American School Counselor Association Questions
Introduction
The Challenge:
· The school counselor reviewed the school discipline data and noticed that there was an increase in discipline referrals related to behavior, escalation, conflict, and outbursts in the 8th grade classrooms.
· Observations: The 8th grade teachers have shared that they observed that students have difficulty identifying and sharing their emotions. After visiting the classroom and having individual counseling sessions with some 8th graders involved in behavioral incidents, the school counselor agrees.
· The school counselor researches the connection between emotional regulation, coping strategies, and interventions.
Plan:
· To address the challenge and achieve the SMART Goal, the school counselor will implement 10 Classroom Lesson Plans using Evidence-based Interventions.
Initiative SMART Goal:
SMART Goal
| Academic Year | 2025 | to | 2026 |
Identify outcome data (achievement, attendance or discipline) that serves as basis for goal:
| Disciplinary Referrals |
| By | December 12, 2025 | , | 8th Grade students |
| End Date | Targeted Group |
| will | Decrease the number of disciplinary referrals related to emotional regulation (conflict, outbursts, escalation) | |
| (increase/decrease something related to achievement, attendance or discipline) |
| by | 10% | from | Average of 50 Disciplinary referrals per week | to | Average of 45 Disciplinary referrals per week |
| Measure of change | Baseline data | Target data |
Review Lesson Plan #2 below.
Lesson Plan
| School Counselor: | S.C. Walden |
| Lesson Plan Title: | Social Emotional Learning Skills
|
| · Single Classroom Lesson
X Unit of Classroom Lessons: Lesson __2___ of __10___ · Small-Group Session Lessons: Lesson _____ of _____ |
|
| Target Audience: | 8th Graders
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| Evidence Base: | |
| · Best Practice (commonly used and believed to be of high quality)
· Action Research (individual investigates own practice to improve content/delivery) · Research-Informed (a review of research provides foundation for content/delivery) X Evidence-Based (highest level of evidence, results published in peer-reviewed journal) |
| ASCA Student Standards Targeted:
|
Student Learning Objectives: | |
| Identify 1–2 student standards relevant for this targeted group and goal:
(Best practice = select one) |
For each of the selected student standards, write or select 1–2 learning objectives | |
| M&B# | Mindsets & Behaviors Statement | Student Learning Objectives |
| M1 | Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being | Student(s) will:
· Learn vocabulary to identify different emotions and how they impact behaviors in difficult situations. · Describe coping strategies to address different emotions experience in difficult situations. |
| Materials: |
| · Laptop and Projector
· Feelings wheel · Counselor provided journal or journal app in laptop
|
| Describe how you will: | |
| Introduce Lesson Topic/Focus: | Topic: Exploring Feelings and Behaviors
Explain to students that we will talk about feelings and behaviors today and how they can be different for everyone.
Hand out Pre-Assessment Survey
|
| Communicate the Lesson Objective: | Explain to students that we want everyone to be able to describe different feelings that they may have in difficult situations, how they can affect our behaviors, and some healthy ways to address our feelings. |
| Teach Content: | Lesson Motivator:
What are feelings? Let’s name some examples of different feelings. Use feelings wheel for help. What are some ways that our emotions can affect our behaviors? What happens when we have intense emotions in different settings? How is home different than school?
Check In: On a scale from 1-5 how do you feel today? (1=sad, mad or frustrated and 5 = happy, glad or excited)
Story of the Day: Snack Attack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38y_1EWIE9I&list=PL4zefTl4s9VgcylZhOQh7EfIeaSBYJ89U |
| Practice Content: | Journal Prompt:
In the video, what did you notice about the feelings and behaviors of the woman in the beginning? What about the boy’s feelings and behaviors? What ended up happening at the end? What do you think that can teach us about our feelings and how they impact our behaviors?
Sometimes we may react in difficult situations before we learn all of the facts or understand the entire situation. Sometimes consequences can occur because we were not able to think about the situation or how we feel about it clearly.
In your journal entry, think of a time when you were in a difficult situation and your emotions impacted how you behaved with someone else. How did you feel at the time? What were the results of your behaviors at the time? What would you have done differently?
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| Summarize/Close: | Hand out Post-Assessment Survey
Explain that feelings are normal but how we understand and act on our feelings is important. We can use this reflection as a reminder of how to take time to process our feelings before we react.
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| Data Collection Plan – For multiple lessons in a unit, complete this section only once for the unit. | |
| Participation Data Plan: | |
| Anticipated number of students: | 30 |
| Planned length of lesson(s): | 25 minutes |
| ASCA Student Standards Data Plan: | |
| For each lesson/unit/small group, school counselors will administer pre-/post-assessment aligned with the selected ASCA Student Standards and student learning objectives.
Pre-/Post-Assessment items are: Likert Scale – (1- Always True, 2 – Mostly True, 3 – Not Sure, 4 – Mostly False, 5 – Always False) 1. I think it’s important to understand my feelings in difficult situations. 2. I am good at naming my feelings in difficult situations. 3. I don’t usually get in trouble for how I display my feelings in difficult situations. 4. I know the different feelings that affect my behavior in difficult situations. 5. I can tell when my feelings are going to affect my behavior. 6. I know how to calm down when I am overwhelmed with my feelings. |
|
| Outcome Data Plan: (choose one and describe specific data point to compare) | |
| Examples:
Achievement: School counselor will compare reading levels of students before and after delivery of lesson. Attendance: School counselor will compare number of absences last year to this year. Discipline: School counselor will compare total number of disciplinary reports for peer-on-peer conflict first quarter with second quarter · Achievement (describe):
· Attendance (describe):
· Discipline (describe): School counselor will compare the total number of disciplinary referrals at the beginning of the school year with the end of the fall semester.
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| Follow-Up Plans | |
| Students who missed the lesson will be given an opportunity to make up their journal entry in an individual or small group lesson. Students will also get to ask questions during the recap in the next lesson.
Students who did not demonstrate mastery on the pre-/post-assessment of student standards (M&B)/student learning objectives will be monitored for referrals to individual or small group lessons. Counselor will also review for ways to better engage students or tailor language/activities to the needs of these students.
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Classroom and Small-Group Results Report
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