This group will consist of young students ages 5-9 who exhibit problem behaviors in the classroom, demonstrating a lack of certain social-emotional skills. Each group will be taught how to self-regulate, self-awareness, gain confidence, problem solve, specific SEL vocabulary, empathy, and mindfulness. 

Small Group Action Plan

identify which ones participants will master upon completing this group

Learning Strategies:

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

Self Management Skills:

B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions

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

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

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

Social Skills:

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

B-SS 4. Empathy

B-SS 6. Effective collaboration and cooperation skills

In order for parents to be informed of the group, I will send out a newsletter over the school communication app that contain information about the purpose of the group, sample lesson topics, students that meet the criteria, and a link to a Google Form referral that goes straight to my email.

Once referred for the group by either a staff member or parent, I will interview each student and check the their online discipline record to determine the purpose and frequency of office referrals.

Create a Welcoming Environment:

• Start with an introduction session where each member, including yourself, shares a bit about themselves. This can be structured as a “fun fact” or “something unique” to make it light and engaging.

• I will acknowledge and validate each member’s contributions to build a sense of belonging and value.

  Establish Open Communication:

  • I will practice active listening to show empathy and understanding.

  • Use open-ended questions to encourage members to share their thoughts and feelings. Reinforce that every voice matters.

  Be Consistent and Reliable:

  • I will be consistent in my actions. This consistency and reliability will build trust.

  • I will maintain professional boundaries to ensure a safe and respectful environment.

  Model Behavior:

  • I will share appropriate personal experiences to model openness and create relatability. This helps members feel that they can share without judgment.

  • Exhibit the respect and consideration you expect from the group. I will respect each member’s perspective and privacy.

    Group Norms:

  • We will start with a discussion on what norms or rules the group thinks are important for a positive and respectful environment.

  • With these norms, I will state clear expectations for the group .

  • Post these norms on a poster that is clearly visible in the room and have students sign the poster to say they agree to the norms they helped set. This will serve as our group Social Contract.

    
    

    Confidentiality:

    • At the start of the group, we will have a candid discussion about confidentiality. It will be explained that while the group will strive to maintain confidentiality, there are limits.

    • I will offer specific scenarios where confidentiality might need to be breached, such as instances of abuse or threats to safety and also examples of when it would be a time to keep confidentiality.
      

Clear and consistent feedback will be important to keep the productivity at an appropriate level.

Check In:

• Start and End of Sessions: Begin each session with a brief check-in to see how members are feeling and if they have any immediate concerns. End with a reflection on what was accomplished and a launch (affirmation to be repeated).

• Mid-Session Check-Ins: Incorporate brief mid-session pauses to gauge how members are feeling about the progress and the direction of the session.

  
  
  

We will also have a small celebration to commemorate the students hard work.

It will also be important at this time to address the transition process including any changes or new routines they may face. Reassure members that feeling a mix of emotions is normal and part of the closure process. I plant to emphasize that confidentiality continues to be important even after the group ends. It is their responsibility to respect each other’s privacy.

I will look into the possibility of having a follow up session to check on students transition. I will also observe them occasionally in class and meet with teachers to discuss any changes they might have noticed.

The questions each student will be asked is:

• Asking how they feel about joining a group after I give a quick explanation of it.

  • topics, goals, skills to be learned and practiced, ground rules

• Do they like coming to school? Why or why not?

• What is hard about school?

• What is easy about school?

• Do you have friends in school?

• What do you want to learn to feel better at school?

The pre-group screening will assist in determining your selection of group members. Refer to the selection procedures resources provided to assist in completing slide.

When researching my campus policies regarding informed consent, I realized it was not easily accessible information and had to seek help in order to find it. research your campus policies regarding informed consent. This could pose a problem because parents might not be aware of their rights within the school system regarding consent.

It is generally regarded that schools typically require parental consent for activities like field trips, sports participation, and other extracurricular activities. Schools might also need consent for certain types of counseling or psychological services.

It is always a good idea to keep parents in the know and make sure they are compliant and that they know this is something their child might want for themselves. This is why it is important to obtain parent consent before the start of the groups but also student consent as well once they have reviewed the expectations with me.

Be Respectful

Be Responsible

Students will keep all members and discussions confidential.

Attach the participant guidelines and ground rules resources provided in the module OR one utilized by my campus.

explain how you plan to utilize this resource or one similar to set ground rules and expectations for the group.

Afterwards, I would want the group to shift to a Participative leadership style so that students feel like they are somewhat responsible for their progress and give higher quality input.

Imitative behavior - taking on the manner of group members who function more adequately.

Students will be guided in this group and taught new behaviors which will be praised when successful. I believe that some students would see the success of others and potentially strive for it as well.

Universality - demonstration that we are not alone in our misery or our "problems".

Students that will be in my group are students who will have a record of disciplinary issues and who are surrounded by peers who do not. The group dynamic will involve students who are able to connect with each other based on their shared 'problem.'

Direct Advice - receiving and giving suggestions for strategies for handling problems.

As the group learns and practices new skills geared towards self regulation and building good relationships, students will be receiving suggestions on how to correct their initial reaction to social situations.

School counselors are expecting to keep the confidentiality of students, records, and conversations but it is important to keep in mind that there are limits to that code. School Counselors are mandatory reports and must report any type of abuse or threats to safety.

Asgw Guiding Principles for Group Work. (2021). https://asgw.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ASGW-Guiding-Principles-May-2021.pdf

Cherry, K. (2023, June 27). 6 leadership styles and Frameworks. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Education code Chapter 33. service programs and extracurricular activities. (2021). https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.33.htm#33.000

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015). Screening/Selection Process. PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR SMALL GROUP COUNSELING GUIDE, 21–43.

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015). Screening/Selection Process. PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR SMALL GROUP COUNSELING GUIDE, 7–43.

Texas administrative code. (2024). https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=4&ti=22&pt=30&ch=681

The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, 4th Edition, Basic Books, 1995.

This Ethical Standard supports stating the expectation for the group to keep the confidentiality of the members and topics.

This stresses the importance and mandatory requirement that counselors must obtained informed consent from parents and participants in order to join and be apart of a group session.

Before I begin the group, I had previously mentioned that students who were referred for the group will be interviewed by me and informed about the expectations of the group so I can gauge their interest level. This Best Practice aligns with the same plan I have before the group sessions begin.