Assignment: Professional Interviews

Assignment: Professional Interviews

Overview

The graduate student (GS) will interview a total of 6 professionals (working in various positions) who provide services to children with Special Needs. You may choose individuals working in your community, school district, and/or town. The GS will also provide a description of the professionalinterviewed; provide the interviewee’s answers to the prepared questions. Write a two –three paragraph reflection on what you learned from this activity. A reflection is not a summary of the information you collect. A reflection should make you think about what you learned from the assignment; response should be personalized viewpoint and interpretations along specific w/examples. Feel free to reflect on what disappointed you, what surprised you, or what you would do differently if you completed this assignment again.

 

This assignment is due in Session VI.

Directions / Guidelines

 

Graduate candidates will interview a total of six professionals (face2face) who work with students with special needs; specifically, students with physical, health, and/or multiple disabilities. Professionals to be interviewed include, but are not limited to:

• Speech Therapist
• Developmental Therapist
• Physical Therapist
• Nurse or Nurse Practitioner
• General Practioner/Pediatrician
• Special Education Director / LEA
• Psychiatrist
• Psycho-analyst
• Self-contained / Resource / Full-Inclusion Classroom Teacher (not yourself)
• Physiologist
• Occupational Therapist
• One-on-One Paraprofessional or Teacher’s Assistant

If you would like to interview a professional not on the list, please submit request to Dr. Neal for approval. Only one teacher may be used.

 

Your interview document must include the following:

1. Summary/descriptive paragraph of each professional. There should be a total of 6.
2. After each interview, type responses in the chart below. Make sure to use complete sentences/paragraph form. Feel free to ask additional questions, probing may be necessary for full disclosure.
3. After completing all 6 interviews, you will write a personal reflective piece. Be sure to address the following within the reflection as well as the descriptors in the rubric:

• Summarize what was learned and how it benefits you personally, professionally.
• Discuss the value in collaborating with other professionals who work w/the children you serve.
• Which professional(s) do you think provide the most needed service to the population served? Why? Could this individual be considered part of a transdisciplinary team?
• Describe any information that was new. How might this be beneficial to others that work with children with special needs?
• Share your overall reaction to this assignment: challenges, benefits, how you will use the information gained.
• In your opinion, how does this assignment connect to understanding the characteristics of individuals with physical, health, and multiple disabilities?

Interviews should be face to face. Students who pair up must submit individual and original documents. You may not interview yourself.

Do not use the names of those you are interviewing, unless permission is granted. Explain to participants that their responses are confidential. Suggestion:  You may want to provide the interviewee a list of the questions prior to your interview.

The chart on the following pages must be used and submitted for each professional interviewed. Only ONE refection should be completed for the entire project.