Describe your personal philosophy of helping using your personal and professional life experiences.

Personal experiences: What or whom has been a driving force in formulating your personal helping philosophy? The paper in part should be based on the wants to help children and their families.

Professional experiences: Discuss the impact of any professional experience (employment, volunteer, etc.) that was influential in shaping or creating your philosophy.

What are the primary beliefs, values, and ethics that guide your approach to life and how do they inform

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(how are they reflected in) your personal philosophy of helping?

How may your personal value system impact your role as a professional social worker?

Please discuss why you have chosen to become a professional social worker.

Note: This is a self-reflective paper. The paper should demonstrate self-awareness and also integrate some of the material discussed in class. No outside references are required.

Grading Criteria

Your paper will be assessed on the following areas:

• Did the paper include a reflection on the role of personal experiences in shaping the student’s philosophy?

• Did the paper include a reflection on the role of professional experiences in shaping the student’s philosophy?

• Did the paper clearly define the student’s actual philosophy of what helping is?

• Did the paper clearly define how helping is achieved from the student’s personal perspective?

• Did the student explain his or her personal values/belief system?

• Did the student reflect on how these personal values and beliefs may impact his or her work with clients?

• Did the student discuss how he or she formed the desire to become a social worker?

• Was the paper clearly written and well organized?

• Was the paper grammatically and typographically correct?

• Does the paper follow APA guidelines?