For several years, I have had the opportunity to work with field supervisors in the Twin Cities and  metro area. School and licensed psychologists supervise students at all stages of our program and assist in turning research into practice by providing opportunities to practice skills learned in the classroom. I believe that students build their love for school psychology by working in the field and learning from supervisors. Without high-quality field experiences, we would not be able to provide such an effective training program.

You may not have had the chance to provide supervision for one of our graduate students. We have several opportunities available, from individual supervision of an advanced practicum student to group supervision of students earlier in their training. I personally supervised a group of first and second year students this past year, and I can attest to the benefits of such an opportunity. Below you will find my top three reasons to supervise a practicum student or group:  

1. Practicum students increase your bandwidth. Your ability to implement multi-tiered systems of support is expanded when you have graduate students eager to conduct assessments. These students can  identify targets for intervention, monitor progress, and evaluate fidelity. While the need for this work often outnumbers the resources available, practicum students can make it possible by implementing interventions with support from the University of Minnesota and school supervisors like you.
2. It feels good. Enthusiastic, optimistic graduate students are good for your soul. They remind us why we chose this field and bring positive energy to each new day and new problem to be solved. In addition, you will know that you are doing something to support the future of school psychology, which feels good in and of itself.
3. Supervision makes you better. I know we are always careful to engage in best practices.  However, when you are working alongside students who are learning the newest and best methods to practice school psychology, you benefit from exposure to their resources, connections with their instructors, and doing your best because the next generation is watching.

If you are interested in increasing your bandwidth, giving back and improving the field of school psychology, please contact our program to learn more.

Annie Hansen-Burke is a senior lecturer and field placement coordinator for the school psychology program. She worked as a school psychologist in the Minneapolis Public Schools prior to returning to the University of Minnesota as an instructor. Her areas of interest include: assessment, LGBTQ issues, social, emotional intervention, translation of research to practice and at-risk groups in schools.

The University of Minnesota school psychology program welcomes Dr. Robin Codding to its prestigious team of professors and researchers.

Dr. Codding received her Ph.D. from Syracuse University and completed her pre- and post-doctoral fellowship at the May Institute where she served as a behavioral and educational consultant for students with various disabilities and brain injuries. In 2010, Dr. Codding was chosen as the co-recipient of APA Division 16’s Lightner Witmer Early Career Scholar Award. We sat down with Dr. Codding and asked her a few questions about what brought her to school psychology and the University of Minnesota.

Why did you choose the field of school psychology? “I knew I wanted to pursue a doctorate in psychology since I was in high school,” she says. “I enjoy working with children. And both my parents were teachers, so I grew up surrounded by academia.” She goes on, “When I was accepted to Syracuse University, it seemed like the right fit.”

What brought you to the University of Minnesota? “Initially, my husband and I intended to remain on the east coast, but I also knew I wanted to work in a research-oriented program,” she says. Dr. Codding chose the University of Minnesota because of its strong school psychology program and ties to her areas of interest, academic intervention and assessment. Her next step: “I want to learn more about how school districts in and around the Twin Cities apply Multi-Tiered Systems of Service delivery to prevent learning difficulties and provide intervention programming for students at-risk for learning difficulties. Although I am interested in how schools are working to promote reading and writing development, I am particularly interested in how schools are addressing mathematics learning needs.”

What is the main focus of your research? According to Dr. Codding, her research is mainly focused on academic, school-based interventions that are efficient, effective, feasible, and usable. This merges with assessment research and the link between assessment and intervention that assists with the exploration of “what works for whom under what conditions.” She’s also interested in the examining the level and types of training and support that can be provided to school professionals and volunteers  in order to facilitate successful intervention implementation and result in student success. 

What research project are you working on now? Over the past few years, Dr. Codding has been focused on the creation of a mathematics intervention program, aligned with the Common Core and empirical research, that addresses whole number knowledge and is designed to be delivered by a variety of school professionals and volunteers. “One goal of this program is to serve as an accessible resource to schools that is also feasible to implement within typical school time structures.”  She says, “I’m excited that we have been able to conduct field testing that has informed our intervention procedures. Next, we’ll be identifying pilot sites for the program.”

The University of Minnesota School Psychology program welcomes Dr. Clayton Cook to its prestigious team of professors and researchers.

Dr. Cook received his Ph.D. from the University of California – Riverside. His dissertation explored the link between behavior intervention plan quality and student outcomes under real world conditions. Before pursuing his doctorate, Dr. Cook worked as a paraprofessional for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. We sat down with Dr. Cook and asked him a few questions about what brought him to school psychology and the University of Minnesota.

Why did you choose the field of school psychology? Dr. Cook’s interest in the field of school psychology came about by coincidence. “I was floundering in undergrad until I took a developmental psychology class with a professor with a 30-year longitudinal study, he says. “It was the first time I ever participated in research, and I really liked the experience.” He continues, “That professor became my mentor; he kept me on track.”

During his high school years, Dr. Cook struggled with his behavior in school and became familiar with how schools were not equipped to handle particular types of students. However, he recalls, “It wasn’t until I started graduate school that I fully understood the role school psychologists play and the value of working in a school and applying psychological principles to enhance the quality of supports for all students. School is the great equalizer.”

What brought you to the University of Minnesota? “Family is one of the main reasons I chose the University of Minnesota,” he says. “My wife’s family is in the Twin Cities, and we wanted to be closer, especially for our children. Plus, Minneapolis is affordable and has excellent resources for education.”

The school psychology program’s reputation was also a determining factor. “The school psychology program is one of the top three in the country and, as a researcher, becoming a faculty member in this University’s program is an indicator of success.” Dr. Cook adds he is a “relationship person” and wants to embed himself in the community by building partnerships with community members, faculty, and students. “I’m very excited to meet people and get involved locally,” he says.

What is the main focus of your research?  “My main focus is promoting mental health-related practices in schools, which takes on a variety of different forms, including universal prevention, screening measurement and interventions informed by different theories,” he says.

What research projects are you working on now? Dr. Cook is excited about developing a sleep curriculum, a foundational component to children’s wellbeing. “Sleep is something that you don’t notice when it’s going well, but if it’s difficult to sleep, problems arise. Sleep impacts everything: learning, mental health status, social relationships, practicing self-control and making choices for healthy living. Sleep alone doesn’t make children learn or maintain good mental health, but it is essential,” he says.

Dr. Cook is also taking an innovative approach to preventing school violence. “In partnership with colleagues from the University of Washington, he is challenging the traditional disease- or deficit-based approach to working with youth who are at-risk for violence, which typically consists of detecting at-risk students and intervening with them to be less angry or aggressive. This can be a stigmatizing process for many youth,” he says.

Instead, Dr. Cook and his colleagues developed and are testing a strength-based intervention, Student Enrichment Engagement Program. “The children who participate don’t know they’ve been identified and are receiving an intervention for an identified problem. The students are not told they have been identified as at-risk and they receive the intervention along with typical peers, never being removed from class or isolated from others.” The theme, he says, is to change how kids experience, interpret, and feel at school. “It triggers changes in how they perceive themselves as a student, how they feel, and creates an ‘aha’ moment by looking at one’s self differently. It is not a skill acquired, so it can potentially be quite brief.”

Dr. Cook is also excited about research that involves improving students’ sense of belonging through their positive interactions and relationships with teachers. He developed the Establish-Maintain-Restore approach to cultivating strong teacher-student relationships. Dr. Cook noted, “Relationships are foundational for learning and social-emotional wellbeing. Students who lack a sense of belonging and connection to others in school are often those who are struggling the most.”