Lunch groups at Weatherbee school are planned based on data collected in previous years paired with current data. For example, I know from previous data that I need to run a group on academic skills, friendship, social skills, self esteem and relational aggression based on developmental needs. In 2017-18 I also added the behavioral “Decision-making” group to target my second goal on behavior. Mid-winter I saw a growing trend of third graders struggling with worry/anxiety (from the “goals” survey). I added a worry group in the spring. Each group topic could have more than one rotation, for example the decision-making group was actually run 8 times (twice in the first session, twice in the second, three times in the third,and once in the fourth). I planned lessons that are driven by the ASCA mindsets/behaviors. For the relational aggression group I choose 'The Ophelia Project' curriculum because it targets the correct skills/attitudes/knowledge and mindsets/behaviors. I made sure that my perception data addressed the ASCA mindset standards that targeted in this group.
Participants for each group are selected from data. Students in the ‘diligent decision making’ group could be selected based on their levels of concern data (teachers rank student’s behavior each week), behavioral referrals or by their survey answers on the behavior survey. Many parents and teachers would like to make referrals for students to join lunch groups, but I need to make sure that data is leading the selection of students. Often, if it’s a parent/teacher referral, there’s data that supports the student joining the group. If there’s a discrepancy between the referral and the data then I need to access more data sources (iep, 504, doctor’s report, etc.) or I need more time to collect data.
The results report helps me to deliver groups more effectively. In the 2017-18 school year, I had four rounds of groups: each group met for 6 to 8 sessions. This was a change from the previous school year when I ran 5 rounds of groups because I wanted to provide more interventions to students. I found that having 5-6 lessons per group meetings was too rushed, and led to less valuable learning experiences. Students reported less mastery of mindsets and behaviors when there were five rounds of groups. For example, my post data for the social skills group in the 2016-17 school year was 84%, in 2017-18 the it was 92%. It was clear that I needed to go back to four rounds of groups in the 2017-18 school year.
The results report helps me to collect data more accurately. The surveys I created were often yes/no surveys, occasionally I used likert scales. Developmentally, my students are ready to change from yes/no surveys to likert scales. Using likert scale surveys would increase the quality and accuracy of the data collected. In the future I will transition third grade groups from yes/no surveys to likert surveys during the year.
The results report helps me to target mindsets and behaviors. There were several times that looking back at the data I realized I had targeted the wrong mindset/behavior. For example in my self-esteem group I wanted to target B:SMS-5 (perseverance to achieve long and short term goals). When planning the group, I had originally wanted to set goals with students about self-esteem. I found that the lesson was rushed. Data on this standard was poor (0% improvement.). I’ve decided to leave this standard off the plan for next year and add more opportunities for students to discuss the future of their self-esteem without the pressure of setting a goal (dropping to a different level of bloom's taxonomy: from synthesis to application.) Normally I would strive to increase the bloom’s level of bloom’s taxonomy, but seeing as we are trying to minimize pressure, “synthesis” was the wrong choice on the taxonomy.
The results report helps me to make decisions about which lessons to continue, add or discontinue. I found part way through the year that it may be important for me to add a second (or maybe third) level to my diligent decision making group. I found that I needed to differentiate to accommodate students newly added, but also allow for students who needed reviews later in the year. In the future, I’ll offer a group for students who are ready for the next level of intervention.