the different
methodologies used in completing a task. This information may be useful to you in
determining the type of setting in which you would like to work.
Because any interchange that you have with a fellow student will require you to comment on
his or her situation, you will begin to develop some supervisory skills. Understanding your
needs and goals for supervision will aid you in helping others. When discussing other
students’ problems and issues, listen carefully to what they say and try to help them as best
you can. It is important to remember that other students’ situations will not be the same as
yours and that they are dealing with different personalities in their internship settings.
Therefore, simply saying, “This worked for me, why don’t you try it?” may not be
appropriate. Rather, you could discuss why it worked for you and what the similarities and
differences would be if the other person were to do the same thing.
c) Agency supervision
Your agency supervisor is extremely important to your internship because he or she is at the
site and can provide you with many experiences and opportunities that cannot be found in a
classroom. In the initial meeting, you and your agency supervisor should discuss the
expectations and goals you each have for the internship. You should also cover the routine
you will follow—your hours, the rules and regulations of the agency, appropriate dress, the
schedule for supervision, and your role in the agency. You should also present copies of
learning objectives, evaluations procedures, and any other school information related to the
internship program.
Your supervisor, who may be the head of the agency or a designee, will expect you to
conduct yourself in a professional manner and follow the prescribed codes of conduct for
agency employees. You will be asked to become familiar with the rules and regulations that
govern the agency, partially through reading internal and external documents regarding the
agency. After the orientation period, most experienced intern supervisors phase in
increasingly more difficult tasks as the intern demonstrates competence. The first phase
begins with simple assignments and then continues on with more complex tasks. The
parameters for this process are set by the organization’s mission and your goals. Eventually,
most student interns become “productive workers” under the guidance of the agency
supervisor.
While many intern-supervisor relationships are successful, it is possible that you will find
yours is not. A supervisor may not have time to meet with an intern because of work-related
situations such as major projects, personnel shortages, or unexpected crises. In some
situations, the student and the supervisor have a clash of personalities.
If your agency supervision is inadequate, find out why, and, if necessary, ask that the
responsibility for your supervision be transferred to someone else. Your faculty supervisor
will be able to help you keep your perspective, sort out the problem with the agency, and
expedite any necessary change.
Other agency staff also can provide a valuable perspective to your internship. Those who
started as interns themselves will understand what you are experiencing. Employees who
have not held their positions for very long also may have some of the same feelings and
experiences that you do. These coworkers can offer you the viewpoint of one who has
recently been through that initial transition. Discussing particular situations, clients, and so
on, with several agency employees can provide you with a variety of reactions and methods
of handling cases or incidents.
As there is generally no single correct way of handling a particular situation, you must
synthesize the differing viewpoints and decide which is the best method for you.

Expectations from interns during internship

The practicum instructors have certain expectations which the student is required to exhibit.
These are;
- Dependability and follow – through on assigned work
- Attention to detail and proper procedures
- Initiative in work related assignments
- A cooperative attitude toward the practicum instructor and other staff.
- Willingness to learn from whatever tasks are assigned
 - Openness to supervision, including asking for and learning from constructive
criticism.
- Willingness to seek help when needed

The practicum instructor is responsible for conducting a comprehensive evaluation of your

learning and performance at the end of the period and this will often be based on;
- Direct observation of your work by practicum instructor or other staff in the agency.
- Your verbal descriptions of what you are doing and learning.
- Your written documentation, reports and notes.
- Feedback received from clients regarding your work.
Some of the questions you should expect in monitoring your work in the agency are provided
below. These questions will help you analyse your performance, understand why an
intervention was successful or not, and develop your critical thinking skills.
These include;
- What specific problem or issue were you attempting to address?
- What information did you gather?
- What meaning did you assign to this information?
- What were your goals and objectives?
- Why did you choose that specific intervention?
- What ethical and legal concerns affected your decision?
- Was the intervention successful? If not, what are the ramifications for client and
agency?
- How do you know the intervention was or was not successful?
- What other interventions might have worked better?
- What did you learn from the experience?
- What would you do differently next time?

Attributes of an “ideal intern”

- Accessible to the field instructor through openness to feedback and instruction.
- Eager to learn
- Inquisitive and energetic
- Knowledgeable on at least a basic level
- Realistic about his or her own skills and knowledge
- Willing to take risks in order to gain new skills and knowledge.
- Appropriately assertive, taking responsibility for his or her own learning and
demonstrating initiative and
- A good listener, observer and communicator.

Dealing with Your Supervisor

Internship supervisors run the gamut from attentive, involved, and reinforcing to distant, both
physically and emotionally. This is true for any workplace. Some supervisors take on the role
of mentor, carefully structuring relevant activities and offering ongoing advice to help you
meet your learning goals. Consistent feedback on your progress, compliments, and
constructive criticism characterize this supervisory style. Some supervisors will respect your
time constraints as a student; others frequently ask you to put in extra time, creating conflicts
among academic, personal, and internship schedules.
Whatever your supervisor's style or traits, try to communicate with him or her on a regular
basis. It's natural to experience some unease during your initial interactions with your
supervisor; after all, you are dealing with your ‘boss’. The attainment of your learning goals
and the ultimate success of your internship, however, depend in large measure on maintaining
open lines of communication with your supervisor.
After an initial honeymoon period, the time may come when you need to confront your
supervisor or coworkers about incongruencies between your expectations and the realities
you face. Your supervisor or coworkers may also have occasion to confront you about your
performance on the job. Confrontation, a necessary and predictable stage that follows the
excitement of the Anticipation Stage and the anxiety of the Disillusionment Stage, entails
actively addressing and resolving problems as they occur, rather than brooding about them or
complaining to others. Confrontation, when handled appropriately, increases your chances of
resolving sticky issues so you can move smoothly into the Competency Stage where you
should experience a heightened sense of self-confidence and efficacy.
Communicating with Your Supervisor
Most interns can benefit from learning communication techniques to initiate, address, and
react to sensitive subjects. Mastering a tried-and-true formula for assertive communication
will ease your way. This is not to say all your questions, statements, and answers must mimic
this formula; your natural language is best. When dealing with a sensitive subject, remember
to:
 Start with a positive statement or point of agreement.
 Be specific about what you would prefer to have happen; suggest alternatives.
 Provide a brief rationale or explanation.
 Check out your supervisor's or coworker's reactions.
 Express your thanks for the time and attention others have given to your issue.
The following scenarios provide guidelines to encourage you to speak to your supervisor in
an effective, nonoffensive way about issues that may affect your ability to meet your
internship goals

Asking for Feedback

Case in Point: Jed has been working at the a law firm for three weeks but has no idea if his
performance is acceptable to his supervisor. ''I think I'm doing a good job,'' he says to his
fellow intern, "but except for showing me some documents, my supervisor hasn't said a word
to me."
TIP
Feedback in the workplace tends to be more sporadic than in the classroom where
assignments are usually graded in regularly. It will often be up to you to initiate discussion
with your supervisor about your performance.
Jed might say to his internship supervisor: "I've really been learning a lot from the
assignments you have given me but I'm not sure if I am approaching them the best way. I'd
really like to get some feedback from you about my work on the cases you assigned me.
When could we set up some time to discuss this?" After receiving a positive response, Jed
should express his appreciation: "Thanks a lot. I think your comments will help."
Asking for More or Different Assignments
Case in Point: Martha wants to learn all she can about the role of a stockbroker in an
investment firm. For the past month, however, her supervisor has given her only basic
clerical tasks that she mastered on the second day. "How will I know if I want to be a
stockbroker if I never get any hands-on experience," she grumbles to her roommate. "I chose
this internship because I was told I would have the chance to do a lot of different things."
TIP
You can expect a certain amount of grunt work to be part of any internship. Paying attention
to all assigned tasks, no matter how mundane, and reflecting on the meaning these tasks have
for the organization is instructive, for a while at least. After several weeks have elapsed,
however, it is probably time to talk to your supervisor about adding more challenging work
that will help you meet your internship goals.
Martha could say to her supervisor: "The assignments you have given me so far have really
taught me a lot about the daily operations of a brokerage firm. Now I'm hoping to branch out
and try some new things. Bob offered to train me on Lotus and I'd really like to attend some
of the Friday investment conferences. Would this be possible?" After her supervisor's
response, Martha should express her appreciation: "Thank you very much."
On the other hand, your supervisor may leave the monitoring of your activities and behavior
to others, appear distracted by other concerns, and sometimes leave you in the lurch, not
knowing what you should do next or whether your work products are acceptable
Turning Down a Request
Case in Point: Ms. Davidson calls her intern, Lisa, aside to beg her to come to an
emergency session on a Saturday morning to stuff envelopes for the fund-raising campaign.
"Everyone on the staff will be there and we'll work all day until the job is done." Lisa has
already made plans to travel 200 miles to visit her aunt.
TIP
Interns need to maintain flexibility and show they are willing to take on their share of the
organization's mission, above and beyond their normal hours if necessary. But there are times
when they feel torn between a desire to show they are part of the team, willing to pitch in like
everybody else, and the need to honor prior commitments
Lisa could say to her internship supervisor: "I know how important this campaign is to the
Salvation March but I won't be able to help on Saturday because I am going out of town. I'm
really sorry. Could I work some extra hours this week or next to help out?"
Asking for Clarification or Help
Case in Point: Wynn's supervisor assigned her a project that not only seemed vague and
confusing but also required a higher level of skill with computers than she had.
TIP
It's difficult to confess to a supervisor that you need additional help, but it is important not to
fake an understanding that you simply don't have.
Wynn could say to her supervisor: "This project sounds really interesting and I want to help,
but I need to get more information on how to find all the names and addresses for the donors
and how to enter the data into the computer. Can you set some time aside to work with me or
is there someone else who could help me?"
Ensuring Absent Supervisors Leave You Assignments
Case in Point: During the third week of her internship, Jackie arrived at her site to find that
her supervisor was absent and hadn't told anyone what she was supposed to do. Jackie felt
foolish as she sat at her desk for two hours doing nothing.
TIP
It is very frustrating for an intern to go to work only to find that his or her supervisor is gone
and no one knows what he or she should do. Sometimes you have an ongoing project you can
work on. Other times you can ask coworkers if they have something for you to do. If you are
left with no structured assignments, read organizational literature to learn more about the
organization, conduct information interviews with your coworkers, or write in your internship
journal.
When her supervisor returns, Jackie could say: "When you aren't here, I'm not sure what
activities you want me to get going on. It would really help if you could leave a list of things
you want me to do when you have to be away.

Dealing with Conflicts in the Supervisory Relationship

Conflicts may arise in the supervisory relationship, example, you may feel that your
practicum instructor does not devote enough time to you and your learning needs or you may
feel that he or she is either too controlling or not structured enough. The two of you may have
very different personalities, background, ethnicity, age etc which somehow affects your
relationship. The following approaches can be pursued to optimise your relationship with
your practicum instructor when problems arise.
- Confronting your supervisor directly helps clarify the problem between you and work
to resolve it effectively.
- Circumventing your supervisor may be necessary if your relationship with your
supervisor is only a formal one or if he or she does not have time to supervise you.
- Denying the conflict and choosing to accept your supervisor’s perspective on the
problem may be necessary and even helpful at times.
- Adapting your supervisor’s style, perspective and policies may help you learn to work
flexibly with others very different from you.
- Avoiding the problem by not discussing it will limit the amount of guidance you
receive from your supervisor.
- Withdrawing from the conflict may be necessary if you resolve the problem and you
may choose to leave your practicum station.