Loyality to Profession as a

UNIT 6 TEACHERSHIP AS A VALUE OF Value of Social Work

SOCIAL WORK
Contents *Sindhu Sivan

6.0 Objectives
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Teachership - Concept and Definition
6.3 Teachership as a Value of Social Work
6.4 Ideas For Teaching Social Work Practice In Classroom
6.5 Principles of the Value of Teachership
6.6 Elements of Teachership in Social Work Practice
6.7 Expression of Teachership in Social Work Practice
6.8 Let Us Sum Up
6.9 Further Readings and References

6.0 OBJECTIVES
This unit, as the sixth in the Block 4 - Teachership, would acquaint you about
the concept, significance and relevance of this value in social work profession.
It describes the ways to practice teachership and its principles. More specifically,
the unit would cover:
 Meaning of teachership,
 Importance of teachership in social work,
 Ideas of teaching social work practice in classroom,
 Practicing value of teachership in social work profession,
 Elements of teachership in social work practice, and
 Principles of teachership.
After reading the unit, you would develop a comprehensive idea about the
importance of this value of teachership in social work practice and responsibility
of a social work professional for practicing teachership in social work practice.

6.1 INTRODUCTION
Values are strong beliefs about how the world should be, about how people
should normally behave and about preference over conditions of life. All
professions have value preferences that give purpose and direction. Professional
values, however, are not separate from societal values. Rather, professions take
up selected societal values and society in turn gives sanctions to professions
through supportive legislation, funding, delegation of responsibilities for certain
societal functions and mechanisms for ensuring that those functions are adequately
*Ms. Sindhu Sivan, Patrician Collage of Arts & Scince, Chennai 79
Values of Professional discharged. Broad societal values in a country may be reflected, for example,
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in the laws of the land which declare and ensure certain human rights of
the people. Indeed, the purpose and objectives of social work and other
professions come from their respective value systems. The values of social
work profession also reflect strongly held beliefs about the rights of the people
to free choice and opportunity. They recognize the preferred conditions of life
that enhance peoples' welfare, ways that members of the profession should
view and treat people, preferred goals for people and ways in which these
goals should be reached(Worth et.al, 2010).
The difficulty of balancing practice and theory is common to all professional
education. The heritage of social work is strongly rooted in practice, yet it
is practice that seems to be getting short shrift by social work faculty who
engage in research and knowledge development. The social work profession
has a unique opportunity to build knowledge about social work practice. The
concurrent model of social work education enrolls students in their practice
fieldwork at the same time they are taking classes. This affords social work
faculty the opportunity to contribute to scholarship about practice. Yet, that
knowledge development will not occur unless social work educators acknowledge
and address their dual role as social worker and professor.
Values are of great importance to professional social work practice. Perhaps
more than any other profession, values in social work gives direction to the
profession (Mattison, 2000). A review of values and reflection on their influence
in ethical decision making in professional practice is especially called for in
order to enlighten and guide social work practice. The value of teachership
is of great importance to the social work profession. This value helps the
social workers to continuously strive for excellence in social work education
and practice.

6.2 TEACHERSHIP-CONCEPT AND DEFINITION

Teachership is the specialized application of knowledge, skills and attributes
designed to provide unique service to meet the educational needs of the individual
and of society. The choice of learning activities whereby the goals of education
are realized in the school is the responsibility of the teachership. Society expects
teachers to serve to a large extent as surrogate parents, dealing with the emotional
tangles and torments of the students. Teaching is one of those unique jobs
in which one's work is wrapped up in one's personality. Most people will
agree that the hope of the human race lies chiefly in education, but several
of us pay little attention to the people who provide this precious service. Many
of us hardly give much support in the vital job that the teachers do.
Teachership is a divine profession. Some people compare a teacher to a burning
candle which brings light to others while consuming itself and being a role
model for many. Teachership is a challenging profession having expectations
from administrators, supervisors, parents, politicians, and the entire society.
Teaching role in social work profession refers to empowering the clients and
mentoring the social work trainees. In the Social work dictionary, Barker
defines teaching role as: ' the responsibility to teach clients necessary adaptive
80 skills … by providing relevant information in a way that is understandable
to the client, offering advice and suggestions, identifying alternatives and their Loyality
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probable consequences, modeling behaviours, teaching problem solving techniques
and classifying perceptions'. In the context of social work, teachership is an
important mechanism that facilitates promotion of scientific information and
interventions in social work practice. Teachership in social work education
is not merely focused to increase client's knowledge base, but help those getting
involved become effective analysts and mediators of complex social situations.
Besides that it helps in teaching small group skills, developing effective
communication skills, problem solving, critical thinking and above all to make
value based intervention with problem solving process.
Teachership in social work practice mostly involves mentoring the social work
trainees and teaching clients to deal with troublesome life situations or to anticipate
and prevent crises. One fundamental purpose of teaching is to help clients
change dysfunctional behaviour and learn effective patterns of social interaction.
This may require teaching clients to adhere to the various rules, laws and
norms of the society, adapt oneself to immediate environment, develop social
skills, learn role functioning and gain insights into their own behaviour.
A professional social worker must be an effective teacher, and must have a
positive attitude towards teaching the marginalized/ vulnerable sections about
the different policies and programmes initiated by Government and non
government agencies for their welfare. It has been long accepted that teachership
quality in social workers play a central role in promoting inclusive development.
The basic premise of teachership according to Freire is based on the theory
of conscientization. Conscientization implies a change of mentality involving an
accurate and realistic awareness of one's place in nature and society; the capacity
to analyze its causes and consequences critically, comparing them with other
situations and possibilities and a logical action aimed at transformation.
Psychologically, it entails an awareness of one's dignity (Freire, 1970, 1973).

6.3 TEACHERSHIP AS A VALUE OF SOCIAL

WORK
The value of teachership is essential for effective social work practice. The
value of teachership is practiced very uniquely in social work profession. Social
workers are either academicians or practitioners. Both these groups have to
imbibe the value of teachership in their unique ways and make the same evident
in the life and work. At the same time the value of teachership is directed
towards two different service seekers, namely, the social work trainees and
clients. Social work academicians and social work practitioners have to expose
the value of teachership to these different groups in unique ways.
Academicians and value of teachership
Social workers have a formal role as educators. Educators understand that
each student has different learning styles and that we must focus on more
than one way of teaching in order to meet an individual student's needs. It
should be the goal of educators to ensure students are gaining the knowledge
and capacity for thought that they need in order to assimilate this knowledge
in the workplace. By gathering detailed feedback from a wide range of students, 81
Values of Professional they can derive themes about what students consider the most helpful to them
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and how they apply the knowledge in the details of their work.
They have the knowledge and skills to educate budding social workers. In
social work practice, perhaps the greatest challenge is to engage the student
in learning the specific skills or the "doing" aspects of practice. Social work
academicians have to collaborate with various stakeholders to design educational
activities to meet the clients' needs, and train social work students. Social
work academicians have the prime responsibility in guiding as well as conducting
research in various fields of social work practice. The value of teachership
will enable the academicians to conduct evidence based researches and to
teach them in the class rooms to enhance the practice of social work profession.
The value of teachership urges every social worker to do their researches
related to the profession's methods, techniques, and practice fields rather than
on mere peripheral topics. The academicians have a great responsibility to
link the field of social work with the theory and class room teachings of
social work. Every social work teacher needs to be practitioners in various
forms to effectively imbibe the value of teachership and inculcate the same
among the target audience.
Social work academician's professional responsibility to a client has always
been to prepare the future service provider to engage in helping activities that
will directly impact people's lives-- especially the most vulnerable members
of our society, including children, the elderly, disabled persons, and the poor.
Social work profession has placed even greater demands on social work faculty
members to train the students to undertake effective practice. As an educator
in the schools of social work their roles are unique. They have the mentoring
role of future social workers. The academicians have to train and mould the
budding social workers.
Practitioners and value of Teachership
The value of teachership is equally important for social work practitioners.
Social Workers are often involved in teaching people about resources and
how to develop particular skills such as budgeting, the caring discipline of
children, effective communication, the meaning of a medical diagnosis, and the
prevention of violence .The practitioners have to educate their clients on various
issues and have to take part in the mentoring process of budding social work
professionals. They communicate and collaborate with various departments,
agencies and teams to foster client education. Social workers use a variety
of methods to define and identify learning needs of individuals and families.
Assessment identifies the educational needs based on the expressed needs of
individuals, family members and significant others. The social worker identifies
deficiencies in the knowledge base of the client and works with the client
to obtain the needed information and resources. Social workers collaborate
with health care team, child welfare team etc. to design educational activities
to meet the clients' needs, to deliver the activities in a manner that facilitates
the learning needed, and to evaluate the processes in an integral, ongoing and
systematic manner. Social work practitioners effectively use the contemporary
methods of social work namely, advocacy, strengths based practice, public interest
litigation, resource mobilization, net working and awareness campaign.
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Teaching and training the social work trainees is another prime responsibility Loyality
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of the social work practitioners. They perform the role of field work supervisors.
It is the duty of the supervisor to teach the student the meaning of professional
relationship, to deepen the learner's insight into behaviour of oneself and of
others, to help oneself to grasp the techniques of interviewing, recording, home
visiting and such other skills as are necessary for successful discharge of one's
professional responsibilities. A supervisor usually teaches and trains students on
three broad areas: concepts, skills and attitudes.
The supervisory role of a teacher finds its meaning in three major functions-
administration, teaching and guiding. Of all these three functions of a supervisor
teaching occupies a significant place in the process of field work training (Lawani,
2002). Besides the social work teacher within classroom, the agency supervisor
also teaches practical aspects of social work learning and practice in the field.
Field education was originally based on the belief that students learn to practice
the profession through an apprenticeship supervised by expert practitioners
(George, 1982; Wijn berg & Schwartz, 1977). Generally, the social work
practitioner adopts several steps for the field instruction to the social work
trainees namely, individual conferences, group conferences, seminars, presentations,
reporting etc.
Field education thus provides a bridge between what is learned in the classroom
and the reality of social work practice in the environmental context. It aims
to help students understand and develop professional skills so that they can
move from the level of abstract theoretical knowledge to the practice level
and become independent practitioners (Parker, 2007).The field instructor-student
relationship is the context for learning, and the relationship is expected to be
both supportive and challenging (Fortune et al., 2001; Knight, 2000).

6.4 IDEAS FOR TEACHING SOCIAL WORK

PRACTICE IN CLASSROOM
Teaching social work practice is a challenging, time consuming, but rewarding
activity. Here we are discussing some of the ideas to make classroom instruction
of social work practice interesting.
1. A Perception of Social Work Practice
We view social work practice as fundamentally an empowering and problem-
solving activity, directed toward resolving concerns about social functioning
and/or preventing problems from developing in the first place. Guided by
an ethical code and using a body of knowledge, the social worker intends
to accomplish one or more of the following goals:
 enhance the problem solving and coping capacities of people;
 link people with those systems that can provide needed resources,
services,and opportunities;
 promote the effective and humane operation of human services agencies;
 actively promote the creation and development of humane, fair, and
effective social policies and human services programs; and
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Values of Professional  help create societal conditions that prevent social problems and support
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successful social functioning for all people.
A social work practice course should be designed and structured in
ways that facilitate the learning of those behaviours, skills, and techniques
that are necessary for a social worker to accomplish these broad goals.
2. Assumptions Regarding Teaching Social Wok Practice
It is the responsibility of the classroom instructor to formulate the course
structure, establish high expectations for student accomplishment, maintain
an open and interactive class environment, and design experiences that
encourage and facilitate learning by the social work student. That learning
must occur in three broad areas: knowledge, values, and skills.
3. Knowledge
The knowledge component of social work is, in many ways, the easiest
to teach because there is, for the most part, an agreed upon terminology
and language that can be used to present, describe, and discuss concepts,
theories, and facts relevant to practice.
4. Beliefs, Values, and Attitudes
The values associated with effective practice can be discussed with students,
but cannot be directly taught. At best, values and attitudes can be "caught"
by the student. If the instructor "models" or makes visible desired values
in their own behaviors, students may adapt their own values to imitate
those of a respected teacher. Thus, faculty must be prepared to discuss
ethical dilemmas, relevant moral and religious considerations, and the cultural
and value conflicts that are typically a part of practice.
5. Techniques, Procedures, and Practice Activities
The skills or the "doing" aspects of practice are also best taught through
modelling and demonstration by an instructor. In addition, the student must
have the opportunity to practice these behaviours in a real or simulated
situation. Simply reading about or listening to a description of a desired
practice behaviour is seldom sufficient to facilitate this learning by the student.
Thus a practice instructor must create a teaching/learning process that allows
and requires students to perform various social work activities that utilize
basic practice techniques.
6. Selecting Course Objectives and Teaching Methodology.
Specific objectives for any practice course require careful consideration
by a BSW or MSW program's faculty. Underpinning these objectives should
be a thorough understanding of the Council on Social Work Education's,
USA, accreditation requirements, appreciation of the nature and demands
of jobs available to new graduates, the ethical requirement to prepare
practitioners who will do no harm, understanding of the prior knowledge
and conceptual foundation that students bring to the practice sequence,
and knowledge of the characteristics of the clients and client systems that

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course objectives are appropriately a curriculum decision and not subject
to the individual interpretation of an individual instructor. The instructor,
however, should have the freedom to decide how best to prepare the
students to master the content and competencies assigned to his or her
class in the school's curriculum. Factors to consider include:
 Viewing the social work student as an adult. Adults learn best though
actual experience and by relating a new learning experience to their
own life experiences. To the extent possible, it is best to utilize experiential
learning activities, demonstrations, role plays, rehearsals, and so forth.
 Many students have had prior paid or volunteer human services
experiences that are relevant to the concerns and purposes of social
work practice.
 Modelling and demonstration of both techniques and attitudes by the
teacher are critically important in teaching practice.
 Whenever possible, the class assignments and students' learning activities
should simulate or resemble the activities that will be required in practice
(i.e., intense human interaction with troubled individuals and families;
making decisions and formulating plans, follow through on plans, report
writing, record keeping, teamwork, time management, etc.).
7. Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking is the process of figuring out what to believe or not
about a situation, phenomenon, problem or controversy for which no single
definitive answer or solution exists. The term implies a diligent, open-minded
search for understanding, rather than for discovery of a necessary conclusion.
Critical thinking skills are an important component of social work education
because they are essential to good decision making, the foundation of ethical
and effective clinical practice (Gambrill, 1990). This sentiment is echoed
by the Council on Social Work Education (1992a, 1992b), which addresses
educators' responsibility to prepare baccalaureate and graduate students to
think critically about their practice--for example, to judge which interviewing
and intervention techniques are best suited to each situation/client, to decide
what information to use (and to ignore) in formulating an assessment, to
evaluate the success of their approach, and to decide how and when to
terminate the process.
Social workers in direct practice rely on critical thinking to apply theories,
make informed decisions, and explain their assessments and decisions. This
article describes methods for teaching critical thinking to graduate and
undergraduate social work students in practice courses. The authors define
critical thinking, explore the skills necessary for its development, describe
the methods and assignments used to teach these skills, and detail a simple
pre/post test method used to evaluate graduate students' gains in critical
thinking skills.

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Values of Professional
Social Work II 6.5 PRINCIPLES OF THE VALUE OF
TEACHERSHIP
Some of the principles of the value of teachership found in the Code of Ethics
for social workers (Thomas 2015) are the following:
1. Need to recognise teachership and professional social work as divine
professions
Social workers must consider teachership as a divine profession as the
teacher is expected to be a mentor, philosopher and guide for the students
without showing any discrimination. Social workers promote individual
development and pursuit of clients just as a teacher is involved in the
development of each student entrusted by the school administration.
2. Need to inspire and motivate clients/service seekers
Every professional- whether teacher or practitioner- must be convinced that
the social worker's role involves the values of teachership as one is seen
as a social doctor in the larger society. Social workers are expected to
inspire and motivate the clients and service seekers to face challenges,
hurdles and problems that one may confront.
3. Need to be passionate, positive, and enthusiastic in the helping
process
Social workers have to be passionate, positive and enthusiastic while dealing
with problems, concerns and issues of the clients.
4. Need to strengthen knowledge base and skills of social work
Social workers use their knowledge base and skills to strengthen the
profession by undertaking the tasks of recording and publishing their practice
competence as well as pursuing with research programmes at various levels.
5. Need to demonstrate teachership qualities
Social workers demonstrate several qualities of a teacher such as
responsibility and commitment, hard work, loyalty to profession, dignity and
worth of the person, importance of human relationships, cultural sensitivity,
patriotism, integrity, competence and character training.

6.6 ELEMENTS OF TEACHERSHIP IN SOCIAL

WORK PRACTICE
Teach social and daily living skills
The social worker teaches clients, client groups, communities and social work
trainees about various aspects of social, behavioural and daily living skills and
developing effective communication skills. For the clients, the worker is a
motivator, friend, philosopher and guide. The teachership value within the worker
enables him/her to view the clients in the larger perspective of learners. The
environmental situation requires the clients to seek the much needed support
and direction from the worker in addressing various issues and problems. Thus
the clients can perceive certain values of teachership in the worker.
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Facilitating behaviour change Loyality
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The social worker may use intervention approaches such as role model, value
clarification and behaviour modification while guiding their clients for more effective
personal behavioural changes. A client who accepts worker also views the
worker as a teacher to some extent.
Primary intervention
The social worker uses teachership skills in primary interventions such as
premarital counselling, providing family planning information, parenting skills etc.
for individual clients while groups and communities are guided to analyze the
problems and issues in the existing environmental contexts. A professionally
qualified social worker has several qualities and skills of teachership. Depending
upon client's profile the worker is able to use these qualities and skills in
the helping process. Keeping in view the target groups and the areas of
intervention, the worker is enabled by the value of teachership to meaningfully
make necessary interventions focused on achieving the goals of intervention.
Training of Social Work Students
Social work professionals have the responsibility of training the budding social
workers. The training process involves teachership qualities imbibed by the trainers.
The trainer is essentially a practitioner as well as a teacher. Here the concept
of teachership is not limited to class room teaching in a formal setup like
a school or university. Thus every aspect of moulding the student social worker
involves teaching and teachership values.
Conducting Research
Research is very essential for enhancing the professional practice of social work.
The professionals have to promote evidence based practices. Three aspects
attributed to a teacher in every discipline are teaching, research and extension
activities. For successful social work intervention, a practitioner has to conduct
research. This research initiative could be of varying nature involving different
time frames. Depending upon the nature of the problem and profile of the
client's the practitioner sets certain goals for the research and chooses appropriate
research design and tools for data collection which could range from observation
and case studies to the use of both primary and secondary data. The specific
nature of research and tools will depend on the kind of problem being addressed
and the method or methods to be used in the problem solving process. Research
of some nature would be helpful in case work, group work, community
organization, social action, advocacy, PIL, awareness campaign, resource
mobilization and net working. However, the goals and depths of the research
would be different. In short, social work profession needs to recognize the
role and value of teachership embed in a practitioner and educator.
Supervising social work trainees
Social work professionals have the role as agency supervisor and faculty
supervisor to be with the students in the field and guide and develop their
practical skills. Disciplines having practical components are usually assisted by
respective teachers. Social work being a practice based discipline has significant
amount of practical components. A student is expected to practice in the field, 87
Values of Professional based on the theoretical inputs received in the class room. The practicum
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supervisor could be a teaching faculty or own agency supervisor having
professional training in social work or both. What is important to note is the
fact that the trainee receives supervision and guidance which only a professional
having the value of teachership can provide. Social work practitioners do possess
the value of teachership- when she/he works with an individual, family, group
or a community. It is essential for the profession as well as for the practitioner
to be aware of teachership value which will make the intervention more
meaningful.
Relationship/ Rapport building
The purpose of teachership is to promote better relationship/rapport with the
clients. A teacher is expected to maintain very cordial and healthy relationship
with the learner. A worker, a teacher of social work as well as a practitioner
presents oneself as a teacher to the client to some extent. The teachership
within the worker must enable him/her to maintain cordial and healthy relationship
with the client. Healthy relationship will help in better acceptance by the client
which is one of the basic principles of social case work. A client who sees
and experiences the value of teachership in the practitioner will be a willing
person to wholeheartedly support the helping process of study, diagnosis and
treatment. Therefore the value of teachership must be given great importance
in social work practice.
Developing individual skills, group skills and community skills
Teachership in social work is extremely helpful in managing conflicts, reaching
consensus, and learning from various group and community roles. As a teacher,
the practitioner enables the development of individual, group and community
skills of the client system. Every individual, group and community have certain
amount of skills. However, during crisis situation, the client may not be fully
aware of the skills that are needed to be utilized in the problem solving process.
The practitioner helps the client (individual, group or a community) to explore
the skills dormant within and facilitates in meaningfully using the same in the
problem solving process. For example, a client may require the support and
encouragement from the practitioner to gain confidence in facing the problem
as well as initiating various actions to find solution to the identified problems.
Same way, the hidden leadership qualities, group and community strengths needs
to be properly channelized in the problem solving process.
Developing problem solving skills and critical thinking
Teachership in social work helps in developing problem solving skills among
the clients and also helps in developing critical thinking among the clients. Clients
approach the worker because of his/her trust and conviction that the professional
social worker would be of some help in finding solutions to his/her problems.
Depending upon the seriousness of the problem the client (whether individuals,
group or a community) requires various types of problem solving skills. The
clients usually have many of these skills. But he/she may not be able to identify
those skills and use them appropriately. For this, the worker's assistance and
guidance are much needed. The professional helps the clients to identify the
required skills and during the problem solving process and helps the clients
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Depending on the nature and seriousness of the problem and the capacity
of the clients, the worker helps in developing new skills to tackle the problems.
Similarly critical thinking is essential in finding solutions to the problems depending
upon the environment. The professional through his/her practice experience gained
over a period of time guides the client for developing the skill of critical thinking
so that the client become fully conscious of the extent of the problem and
the advantages and disadvantages of applying various intervention strategies in
the problem solving process. The skill of critical thinking is essential for individuals,
groups and communities for problem solving.

Check Your Progress I

Note: Use the space provided for your answer.
1. Enlist the elements of values of teachership in social work.
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6.7 EXPRESSION OF TEACHERSHIP IN SOCIAL

WORK PRACTICE
A professional qualification in social work does not make one a professional,
in the true sense of the word. Belonging to a particular discipline or area
of study and having degrees alone does not automatically guarantee that the
service one provides is a professional one. Therefore, teaching as a professional
(whether in the class room or filed) is a hard thing to do because it encompasses
many roles to be done well.
A good teacher is constantly alert to recognize and exploit opportunities to
provide experiences for learners which will contribute to the acquisition of
appropriate information, contacts and understandings; physical, social and
intellectual skills; physical, social and intellectual habits; ideals, attitudes, interests
and tastes-appropriate types of growth of these various types which will contribute
to preparation for life's activities (Douglas, 1958).Social mindedness is an
indispensable quality. The teacher, more than any other force, is responsible
for developing group spirit and cooperation between members of a group which
is very necessary and important in a democratic community. The value of
teachership can be expressed in the practice of social work in the following
ways:
Responding to emergency
Professional social workers have the knowledge, skills, values, ethics and 89
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manner towards the needs and issues in the community. For example, if a
social worker comes across a situation like road accident or natural calamity
which demands some intervention he/she has to mobilize the people towards
the helping process. Value of teachership will enable the worker to lead the
community leaders and those that matter in the process of rendering the much
needed intervention to help the individuals, family, group or a community.
Challenge social injustice
Social worker believes that every individual has certain basic rights, such as
those spelt out in the Constitution of one's country and the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights issued by the United Nations. All members have the same
basic rights, protection, opportunities, obligations and social benefits. Therefore,
a social worker must be always prepared to do the needful and to contribute
to the promotion of social justice by fighting social injustice as well as setting
examples. The value of teachership enables the worker to create awareness
among the community and mobilise them to the fight for social justice.
Positive regard
The clients and social work trainees must be treated by worker, as a person
of inherent worth. He/she must be given respect, regardless of appearance,
behaviour, life circumstances, and affiliations. Value of teachership urges social
workers to understand and respect the strengths, abilities and potentials of
the client as well as that of social work trainees.
Warmth
Social workers responds to clients in such ways that make them feel safe
and accepted. Social work academics should also have warm and healthy
relationship with their students, colleagues, agency functionaries and the clients.
Expression of warmth in the forms of smile, facial expression, body language,
soft in appearance and soothing voice, appropriate eye contact and gestures
will convey acceptance and openness to the clients.
Rapport
Social work professionals should have good rapport with the students, colleagues
as well as clients. Actively involving in rural camps, study tours, exposure visits
etc. by the social work professionals will help them to build healthy relationships
with the students and guide them effectively in the process of development
and learning.
Guidance
Social work educator should provide guidance to the learner at various stages
of the professional training. This demands that social worker keep in constant
touch with social work theory and supportive disciplines and keep one's self
with the developing knowledge base of the profession. The value of teachership
urges social work professionals to guide the students in selecting their
specialisations, careers, higher studies, researches and so on. While guiding
the learner, the supervisor should consciously keep in mind the social work
values and principles.
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Social work students are expected to behave with maturity, sense of concern,
respect for human beings, responsibility, decency and work towards maintaining
the dignity of the individual keeping view cultural sensitivity. Value of teachership
will enable the professionals to become a good mentor and guide the budding
social workers.
Supportive
Psychological support is crucial in the initial days of the social work training
and in the process of help. The learner may frequently suffer from anxiety
about the theoretical papers, fieldwork and his/her overall performance. The
student may become worried about the process of help. The supportive role
of the social worker will help the social work trainees as well as the clients
to feel comfortable with the process of help.

6.8 LET US SUM UP

Social work is an international profession and similarly social work education
internationally has always embraced both academic and practical components.
The value of teachership in Social work profession comprises of a theoretical
component taught in the classroom and field- based practice. Value of teachership
constantly urges a social worker to be aware of the changes taking place
in social life and the development of new knowledge in the practice and teachings
of social work. Although the client is indirectly affected by the social worker's
theoretical knowledge, the client is most directly impacted by what the worker
actually does (e.g., what the worker says, how it is said, how the worker
responds to what the client says and does, etc.) which are the results of
theoretical knowledge, practical skills and attitudes. Social work research and
effective practice of social work profession are heavily related to the value
of teachership. If the social workers are practicing the profession according
to the values and principles of profession keeping in view the code of ethics
of the profession, it becomes effective social work practice. Teachership helps
the profession to develop new impetus and practice avenues and enhance the
skills of budding professionals. The worker must be convinced of the fact
that teachership is a divine profession and therefore his/her intervention must
reflect the dignity of teachership.
of the following ends: helping people obtain tangible services; counselling and
psychotherapy with individuals, families, and groups; helping communities or
groups provide or improve social and health services; and participating in
legislative processes. The practice of social work requires knowledge of human
development and behaviour; of social and economic, and cultural institutions;
and of the interaction of all these factors.

6.9 FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES

Barker, R.L. (1991). The Social Work Dictionary, 2nd ed. Silver Spring, NASW.
Bradford, W.S., Horjeshi, C.R., Horeshi, G.A. (1988). Techniques and guidelines
for social work practice, 3rd ed., Allyn and Bacon, Massachusetts, USA.
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Values of Professional Douglas, H.L. (1958). What is a good teacher? The High School Journal,
Social Work II
Vol.41, No.4, pp. 110-113.
Fortune, A. E., McCarthy, M., & Abramson, J.S. (2001). Student learning
processes infield education: Relationship of learning activities to quality of
field instruction, satisfaction, and performance among MSW students. Journal
of Social Work Education, 37, 111-124
Freire, P. (1973). Education for critical consciousness, Seabury Press, New
York
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed, Herder and Herder, New York
George, A. (1982). A history of social work field instruction. In B. W. Sheafor
& L. E. Jenkins (Eds.), Quality field instruction in social work (pp. 37-59).
New York, NY: Longman.
Knight, C. (2000). Engaging the student in the field instruction relationship:
BSW and MSW students' views. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 20(3/
4), 173-201
Lawani, B.T. (2002). Social work education and field instructions Centre for
Social research and development, Pune
Mumm, Annmarie and Kersting, Robert C., "Teaching Critical Thinking in Social
Work Practice Courses" (1997). Faculty Publications. Paper 143. http://
digitalcommons.ric.edu/facultypublications/143
Parker, J. (2007) 'Developing effective practice learning for tomorrow's social
workers', Social Work Education: The International Journal, 26(8), pp. 763-
79
Robinson, D.W. (1961). Who is a good teacher, The Clearing House, Vol.35,
No.6, p. 324
The Phi Delta Kappan (1928), Characteristics of a good teacher, The Phi
Delta Kappan Vol.11, No.3, pp. 87-88.
Thomas, Gracious (2015). Code of Ethics for Social Workers, New Delhi,
IGNOU
Wijnberg, M. H., & Schwartz, M. C. (1977).Models of student supervision:
The apprentice, growth, and role systems models. Journal of Education for
Social Work, 13(3), 107-113

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