Wenatchee Valley College
1300 Fifth Street
Wenatchee WA 98801
Syllabus
Department: Chemical Dependency Studies
Instructor: Loretta Stover, M.Ed.
Office Hours: Arranged
Email: lstover@cfadt.org
Phone: 509.662.9673
Class Number: CDS 295
Course Description: Supervised (Field Study) Work Experience: To be completed at a Health Service, Mental Health Agency or Criminal Justice (Probation or Detention) facility that provides service to chemically dependent clients.
Learning Outcomes: The student will be able to:
· Increase presentation skills by actively participating in weekly supervised meetings.
· Develop organizational skills by writing case study presentation(s) and keeping workbook updated.
· Improve professional interpersonal skills by working with counselors and/or supervisor to validate impressions/ideas formed during work experience.
· Establish record keeping skills by maintaining a calendar, time sheets, and journal.
· Develop self-evaluation skills by completing an assessment of their learning objectives.
Depth of Instruction: Most of the learning will be based on your weekly observation. You will be expected to meet one hour a week at assigned classroom at Wenatchee Valley College to review progress. Second year students will have preference.
Learning Resources:
You are expected to gather information. Your instructor will mention additional reading and other resources from time to time and may distribute copies of specific materials that will support the basic concepts you are learning. You may wish to search further for information through interviews, lectures, periodicals, videos, Internet and discussions to build and enhance your personal reference library.
Learning Plan:
You will notice a form called “Field Experience Learning Plan”. This document is used to guide your experience. You need to complete it the first week of your placement. The information comes from the Counselor Competencies. The document is also posted to the 295 web folder, and you can use that to fill out the learning plan. You complete the form with your name, the dimension (listed in the competencies book) and the specific competencies you are working on in that placement. Common dimensions are referrals, professional readiness, professional and ethical responsibilities, etc.
Again, this needs to be completed the first week of the quarter and turned in to your instructor. Your weekly journals will be read with your learning plan in mind. Feel free to email it to your instructor.
Helpful Suggestion:
This course is designed to give students the opportunity to observe the function of the counseling and the operations of a chemical dependency treatment center. You are a guest at the agency. Participation in activities will be decided at the discretion of each agency. You are there to be students and to learn, not to be counselors.
Assessment:
Weekly journals and discussions. You are expected to update me weekly with what you have observed and your application of that observation to the field of CD counseling.
Your grade will be based on the professionalism and insight of your journal entries.
· Review your notes and text from all of your prior classes.
Model Journal Entry
Ø The episode or event- what did you observe?
Ø What questions do you have about what you observed?
Ø What would you have done? What doors were opened that you would have been tempted to explore further? Why do you believe the counselor didn’t?
Ø What did you gain from this observation.
**Remember, you are the guest. You are only there at the courtesy of the counselor and it isn’t your job to second guess the counselor. They have more experience in this area than you do at this time. However, it is very useful to ask the questions that come up for you. It’s how you learn. It isn’t always appropriate for you to ask them of the counselor, that is the point of this class. Bring them here. The last thing…remember too that this is the beginning of establishing your professional reputation. These counselors will someday be your colleagues or supervisors. Good Luck and have fun!!