Presented by Arond Schonberg & Keith Fulthorp

1. Presented by Arond Schonberg & Keith Fulthorp

2. If you had to develop an intervention… • The quarter grade report just came out and you see that your case load has over 100 students with two or more failing grades…. • Simultaneously, the principal prints out the quarterly attendance report of students with 5 or more period cuts/absences: your caseload has 200 students on the list….

3. Today’s Purpose • To provide you with an understanding of how to use solution focused counseling with a large number of students in the shortest time possible • To learn how to create meaningful connections for students that link them to their past successes • To demonstrate how to use a weekly, systematic approach to effect a change in students grades, attendance and outlook towards school. • To leave you with a tool you can take back to work and implement immediately

4. What “Problem Counseling” Sounds like to students: • When students are struggling academically, they often ignore or tune out “problem-focused” teachers, parents and counselors. Instead this is what PC’s sound like to the struggling student: • (Video Clips: Deleted from this version so that the file will be easier to email)

5. Theoretical Assumptions • When we concentrate on successes, beneficial changes will happen • Every problem has identifiable solutions and exceptions • Small change can lead to large change over time • All people have what it takes to solve their problems

6. Additional Guiding Concepts • Avoid problem analysis • Be efficient • Be behaviorally specific • Focus on the present and future • Focus on action rather than insight

7. Theoretical Techniques • Exceptions • Positive Goals • Scaling • Flagging the Minefield • The Miracle Question • Cheerleading • Empowering • What Else and Instead Questions • Rediscovering Unrecognized Solutions • Keeping the change going

8. Basic Flow of Solution Focused Counseling • Identify the problem that brought the student to you • Externalize the problem for the student by giving it a name • Ask the miracle question or nightmare question • Extract the goals of what the student wants to be different

9. Basic Flow of Solution Focused Counseling • Have the student scale the problem 0 – 10, 10 the problem is most intense and 0 the problem is gone, where are they today? • Help the students find exceptions currently and or in the past • Have the students anticipate possible obstacles to their success by flagging the minefield • Have the student write up a plan that is as specific as possible

11. Initial Meeting

12. First Follow Up

13. Second Follow Up

14. Third Follow Up

15. Maintenance Follow Up

16. ISS in Action • Small group activity • Partner up with someone near you • Review the ISS packet • Review the ISS meeting instructions • Take turns role playing • Run through the ISS once from an academic problem frame • Run through the ISS once from an attendance problem frame

17. Questions/Quick Review • Individual Solution Strategies has been developed over the past two years, and has been utilized in high school and higher education settings • Promising results indicate increases in academic achievement and attendance • Implementing the ISS in your school site allows you to easily document significant positive results, in a short time

18. Contact Information Keith Fulthorp Arond Schonberg • CSU Long Beach Department of Recreation & Leisure Studies • 1250 Bellflower Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90840 • kfulthor@csulb.edu • 562-985-8728 • Redondo Union High School • 631 Vincent Park Redondo Beach, CA 90277 • aschonberg@rbusd.org • 310-798-8665