Group Size

The group size would be limited to three to five students. Corey et al. (2018, p. 160) highlight several factors that should be considered when deciding group size, including “age of clients, experience of the leader, type of group, and problems being explored”. The author suggests an elementary level group  “might be kept to 3 or 4” students. (Corey et al. 2018, p. 160). A smaller group size will help the group leader maintain a focus for the group, which can become challenging during the transition stage, as Corey et al. (2018, p. 224) highlight as a time of higher “anxiety, defensiveness, guardedness, ambivalence, resistance, and a range of control issues”.  A smaller group size will allow the group leader fewer personalities to manage through those group stages.

Age and Grade Level

The proposed group topic would focus on developing social-emotional skills for the third-grade student population, ranging in ages from eight to nine years old. Third-grade students would benefit from developing skills to “understand, manage, and express the social and emotional aspects of one’s life” (Dyson et al., 2023, p. 3). Additionally, as Dyson et al. (2023, p. 3) share, students in elementary school benefit from gaining “competencies of cognitive regulation, emotional processes, and social/interpersonal skills”. Developing those skills will help students improve their academic and social skills and establish a foundation for long-term positive outcomes.

Rationale for Closed Group 

This SEL group would need to be established as a closed group to ensure group cohesion for adolescent students who may be reluctant to develop rapport with group leaders and other group members (Corey et al., 2018, p. 161).  Closed groups also allow for an opportunity for stronger bonds to be developed between group members. Südmeier and  Muschalla (2024, p. 56) offer a contrast between open and closed groups and make the point that in open groups “new members can join the group at any time,”.  Allowing changes in group membership could easily threaten the rapport and cohesion of the group.

Logistics: When, Where, How Often

Corey et al. (2018, p. 160) encouraged group leaders to consider meeting “more frequently and for a shorter period of time” when working with adolescents. Additionally, the author points out that the school schedule would help to inform the group leader on establishing a time and schedule for group meetings. Schimmel and Jacobs (2018, p. 55) note the need for groups to “only minimally impact classroom time,” which indicates that school-based small groups should be set for a short time, such as 30 minutes. A shorter duration is well-suited for elementary students who can have short attention spans. 

The location for the groups would be in the school counselor's office. That location would be set up to accommodate the small group and maintain privacy and confidentiality for the students. Groups at the elementary level should have an expected timeframe of six to eight weeks. Our group would plan to run for eight weeks, with the first session opening the group, followed by six sessions of developing skills, and a final session to close the group. Groups would meet one day weekly and refer to the classroom schedules and teachers to establish a time for a 30-minute block. 

Communication with Stakeholders

Merlin-Knoblich (2018, p. 48) encouraged school counselors to engage stakeholders to “improve advocacy” for counseling programs. The author identifies stakeholders as parents, teachers, and “one who is involved in or affected by a course of action” (Merlin-Knoblich, 2018, p. 48). In following that advice, parents would participate in the early stages of group development through the initial contact to gain parental consent. Through the initial conversations, parents would gain insight into the screening process, the group goals, and the details related to the frequency of the group.

Additional communication with parents would be provided through a weekly correspondence that outlines some of the details of the skills learned in the session, with suggestions or tips for parents to provide encouragement for students to utilize those skills at home. Administrators and teachers would participate in the initial screening process for group development. Those staff members would provide the data points that would inform group membership. Administrators and teachers would be encouraged to communicate with the group leader if there were specific concerns related to the skills being covered in the group, with a follow-up survey being provided to teachers at the closing of the group to assess student progress in demonstrating those learned skills in the classroom.

Our group will be 3rd grade students and our topic of focus will be Social and Emotional Learning.

While all students can benefit from Social and Emotional Learning, our group will be for students identified as needing additional guidance with emotional regulation and or have frequent negative peer interactions (CASEL, 2025). Students who are referred and identified as high risk will be the best fit for this group. Students who are not identified as high risk will not be a good benefit for this group. 

CASEL defines Social and Emotional Learning as the processes in which all people acquire and apply knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, achieve personal and collective goals, and express empathy towards others, maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions (2024). 

The below video further defines Social and Emotional learning from students, educators, and SEL coordinators. 

https://youtu.be/Y-XNp3h3h4A?si=sBZeIMhSSpUSlGkR 

As mentioned, all students can benefit from Social and Emotional Learning. In fact, it’s CASEL’s mission to support the implementation of Social and Emotional Learning into grade schools, hoping that fifty percent of schools K-12 have an SEL program implemented (Weems, 2024). Focusing on our selected population of lower income students attending a title 1 school in a rural community, literature from Sage Journals identifies that children who are raised in poverty have an increased risk of developing behavioral, mental health, academic, and developmental decline (Weems, 2024). Weems also goes on to further discuss that social and emotional skill discrepancies that were identified and observed among 4th graders significantly tapered by the times those students reached highschool. This literature provides reassurance that tackling and addressing social and emotional discrepancies early is proven to be beneficial to the overall wellness of students.

The target audience of our small group is 3rd grade students who are identified as high risk and the following questions will be utilized as part of the needs assessment. 

1.     Was there a request for assistance form initiated?

2.     Were there any behavior referrals made?

3.     Does the student have difficulty managing their emotions in response to frustration or conflict with peers? 

4.     Does the student consistently listen and follow directions in the classroom?

5.     Does the student struggle to work collaboratively with peers on classwork or group activities? 

6. Does the student have a low or unstable level of engagement in classroom activities? 

7. Does the student demonstrate a need for improved self-management and organizational skills?

Scoring Results: 

Score of 1-2: Low risk 

Score of 3-4: Moderate risk

Score 5-7: High risk

The literature provides strong support for the implementation and effectiveness of a Social-Emotional Learning group tailored for third-grade students in a high-needs, rural elementary school setting. According to Dyson et al. (2023), educators generally view SEL as a fundamental component for academic success, emphasizing that students cannot engage effectively in learning if their basic needs for comfort and security are unmet. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL, 2024) defines SEL as a process that enables individuals to acquire and apply knowledge and skills essential for developing healthy identities, managing emotions, and fostering positive relationships. This focus is especially important for third graders, who are at the developmental stage where early behavioral and academic challenges may begin to surface (Hatch, Kruger, & Pablo, 2022). Research published in Sage Journals indicates that children living in poverty are at heightened risk of developmental setbacks, however, early SEL interventions have been shown to be effective in improving long-term outcomes (Weems, 2024).

From a developmental standpoint, third graders are experiencing increasing complexity in social interactions and academic demands. At this stage, students often encounter difficulties related to peer relationships, emotional regulation, and self-management. The SEL group aims to provide a supportive environment where students can develop and strengthen these competencies. The program’s objectives are aligned with the CASEL framework and are designed to equip students with the critical social-emotional skills required for navigating third-grade academic and social expectations. The primary goal is to achieve a 50% reduction in classroom behavioral referrals related to emotional distress or peer conflicts by the conclusion of the eight-week program, a target that is both measurable and attainable.

The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors Standards:

• B-SMS 10: Demonstrate ability to manage emotions and make responsible choices.

• B-SS 2: Use communication skills to effectively interact with others.

• B-SS 6: Demonstrate ability to create positive and supportive relationships with peers and adults.

• B-SS 9: Demonstrate empathy.

• B-SMS 7: Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem.

• B-LS 7: Use conflict-resolution skills.

• B-SMS 1: Use a growth mindset to persevere toward a goal.

ASCA Domain:

• Social/Emotional Development: This addresses the core competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making, which are all central to the social/emotional domain.

Recruitment and Referral Process
Students will be referred through a structured referral form completed by teachers, school staff, or family members who recognize the need for additional support. Referrals are reviewed by the school’s Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) team to ensure decisions are collaborative and data driven. This process aligns with best practices outlined by the American School Counselor Association (2020), which emphasize systematic referral procedures and collaboration with stakeholders in identifying appropriate students for group counseling.

Criteria for Selection (Inclusion Criteria)
The inclusion criteria are guided by a formal needs assessment, as defined by the ASCA: “a survey completed by students, parents, teachers, or administrators which offers a data-informed direction for a school counseling program” (Megginson & Maddox II, 2018, p. 5). For this group, teachers will complete a needs assessment questionnaire addressing the following areas:

1. Was there a request for assistance form initiated?

2. Were there behavior referrals made?

3. Does the student have difficulty managing their emotions in response to frustration or conflict with peers?

4. Does the student consistently listen and follow directions in the classroom?

5. Does the student struggle to work collaboratively with peers on classwork or group activities?

6. Does the student have a low or unstable level of engagement in classroom activities?

7. Does the student demonstrate a need for improved self-management and organizational skills?

Risk-Level Scoring and Inclusion

• Low Risk (Score 1–2): Students in this category typically do not require small group intervention and may benefit more from classroom-level support.

• Moderate Risk (Score 3–4): Students may benefit from small group counseling but should be considered only if group space is available, as they may also respond to Tier 1 or Tier 2 supports.

• High Risk (Score 5–7): Students identified as high risk will be prioritized for group inclusion. These students demonstrate the greatest need and are most likely to benefit from targeted small group counseling interventions.

This structured scoring system ensures consistency, equity, and objectivity in the selection process, helping the MTSS team identify the most appropriate candidates for group participation (Cokley, Beaty, & Singh, 2022).

Screening Process
Once referrals and needs assessments are collected, the school counselor will review the data, score the assessments, and present results to the MTSS team. Additional data such as academic performance, attendance, discipline referrals, and peer interactions will be reviewed. This comprehensive approach ensures fairness, reduces bias, and increases the likelihood that students selected will benefit from group membership (Tyson, Pérusse, Whitledge, Coy, Akos, & Moore, 2004).

Exclusionary Criteria
Students with significant safety risks, such as elopement or violence, require further evaluation before inclusion. If safety cannot be reasonably ensured, an alternative plan such as one-on-one counseling will be implemented (Ritchie & Huss, 2000). Additional exclusionary criteria include students who are overly hostile, aggressive, hyperactive, self-centered, or in acute crisis, as such factors would disrupt group functioning. Students who do not meet inclusion criteria should be provided with alternate supports.

Group Size
The group will include 3–5 students, consistent with ASCA (2020) recommendations for small group counseling. This size allows each member to receive adequate attention while fostering collaborative peer interaction.

  The cognitive therapy approach to changing behaviors could be beneficial in running a small, elementary-level group focusing on developing social-emotional learning skills. Corey et al. (2018, p. 129) point out the way that cognitive therapy facilitates changes in behavior by “pinpointing these cognitive errors and correcting them,” which in turn “can create a more fulfilling life”. The author describes how cognitive therapy teaches individuals to gain control of their behaviors by helping them identify triggers for negative thinking patterns and “automatic thoughts”. 

Cognitive Therapy Application for Groups

This elementary group would offer students an opportunity to develop SEL skills through psychoeducation. CBT helps elementary school students to recognize their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors by teaching them to change unhelpful thinking patterns into more positive ones. CBT is useful in this demographic by utilizing tools like play therapy, stories, and role-playing to improve emotional regulation, social skills, and address issues like anxiety. Some of the key benefits of CBT in Elementary school students is empowerment to provide strategies to control thoughts and behaviors. Common tools used for group CBT are DIY stress balls, worry jars for visual processing. This technique is for children who suffer from anxiety, who can identify and put a name to their worry and seal it in a jar. Superhero vs villain thoughts is a way for children to differentiate thoughts by reframing negative thoughts as villains and positive thoughts as superheroes (Halder, 2019). This technique creates positive motivation and defeats inner self-criticism. One useful CBT group activity that can be used for elementary school students is the Feel-Act triangle for connecting thoughts, feelings, and behaviors within the group to express emotions (2019). This activity can be done through identifying a situation, writing the thought or feeling, and then practicing reframing the thought in a positive way using stories and worksheets to help the group recognize interconnected patterns.

Ethical Considerations: Developmentally Appropriate

  Ritchie and Huss (2000, p. 152) highlight the need for group members to “have sufficient empathy and social skills to be able to relate and benefit from interactions with others”. Those areas of development should be part of the screening process. Third-grade students may have varying degrees of maturity, other mental health concerns, or learning difficulties that would need to be considered as part of screening for group development. Group activities would need to be developed with consideration for possible academic challenges, such as writing skills that might be needed for some activities. Additionally, reading levels may differ significantly and could create frustration for students if reading text is part of an activity for a student with reading deficits. Those frustrations for the student could interfere with their ability to benefit from the group experience and would need to be avoided.

Cultural Considerations

  Several cultural considerations are needed when developing an SEL group in a rural elementary school.  Families from lower economic status groups may have concerns or be apprehensive about their child engaging in a group setting that includes a focus on increasing mental health awareness. Some families may have a negative perception about anything that connects to mental health.  Parents and caregivers may also have concerns about student disclosures in small group settings with the school counselor. Parents would benefit from receiving education about the group goals, group activities, and the continued respect for privacy and confidentiality that would be part of the group framework. Parents would also benefit from assurances that their students' participation requires their consent, as outlined by Thomas and Pender (2008, p. 114). 

Diversity

In addition to acknowledging cultural and economic diversity, the counselor will recognize and respect each member's individual experiences and identities. Activities and discussions will be thoughtfully designed to promote inclusivity and accommodate varying backgrounds and family structures. The counselor will foster a safe and supportive environment where students feel comfortable expressing themselves, acknowledging that social-emotional development is shaped by family, community, and cultural contexts. This emphasis on inclusivity supports the development of empathy and social awareness among participants, aligning with the fundamental goals of social-emotional learning.

We would also measure the success of the group by obtaining student feedback on the group participants from the teachers. Teachers initially fill out a referral before the group participants are assigned. Once the group sessions are concluded we would ask for teacher feedback. We are looking for a reduction in behavioral incidents/ referrals, an increase in following directions in the classroom, an increase in working with others and engagement in the classroom setting, as well as better utilization of self-management/ coping skills. The main data piece that we will obtain from this is the number of behavior referrals for the students. We will be looking at the difference of the number of behavioral referrals before, during, and after the conclusion of the eight week group sessions. According to the article by Chupp and Boes, Effectiveness of Small Group Social Skills Lessons with Elementary Students, it states, “... the review of literature suggests that teaching these skills in the school setting, specifically in structured small groups, may be the most effective way for the students to learn.”