REVISED-
Analysis of the school counseling core curriculum is imperative in reflection and improvement of the effectiveness of the provided classroom lessons. Through each year in reflecting student perception data, I have greatly altered my lesson delivery based on many factors, including student developmental, academic, and language levels.

Overall reflecting on the three submitted lessons, student perception and outcome data reflect neutral positive changes in student mindsets and behaviors; however, I feel there are inconsistencies in the connection between the story the data is telling and highlights areas for improvement in the counseling core curriculum.

To elaborate, the 1st grade problem solving lesson data shows no change in office behavior referrals for fighting (fighting was the chosen data point as there is no category for “problem with peer,” fighting is the closest fit), so while I will continue to collect from this data point, I am going to make alterations in the classroom lesson to increase student skill practice and implementation to make a stronger impact on this data point. Specifically, I am going to implement an activity using pictures from and a real situation that has happened at our school (taking information from the teacher narratives from office behavior referrals). With this activity, after counselor and teacher modeling, I am going to have students work in partners. The purpose of this activity is two-fold. First, it allows for students to work with another peer, developing and practicing verbal skills around problem solving, and allow more skill implementation opportunities. Second, it allows for further practice on the ASCA behavior that aligns with this lesson, B- SS 2, working on creating positive relationships with other students. Further, while I looked at referrals from two locations where peer interactions, therefore assuming potential for peer problems, are high, it is not possible to further break down the data to determine if those referrals were related to peer problems or not. To solve this issue, I will continue to look at fighting behavior write-ups, but will no longer use referrals from these different locations. Finally, student perception data collected was surrounding vocabulary and student understanding of the differences between bullying and peer problems. While this is important knowledge for students to have, there is a disconnect between this data point and the aligned ASCA Mindset and Behavior. To fix this, I am going to change student perception data question to: “I can get along with others by solving problems in a safe way,” with yes/maybe/no student response options. This question better captures the intent of the lesson and whole problem solving unit, better aligns with B- SS 2, creating positive and supportive relationships with other students, and inquires more closely around student behaviors and skill implementation rather than vocabulary memorization.

Beyond the provided examples, I plan to do a thorough analysis of my “data stories” across all core curriculum lessons to make improvements and changes in the lesson activities, delivery, and the collected data to ensure better alignment with program goals and ASCA mindsets and behaviors.

Grade Level: 4

Lesson Topic: Emotion Management

Lesson was Presented in Which Class/Subject:

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): College & Career Readiness Mindset 1: Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being. Self-Management Skills, Behavior 2: Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control.

Start/End: Dec 1-7, 2016

Process Data (Number of students affected): 97 out of total target 109 4th graders participated in the lesson. 88.9%

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Pre-post student assessment. The percent of students who strongly agreed or agreed they believed they can calm themselves down in difficult situations increased by 11.3% (pre=62, post=69). The percent of students who who knew all or some of the calm down steps increased by 31.5% (pre=54, post=71).

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): Behavior data collected through SWIS behavioral database looking at office behavior referrals for physical aggression and defiance, comparing semester 1 (before classroom lesson) to semester 2 (after classroom lesson. The percent of office behavior referrals for physical aggression decreased by 47.6% (pre=42, post=22). The percent of office behavior referrals for defiance decreased by 73.3% (pre=30, post=8).

Implications: Instruction on this topic is essential and intentional in supporting student awareness, language, and skills to managing emotions. Perception data shows that student retention was positive as they could recall steps to managing emotions as well as grow in their belief and confidence they can calm themselves down in difficult situations. I will continue to teach this lesson and maintain same ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors. Outcome data also shows significant reduction in the top 2 problem behaviors in which office behavior referrals are written for at SPMA, demonstrating effective student implementation of emotion management skills and the resulting impact on problem behaviors. The reduction in these behaviors also have a positive impact on school climate and safety.

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Grade Level: Kindergarten

Lesson Topic: Attendance

Lesson was Presented in Which Class/Subject:

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): College & Career Mindset 3: Sense of belonging in the school environment. Social Skills, Behavior 3: Create relationships with adults that support success.

Start/End: Sept 26-Oct 7, 2016

Process Data (Number of students affected): 87 out of 93 total Kindergarteners participated in the lesson. 93.5%

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Pre-Post Student Assessment. 100% of students elected they like coming to school everyday, both for pre-assessment and post-assessment (pre/post=8). There was a 40% increase in the percent of students who were able to identify it was important to come to school everyday (pre=5, post=8).

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): Infinite Campus Student Information System Attendance data. Specifically looking at kindergarten students who had 3 or more unexcused absences (which is the first tier of family intervention), comparing quarter 1 of the 2015 school year (students who did not receive this lesson) to quarter 1 of the 2016 school year (students who did receive this lesson). Outcome data shows that the number of students increased by 1 student, which while comprised 6.4% of the total KG enrollment, ends with a 20% increase in students who missed 3 or more days for unexcused reasons in quarter 1 in 2015 compared to quarter 1 in 2016 (2015=5, 2016=6).

Implications: Outcome data is negative in the outcomes for this lesson. While student engagement and participation in this lesson was high and perception data shows positive student beliefs and mindsets about coming to school, kindergarten is a tricky grade to work on creating movement in attendance data for a multitude of reasons. Upon reflection, this lesson will continue to be taught, but additional lessons in the unit will be added to work on developmentally appropriate self-advocacy skills and co-teaching with the school nurse to teach self-care and illness prevention strategies to support student attendance. Further, I will alter the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors to better reflect lesson goals to Mindset 1: Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional, and physical well-being and Learning Strategies Behavior 4: Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning and Social Skills Behavior 8: Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary.

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Grade Level: 1

Lesson Topic: Problem Solving

Lesson was Presented in Which Class/Subject:

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): College​ ​&​ ​Career​ ​Mindset​ ​6:​​ ​Positive​ ​attitude​ ​toward​ ​work​ ​and​ ​learning. Social​ ​Skills,​ ​Behavior​ ​2:​ ​​Create​ ​positive​ ​and​ ​supportive​ ​relationships​ ​with​ ​other​ ​students.

Start/End: Jan 9-13, 2017

Process Data (Number of students affected): 83 out of 95 total 1st graders participated. 97.8%

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Pre-Post Assessment. There was a 75% increase in the percent of students who could explain the difference between bullying and mean behavior (problem) (pre=4, post=7).

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): Behavior data collected through SWIS behavioral database looking at office behavior referrals for fighting and referrals from common conflict locations of the classroom and recess. Data compared semester 1 (before classroom lesson) to semester 2 (after classroom lesson. The percent of office behavior referrals for fighting remained unchanged (pre/post= 6), however the percent of referrals in the classroom and recess combined reduced by 57% (pre=76, post=32).

Implications: Data for this lesson shows positive outcomes for common locations that peer conflict may occur in the building (recess and classroom), but was neutral for problem behavior (fighting). While office behavior referrals for the problem behavior of fighting remained unchanged, they were only 6 total referrals for the year, suggesting students in this category may better be serviced at a tier 2 or 3 level. For data collection on this lesson in the future, I will look into problem behaviors of defiance and physical aggression (as illustrated in lesson #1 in this section) as they both have much high incidences of occurrence, suggesting more students at the tier 1 level are in need of emotion management skill development in these situations. This lesson topic remains an intentional and crucial component at all grade level of the CC and lessons will continue with the same ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors. While perception data shows increases in student perception and report of understanding the difference between bullying and conflict, it is noted that efforts will continue to maintain this learning. Further, now at the completion of this lesson and data collection, I plan on altering student assessment questions to incorporate implications of emotion management (previous unit and integral component of effective problem solving) which was also reviewed and discussed in this lesson as it applies to initiating the problem solving steps.

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