The main topic of chapter five of Shulman’s book is centered around work phase skills. These include data sharing, content connections, process identification, obstacle pinpointing, empathy skills, sessional contracting skills, and tuning-in abilities (Shulman, 2016). In the case of Summers’s book, chapter four addresses the importance of cultural competence in social work. The core idea is that “what seems reasonable to you from the perspective of your own culture may not be reasonable at all to someone from another culture” (Summers, 2016, p. 112). My social work profession involves observation and record management of students’ behavior, and thus, understanding the processes and skills of content connections as well as process identification are critical and directly related to the tasks I perform daily. In other words, I have to assess and monitor behaviors, which necessitates connecting the core patterns and identifying divergences.
I learned that cultural awareness and adherence to procedural plans ensure that social work is conducted appropriately, which are also emphasized in the described chapters. My internship focuses on the provision of academic intervention support measures, where students from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, being culturally aware and following the protocol of intervention are related to topics of cultural competence and the work phase. Knowing about the topic helped me to be cautious of using my cultural perspective and approaching work in a disorganized manner. The topic reminded me that people from different cultural backgrounds might have different sets of values. I have not applied what I have read yet, but I am planning to do so. I will apply the information in my field placement by being culturally sensitive and following the work phase flow.
References
Shulman, L. (2016). The skills of helping individuals, families, groups, and communities (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Summers, N. (2016). Fundamentals of case management practice: Skills for the human services (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.