# data[].attributes.body
Academic Success! is a small group for learning study skills and habits, goal setting, organizational skills, time management and test-taking skills!

# data[].attributes.body
The mindsets and behaviors that the students will master by the end of the unit lessons are as follow:

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

B-LS 3. Use time-management, organizational and study skills.

B-LS 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/ emotional goals.

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

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

B-SMS 8. Demonstrate the ability to balance school, home and community activities.

(American School Counselor Association, 2014).

# data[].attributes.body
Flyers to advertise this small group will be posted in the teacher's lounge and in the office with the phone number and/or email addresses to the counselors so that teachers may reach out if they know specific students who may be interested. Flyers will also be posted in the halls and on bulletin boards with instructions for students to visit the counselor's office if they are interested.

# data[].attributes.body
Not every student who shows interest in this group will be a good fit. If the student is a danger to themselves or others, if their participation will hinder the growth of others, or if their participation will interfere with open interaction between participants, they are not a good fit for group counseling (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

That being said, when a student shows interest in joining this small group they must meet with a counselor. The counselor will describe the purpose of the group, the meeting times and location, student expectations, and confidentiality. (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

The counselor will then ask the student if they understand the purpose of the group and if they are interested. If the student is still interested, the counselor will ask if the student is willing to follow the ground rules and to respect confidentiality. The counselor will ask the student to rate their interest in this group on a scale of 1-10. (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

To choose the members of this group, the counselor will consider why each student wants to join the group, whether they will participate in the discussion, the student's interest level, and whether they will be a good fit for other students who have been chosen. (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

# data[].attributes.body
When a student has been chosen to participate in the group, they will take home an informed consent form (attached) and bring it back signed before they can continue. Parents have the final say on whether a student can participate in counseling activities, so informed consent is imperative. (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

# data[].attributes.body
The ground rules (attached) will be discussed at the first meeting. Although the rules will be set in stone, the students may interpret them differently. For this reason, I will help the students decide what each rule looks like and sounds like at our first meeting. There are also spaces for the students to create their own rules. I will have the students sign at the bottom of the page to indicate their agreement to adhere to these guidelines. (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

# data[].attributes.body
Stage 1- It is important that students feel security and trust in the group before they can grow. In our school, everyone knows each other due to the size (only 73 students) so it will be important to show the students that each of them is valuable to the group. Before each meeting, I will go over the group rules and emphasize that we respect each other and be open to hearing what others have to say. I will ensure that each student has time to share during each meeting so that they know that their voice is valuable.
Stage 2- As the students learn that they are respected and valued, they will begin making progress toward their goals. As the group sees that progress is being made, they will gain confidence and continue to make progress.
Stage 3- Toward the end of the group, the students may begin feeling a sense of loss at the prospect of the group ending. I will encourage the students to continue following through with their long-term goals and I will check in on each student each week for 2-3 weeks following the end of the group to follow up.
(Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

# data[].attributes.body
My leadership style is very collaborative. After ground rules have been set and students are willing to adhere to the rules, I like to step back and have a collaborative conversation with students. I have found that when I let the students talk, they will often get on the right track themselves. When I show them how their discussion follows the same train of thought outlined by my lesson, the students share a sense of pride and accomplishment. I like to essentially make them feel like the whole objective was their idea!

# data[].attributes.body
With this type of small group, we are not dealing with mental illness, addiction, or other serious issues which may require counseling. Therefore, many of Yalom's Therapeutic Factors will not apply. However, Yalom describes Direct Advice as "receiving and giving suggestions for strategies for handling problems"  (Yalom ID, 1995). This is the factor that most closely affects this small group because the counselor is giving suggestions and strategies for solving problems impacting academic success.

# data[].attributes.body
The Texas Administration Code §239.15 in section (C)3 states that the certified school counselor must "counsel individuals and small groups using appropriate counseling theories and techniques in response to students' needs" (19 Tex. Admin. Code §239.15). This document and the attached action plan for this small group clearly show that appropriate counseling theories will be applied. In addition, the fact that the need for this group was discovered by surveying the teachers demonstrates the fact that this group is responding to documented student needs.

# data[].attributes.body
The American School Counselor Association (2019) states in section B-SS 3 C that school counselors must, "provide short-term counseling in small-group and individual settings...[and to] respond with appropriate intervention strategies to meet the needs of the individual, group or school community before, during and after crisis response " (American School Counselor Association, 2019). This small group was created to respond to the needs of students with appropriate interventions. It is important to remember that although the theme of academic success may not seem to be a huge deal to some students, it can be a source of an enormous amount of stress for others. Increased levels of stress can lead to a crisis if no intervention is offered. This small group not only promotes academic success, but it also deters future crises.

# data[].attributes.body
American School Counselor Association (2014). Mindsets and behaviors for
student success: K-12 College- and career-readiness standards for every student. Alexandria, VA: Author.

American School Counselor Association (2019). ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies. Alexandria, VA: Author

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

19 Tex. Admin. Code §239.15

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