What Our Alumni Say
On the Balance of Soft and Hard Skills
“I think one of the most helpful things for me (in didactics, specifically) was the focus on both soft skills and hard skills. You can really teach just about anyone how to write a report and memorize eligibility criteria, but being able to interact with parents, teachers, administrators, and colleagues and actually function as a well-rounded school psychologist is a lot more complex. I definitely believe that this is something that makes MNPS's internship stand out from others.”
On the Importance of Understanding Beyond Numbers
“It's important to look past the numbers and understand what kind of information we have captured. How the student answered is sometimes more important than the answer they gave. If we are looking at a student's learning profile and how we can help support them in a learning environment, qualitative information is equally, if not more, important as the numbers.”
On Developing Professional Identity
“The ‘whole psychologist’ idea hits the nail on the head. Most of the issues that I had to process during internship were not necessarily ‘how do I write this up in my report’... but more issues about developing a professional identity and being able to see myself as a professional.”
On Personal Growth Through Reflection
“A perhaps unexpected but positive outcome is that these sessions support the intern's personal growth as well. These meetings are geared to be personal. The interns are encouraged to apply the material to their own lives and to share their personal experiences.”
On Comprehensive Learning Experience
“We, as interns, were smart enough to learn how to give an IQ test or learn disability criteria, but the stuff we learned in didactics provided a deeper dive into why we learned what we did in graduate school and the true meaning into what our job encompasses beyond test and place.”