Counseling Programs That Work with Failing Students

1. Counseling Programs That Work with Failing Students Teesue H. Fields, IU Southeast Bette Hughes, Jefferson County KY Rochelle House, Columbus, IN

2. What Works? • A look at what we know from research and practice for middle and high school students • Unless indicated these interventions are application to rural and urban settings and a variety of socio-economic and ethnic groups because the interventions across groups have a lot in common

3. Prevention Works • A comprehensive program that teaches academic skills such as self-management, self-regulation & study skills results in improved achievement • It is better that counselors and teachers plan this together and work on these skills together

4. Prevention • Taking time at the beginning of the year to teach good academic skills will make students more successful; then those skills need to be reinforced • There are general skills and there are discipline specific skills and teacher specific skills –challenge your teachers to identify those skills

5. Prevention • Middle School counselors can plan with teams • It’s often harder for high school counselors. It helps to focus on ninth grade which is the crunch year for being successful in high school.

6. Prevention • Every counselor who started an intervention after the first nine weeks, told me at the end of the project that if they had it to do over, they would start the classroom guidance from Day 1 • Consult the ASCA guidelines for specific competencies e.g. Are you teaching your students how to ask for help? Are you teaching them to be persistent?

7. For Students Who Need More • Identify students who need help using some criteria • Students with 2 Fs first nine weeks • Students who haven’t turned in homework for 9 days out of 14 WHY? WHAT SIZE?

8. Design Interventions • Tutoring works- going over some of the same study skills taught in guidance plus some specific subject skills • Small group focused on study skills work – at least ten sessions plus boosters • Small group with study skills plus counseling about self-management, social problem solving works even better

9. Small Group Interventions • You’ve already taught the basics in classroom guidance, so this is to sharpen, reiterate those skills • Have the students set goals and monitor those goals in group • Start with things students are doing well and build on those

10. Small Group Interventions • Run the group each week all of first semester with two sessions in January to celebrate successes and to get them off on the right foot for second semester; then see them once a month • Could start a new group in January for first semester failures

11. Individual Counseling • Some students are not appropriate for group and have to be seen individually • A few students will need some individual attention at times in addition to group • After an initial session, a lot of your follow-up can be quick check-ins (first thing in the morning, lunch time, etc.)

12. Parent Involvement • Let parents know what you are doing; ask for their help. • School workshops and parent nights • After school tutoring centers; neighborhood service centers • Have students make notes in group to send home; ask teachers to note progress

13. Show Your Results • Track individual students and show how they have improved (grades, homework completion, etc.) • Show group results (I worked with 20 students with a total of 43 Fs and by third nine weeks there were only 12 Fs.) • Present this data to principal, PTA, School Board, professional conferences

14. CONTACT ME • Dr. Teesue H. Fields Indiana University Southeast New Albany, IN 47150 thfields@ius.edu 812-941-2658