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These small group sessions are aimed for 3rd grade bilingual students to provide strategies for school success with a focus on test taking. Topics will include strategies for test anxiety, coping skills, how to deal with stress, boosting confidence which includes positive self-talk. We want to give students the tools to deal with stress and anxiety for enhanced academic success!

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Mindset Standards:
M.1- Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being.
M.2- Self-confidence in ability to succeed.
M.6- Positive attitude toward work and learning.

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The 3rd grade School Success group will be publicized through the 3rd grade weekly newsletter, daily announcements, and on the school website. The counselor will contact 3rd grade bilingual teachers and provide information about the sessions, why these groups are being created, and ask that they encourage students to sign up for the group sessions. The counselor will post flyers about the sessions in the lounge and in bilingual classrooms.

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The leadership style will be Democratic. This leadership provides guidance to group members but also participate in the group and encourage input from everyone. This leadership encourages members to participate and be engaged. This will be important for these sessions to be successful. I want members of the group to participate and engage in the strategies we are learning.

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Providing consent to join our small group sessions allows the counselor to know that the parents or guardians understand what the sessions are about and give consent for their child to attend.

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Behaviors:
B-LS 1. -Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions.
B-LS 4. -Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning.
B-SMS 1. -Demonstrate ability to assume responsibility.
B-SMS 6. -Demonstrate ability to overcome barriers to learning.
B-SMS 7. -Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem.
B-SS 9. -Demonstrate social maturity and behaviors appropriate to the situation and environment.

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According to the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics, trust is the cornerstone of the counseling relationship. The counselor has the responsibility of showing respect and safeguarding student confidentiality.
A.1.b- Counselors are responsible for creating, documenting, and safeguarding documentation when services are provided. The counselor needs to make sure the documentation is accurate and details services provided. I will document the progress made with the members in these sessions and note if progress has been made in relieving stressful situations before taking a test. The data provides input on what steps to take next.

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The ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies ensures that the counselor meets the rigorous demands of the school counseling profession.
B-PA2. -the counselor identifies the gaps in achievement and creates and intervention to address the gaps. This small group session addresses the gap in 3rd grade for bilingual students on the STAAR Reading assessment. These students are low performing and continue to drop from meeting the  at grade level or above standard.

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Yalom's Curative Factors of Group Treatment

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Yalom's Curative Factors of Group Treatment

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Instillation of Hope:
I believe that providing these test anxiety/coping skills sessions will provide the strategies and tools that these 3rd graders will need to increase academic skills and how to cope with anxiety.
Universality:
Having students in these groups with the same issues show that they are not alone. Test anxiety and insecurity affect many students and  others struggle just like they do.
Existential Factors:
Group members are given the opportunity to share their concerns and fear they have before taking a test. The other members share the same fears as they do.
Direct Advice:
The counselor will be providing suggestions and strategies on how to cope with anxiety. Members will take suggestions and apply them as they prepare for a test.
Interpersonal Learning:
The members of this group will have opportunities to experiment with the strategies learned and discuss with others how it helped them.

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This group is open to all bilingual 3rd grade students. The goal of this group is to prepare students for the STAAR and other tests.  The counselor will visit each homeroom class and talk about the School Success group and try to create an interest in the group.
The counselor will use the TAP-In Method for selection.
Tell students about the group.
Ask students individually about their interest in the group.
Pick participants.
(Missouri Comprehensive Guidance And Counseling Program, 2015)

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The counselor will do a pre-group screen by talking to the students as a class. The purpose is to create an interest in the sessions and encourage students to sign up. Interest Questions include:
*How do you prepare for a test?
*How do you feel about taking a test?
*How do you help yourself calm down if you feel anxious or worried?
*Would you like to learn some strategies to help you feel less stressed or worried before taking a test?
*Will you be able to commit to attending our sessions?

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Stage 1:
The counselor will build relationships between the group by creating a warm and welcoming environment. Students can take their shoes off and sit on the carpet or on a bean bag, We will play ice-breaker games to help everyone relax and feel comfortable with each other. The counselor will remind the group members that what we discuss here is confidential and what that means. This allows everyone to speak freely about test anxiety so that we can work on strategies to cope. We want everyone to be honest about how they feel.
Stage 2:
Members will work cohesively as they share their feelings about test anxiety and work on activities and strategies on how to cope. Members will be involved in sharing thoughts and role-play. The students have a common goal of learning how to cope with stress and can support each other through the activities. The counselor will monitor students as they work on the skill for that session and gain feedback on how things are going.
Stage 3:
I will be closing the group sessions with a post-assessment survey to find out if the views of test taking and anxiety have changed since we first began meeting. Each member will share what technique they like and how it has helped them reduce stress. The counselor will follow up with these students to see how they are doing and if they need any help with applying the strategies they learned.

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Ground rules will be reviewed and posted with illustrations before each session.
1. All group members must respect and understand confidentiality.
2. One person speaks at a time.
3. Everyone will get the opportunity and will be encouraged to participate.
4. All group members will treat each other with respect and use respectful responses.
5. Group members have the right to pass on an issue.
6. Group members are encouraged to have an open mind and accept where other group members are in their development.
*These rules are predetermined by the counselor. We will discuss any further rules we want to include after we meet together as a group.