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The group members will consist of third and fourth-grade students, ages eight to ten. Students who exhibit signs of test anxiety will be part of this group.
The purpose of this group is to provide stress reduction techniques to alleviate test anxiety for third and fourth-grade students.

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The following Mindset and behavior standards will be met through the participation of this group:

M 4. Self-confidence in ability to succeed

M 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes

B-LS 2. Creative approach to learning, tasks and problem        solving

B-LS 8. Engagement in challenging coursework

B-SMS 6. Ability to identify and overcome barriers

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

B-SS 2. Positive, respectful, and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them

( American School Counselors Association, 2022)

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The school counselor will advertise Worry Warriors to parents, teachers, and staff of students in the third and fourth grades.
Worry Warriors group information will be announced at the facility meeting, explaining the purpose.
A flyer will be created, sent home, and emailed to inform third and fourth-grade parents about the group.
Flyers will be posted in the third and fourth-grade halls. They will also be available for teachers to take in the workroom.
The administration team will be informed and given the flyer created with the information about the group.

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Before the third and fourth-grade students take their benchmark test, they will be given a self-assessment anxiety test. The self-assessments and the benchmark test will be collected and analyzed.
Next, a meeting with 3rd and 4th-grade teachers about the data collected will happen.
Teachers will be part of the selection process, determining what students would benefit from this group after looking at all the data, which includes their last benchmark exam, their self-assessment anxiety test, and any observation the student's teachers report.
The counselor will meet with small groups of students interested and selected to discuss the opportunity to alleviate test anxiety to determine if the students would benefit from this group based on their needs and readiness.
The small group screening would discuss thoughts and feelings about taking tests, and students could ask questions if needed.

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Once the students have been selected to participate in the group sessions, a consent form will be sent home with the students, along with the flyer and a letter from the counselor providing details about the group's purpose.
The counselor will contact the parents of each selected student, explain how their child will gain strategies to help elevate test anxiety, and inform parents that the consent form and other information are coming home with the student.
(Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015)

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The following group rules will be predetermined:
1. Confidentiality
2. Be respectful to each other.
3. You can choose to share but are not required to.

The group will discuss and establish additional rules during the first session. These rules will be determined and agreed upon before students sign their informed consent.
(Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015)

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The Worry Warriors group has third and fourth-grade students struggling with test anxiety. The group will be progressing through a series of stages that will ensure a positive outcome for the group.
Stage 1 focuses on developing a positive relationship, building trust, and understanding/ setting up the norms for the group that will take place during the first session and facilitated by the counselor.
The counselor will ensure students gain a sense of belonging and connect with their peers. Gladding (1994) explains that this will allow members to explore who they are in the group and establish trust. The group members will establish group norms after the predetermined rules are shared.
During the first session, the group members will understand that confidentiality is highly important, but there are limits to confidentiality. The students will be encouraged to share their thoughts and express how they would like this group to help them build confidence in their lives.
Stage 2 The counselor opens each session with an ice breaker to promote positive relationships among the group members, followed by the objectives for the outcome of the sessions. The counselor will provide a scales check with each student to gauge how the student feels about the group's effectiveness and help determine if changes need to be made.
Stage 3 focuses will be on closing the group. The last lesson will include group members creating a booklet of two strategies that work best for them that they learned throughout the sessions to take with them as a reminder. Members will be encouraged to share their reflections as they create their booklet. The last discussion will review how confidentiality. Members will share their thoughts and feelings about confidentiality and how it will continue even though the group has ended. A post-group follow-up session will be in four to six weeks to do check-ins on their goals and opportunities for members to share their success stories.
(Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015)

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The counselor will exhibit participative leadership qualities to guide the group, participate in the activities, and welcome input from the group members (Cherry, 2022).
The counselor will encourage group members to feel they are part of the process. Members will help establish the norms and provide their input during the group sessions, making them feel like they are part of the team. These third and fourth-graders can take ownership of their ability to achieve confidence in themselves in all areas of their lives by the counselor encouraging them to commit to their outcome for the group.

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Many of Yalom's curative factors could potentially be seen during the group sessions.

Universality may be present when group members realize and see they are not alone in having test anxiety.

Altruism may happen among members who have a successful breakthrough and feel like they can help someone else feel a sense of accomplishment like they were able to.

Members may have suggestions to other members on strategies when sharing their problems that will show the direct advice factor.

These factors may bring on imitative behavior by realizing they can be successful as the other members can.

(Yalom, 1995)

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American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/f041cbd0-7004-47a5-ba01

American School Counselor Association. (2021). ASCA student standards: Mindsets and behaviors for student success.

https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

Cherry, K. (2022, May 23). Leadership styles and frameworks you should know. Very well

mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312?print

Gladding. S. (1994, April). Effective group counseling. ERIC Digest. https://www.counseling.org/resources/library/eric%20digests/94-02.pdf

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015). Professional school counselor small group counseling guide: A professional school counselor’s guide to planning, implementing, and evaluating school-based counseling groups. Retrieved from https://dese.mo.gov/sites/default/files/guid-respon-serv-small-group-counseling-guide-2015.pdf

Yalom ID. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books.

19 Tex. Admin. Code § 239.15 (2014).

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The XIX title in the Texas Administrative Code ( 19 Tex. Admin. Code § 239.15, 2014) states that to promote the educational development of students, the school counselors must counsel small groups "using appropriate counseling theories and techniques in response to students' needs." The law provides evidence that the students exhibiting test anxiety need support for their social/emotional learning.

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According to the American School Counselor Association ( Standard A.7., 2016), the school counselor is provided with standards to work with groups. Section A.7. is group work that is followed with specific criteria and provides the process of what is expected that follows the format of planning an action plan for group counseling. The standards explain how the counselor must conduct groups by providing clear communication, topics suitable for groups, services based on student needs, and many more ethical responsibilities of all school counselors.