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About Me! And How to Observe this Blog

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 Hello! Welcome to my Social Worker Profile project for SOWK 201! My name is Kara, and though I am not studying to be an actual social worker, I am so excited to be here! The profile picture of this blog is my cat, just because he's adorable. I am. I am a second-year student studying to become a high school English educator, and my favourite activity is reading. Comments are available on this blog, and I would love to hear from anyone who wants to talk about the content, or just tell me about themselves! What is your favourite book? So, for this blog to make sense you have to keep in mind that I am studying to be a teacher. Throughout the modules and readings, I have noticed so much overlap between the two professions, so when I am talking about "teaching" and things I would do in my classroom, I am doing so as though I am talking about being an actual social worker. This project is all about reflecting, and my most effective reflection of course involves my real life! Es...
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Module 4-Trusting

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   "Ethical behaviour lies at the core of every profession" (CASW as referenced in Perrault et al., 2024)            I feel like I always come back to my educational background when I talk about what I connect with in each module, but I think that is okay considering what a big part of my life it is. This module was all about ethics and values, things I believe as a teacher it is vital to have a strong understanding of both of those things.  Trust is earned, Trust is conditional.     The CASW Scope of Practice (2020) reading was especially thought-provoking as it contained a lot of what  I consider when reflecting on my position as a future teacher. This is because it is something that gets a bit blurry in my chosen profession. What I mean is that so many different people have different ideas about what an ethical scope of practice is for a teacher. Some think all we should do is teach the basics of math, science, and lang...
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Module 3 - Understanding

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 Initial Response...      I will always advocate for feminism in every situation, but I also know that feminism is not feminism without care and attention to intersectionality. Page 250 of Hicks and Stokes (2017) mentions the mounting "feminization of poverty" and how it disproportionately affects women of colour, especially Indigenous women in Canada. I learned about Intersectional feminism in early high school, and I have attempted to consider it in my daily life and will continue to consider it deeply in my teaching practice. Overall, a lot of the readings for this module were about considering factors of marginalized people (especially BIPOC) in the context of social work in Canada. As a future teacher, this consideration is hugely a personal responsibility that I must commit to every day. On the videos...        Relationships are everything. I attend therapy, and because of this, I know how important the connection between the therapist ...
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Module 2-Expanding

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Initial response...   Part of the reason I wanted to take Social Work 201 was because I know I will need an understanding of Canada's social work systems someday when I am a teacher. This module was particularly insightful to me as it held a lot of information about child welfare in Canada. It is a difficult topic to read about as I think anyone would like to imagine a world where there is no need for child welfare. With that said, it is paramount that people do not avert their eyes from uncomfortable information lest we avoid change by lack of knowledge. I want to make a difference in the education system. I want to be an informed educator who makes school a haven for students as opposed to a prison. That is my purpose concerning social work, and I appreciate the tools I have gained so far in this course.  *Note: I see the practice of teaching and of social work as so intertwined that when I refer to "my role as a teacher" it means the same as "my role as a social w...
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Module 1 Reflections

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Initial Response - Thoughts of a Pre-Service Teacher Who Wants to Make a Difference      There are so many overlaps between social work and teaching. I have said this a few times now both in my first discussion post and in the small group in our last Zoom class, but I keep reflecting on it. For example, the “Roles of the Social Worker” listed in Chapter 1 of the textbook each corresponds with the role of a teacher. I am a strategist : I plan lessons to include all students and I identify issues to solve in our classroom. I am a broker : I give students tools to learn and grow. I can (responsibly) refer them to social workers. I am an advocate : I stand up for my students. I don't accept injustice and fight for their future. I am an initiator : I speak to the school boards and larger institutions. I chase change. I am a mediator : I help students to communicate. I resolve conflict without passing judgment. I am a negotiator : I speak on behalf of my students to get them wh...
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