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Making Friends = Friendly Schools:

This is a group that pairs middle school students with appropriate peers based on their individual differences that will provide the students with a safe place to work through current or previous bullying experiences. It will help teach appropriate social skills while also teaching about ways to cope with the effects of bullying.

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Teachers/Administrators/Counselors:
School staff that are involved with special education students will receive an email that details the types of students that would qualify for this group. Those teachers will also receive a google form that they will fill out when they are submitting a student recommendation.

Parents:
Parents of special education students will receive an email detailing the group and a google form to sign up their child to participate. This will include a section for parents to explain why their child qualifies.

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Send out an email to the parents of all special needs students with information about the group.

Ask parents to respond if they think their child qualifies and would benefit from this group.

Speak with case managers about any potential students that might benefit from this group.

Offer a Q and A meeting for parents to ask questions and discuss the benefits and risks of this group.

Google forms:
The google forms for parents and school staff to recommend a student for this group will include a section that requires that person to indicate why the student should participate in this group. This section will be the initial factor in deciding if this group is appropriate for that student.

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All parents must sign the consent form at least 1 week before the start of the group.

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B-SMS 1: Responsibility for self and actions

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 9: Personal safety skills

B-SS 1: Effective oral 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 8: Advocacy skills for self and others and ability to assert self, when necessary

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Confidentiality: Everything said in the group, stays in the group

Except if there is a discussion or concern regarding personal safety or the safety of others (suicidal, homicidal, self harm, etc.)

Discuss the structure of each session

When to arrive

How the sessions will flow

When the group ends

Respect for others

Listen to others when they talk

Respectful language

Discuss the importance of practicing the skills

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Stage 1:

Establishing rapport with all of the participants.

Establishing ground rules in their own words, as a group

Draw pictures to describe confidentiality

Talk about group

Don't talk about group

Stage 2:

Following the same routine each session will keep the group organized and flowing.

Providing enough time for group feedback in each section of the session.

Reviewing homework at the start and summarizing at the end will be quick checks on progress and understanding.

Stage 3:

As the group approaches the end-each participant will meet and discuss their progress.

If adequate progress has been made, they will discuss leaving the group and their resources.

If more time is needed to meet their goals, they will discuss starting the group again and the changes that are involved.

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Democratic leadership style:

Due to the age of my participants and their disabilities, the prompting and pre-established questions that this style provides will be the best fit. This will ensure that the group continues to move through the material and that we don't get stuck on any particular section or point. It will also provide more options for modifying the curriculum to that group's level of understanding.

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Universality:
This will help these students who have been bullied realize they are not alone in this. Other people understand them and how they feel.

Development of socializing techniques:
Since many children with disabilities require specific training on appropriate social skills, this will be layered throughout the group. Social skills help people follow the "rules" of social interactions. The more they follow the "rules" the less they stand out as different.

Interpersonal Learning:
This group will have practical applications that will allow them to apply what techniques we discuss. This will be a part of their "homework" for the week. This will require them to listen to the ideas of others and try new ways of thinking or responding.

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Title 2 Chapter 33 of the Texas Education Code

Sec. 33.006.  SCHOOL COUNSELORS; GENERAL DUTIES.  (a)  The primary responsibility of a school counselor is to counsel students to fully develop each student's academic, career, personal, and social abilities.

This section justifies the use of this group to develop the students' personal and social abilities.

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Title 2 Chapter 33 of the Texas Education Code

Sec. 33.003.  PARENTAL CONSENT.  The board of trustees of each school district shall adopt guidelines to ensure that written consent is obtained from the parent, legal guardian, or person entitled to enroll the student under Section 25.001(j) for the student to participate in those activities for which the district requires parental consent.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.

This section will be addressed during the Q&A section before the group begins and by requiring parental consent signatures before the start of the group. By ensuring they fully understand the group and sign that they want their child to participate, we would be complying with this law.

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2 Texas Education Code § 33

Subchapter A. School Counselors and Counseling Programs

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