REVISED SECTION



I offered nine small groups during the 2017-2018 school year. Many of the groups were developed based on learner’s needs and teacher referrals. This year I was able to offer a small group experience for all kindergarten and 1st grade learners. I offered a social skill group based on the Sanford harmony curriculum. All 124 kindergarten students were able to participate in nine sessions in rotating groups of five students. It was a very positive experience because all students were included.



In doing the Mindset and Behavior tool at the beginning of the year and with the focus on self-regulation to help reach our school goals, I noticed a gap in academic achievement lessons. In previous years during core curriculum I have used a curriculum called “School of Champions: A study skills program for young students” by Rosanne Sheritz Sartori. Because of the decrease of lessons this year I could not do this curriculum in the classroom so I decided to pick out the best 6 lessons and run it as a small group for all 110 1st grade students in rotating groups of five students.



I also had the opportunity this year to collaborate with South Dakota State University and provide a co-facilitating group opportunity for counseling graduate students. Stephanie Fritz, Chelsea Molden, and I co facilitated two separate emotional regulation groups. During the second semester Cruz Trujillo Rodrigue; Rhiannon Nedland (SDSU Graduate Students) and I co facilitated the 3rd grade anxiety group. The experience was positive for all involved and it is a partnership that I plan to continue.



Most of the groups were developed to fill in gaps from the needs statement and to hit topics that aren’t taught during core curriculum or that are an extension of core curriculum. Most of the time students are selected based on teacher and parent recommendations.



The “focus” group highlighted in this section was chosen because it was developed to address the Gap Goal for student achievement By June 2018, the number of identified Gap Group students reading levels below benchmark will decrease from 56% in the 2016-2017 school year to 40% in the 2017-2018 school year. Students were chosen for this group based on their standard based report card scores in the section of social development and work habits after first quarter. I ran a report on Infinite Campus to identify the biggest needs in the 1st grade class. My report showed that 49 learners still had an emerging skill (depicted by a -) in one or more areas of social development and work habits. The highest numbers were in listening attentively (28) and staying on task (39). Learners that had emerging skills in both of these areas were invited to attend group totaling 16 participants. All those invited participated. Of those 16 participants, 7 were identified gap group students.



The lessons were modified from the scholastic “MindUp” curriculum and also used mindfulness activity taken from www.cosmickids.com a free resource for kid’s yoga and mindfulness videos. This was my first time running this particular group. My principal was able to observe one of the lessons as her feedback was “The students are so engaged! I love how you utilize every minute and that the lessons are giving learners a skill to be successful in the classroom. I love the integration of the mindfulness videos from Cosmic Kids! Learners think about what made them successful or not in the activity as well as how it can correlate to the classroom.”



Perception Data showed that averages for learners increased in all areas: I listen closely to what my teacher says (B-SS 1); it is easy for me to pay attention (B-SS 2); I know how to calm and focus my body (B-SMS 2); and I know what it means to be mindful (B-SMS 2.) I wanted these questions to be driven by chosen ASCA Mindset and Behaviors for Student Success: B-SMS 2. B-SS 1



Outcome data showed that four learners gained the skill listening attentively; five gained the skill staying on task; and 14 of the 16 participants made growth in some area of social development and work habits. Although the outcome data shows growth, next year I will create a better scale to show growth. Right now the +/- system is all or nothing. I would like to create a scale to see if group member make any progress, even if it wasn’t enough to warrant a + for that skill.

Group Name: REVISED: Focus Group

Goal: Decrease the percentage of learners with and emerging skill

Target Group: 1st graders who have an emerging skill (-)

Data Used to Identify Students: Work Habits and Social Development section of 1st graders standards based report card

School Counselor(s): Randi Hartman

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): B SMS 2 B SS 1

Outline of Group Sessions Delivered: Session 1- How our brain works Learners will be able to identify 3 parts of the brain (Amygdala, Prefrontal Cortex, and Hippocampus) and what they do. Session 2 Mindful Awareness Learners will be able to understand what being mindful is and identify mindful behaviors Session 3 Focused Awareness Learners will use calm breathing to focus their minds Session 4 Mindful Listening Learners will use mindful listening to identify different sounds. Session 5 Mindful Movement Learners will slow and speed up their heart rates by using movements Session 6 Mindful Movement 2 Learners will mindfully control their balance and describe the sensation they experience. Session 7 Wrap up Learners will be able to verbally identify one way they will use mindfulness to become a better student.

Process Data (Number of students affected): 16 1st graders 7 of those 16 were identified gap group students

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): A Focus pretest was given on the first day of group and the same posttest was given during the last group time. All students were present for the Pre/ Post Test 1=Strongly disagree 2= Disagree 3= Neutral 4= Agree 5= Strongly Agree I listen closely to what my teacher says. Pre/Post Test Results Pre Post Learner 1 4 4 Learner 2 2 4 Learner 3 2 3 Learner 4 3 4 Learner 5 1 3 Learner 6 4 5 Learner 7 3 4 Learner 8 2 3 Learner 9 2 4 Learner 10 4 4 Learner 11 4 4 Learner 12 5 5 Learner 13 4 4 Learner 14 2 4 Learner 15 3 4 Learner 16 2 4 Average 2.9 3.9 35% increase It is easy for me to pay attention. Pre/Post Test Results Pre Post Learner 1 1 3 Learner 2 1 3 Learner 3 1 3 Learner 4 1 4 Learner 5 2 3 Learner 6 1 4 Learner 7 2 4 Learner 8 1 3 Learner 9 2 2 Learner 10 4 4 Learner 11 4 4 Learner 12 4 5 Learner 13 4 4 Learner 14 2 3 Learner 15 3 4 Learner 16 2 4 Average 2.2 3.5 59% increase I know how to calm and focus my body. Pre/Post Test Results Pre Post Learner 1 2 5 Learner 2 2 4 Learner 3 1 4 Learner 4 2 4 Learner 5 3 5 Learner 6 3 4 Learner 7 3 4 Learner 8 2 4 Learner 9 3 4 Learner 10 2 4 Learner 11 4 5 Learner 12 4 5 Learner 13 4 5 Learner 14 2 3 Learner 15 2 3 Learner 16 2 4 Average 2.5 4.2 68% increase I know what it means to be mindful. Pre/Post Test Results Pre Post Learner 1 2 4 Learner 2 2 4 Learner 3 3 4 Learner 4 1 4 Learner 5 2 4 Learner 6 1 5 Learner 7 2 5 Learner 8 3 5 Learner 9 4 4 Learner 10 2 5 Learner 11 1 4 Learner 12 1 5 Learner 13 2 4 Learner 14 2 4 Learner 15 1 3 Learner 16 2 4 Average 1.9 4.3 126% Increase

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): By June 2018, the number of identified Gap Group students reading levels below benchmark will decrease from 56% in the 2016-2017 school year to 40% in the 2017-2018 school year. Outcome data based on our literacy goal showed that of the 7 identified gap students who participated in the small group 5 of those students reached benchmark reading standards by the end of the year. Overall achievement data from standards based report cards were are follows: 100% of identified learners scored (-) in the areas of “listening attentively” and “staying on task” my goal was to reduce the percentage from 100% of learners to 75% of learners. After group, the learners went from 100% (-)to 62.5% (-) in one or both areas. *only 19 percent did not make any gains in their social development and work habit section of their standards based report card from quarter one to quarter two.

Implications: This is the first year that Dakota Prairie adopted standards based report cards for all of our learners. This is the first time that I have chosen group member solely based on data. Although I would have liked to see more improvement in the specific areas of “listening attentively’ and “staying on task” I was satisfied with the progress and reached my goal of decreasing the percent of learners who had an emerging skill (-) from 100% to 75%. Next year I would like to have more continuity from group to classroom. I would like to create a scale for teacher to fill out before group lessons and after group lessons to see if any progress or regression is happening. I would also like to look at more longitudinal data to see how much of the information group members remember or are using the following school year. I also did a similar group with 2nd grade learners and found the results to be similar. Overall, 16 learners participated in this group. Of those 16, 7 were identified gap students (whose not meeting benchmark standards in reading according to the Fountas and Pinnell reading assessement). Of those 7 gap group students, 5 of them were able to meet benchmark reading standards by the end of the school year.

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