3 minute read
The School Internship
THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP
56
Advertisement
Students are assigned to school districts for their school internships. At the internship, students work closely with the school psychology supervisor, a NY State licensed psychologist, and who involves the student in all the daily experiences within the schools. Students work with children from the elementary through the high school years doing diagnostic testing and counseling and learning about the many functions of the professional school psychologist. The school psychology interns are also involved in supervised consultation activities to help them acquire this needed skill. The school psychology interns are evaluated twice per year. Field supervisors send written reports to the University to give feedback on student progress. The School Internship is central to the student's doctoral training. The objective of the internship is to develop skills and competence in professional work with individuals and groups. The special and unique environment of the school setting is best appreciated by continuous and substantial on-site work over one year under the direct supervision of a professional school psychologist. Students learn through direct observation, modeling, skill practice, corrective feedback, and the didactic offerings of their supervisors.
Objectives of the School Psychology Internship: We hope to meet several specific objectives in having students as interns within the schools. These include: 1. Acquisition of knowledge of the organization of psychological services delivery in the schools and the relation to the school and community. 2. Development of competence in diagnostic assessment of the individual child. 3. Familiarity with the Committee on Special Education and the Board of Education functions and operations within the school district. 4. Building consultation skills help the psychologist empower teachers, administrators, and parents to develop a favorable environment for the child's academic learning, self-awareness, and social skills. 5. Skill in interviewing and counseling. 6. Familiarity with standardized group assessments is regularly carried out within the schools. 7. Skill in school program planning, development, and evaluation.
Supervision: Students receive at least two hours of direct supervision per week by the supervising school psychologist, who shall have no more than two interns under their supervision at one time. Students should also have access to unscheduled supervision at any time when the situation demands it. Evaluation: As previously noted, there will be a formal written evaluation of student progress twice during the school year. Interns are expected to reach an average rating of 4 on a 5 point scale relevant to various school functioning areas. In addition, supervisors will have access to Psy.D. faculty who are involved with school internship experience so that training issues can be discussed on an on-going basis.
A sample evaluation form used for the School Internship follows the listing of recent school internship placements, as does a rating form for students to grade the quality of their school internship experience. This evaluation form is for information purposes only and is not the actual form that is far more detailed in assessing specific competencies. 57
Some Recent School Internship Placements
Bayridge Preparatory School, Brooklyn, New York Bayshore School District, Bayshore, New York Clarkstown School District, Clarkstown, New York Commack School District, Commack, New York Deer Park School District, Deer Park, New York East Meadow School District, East Meadow, New York Farmingdale School District, Farmingdale, New York Garden City School District, Garden City, New York Great Neck Union Free School District, Great Neck, New York Hampton Bay School District, Hampton Bay, New York Hempstead School District, Hempstead, New York Huntington Union Free School District, Huntington, New York Lawrence School District, Lawrence, New York Long Beach School District, Long Beach, New York Lynbrook School District, Lynbrook, New York Nassau BOCES, Westbury, New York North Shore School District, Seacliff, New York Oceanside School District, Oceanside, New York Oyster Bay, School District, Oyster Bay, New York Plainview-Old Bethpage School District, Plainview, New York Rockville Centre Public Schools, Rockville Centre, New York Sewaneka School District, Elmont, New York South Huntington Union Free School District, Huntington Station, New York The Churchill School and Center, New York, New York Tiegerman School (Formerly SLCD), Glen Cove, New York Uniondale School District, Uniondale, New York Valley Stream School District, Valley Stream, New York Wantagh Public Schools, Wantagh, New York
