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All group rules and expectations will be reviewed the beginning of each session.

1. What happens in group, STAYS in group.
2. Be RESPECTFUL of group members.
3. Always try your best. PARTICIPATE.
4. LISTEN to the speaker. Do not interrupt.
5. Do your best be on TIME.

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2 Tex. Admin. Code § 33.006 (2021)
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/SDocs/EDUCATIONCODE.pdf

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American School Counselor Association. 2016.  ASCA Ethical standards for school counselors. Alexandria, VA: Author. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/764178fc-c4b7-45d2-a4bc-bd4e101ab15e/EthicalStandards.pdf

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American School Counselor Association (2021). ASCA Student Standards; Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success.  Alexandria, VA. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

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The plan to publicize the group would be to distribute the information across different platforms to reach as many interested students as possible. This would include the school counselor speaking on the daily announcements to share the information on how to sign up or ask questions. Announcements would also be made to groups of parents and students during information meetings, such as Meet the Teacher, Open House, and PTO meetings held on campus. The information would also be distributed by flyers that are sent home to fifth-grade students and posted in common areas, such as the hallways and cafeteria. Then, information would be put in the weekly newsletter the principal sends out to parents and the monthly school counseling newsletter sent out by the school counselor.  Lastly, the information would be placed in the teachers' mailboxes and the staff lounge for teachers to be made aware of opportunities to refer a student they believe may be interested.

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The group will consist of ten fifth graders that will increase their knowledge of options available for post-secondary education.

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M 6. Understanding that postsecondary education and lifelong learning are necessary for long-term success

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Learning Strategies
B-LS 1. Critical thinking skills to make informed decisions
B-LS 4. Self-motivation and self-direction for learning
B- LS 5. Media and technology skills to enhance learning
B-LS 7. Long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals
B-LS 9. Decision-making informed by gathering evidence, getting others’ perspectives and recognizing personal bias

Self-Management Skills
B-SMS 3. Independent work
B-SMS 6. Ability to identify and overcome barriers

Social Skills
B-SS 1. Effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills
B-SS 5. Ethical decision-making and social responsibility
B-SS 8. Advocacy skills for self and others and ability to assert self, when necessary

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-Daily intercom announcements during the morning announcements with the information.

-Announcements during afterschool meetings, such as Meet the Teacher, Open House, and PTO meetings

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-Flyers will be sent home to all 5th grade students.
-Flyers posted in the hallways and cafeteria.

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-Information will be posted in all weekly newsletters sent out by the administration to families.

-Information will be posted in the counselor's monthly newsletter to families.

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A flyer for teachers placed in their mailbox and in the staff lounge with information for students they may have in mind to refer for the group.

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Once the school counselor has gathered a list of interested students or referred students, the school counselor will meet with the students. The students will be screened to assess their willingness to participate by a one-on-one meeting with the school counselor.

After the school counselor has met with all interested students, the list for the first ten students to participate in the group will be created. The students that are not of the first group, will be placed in another group, so all students interested will be able to participate in the lessons provided at some time.

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1. What would you like to learn from participating in the Future Explorers?

2. Would you be willing to make up any missed assignments from class while you are participating in the group lessons?

3. Are you willing to continue any activities you do not finish at home?

4. Are you willing to have a conversation with your parents about college and financial responsibility?

5. Do you want to attend college?

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Informed consent will be obtained at the beginning of the year for all students on the campus and kept on file. In addition to the beginning of the year obtainment, the school counselor will reach out to the parents, as a courtesy, to inform them of the group participation.

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During the screening process, the school counselor will have a conversation with the student. During this time, the school counselor will gain assent from the student for the confidentiality of the group.

The school counselor will explain to the student that information shared during the group could be shared with their guardian. This includes if the student expresses an intention to harm themselves, harm another person, or if someone is harming the student. It would also include if there are legal reasons that require the school counselor to share the information.

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Follow Adult Directions

Participate in Learning

Use Respectful Words

Be Positive

Communicate with an Adult

Use Confidentiality

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Group rules and expectations will be reviewed at the beginning of each session, as well as posted on the wall as a visual reminder.

During the first meeting, students will be given the opportunity to add to the rules and expectations, but not take away. Students will all agree to the ground rules. When a rule has been broken, the students will participate in restorative practices.

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To build relationships with the students, I would make sure that it starts before the group is established. As the school counselor on campus, I would be visible and already involved with weekly guidance lessons in classrooms. The rapport would already be built with the students at the campus. Group norms would be established during the first lesson with the entire group, but the idea of the group norms would be discussed to the students during the screening interview. Also, during the screening interview, the students would be informed that confidentiality would not be guaranteed due to certain situations. It would also be discussed during the first lesson when ground rules are laid out. Part of the group rules would be that the information shared by team members should be kept with the group. If the "secrets" are shared outside the group, the entire group would participate in restorative practices.

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The students will be given a checklist for tasks to stay on track. There will be scheduled times during the lesson when students will stop and check on team members to check on progress. Positive reinforcement will be used to keep productivity going. I will be able to check-in with students by visually seeing their checklist of task to see how much progress has been made between checks. If I notice a student isn't progressing, it will be addressed immediately with feedback and assistance if needed, but will also be addressed during the group check-in, so that students can help their peers solve any obstacles.

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During group closure, we will have a celebration. Included in the celebration, students will give shout-outs to classmates and self shout-outs. I will be able to gauge how a student is feeling about the end of group by their own shout-out to themselves, whether it is positive or negative. I will also give a satisfaction or general survey to students to understand how they feel about the ending. If I find that a student is struggling with the ending of the group, I will set up a one-on-one meeting with the student to discuss future meetings or groups they can join. The student will be made aware during each lesson that confidentiality is important and that it will continue, even as the group comes to an end. Restorative practices will still be used after the end of the group, as needed.

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Mind Tools Content Team. (n.d.). Servant leadership putting your team first, and yourself second. MindTools. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/servant-leadership.htm

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While working with the Future Explorers, I would be a servant leader. A servant leader will “focus on the needs of others, especially team members, before [their] own (Mind Tools Content Team, n.d.). As a school counselor, I see myself putting the needs of the students ahead of my own. This is true for the group because the goal is an outcome that is better for the student than for the counselor. My job would be to lead them to success.

I feel this approach would work best for these students because it shows the students that the school counselor is there to make them better. The work the students are doing isn't for the counselor, but for them, so they could reach a goal they have. The students need to feel supported and appreciated, which I think comes along with servant leadership.

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

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Altruism - opportunity to rise out of oneself and help somebody else; the feeling of usefulness. (Yalom, 1995)

I could see the students in the group experience altruism when they realize that extending their education by going to college is about helping their future self, as well their families They will be given the opportunity to explore careers and decide on one that could potentially help their families financially.

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Direct Advice - receiving and giving suggestions for strategies for handling problems (Yalom, 1995).

Students in the group will be able to work with others and give suggestions on how to achieve a goal. Students can share the knowledge they had gained from research to help a group member make decisions that could make an impact.

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Effective September 21, 2021, the Texas Legislature passed SB 179 which mandates that school districts adopt policies and modify contracts to ensure that professional school counselors spend at least 80% of their time implementing the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (TEC §33.006)

With the passages of SB179, school counselors will be freed from non-counseling duties that interfered with the opportunities to perform counseling duties, such as small groups.

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Below is from ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors concerning group work (American School Counselor Association, 2016):

A.7. Group Work

School counselors:

1. Facilitate short-term groups to address students’ academic, career and/or social/emotional issues.

2. Inform parent/guardian(s) of student participation in a small group.

3. Screen students for group membership.

4. Use data to measure member needs to establish well-defined expectations of group members.

5. Communicate the aspiration of confidentiality as a group norm, while recognizing and working from the protective posture that confidentiality for minors in schools cannot be guaranteed.

6. Select topics for groups with the clear understanding that some topics are not suitable for groups in schools and accordingly take precautions to protect members from harm as a result of interactions with the group.

7. Facilitate groups from the framework of evidence-based or research-based practices.

8. Practice within their competence level and develop professional competence through training and supervision.

9. Measure the outcomes of group participation (participation, Mindsets & Behaviors and outcome data).

10. Provide necessary follow up with group members.

These provided ethical standards will shape how group work is performed as a school counselor. As part of this class project, I had the opportunity to practice the above standards, such as identifying how I would screen the participants and identifying the mindsets and behaviors. Using these standards will help me be prepared for the group work and make sure there is a clear objective for the group.