Description
It is vital that social work students learn to integrate their personal and professional selves if they are to meet the challenges of social work in complex changing environments. This accessible text is designed to enable readers to explore and build on their existing skills and abilities, supporting them to become competent and self-aware reflective practitioners.
Reflective Thinking in Social Work uses stories told by a range of social work students to model reflective practice learning. Discussing issues such as identity, motivation to enter the social work profession and lived experiences in the journey into social work, the book brings together stories of hardship, privilege, families, hopes, interests and community activism from many diverse ethnic backgrounds. Each narrative is introduced by the author and ends with a commentary drawing out the key themes and exploring how the reader can use the narrative to enhance their own understanding and critical thinking, and to engage in transformative practice.
Framed by an in-depth discussion of available frameworks for reflective practice in different contexts and the importance of narratives in constructing identities, this is an invaluable text for social work students at both bachelor's and master's degree levels.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Part One. Narrative, reflection, personal stories and research
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Reflective learning to critical reflection - models and background stories
Part Two. Student Narratives
Chapter 3. Research, Narrative Reflection and Self-Inquiry
Chapter 4. Looking through intersections of identity – the voice of my journey: Vanessa Correa
Chapter 5. Reflecting critically on my journey through social work education in an Australian university: Tejaswini Patil and Michelle Moss
Chapter 6. My narrative through social work education and field work in India: Frida Svensson
Chapter 7. Unending Expedition – a reflective account of my entry into the social work profession: Yogita Naruka
Chapter 8. Reflective Narrative: Layla Sewell
Chapter 9. Motivations and pathways for a career in social work – a reflective account: Nicole Jones
Chapter 10. My narrative: Antonio Constantino
Chapter 11. A gift to a student social worker: Anna Marie Monck
Final comments
Index
