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Legal/Ethical Requirement:

Counselors are ethically required to maintain confidentiality within all group sessions. (ASCA Ethical Standards).

Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed outside of the group, but it is encouraged by all members to respect privacy of others.

Application to This Group:

This will encourage trust with the participants so that they can share challenges/stresses openly.

Helps build and create a safe environment for discussing academic, financial, and professional stress.

Reinforces ethical practices and helps strengthen group cohesion.

(American School Counselor Association [ASCA], 2016)

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Informed Consent

Legal/Ethical Requirement:

Counselors must obtain informed consent from all participants. (ASCA, Texas Administrative Code).

Participants must understand the expectations, risks, and purpose of the group. This also includes their voluntary participation.

Application to This Group:

This provides transparency and clarity for uncertified teachers about the group's structure and goals.

Protects the counselor ethically and legally.

Ensures that all participants make an informed decision to join the group while respecting their schedules and autonomy.

(American School Counselor Association [ASCA], 2016)

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Universality

Teachers will realize that they are not alone in their experiences of stress, certification challenges, and financial pressures.

Altruism

Participants can support each other by sharing their experiences, encouragement, mentorship, and strategies.

Instillation of Hope

Participants hearing success stories will inspire optimism

Imparting of information

Participants will be able to exchange advice about study resources, and self-care strategies.

Development of Socializing Techniques

Participants will practice communication/peer support, allowing for improvement of collaboration within their school.

Interpersonal Learning

Participants will learn from one another's perspectives, feedback, and coping strategies.

Catharsis

Participants will share their emotions/frustrations. This will allow participants to relieve stress and helps build emotional resilience.

(Yaslom, 1995)

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I plan to use a democratic/participative leadership style that also has an element of supportive leadership.

The democratic/participative style allows group members to have their own voice in the discussions, helping create ground rules, and to contribute ideas for solutions. With this style, it encourages collaboration that gives uncertified teachers their own ownership of their process. This will also help eliminate feelings of isolation.

With this supportive leadership, I will help ensure that I am attentive to the stress the members face, their emotional needs, and to offer validation and encouragement while guiding discussions to remain safe.

Why this works:

This offers empathy and encouragement to help validate teachers' struggles and to help normalize their challenges.

This is collaborative and helps them feel empowered rather than feeling judged.

It will allow the group to be flexible and adapt to the participants' needs to provide meaningful support.

Cherry (2023)

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Stage 1:

Relationship Building:

Icebreakers and introductions will be included to begin the first session. This will allow members to share their backgrounds, challenges, etc.

This will demonstrate active listening, consistency, and empathy for all members.

Establishing Group Norms:

The predetermined ground rules will be reviewed and will also allow members to add suggestions.

Expectations for participation, peer support, and communication will also be discussed.

Addressing Limits of Confidentiality:

Express that confidentiality is required, but it cannot be guaranteed if information leaves the group.

Members are encouraged to keep others' information confidential but not responsible.

Stage 2:

Fostering Cohesion:

Use toolkit development, collaborative activities, and structured discussions to help engage members.

Roles will be rotated to ensure active participation.

Progress Monitoring:

Brief check-ins will be held at the beginning and end of each session to help assess the understanding, satisfaction, and current stress levels of participants.

Formative assessments, such as surveys, will be used to help gauge SLOs.

Lesson activities will be adjusted based on the participants feedback and the engagement that was observed.

Stage 3:

Closure Planning:

The final session will be dedicated to reflection, review of key strategies learned in sessions, and celebration of any accomplishments.

Members will be encourage to share anything learned, earned, or plans for the future.

Address Feelings of Loss:

Discussion about transition out of the group will be facilitated to help address anxiety or abandonment.

Resources will be offered for continued support.

Reinforcement of Confidentiality:

Remind all members what confidentiality means, even if the group is ended.

Provide any guidance on how to share strategies learned ethically without invading others' privacy.

Follow-up Plan:

A post group survey or optional follow-up sessions will be offered to check on members and how they are implementing strategies. This will also be for to see how members are maintaining their well-being.

Encouragement for continued communication within the professional network.

(Brigman & Goodman, 2008)

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Utilization:

This participant guidelines/ground rules will be shared with all members at the first session.

The rules will be read aloud, explaining the purpose of each rule and how these rules will help create a productive, supportive, and safe environment.

This document will be the reference throughout all sessions to remind all members of the expectations of this group to ensure consistency.

Predetermined Rules:

Maintain confidentiality, what is shared will stay in the group.

Try to attend all sessions and participate to maximize the potential of group.

Be respectful of all members.

Follow all safety guidelines.

Be punctual and no derailment.

Rules Determined as a Group:

What norms would be for discussions and feedback

How to handle conflict and differences of opinions

Agree on time limits for sharing so that every participant has a change to speak.

Use of technology

Supportive behavior

Reinforcement of group confidentiality

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Our school district does not have any informed consents on our website. Due to the nature of who this group will include (uncertified teachers), I can use this form and substitute the verbiage for adults.

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Informing participants:

Send an email invitation to all uncertified teachers in grades 5-8. Email will explain the group's purpose, benefits, and goals.

Provide a brief overview of session topics, participation options, and schedule.

Include a link for a pre-group interest form with contact information for questions.

Assessing Readiness, Willingness, and Interest:

A short pre-group questionnaire will be used to evaluate stressors, availability, motivation and comfort levels.

Screening Method:

Participants will be screened individually to ensure privacy and assess their readiness to participate.

A brief group orientation session will be optional to introduce the purpose of the group along with the expectations. Questions will be accepted.

Purpose of Pre-Group Screening:

This will identify the teachers who are motivated, willing, and ready to participate in this group.

Ensure a productive, supportive, and safe environment.

Assist in the final selection of participants to create a manageable group size while balancing experience levels.

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To ensure that all potential participants and administration are informed about the group, the follow strategies will be used:

1. Email communication

2. Staff meetings

3. Printed materials like flyers

4. Follow up communication via email, internal messaging

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The ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors can be used as a guide. Group participants will be able to master the following upon completion of the group:

Category 1:

M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being.

M 2. Sense of acceptance, respect, support and inclusion for self and others in the school environment

M 3. Positive attitude toward work and learning.

M 4. Self-confidence in ability to succeed.

Category 2:

Learning Strategies:

B-LS 1. Critical thinking skills to make informed decisions.

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

B-LS 3. Time-management, organizational and study skills.

B-LS 4. Self-motivation and self-direction for learning.

B-LS 5. Media and technology skills to enhance learning.

B-LS 6. High-quality standards for tasks and activities.

B-LS 7: Long and short term academic, career and social/emotional goals.

Self-Management Skills:

B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions

B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control

B-SMS 3. Independent work

B-SMS 4. Delayed gratification for long-term rewards

B-SMS 5. Perseverance to achieve long and short-term goals

B-SMS 6. Ability to identify and overcome barriers

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

B-SMS 8. Balance of school, home and community activities

Social Skills:

B-SS 1. Effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills

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

B-SS 3. Positive relationships with adults to support success

B-SS 4. Empathy

B-SS 5. Ethical decision-making and social responsibility

B-SS 6. Effective collaboration and cooperation skills

(The ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success, 2021).

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This group will be addressing the need for support for teachers who are uncertified. Uncertified teachers are now facing an ultimatum according to the new Texas State law that will come into effect on September 1st. State law says that uncertified teachers who are teaching 5th grade and below must be certified by Fall of 2026, while grades 6th-12th have until the fall of 2027. Teachers are placed under financial stress, and academic stress. Academic stress is defined as teachers who are students under the alternative program and doing the daily duties of being a teacher.