Professional Development, Supervision, and Mentoring

The chapter discusses the complexities involved in the supervision and mentoring process for school social workers. The orientation and training of social workers is often in contrast to that of their school colleagues and administrators, so they may need to educate their supervisors and colleagues about a variety of social work topics. This chapter explains the importance of connecting with professional organizations for continued professional development. It explores ways to bridge the gap between orientation and training and offers tips and tools to help new social workers become leaders in their profession and in their district. The experiences of the chapter authors, an educator and a social worker, are highlighted.