1

Small Group Proposal

Anna Baack

Concordia University, NE

COU 515

Kathy L’Heureux

12/19/21
2

Small Group Proposal

According to Corey, Corey & Corey (2018), “groups provide a natural laboratory and a

sense of community that demonstrates to people that they are not alone and that there is hope for

creating a different life,” (pg. 6). Groups provide many benefits for students and can help to

provide them with a sense of support and community. The ASCA (2020) states that group

counseling is an efficient, effective, and positive way of providing direct services to students

with academic, career, and social/emotional developmental issues and situational concerns.

Groups have been shown to improve study skills, underachievement, school adjustment, and help

reduce social isolation by creating a sense of belonging (ASCA, 2020).

Our students have shown a need for a small group opportunity, and I believe that a small

group is both necessary and beneficial in our school. Research has shown many positives of

small group counseling, and these positives will benefit our students as well. The ASCA (2020)

states that group work in schools represents an integral domain in the ASCA National Model.

Groups can create a climate of trust, caring, understanding, and support that allows students to

share their concerns with others (ASCA, 2020). The group in our school will strive to facilitate

this climate of trust and caring. Students need positive social interaction and by providing a small

group opportunity, we would be able to give our students this positive interaction.

Group counseling has been shown to have a positive effect on academic achievement and

personal growth and is an effective way to meet the students’ needs (ASCA, 2020). Another

benefit of a small group opportunity is that it provides students an opportunity to learn more

about themselves and how to interact with others. Steen, Bauman, & Smith (2007) state “small

group counseling provides an opportunity for students to develop insights about themselves and
3

others, and it offers a safe setting in which to address developmental, situational, and academic

issues,” (para. 2).

To address any questions that the administration, teachers, parents, or students might

have, a newsletter will be created that could be sent out to the staff as well as parents if they

wanted additional information. This newsletter will explain more about what the process might

look like, what the goal of the small group is, and additional information on the benefits of small

group counseling. This small group would meet during the lunch hour 2 times per week and

would focus on building academic achievement and personal growth. In response to questions

that teachers might have, such as “will these students miss my class?” or “how do you determine

who is involved in the group,” I would send out an email to all the staff explaining more in-depth

some of the processes of the group, reassure them that they won’t be missing class, etc. In

addition, I would encourage them to come to me with any questions they might still have.

Group counseling is an efficient, effective, and positive way of providing direct services

to students with academic, career, and social/emotional developmental issues and situational

concerns (ASCA, 2020). A need for small group counseling has been shown in our school, and I

firmly believe that this group could have a positive impact not just on the students participating,

but also on the other students in our school as well. According to the ASCA (2020), “group

counseling is an integral part of a school counseling program and should be supported by school

administrators and school districts,” (para. 6).

For this group, the Adlerian Counseling Theory will be used. The main aim of Adlerian

therapy is to develop the client’s sense of belonging, with the focus being on the clients’

strengths and well-being (Corey, 2017). Adlerian therapists use encouragement as a way to build

up their clients and to form their relationship (Corey, 2017). This approach works in a small-
4

group setting by working with students on social skills and self-esteem. Since Adlerians focus on

client’s sense of belonging as well as building up their self-esteem, I would work with the group

to help them feel valued and confident in their interpersonal relationships. I would use

encouragement, kindness, and positivity in my small-group, and keep the focus on my students.

This benefits my students because it would help them to feel seen, heard, and valued. Being kind

and encouraging is always a good idea, whether you are in a counseling setting or not. I want to

build other people up, love them well, and help them to grow as people. Using the Adlerian

technique, I would be benefiting my students. 

Group counseling provides benefits such as improving study skills, underachievement,

and school adjustment (ASCA, 2020). However, the most important benefit of group counseling

is reducing social isolation and creating a sense of belonging (ASCA, 2020). Students need to be

supported and feel connected to others. This small group opportunity will allow students to feel

just that. We will strive to create a climate of trust, caring, understanding, and support that allows

students to share their thoughts and concerns in a safe place. This will have positive ripple

effects throughout the group, and throughout our school as a whole. My role as a school

counselor is to support all aspects of the students I am privileged to serve. Supporting the

implementation of this group is a way to do just that. This group will help to support our

students, give them a sense of belonging, and help them to develop into people who are

positioned to make a difference in their life and the life of those around them. To reiterate again,

“groups provide a natural laboratory and a sense of community that demonstrates to people that

they are not alone and that there is hope for creating a different life,” (Corey, Corey & Corey,

2018, pg. 6).

For my small group proposal, I plan to create a small group at Waverly Middle School

that focuses on the power of our words. This small group will consist of six to eight 7th graders at

Waverly Middle School. The members with consist of both males and females and will be

referred by their teachers. 7th grade teachers will have the opportunity to refer students who they

believe could benefit from learning about how to speak with more kindness towards their peers.

The goal of this group will be to increase kindness in our school and to reduce referrals by 10%

made by teachers about students being unkind to one another. ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors that

will be focused on are M 2. Sense of acceptance, respect, support and inclusion for self and

others in the school environment; B-SS 2. Positive, respectful, and supportive relationships with

students who are similar to and different from them; and B-SS 4. Empathy (ASCA, 2021).

According to the ASCA (2020), school counselors have a responsibility to screen

potential group members. The screening processes for my small group will consist of a google

form that asks some questions about the participation of the members. In addition, this form will

provide some information about how the group process will work as well. I will sort through the

responses of the students that have been referred and make a selection from there. Once the

selection has been made, a consent form will be sent home with the students for their

parents/guardians to sign before the official small group begins to meet.

This small group will meet 2 times a week during the 7th grade lunch time. This will add

up to approximately an hour each week and will continue for 6 weeks. The group members will

be given a pre-test at the beginning of these 6 weeks and will complete a post-test at the end of

the 6 weeks as well. This data will help me to determine if this small group was effective or not.

It will also help me to know what I will do differently for my next small group opportunity.
6

Consulting with the student’s teachers is another good way to determine if they have seen a

change in their student’s behavior as well.

These small group sessions will be held in my office or a space near my office, such as a

conference room. According to Corey, Corey & Corey (2018), privacy is essential for a small

group meeting. Groups often fail because of these physical settings, and if there are too many

distractions it won’t be effective either (Corey, Corey & Corey, 2018). I want my small group to

meet in a place that will limit distractions and be a place that stimulates growth and positive

results.

The expected rules for all who participate are to maintain confidentiality, speak with

kindness, respect all those in the group and outside of it, do not speak when other people are

speaking, and create a safe place for members to share. Small groups will not be effective if the

members do not create an environment where other members feel safe, seen, and respected.

Week 1: Orientation

The ASCA Mindset to be focused on in the first session is M-3: Positive attitude towards

work and learning (ASCA, 2021). The learning objective for the first week is to understand what

the purpose of this small group is and to learn the expectations for the following weeks.

Materials needed for this session include a pre-test, pens, and consent forms. The initial session

will include a discussion about confidentiality, the purpose and structure of the group, and basic

ground rules. A pre-assessment will also be given to each of the members. The exit ticket for the

first session will be to write down at least two things each of the members is hoping to take away

from this group.

Week 2: The Power of Words

The ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors that will be focused on for this session include M-1:

Belief in development of the whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional,

and physical well-being; and B-SS 1: Effective oral and written communication skills and

listening skills (ASCA, 2021). The learning objection for this session will be to help students

understand the power our words hold in the lives of those around us. Materials needed for this

session are the book “Seeds and Trees” by Brandon Walden, paper, and pens. This session will

begin with an introduction and check-in with the students. I will then read the story “Seeds and

Trees” to my group. This story speaks about the power that words hold in our lives and what we

can do to both build up and tear down. As a group, we will discuss times in our lives when words

built us up and when words tore us down. The group will be reminded about the power of our

tongue and how we can use our words to make others feel good. To check for understanding this

week, I will ask my group members to write down their biggest take-away from “Seeds and

Trees,” as well as tell me in a sentence or two why our words are important.

Week 3: Crumpled Heart Activity

The ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors that will be focused on this week are B-SS 2.

Positive, respectful, and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different

from them and B-SS 4. Empathy (ASCA, 2021). The learning objective for this session is to

realize how words can leave a lasting impact in our lives, both positively and negatively.

Materials needed include red construction paper, scissors, pens, and coloring utensils. Have

students write down on their paper heart something someone said to them that hurt their feelings.

Let them know nobody else will be reading it. Ask the students to crumple up the heart when
8

they are doing writing it down. Then ask the students to try to flatten out the paper heart again.

You can’t get it back to totally smooth, can you? Explain how that is the same thing for our real

hearts. Words hurt, and they leave a mark that never quite leaves us the same. To check for

understanding this week, students will be asked to write down how they felt about this activity

and how it impacted them.

Week 4: Focus on Others

The ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors that will be focused on this week are B-SS 2: Create

positive and supportive relationships with other students; B-SS 3: Positive relationships with

adults who support success; and B-SS 1: Effective oral and written communication skills and

listening skills (ASCA, 2021). The learning objective for this week is to learn about the value of

thinking about other people. Materials needed for this session are writing utensils, paper, and

envelopes. This week, students will write an encouraging note or letter to one of their peers or to

an adult figure in their life. This letter will be focused on thanking that person for the positive

impact they have had in the student’s life, as well as telling this person at least three specific

things the student appreciates about them. This will help students to learn how to focus on other

people and to give appreciation for people in their life.

Week 5: Kindness Poster

The ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors that will be focused on this week are B-SS 2: Create

positive and supportive relationships with other students; and B-SS 1: Effective oral and written

communication skills and listening skills (ASCA, 2021). The learning objective for this session

is to help students build their self-esteem and find ways to speak kindness into the lives of the
9

students around them. Materials needed are 9x13 pieces of paper, writing utensils, and coloring

utensils. Students will each be given a 9-by-13 sheet of paper and 5-10 minutes to write their

name and decorate the border of their sheet of paper using whatever colors/designs they choose.

Then have the students pass their piece of paper to the person sitting next to them. The student

will write one compliment about the person whose name is on the piece of paper. Then they will

hand it to the next person and they will do the same. Continue this until every student has written

a compliment for each person in the class. End the activity when the students receive their own

piece of paper back. The exit ticket will be for students to write down 2 positive things that they

feel based on the poster they received back from their peers.

Week 6: Conclusion

For the final session, we will be combining the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors we have

focused on in the previous sessions to end the group. The main ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors

that will be focused on are M 2. Sense of acceptance, respect, support and inclusion for self and

others in the school environment; B-SS 2. Positive, respectful, and supportive relationships with

students who are similar to and different from them; and B-SS 4. Empathy (ASCA, 2021). The

learning objective for the final session is to create a sense of closure and to be reminded of the

importance of our words. The only materials needed for this week are writing utensils and paper.

This session will include a debrief where we talk as a group about what we have learned in the

past 5 weeks, how our lives are different because of this group, and what we plan to do moving

forward. The post-assessment will also be given as a closing activity well.

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the group, a pre-assessment will be given in the

first week and a post-assessment will be given in the final week. This assessment will be used to
10

determine how effective the group was, what went well, and where to improve in the future. Data

guides our entire program and role, and it is a vital part of being a school counselor. “You

absolutely have to have the data and be able to prove the impact your school counseling

department is having and can have,” (O’Grady, 2014, para. 22).

An example of the pre-assessment and post-assessment are given below.

Pre/Post-Assessment

Name:

1. Do you believe that words are powerful? Why or why not?

2. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being not at all and 5 being very much), do you believe words can

ruin a person’s entire day?

3. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being not at all and 5 being very much), do you believe words can

make a person’s entire day?

4. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being not at all and 5 being very much), how important do you

think being kind with your words is?

5. Name a time where words hurt you and a time in which they built you up.

6. List 3 ways you can be kind with your words today:

References

ASCA (2021). ASCA student standards: mindsets and behaviors for student success. ASCA.

Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-

d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

ASCA. (2020). The school counselor and group counseling. ASCA. Retrieved from

https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Standards-Positions/Position-Statements/ASCA-

Position-Statements/The-School-Counselor-and-Group-Counseling

Corey, G. (2017). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (10th ed.). Boston, MA:

Cengage Learning.

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice. Belmont, CA:

Brooks/Cole.

O'Grady, K. (2014, January 1). Using results to get results [Blog post].

https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Magazines/January-February-2014/Using-Results-to-

Get-Results

Steen, S., Bauman, S., & Smith, J. (2007). Professional school counselors and the practice of

group work. Professional School Counseling, 11(2), 72-80