1. The Developmental Stages of Practicum

2. Anticipation Mixed feelings Excitement Apprehension
Level of task accomplishment usually low (shadowing versus doing)
Clear and realistic expectations and goals (of self, clients, agency, helping field)

3. Disillusionment
Incongruency between expectations and reality of the practicum experience (dissonance)
Disappointment and discouragement leading to self-doubt (Is this the career for me?)
Crisis of growth

4. Confrontation Working through the Disillusionment stage
Reviewing expectations and goals
Do you have a support system in place? * family * friends * practicum seminar
Interpersonal difficulties
Personal crisis
Personality (the need to be proactive)

5. Competence Increased self-confidence in abilities
Being able to trust self and others in the workplace
Excellence versus perfectionism
Being able to be a great “juggler”

6. Culmination Ending of the practicum experience Mixed feelings
The need to say goodbye
The need to review and evaluate
Where do I go from here?

7. Other important things to remember about the developmental stages:
Morale (interpersonal and intrapersonal tone of the practicum experience) versus Task Accomplishment (attitudes, skills, and knowledge acquired)
Rate of progress affected by: * hours spent at agency * previous practicums * student’s personality * personal issues * level of support * style of supervision * nature of work and emotional issues stimulated by the client population