Best Practices for AFIs

Best Practices for Agency Field Instructors:

Effective Field Instruction requires time, commitment, and skills. Agency Field Instructors are encouraged to seek out opportunities to improve their teaching and supervision skills provided by Eastern Washington University and in the community.

Effective Agency Field Instructors:
• Are available and accessible to the student
• Are responsive to student feelings
• Serve as positive role models
• Clarify and structure the learning experience and roles
• Observe students’ work
• Provide feedback, monitor and evaluate student performance and progress
• Encourage student self-development and self-awareness
• Challenge students’ attitudes that are not in harmony with social work values
• Provide information, suggest solutions, teach specific skills and techniques, and orient students to the agency.
• Share their own experiences with students
• Assist with problem solving
• Assist students in reframing feelings regarding clients and decision-making
• Allow appropriate student autonomy for learning
Conway, P. & Ellison, M.S. (1995). The development of a behaviorally anchored rating scale for Masters Students’ evaluation of field instructors. The Clinical Supervisor, (13) 1, 101.