Alexandra Mirowski
Internship Experience
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Summary of Experience: This semester, I was able to intern with the school psychologist, Chris Torem, at West Warwick Public Elementary Schools, Horgan and Greenbush. While shadowing Mr. Torem, I conducted observations, sat in on meetings, scored and reviewed different types of testing as well as being given the opportunity to mentor children at the two schools! During this internship, I was provided with a plethora of experiences from seeing children get restrained to working in the classrooms with teachers and students. I would constantly sit in on clinical meetings and IEP or behavioral meetings with not only other teachers and staff but also the families of the students. This helped me see how families deal and react with their child's behavioral issues and how teachers and staff deal with the families. I was able to conduct my own observation, watching and taking detailed notes on a student's behavior that would then be referenced and taken into consideration during her IEP meeting. I was exposed to different types of testing, what each test is used for, how they differ, and what results they provide. I also gained knowledge from the teacher's perspectives- watching their involvement with the students, seeing their frustrations, stress levels and the problems they face as well as how they often turn to Mr.Torem for help and guidance. I was given the chance to mentor two amazing students from each school, forming a bond with them and helping them grow and become confident in themselves! I will be continuing to mentor the two students until the end of the school year. Overall, this experience has exposed me to so many heart breaking issues and challenges these young children and their families face as well as being exposed to the staff that is constantly there to help. It has brightened my life seeing the smiles the children get when interacting with myself and the other staff members, as well as the gratefulness that the parents have for the faculty taking their time to help their child. This internship provided me with a wide range of experiences and knowledge and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity.
Evidence
EVIDENCE 1:
Objective: To review and score behavioral testing then to make assumptions on the presented behavior and what the child's needs are in terms of service.
Testing: Throughout my internship experience, I have been introduced to multiple behavior assessments to help determine a child's problem behavior(s) and ways to attempt to solve those behaviors. I was able to score and evaluate a BASC3 test, which is an assessment that provides details dealing with a child's behavioral and emotional functioning. It assesses behaviors that coincide with both behavioral problems and strengths. This test contains phrases that describe how a child may act. Done by teachers, you would read each phrase and select the response that describes how the child has behaved in the past several months. Selecting N means Never, S means Sometimes, O means Often, and A means Almost Always. You would circle the letter that coincides with each phrase. For scoring, N=1, S=2, O=3 and A=4. Although I was unable to do the actual testing, I was able to score and review as well as determine the students problem behaviors. Below, I have attached a summary of the BASC3 test that was conducted on the student, including results and comments and concerns. Throughout this evidence, I was able to learn about different methods of testing and assessments as well as how to conduct them and score them. I also learned how to analyze and determine problem behaviors from the scoring results which is helpful in the next steps of attempting to deter the problem behaviors.
EVIDENCE 2:
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Objective: To show the training I went through and the skills and knowledge I obtained through that training to be a successful mentor and form a strong, healthy bond with the students I work with.
Mentoring: With my internship experience, I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to work directly with children and become a mentor. After going through a two hour mentor training class and receiving a RI Mentor Handbook, I was able to become what a mentor is. I have the pleasure of mentoring a K-student from Horgan Elementary School in West Warwick as well as a 2nd grade student from Greenbush Elementary School. I meet with each separately for at least an hour a week. We talk about their days, school, family and social life, likes and dislikes, problems, goals, etc. as well as thinking of beneficial ways to overcome the obstacles they are faced with. We play games, do crafts and a wide range of other activities that they enjoy and that help broaden their mind. A key aspect in being a mentor is consistency. These children who have mentors need a sense of stability and comfort which is why I have chosen to continue mentoring the two students till June, beyond my internship duration. Below I have attached a PDF file that I created that contains the most important information about mentoring- for the mentor themselves as well as the mentee. The information includes key aspects that I continuously use and look back at to better improve my mentoring sessions.
EVIDENCE 3:
Objective: To show the skills I have acquired throughout this internship by applying and referencing them through conducting my own observation of a student, as well as creating my own confidential write up.
Observing: In this internship, I have witnessed how a behavioral student acts and deals with situations. Behavioral students are ones who act out during school and hurt others (faculty and students) around him or her as well as having trouble with academics. A large area in being a school psychologist is observing those behavioral students to see how they act in certain environments, when it happens, if it changes due to outside sources, etc. I was able to conduct my own observation on a behavioral student in an unstructured setting. We were in the cafeteria and the student was eating lunch. I observed the way she acted such as her vocal range, her physical movements, how she interacted with other students and the faculty and what her attention would be on. I observed her for about 30 minutes and noticed an overload of actions that directly correlated to her current lifestyle, previous observations, and testing results. Below, I have attached a typed up copy of my observation that I conducted with an elaboration on the actions I saw as well as the reason for the observation, a brief history and a summary of my findings.
ABOUT ME!
Hi! My name is Alexandra Mirowski and I am currently a senior at the University of Rhode Island, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. My plan after graduation is to eventually attend graduate school and obtain my masters in Social Work. I have a passion to help people and make their lives better. I love dogs and the outdoors and hope to possibly incorporate those into my future career!
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I am currently interning at the West Warwick Public Elementary Schools in West Warwick, Rhode Island. School Psychologist Chris Torem, my supervisor, has a range of knowledge beyond his years. He conducts testing and observations, as well as makes important decisions dealing with children's behaviors and their futures.