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This group focuses on helping students resolve conflict for grades 6-8th grade.  Students will learn about the best practices and skills to help cope and maintain positive relationships with their peers, friends, teachers, and family.

The counselor student lead small group will meet weekly to work on gaining skills to help resolve conflicts with students. Students will learn different skills to help them resolve conflicts presently occurring as well as any conflicts they may encounter in the future.

Providing these skills will help the students be lifelong learners to helping them resolve any conflicts they may face in and outside of school.

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These mindsets are the goals that would be addressed within this small group using the ASCA model (American School Counselor Association, 2014).
Mindsets:
M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/ emotional and physical well-being
M 3. Sense of belonging in the school environment
M 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and lifelong learning are necessary for long-term career success
M 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes
M 6. Positive attitude toward work and learning

In addition to the mindsets for this small group having established behaviors needed for this small group is crucial.

Behavior Learning Strategies:
B-LS 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions
B-LS 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning
B-LS 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions

Behavior Self-Management Skills
B-SMS 1. Demonstrate ability to assume responsibility
B-SMS 2. Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control
B-SMS 5. Demonstrate perseverance to achieve long- and short-term goals
B-SMS 7. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem
B-SMS 8. Demonstrate the ability to balance school, home and community activities
B-SMS 9. Demonstrate personal safety skills
B-SMS 10. Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities

Behavior Social Skills :
B-SS 4. Demonstrate empathy
B-SS 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility
B-SS 6. Use effective collaboration and cooperation skills
B-SS 7. Use leadership and teamwork skills to work effectively in diverse teams
B-SS 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary
B-SS 9. Demonstrate social maturity and behaviors appropriate to the situation and environment.

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This group will be announced to students in their middle school advisory classes.  Counselors will go and speak to classes about the small group counseling services provided to students each week.  In addition, teachers can also recommend students for this group who are struggling with their peers on campus.

* Parents will be informed through Parent Square.  Parent Square is a platform for communication regarding school information.  Also, once we get parental and consent forms we will be able to move forward with small group counseling groups.
* Posters and flyers will also be posted on student bulletin boards and hallways.
* Resolving Conflicts for Middle School Students will also be posted on Schoology student class platform .
Information will be given to students as well as Parent and Student consent forms that will be attached in school platform communication as well as parent emails.

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Each student will be given information about the group and the expectations. Students will have a deadline to register and  submit interest for the group.  Students will also be recommended by their advisory teacher, as well as their parents.  Once we have an established list of interest from students we will move forward.
* Students will be interviewed by the counselor.
*Students will complete a pre-assessment survey with ten questions about Resolving Conflict.
* Parents and students will be given consent forms to participate in the small group.
* Teachers will be emailed a list of students selected to participate in the small group as well as scheduled times and weekly meetings.
* Once small groups are established. Each group will be 4-5 members per group per grade level.

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The informed consent forms will be distributed to each student and parent participating in the small group.  The parents will be able to download forms from Parent Square, or pick up from front office. Students parents will also get a personal phone call explaining the small group as well as the times we will meet. Once all forms have been submitted by the deadline we will begin the small groups with students. Each group will be 4-5 students per session.

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Each group member will be given rules to follow for each session.

* Students will all actively participate in the group with daily questions, conversations, and reflection journals.
* Students will be respectful and kind when students are sharing their experiences.
* Students will show respect towards one another.
* Students will have a positive mindset and attitude for each meeting.

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Students will meet weekly with the small group and the counselor.

Stage 1:  Students first week with counselor will take a pre assessment to discuss goals and where they would like to achieve with the small group. Within this time frame the counselor will set expectations as well as building a relationship with the students to achieve their goals.

Stage 2:  Once the group has been established the students will take a pre assessment to evaluate where the student is and where they would like to be.  In addition, students will work collaborate and effectively together to discuss current conflicts and solutions to their individual case. At the end of each session students will keep a weekly journal with their goals and progress within the week.  Students will share one achievement and one thing they would like to work on for the week to improve their conflicts.
Stage 3:
At the end of this stage, the student has and will take the post assessment to see progress from the start to the end of the session.  Students will have gained techniques and best practices to resolving their conflicts.  Students will have the opportunity to share and discuss their progress using the scaling and goal system done within their sessions.  The counselor will discuss their individual improvement within their session.  Students will also have the opportunity to share any last concerns before exiting the counseling session. The counselor, will state to each student that their office is an open door policy and they are always welcome to come and discuss any issues they might encounter.  In conclusion, students will have an opportunity to take a survey on the small group session on questions where their may be improvements or suggestions.

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Resolving Conflicts small group would best benefit from the Participative Leadership Style.

The "Group members feel engaged in the process and are more motivated and creative" (Cherry, 2020).

Building a sense of community and creativity can help students be more engaged in the small group. Students will benefit from this leadership style when working with middle school students. The goal for this group is to make students feel included in their thoughts, feelings, as well as their goals for the group.

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Within this small group there will possibly be several factors that the Yalom's Therapeutic might be presented.  The first one is  Universality,  Altruism, and Direct Advise (Yalom, 1995).

In this group Universality,
demonstration that we are not alone in our misery or our "problems" (Yalom, 1995).  This factor might be present when students are sharing their own problems on conflict and how they maybe struggling with finding solutions for what they are going through.
The second one that also might be present in the group is Altruism " opportunity to rise out of oneself and help somebody else; the feeling of usefulness" (Yalom, 1995).  Students may use this opportunity to help each other in the small group when discussing their conflicts and helping each other resolve their current issues.
Lastly, Direct Advise  "receiving and giving suggestions for strategies for handling problems " ( Yalom, 1995) . When students are meeting in small groups they might suggest what is working for them and how they can handle conflict and their problems when dealing with conflict.
The purpose of the small group is to find ways on how to resolve conflict and how they can improve in their daily decisions in life.

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According to the ASCA (Ethical Standards, 2016) provides a guideline and a path for school counselors to follow when facilitating small groups on campus.
A.7. Group Work :
a. Facilitate short-term groups to address students’ academic, career and/or social/emotional issues.
b. Inform parent/guardian(s) of student participation in a small group.
c. Screen students for group membership.
d. Use data to measure member needs to establish well-defined expectations of group members.
e. 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.
f. 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.
g. Facilitate groups from the framework of evidence-based or research-based practices.
h. Practice within their competence level and develop professional competence through training and supervision.
i. Measure the outcomes of group participation (participation, Mindsets & Behaviors and outcome data).
j. Provide necessary follow up with group members  ASCA (Ethical Standards, 2016)

In conclusion, this standard sets a guide for school counselor to follow within their small group.  Using this resource is vital which helps the school counselor follow the Ethical standards according to the ASCA.

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According to the Texas  Education Code, Section Sec. 33.006. (a), the school counselor shall:
(1)  participate in planning, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive developmental guidance program to serve all students and to address the special needs of students:
(2)  consult with a student's parent or guardian and make referrals as appropriate in consultation with the student's parent or guardian;
(3)  consult with school staff, parents, and other community members to help them increase the effectiveness of student education and promote student success.

It is the counselors responsibility to follow the Texas Education Code, where the counselor will plan and follow and work with each student according to their needs and well being for their academic, social emotional, and overall health of the student.

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EDUCATION CODE CHAPTER 33. SERVICE PROGRAMS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

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EDUCATION CODE TITLE 2. PUBLIC EDUCATION SUBTITLE F. CURRICULUM, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 33. SERVICE PROGRAMS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES SUBCHAPTER A. SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS Sec. 33.002. CERTIFIED SCHOOL COUNSELOR. (a) From funds appropriated for the purpose or other funds that may be used for the purpose, the commissioner shall distribute funds for programs under this subchapter.

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American School Counselor Association (2014). Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student. https: //www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA Ethical standards for school counselors.  https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors/standards

Cherry, K. (2020). Prominent Leadership Styles and Frameworks You should Know. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015). Professional school counselor small group counseling 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

Texas Education Code § 33.006. https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/DOCS/ED/htm/ED.33.htm#33.000

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