June 23, 2017

SCED 511 - Summer 2017

Small Group Proposal

Academic Tenacity: A High School Group for
Marginalized Students

Brittany Sill
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Small Group Proposal: Academic Tenacity

RATIONALE

Schools across the country are serving students, with unique identities that have been

created by their diverse and, for some, challenging circumstances. High school is an important

time for students to develop, learn and grow in a school environment that is safe, supportive and

welcoming to all. According to a guide written by The Jed Foundation, “It’s very likely that all

college age students will deal with emotional health issues in some way, whether themselves or

with a friend” (Emotional Health & Your College Student, 2012). It is important that students

who are struggling emotionally, receive the support, tools, space, and time to understand

themselves and work through these adverse situations. The school setting is a great place to

foster an environment where all students gain the necessary skills to advocate, grow, and succeed

in their daily lives.

Unfortunately, in schools across the United States, students experience oppression based

on their race, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, ability and

other identities. In an article titled, “Supporting Marginalized Students in Stressful Times: Tips

for Educators, it discusses how these marginalized groups are often perceived negatively within

their educational environment. This can look like exclusion, unequal treatment and unequal

access to resources (National Association of School Psychologists, n.d.). These types of

adversity impact our student’s psychological well-being both in and out of the school

environment. When educational improvements are made to curriculum and pedagogy, the focus

is on academic content and students’ intellectual processing of that material. However,

according to research by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this is insufficient. “In our

pursuit of educational reform, something essential has been missing: the psychology of the

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student. Psychological factors—often called motivational or non-cognitive factors—can matter

even more than cognitive factors for students’ academic performance. These may include

students’ beliefs about themselves, their feelings about school, or their habits of self-control”

(Dweck et al., n.d.).

By ignoring psychological factors in educational reform, these factors: extreme stress,

adversity, and trauma can impede concentration, cognitive functioning, memory, and social

relationships. Additionally, stress can contribute to both internalized symptoms—such as

hypervigilance, anxiety, depression, grief, fear, anger, isolation—and externalized behaviors—

such as startle responses, reactivity, aggression, and conduct problems. Given the often chronic

and significant stress placed on students from diverse backgrounds, many are at increased risk

for experiencing trauma and developing other mental health problems, undermining their ability

to function effectively in school (Dweck et al., n.d.).

Schools need to begin to address these issues and support these students. Providing the

opportunity for students to participate in small group counseling is the first step. This process

allows students to learn about interpersonal dynamics and can help normalize their experience

through feedback and stories shared by fellow group members. As counselors, using a race and

equity, cultural responsiveness, and social justice lens, we can support all students. When this

happens, students develop the skills to gain self-confidence, tools and understanding around

promoting social justice and can teach our students how to feel self-confident within their skin

and gain and understanding of their personal identity. As educators, our ability to connect with

students, especially marginalized students, to let them know, “I see you, I hear you, and I want to

support you” is essential. When we meet these students where they are and engage in

conversation, we begin to build relationships. By creating the time and space to support and

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relate to students from different cultural, socioeconomic and linguistic backgrounds. As

educators, we need to gain the skills necessary to teach our students to have the drive, knowledge

and understanding for building a more inclusive and less segregated nation.

ASCA NATIONAL STANDARDS: Academic Tenacity: A Small group for Marginalized

Students addresses the following ASCA National Standards: A:A1.1, A:A1.2, A:A1.4, A:A1.5,

A:A3.1, A:A3.2, A:A3.4, A:A3.4, A:B1.4, A:B1.7, A:B2.6, A:C1.6, C:A2.1, C:A2.5, C:C2.2,

PS:A1.1, PS:A1.4, PS:A1.5, PS:A1.8, PS:A1.9, PS:1.10, PS:A2.2, PS:A2.3, PS:A2.3, PS:A2.5,

PS:A2.7, PS:B1.4, PS:B1.7, PS:C1.5, PS:C1.9, PS:C1.10, PS:C1.11

OVERVIEW OF ACADEMIC TENACITY: A HIGH SCHOOL GROUP FOR

MARGINALIZED STUDENTS:

The Academic Tenacity: A High School Group for Marginalized Students seeks to

promote a genuine understanding and appreciation for diversity within the school environment.

Students who feel marginalized will have the opportunity and space to gain an understanding of

their cultural identity, personal strengths through value affirmation, and ways to interrupt and

understand the oppression they see and face daily. Students will watch videos, talk through daily

interactions and work through activities to help stimulate discussion and conversations around

the struggles they are facing. These activities will help to reduce the psychological burden of the

factors mentioned above, provide tools and strategies for educating themselves and their peers to

become more motivated and successful learners.

This group will also allow a safe space for students to discuss fears of safety and

emotional/mental well-being, by promoting sensitivity and acceptance of diversity among all

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students including LGBTQ students, immigrants, members of religious minorities, and diverse

family systems (Helping Students After the 2016 Election, n.d.).

Within the educational environment, there is a responsibility for educators to identify

students with a heightened risk and to provide them with additional level of support (Tier 2). The

groups will be juniors and seniors. The students will be identified based on the needs assessment

that was filled out at the beginning of the school year. The needs assessment will have questions

that relate to the following topics:

• Defining their personal identity

• Identifying and naming strengths
• Stereotypes – what does it look like and how can I respond?
• Macroaggressions – Awareness and ways to address them and foster inclusive
communications.
• Tools and strategies to mindfully interrupt oppression and stereotypical and
micro aggressive language.

ACADEMIC TENACITY GROUP OBJECTIVES:

Students will:

• Believe they belong in school academically and socially. School is part of who
they are and is a route to future goals.

• Provide a safe environment to discuss stereotypes and assumptions made by peers

• Discuss the importance of mindful interruption when you witness acts of injustice,
intolerance or oppression.

• Students will learn about and talk through their own biases and beliefs about other
people and groups.

• Provide an opportunity for students to become knowledgeable about people,

cultures, traditions and values that are different from their own.

• Understand the importance of building a support network and can explain

• Identify and interrupt oppression and become an Ally to their peers.

• Identify and recognize ways in which you benefit from privileged aspects of your
own identity.

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• Identify healthy coping mechanisms to deal with challenges and stress.

• Gain student feedback on how to improve the current school culture/environment.

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE GROUP:

Member Selection: The students who are interviewed and screened for this group will have filled
out a needs assessment at the beginning of the year. There will be a specific section focused on
diversity, equity and issues/concerns with personal identity, stereotypes and micro-aggressions,
and feelings of marginalization within their peer groups. Students will also participate in a
proactive screening processes to determine the student’s sensitivity and openness around
diversity. There will be intentionality around the group members to ensure each person has an
infinity partner. Based on the information discussed in the group it is important that each student
can talk through situations with someone who shares in their personal experience.

Facilitator: The “Academic Tenacity for Marginalized Students” group will be facilitated by an
equity and diversity trained school counselor/intern. Also, the facilitator will be proficient with
their understanding of cultural awareness, knowledge and skills. There will be collaboration
between classroom teachers, the district equity representative and administrators. When needed
the counselor will rely on inner district and community members to help facilitate aspects that
need an “expert” lens.

Group numbers, meeting frequency, and time of year: This group will consist of no more than 10
members. There will be two different groups: one for women and one for men. Students will be
placed in the group that matches their identified gender. Reason being, I want to allow a safe
space and the appropriate amount of time for students to talk through their experience, concerns
and wonderings around self-identity, stereotypes and macroaggressions. The group will meet
once a week for eight weeks, 60 minute sessions, after winter break.

Location: The counselor’s office or a conference room will be reserved, in advance for each
meeting.

Parent permission and participation: Each member of the group will be required to turn in a
signed permission slip by their parent/guardian.

Group Time: Each meeting time is comprised of lessons that can be emotional, triggering and
lead to deep discussion. For each meeting, there will be 10-15 minutes “reserved” for debriefing.

Multicultural considerations: This group will be comprised of students who are different than
myself based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and class. The book “School Based Group
Counseling, brings up many multicultural considerations for running groups. As the facilitator, I
should do the following: take the time to gather information from different sources to know my
students cultural frame of reference; and, understand that not all students share a welcoming
attitude around valuing cultural diversity (Sink et al., 2012).

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Ethical Consideration: Every student will bring a permission slip home to be signed regarding
the tenacity group. Parents/guardians will receive a summary of the group, each lesson and
check-in/discussion questions to use to talk with their student if needed. I will ensure that each
parent understand confidentiality and that the group will meet either in the counseling office or
concerns room. Students have the option to share or not based on their level of comfort.
Parents/guardians will receive my contact information and will be encouraged to ask any
questions or contact me with any reservations about the group. Students will be informed about
confidentiality during the screening process and at the beginning of each meeting.
Confidentiality is to be maintained always. Students will be allowed to discuss what THEY did
in the group but cannot share any information about their fellow group members discussed. As
the facilitator will also maintain confidentiality UNLESS a student shares they plan to hurt
themselves or someone else.

ACADEMIC TENACITY GROUP OUTLINE:

Session Topic and Activities Evaluation/Feedback

• Group introductions (ice-breaker activity - Respect Activity. • Pre-group
• Confidentiality awareness and
• understanding
1: INTRODUCTION

Ice Breaker: Interview

• Establish Group Agreements and Norms assessment.
• Discuss facilitator and group member objectives. Finalize objectives • Checkout
for the group.
• Pre-group awareness and understanding assessment
• Checkout (One thing I am looking forward to… and one thing I am
nervous about...)

• Group Welcome and Check-In (Type of Weather) • Completion of the

• Review Group Norms/Agreements and Confidentiality activity
2: ABOUT ME….

• Ice breaker: Popsicle Stick questions • The self-

• Activity: – Circles of My Multicultural Self reflection will
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/activities/circlesofself_handout. identify what the
html student learned,
• Students will write their name in the center circle likes/dislikes and
• In each of the connecting circles, students will write a self-identifier. what could be
Ex.: Asian American, female, mother, athlete, educator, Taoist, changed.
scientist, or any descriptor with which you identify.
• Small Group Discussion Questions Will Follow
• Check-Out – Reflection

• Group Welcome and Check-In (On a scale of 1-10, how is your day • Students will
going? write down their
• Review Group Norms/Agreements and Confidentiality take a ways and
3. My Cultural Self

• Icebreaker: “I mustache you a question” wonderings on a

• Activity: My Multicultural Self http://www.tolerance.org/lesson/my- sheet of paper.
multicultural-self • Follow-up will
o Students will identify at least five facets of their multicultural happen with
selves students as
o Students will reflect on how any one identity facet shapes the needed.
way they view the world
o Students will understand the many reasons that
miscommunication can occur
• Check Out: Two “things I learned” and two “wonderings I have”.

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• Group Welcome and Check-In • Completion of the

• Review Group Norms/Agreements and Confidentiality personal/social
• Ice Breaker: Each student rights down three things about themselves on wheel.
a note card (prompts provided). The facilitator will read the cards • Pair discussion
and group
4. Identity Wheel

allowed and the group guess whose card has been read.
• Begin to Discuss Group Termination discussion
• Activity – • Check-out
o Each student will have an opportunity to fill out BOTH the answers.
o reflect on and discuss our identities and how they relate to
our experiences in society.
o “Personal identity wheel” – will be broken up into pairs to
discuss
o “Social identity wheel” - will be broken up into pairs to
discuss
• Group Discussion - big takeaways from their discussions.
o Prompt discussion about how culture shapes how we are seen
• based on certain identities.
• Check-Out – Instagram picture that represents where you are at in your
identity journey.

• Group Welcome and Check-In (On a scale of 1-10, how is your day • Completion of the
5. Value Affirmations

going? group activity.

• Review Group Norms/Agreements and Confidentiality • Group Discussion
• Ice Breaker: Beach Ball Questions and closing
• Discuss Group Termination activity…students
• Activity – “I am “… (Jahari Window) will write their
o Each student will create a list of adjectives that describe answers in their
themselves “journal”.
o Based on their window, student will create a wordle that
represents themselves.
• Group Discussion – Refection upon the activity.
• Check-Out: What are three things that surprised you about yourself?
What are three things you already knew about yourself? - 10 minute
“journal” – Students know that I will review this information.

” • Group Welcome and Check-In • Just because

• Review Group Norms/Agreements and Confidentiality Poem
Just Because

• Ice Breaker: My Name is? – Students attached adjectives to their name. • Group Discussion
As students share, each student must repeat the previous names shared. and Journal
• Discuss Group Termination reflection.
• Activity –
“ o Participants define “stereotype;”
o participants identify stereotypes
o Video: Ted Talk on Stereotypes
6. Stereotypes:

o participants will breakdown stereo types and expectations

Students will have an opportunity to define themselves
outside of stereotypes.
o Each student will create their own “Just Because” Poem
o Group Discussion - Students will discuss expectations that
others place on them
o Poems will be placed on display in the counseling center.
• Check-Out – Self-reflection: Students will have 15 minutes to
“journal”. (This is a journal that will be kept in the office, students are
aware that I will review their answers.

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Small Group Proposal: Academic Tenacity

• Group Welcome and Check-In • Pre-Assessment

7. Micro Aggressions • Review Group Norms/Agreements and Confidentiality • Reflection
• Ice Breaker: The question Web • Group Discussion
• Discuss Group Termination – Plan “celebration” for next session
• Activity –
o Pre-assessment of students understanding/awareness of
micro/macro aggressions.
o Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW027BzE3uM
o The whole group will discuss micro/macro aggressions
o Review purpose
o Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPRA4g-3yEk
o Students will break into pairs and receive different scenarios.
Together they will work to identify, consider the message and
explore ways micro aggressions can be overcome in everyday
communication.
• Group Discussion
• Self-Reflection: Students will look back at their pre-assessment to see
if any parts of their pre-assessment where micro/macro aggressions.
• Check-Out – “Journal reflection”

• Group Welcome and Check-In • Agree/Disagree

• Review Group Norms/Agreements and Confidentiality activity
8. Closing: Mindful Interruption

• Ice Breaker: “If” - Questions • Different

• Activity – Agree/Disagree activity: 20 questions treatment
• Different treatment for different people worksheet worksheet
• You are an Ally If worksheet • Ally work sheet
• Closing: Ways to make a difference activity – whole group • Ways to make a
https://sfusdhealtheducation.org/download/HS/sexuality/beRealBeReady/Lesson%207_Sexuality. difference
%20Privilege,%20Opression,%20and%20Being%20an%20Ally.pdf
brainstorm
• Group Celebration • Final Assessment
• Group Discussion and final assessment of the group
• Check-Out – Each student will receive an end of group assessment.
• Feedback from
whole school:
teachers,
administrators
etc.

MEASURING SUCCESS AND POST GROUP FOLLOW UP: After the group terminates,
there will be a whole group check in three weeks after the last meeting. The counselor will
receive feedback (pre/post survey) from the group members themselves, information from the
school climate questionnaire (end of year), and from teachers and other staff members about
changes that took place.

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RESOURCES:

Axelson, A. Alan "Emotional Health & Your College Student - A Guide For Parents". Transition
Year. N.p., 2017. Web. 18 June 2017. from
http://www.transitionyear.org/_downloads/parent_pdf_guide.pdf

Dweck, C. S., Ealton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (n.d.). Academic Tenacity Mindsets and Skills that
Promote Long-Term Learning. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from
https://ed.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/manual/dweck-walton-cohen-2014.pdf

"Helping Students After the 2016 Election." American School Counselor Association. N.D.,
2017. Web. 19 June 2017, from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-
members/professional-development/learn-more/helping-students-after-election

Sink, Christopher A, Cher N Edwards, and Christie Eppler. School-Based Group Counseling.
Australia: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. (P.257-261

“Supporting Marginalized Students in Stressful Times: Tips for Educators”. National

Association of School Psychologists, n.d. Web. 19 June 2017, from
https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources/diversity/social-
justice/supporting-marginalized-students-in-stressful-times-tips-for-educators