1. Brew a Better Internship Experience
Dianne Acuña Thompson, EdS Director, Advisement & Counseling Gwinnett County Public Schools
Lauren Wynne, PhD, LPC, RPT-S Clinical Assistant Professor, School Counseling Program Georgia State University
Introduce selves

2. Essential Question: Why?
To create minimal standards of preparation at the county level
To address concerns related to differing counselor education program requirements
To utilize the internship experience as a true yearlong induction and interview process
Dianne

3. Essential Question: Why?
Leadership through collaboration
Combination of strengths to support advocacy and potential for systemic change Di

4. Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How?
Identification of Key Players
Counseling Program Leadership
University Leadership
Local School & Human Resources Leadership Di

5. Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How?
Principal Permission
Supervision training
Site supervision
Office space
Technology
Access to student data for interns
Supervision training – Two Half Days
Time for ongoing intern supervision
Space for interns
Technology access for interns
Access to student data for interns

6. Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How?
Minimum Requirements of Interns
Number of hours on-site
Number of direct service hours
Accountability project
Group experience requirement
Background check/liability insurance
Current employee considerations
Teachers can’t intern at their school. Conflict of interest & dual roll

7. Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How?
Requirements of Onsite Supervisors
Attend county-sponsored supervision training
Commit to one hour of intern supervision per week
Commit to completing middle, EOY & impromptu evaluations of interns Di

8. Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How?
Onsite Supervisor Training
General supervision training
Handling intern problems
Offering “useful” evaluations
Ongoing Support of Onsite Supervisors
Part of annual plan
County support
Supervision of supervision visit
Data collection Di

9. Excerpts from Supervisor Training
Facilitating the Supervisor’s Role
in the Yearlong Interview
Lauren

10. Reflecting on Our Last Time Together
Definition of Supervision
Supervision Metaphors
Supervision Theories
Supervisory Relationship
Multicultural Aspects
Supervision Goals
Supervisee Anxiety
Supervision Games
Supervision Interventions
Structuring Supervision
Idea Sharing & Consultation in Supervision
Lauren
 Practicum/Internship 

11. The Jolly Rancher Theory of Counseling
Lauren – Day 1 – They need a theory. You need a theory.

12. Activity 2: Theoretically Speaking
You are meeting with your assigned intern for your first “official” supervision meeting.
Gut Check: Use your experience to guide their experience, but you still need to explore their experience.
What do they need to know about your supervision style right off the top.
Choose a partner and practice what you might share with your intern.
Lauren – Day 1

13. The Importance of You
Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh," he whispered. "Yes, Piglet?" "Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."”
Lauren – Day 1

14. Meeting Your Intern, Making Them Part of Your School
An individual
A partner
A team member
A staff member
A committee member
A counseling meeting participant
In what other ways can they belong?
JOE INTERN
Lauren – Day 1

15. Pederson (1991) believes virtually all counseling is multicultural.
Lauren – Day 1
Supervision is, too.

16. Facets to Consider
Interpersonal Style Learning Style Cognitive Style Consider Belief System Theoretical Orientation Spirituality Political Context Professional Context The Ethnicity Race Identity Development Gender Age Power Differential Sexual Orientation Experience Level Interaction Training Program Prior Professional Experiences Prior Personal Experiences What Else?
Lauren – Day 1

17. Charting the Course Intern-Supervisor Agreements
Formal, upfront, clear, written, & signed
Answers many of the who, what, where, when and some of the how questions
Creation of goals sets the stage for accountability, evaluation, feedback, and GROWTH
Note: These agreements are two-way streets.
Lauren – Day 2

18. Essential Questions: Who? What? When? How?
Intern Meetings
Beginning of the year
Security issues
Expectations for professional conduct
Team building across universities
During the year
Ending of the year
Accountability project presentations
Data collection
Di – Day 2

19. What the first day of internship feels like to an intern…
Lauren – Day 2

20. Providing Feedback Feedback about what they’re doing
Feedback about how they’re doing
Clear, specific, & direct
Timely & balanced
Scaffolding & Zones of Proximal Development
Ask them what their preferences are at the outset
I-Messages
Exploration
Avoid telling them how
Lauren – Day 2

21. Initial Assessment Phase
Begin with the end in mind.
“What are we looking for in a hire?”
“What does GCPS look for in a hire?”
Think needs assessment.
Think asset search.
What is their worldview?
They are sort of insightful at this point.
Think informed consent.
Formal documentation helps.
Lauren – Day 2

22. Midpoint Assessment Phase
Middle of the…
Semester
Experience
Session/Lesson
They all progress differently, but you should see marked progress at this point.
If not, the university should already know.
Your midpoint feedback really shouldn’t be a surprise at this point.
Creating/changing plans (aka differentiated instruction)
Formal documentation with discussion
Lauren – Day 2

23. Final Assessment Phase
Is this intern insightful about her/his strengths & areas for growth?
Is this intern ready?
What are they ready to do?
Do they have a working awareness of ideal and real?
Would I want him/her to work at this school? In GCPS?
How would I describe them to an interviewer?
Can you stand behind your ratings?
Formal documentation with discussion
There should be no surprises
Lauren – Day 2

24. This or That…or Both Planned supervision v. Drive-By Supervision?
Administrative Supervision v. Clinical Supervision?
Self-report v. Observations?
Taped v. Not Taped?
Audio v. Video?
Individual v. Group Format?
Positive v. Constructive Feedback?
Casual Feedback v. Formal Evaluation?
Lauren – Day 2

25. An Additional Role
Lauren – Day 2

26. Getting the Go, Whoa, or No Feeling About Your Intern
Go is good.
Whoa is a good enough reason to call or .
No means call immediately.
Supervisors are pretty willing to let things go on longer than we’d like.
University Retention Policies & Procedures take forever…
Lauren – Day 2

27. Answering Questions: Determining the “So What?”
Our Data Collection
County Intern Midpoint/Endpoint Evaluations
University Intern Midpoint/Endpoint Evaluations
Supervisor Feedback
Training opportunities
General supervision issues
Intern problems/concerns
Assessment preparation
Evaluation tools
Understanding the rubric
Areas not assessed
What they would need to fully assess Di

28. “So what?”: Site Supervisor Feedback
Continued Quality Improvement Di
Lessons learned: Do pre-/post regarding this question.
Examine definition of the role of the supervisor

29. “So what?”: Site Supervisor Feedback
Di -
Lessons learned: Make part of the pre-/post-test during training as well as a reflection piece at the end.

30. “So what?”: Site Supervisor FeedbackDi

31. “So what?”: Site Supervisor FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Offer more on-going support
Visit sites minimum of 2x a year

32. “So what?”: Site Supervisor Feedback
3 Yes/No Questions
The evaluation tool was easy to use?
The evaluation tool was easily understood by the intern?
The evaluation tool is easy for me to use as the site supervisor?
100% YES!! Di

33. “So what?”: Site Supervision FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Invite site supervisors to the intern orientation
Hands on supervision

34. “So what?”: Intern Feedback
Continued Quality Improvement
Number of interns = 20
Number of respondents = 11
Elementary 3
Middle School 3*
High School 7*
* Two interns had experiences at two different levels Di
Lessons learned: Break up survey to interns

35. “So what?”: Intern FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Do follow-up just after or 2 months after intern orientation to be sure it was effective & gain ideas for improvement.

36. “So what?”: Internship FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Offer technology training or specify with site supervisor what needs to be covered.

37. “So what?”: Intern FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Send out reminder to site supervisors re: this and emphasize as part of the intern agreement.

38. “So what?”: Intern FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Be specific with site supervisors about the expectations re: evaluation process.

39. “So what?”: Intern FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Send reminders throughout the year to the site supervisor about the requirement/importance of weekly supervision.

40. “So what?”: Intern FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Reminders to all parties re: requirements, reviewing intern agreements

41. “So what?”: Intern FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Ask for feedback throughout the year. The end of the year was too late. Timing is critical.

42. “So what?”: Intern FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Will provide handout outlining project.
Defined the IRB process – unforeseen problem
Provide more direction to site supervisor
Presentation of projects – new for

43. “So what?”: Intern FeedbackDi
Lessons learned: Add to intern orientation
Prepare icons in an ready to send to interns
Make a requirement for site supervisor or designee

44. “So what?”: Intern FeedbackDi
Goal for
Average rating = 1.0

45. Di and Lauren
Questions & Feedback

46. Contact Information
Dianne Thompson
Lauren Wynne