Building on the first and second editions of Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn, this substantially revised text maintains the commitment to support field instructors in their task of educating students while also addressing current issues confronting social work field education. In addition to updating case scenarios and adding educational tools throughout the text, this edition provides resources to help field instructors apply practice competencies in their teaching. The authors introduce a justice-based framework for field education that centers challenging dialogues on diversity-related content in supervision as a foundation to undoing racism and oppressive practices. The aim is to enable field instructors and students to identify issues of diversity, difference, and oppression in their practice; apply their understanding; and progress in their abilities to advance justice.


About the Authors

Jeanne Bertrand Finch, DSW, LCSW-R, is a part-time field instructor and coordinator of a shared supervision unit of 15 students for the School of Social Welfare, Stony Brook University. She previously served in various leadership roles in the School of Social Welfare including interim assistant dean for academic affairs, director of the MSW program, and assistant dean of field education. Dr. Finch has also been a faculty liaison, educational coordinator, and SIFI teacher.

Ovita F. Williams, LCSW-R, is associate director of field education at Columbia School of Social Work, where from 2013–2015 she served as interim director of field education. She co-convenes the decolonizing social work foundation course and conducts workshops on justice-based practice. Ms. Williams is an instructor for the social work practice lab on anti-oppressive practice and a student in the doctoral program at the Silberman School of Social Welfare at Hunter College, City University of New York. She has been a field instructor, field liaison, and advanced SIFI teacher on facilitating challenging dialogues in supervision.

Jacqueline B. Mondros, DSW, is dean of the School of Social Welfare and assistant vice president of social determinants of health at Stony Brook University. She is past president of the National Deans and Directors of Social Work. She has served as director of field education, associate dean, and dean of several schools of social work. She is a committed community activist working to bring the resources of academia to effect change in urban neighborhoods throughout the country.

Cheryl L. Franks, PhD, LMSW, is a faculty member and administrator in the Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Department, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, where she manages the social work internship program. She served 22 years at Columbia School of Social Work in various leadership roles including assistant dean; director of field education; and executive director of diversity, human rights, and social justice. She has been a field instructor, faculty liaison, and educational coordinator and developed advanced SIFI seminars on macro practice and the skills for facilitating challenging dialogues on diversity-related content.


From the Foreword

"Refreshingly and just in time, this third edition of Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn, unabashedly tackles and centers the role of justice in social work field education. …Notably, the authors move toward calling us in—to examine how power and privilege plays out in our relationships. Additionally, they provide cogent guidelines for engaging in challenging dialogues with openness and compassion and an eye toward building stronger justice-grounded practitioners, educators, and policy makers." —Karina L. Walters, University of Washington