What You Need To Know About Small Group Counseling
I still remember the first small group I did. It was a disaster.
I was working on positive behavior with a small group of kindergarten students, and I was totally unprepared. My classes in school didn’t teach me the process of scheduling the group, how to support behavior challenges during the small group, or what to actually do with the students once they were in my office.
I still feel a little bad for the kids who were in that first group.
Although it took longer than it should have, I eventually got the hang of it and small group lessons became my favorite time of the week. I got to a point where I no longer dreaded going to pick up the kids. Plus, I had students and teachers actually begging me for more small groups.
I want to share with you the things I have learned along the way and answer the questions you have about small groups, so that hopefully your experience can be different than mine.
Whether you’re in your first year or your thirtieth year, my hope is that these small group counseling tips will give you the tools you need to feel confident and prepared for your next small group!
FAQ #1: How Many Students Do You Have In Each Group?
For me, the answer to this question depends on the type of group and the age of the students.
I once tried to do an anger management small group with eight 1st grade boys. I lasted two weeks before I split them up. Having that many students at once who struggled with challenging behavior made it difficult to get anything done. Plus, I couldn’t keep them focused between all of the fart noises…
For small groups focused on behavior (anger management, following directions, self-control, etc.), 3-4 students is ideal for me. This is especially true if I am working with younger students.
On the other hand, if we’re working on something like study skills, or transitioning to a new grade/school, I have been successful with having more students. Especially if I am working with older students, I have gone up to 10 students in a group like that.
FAQ #2: How Many Groups Do You Run At A Time?
The number of small groups you do at a time will depend on the other things you have on your schedule. If you do weekly or bi-weekly classroom lessons, you won’t have as much time for small group counseling. It’s best to work with your administration to see what the needs are at your specific school.
What has worked well for me is to do a few groups at a time, and to do them on the same day. This helps me to stay organized and in the “small group mood.”
It has also been helpful for me to run groups of the same topic during the same time period. For example, I might do 2 or 3 anger management small groups at a time. This makes it easier to plan and to stay organized. It also allows me to include more students because I am offering more than one group.
Related: For more tips on streamlining your school counseling schedule, check out this post!
FAQ #3: How Do You Select Students?
I have selected students a few different ways, but I always rely heavily on the feedback of the teachers because they usually know the students the best.
Several times, I have had teams of teachers reach out about doing a small group on a specific topic - growth mindset, following directions, etc. I then tell them how many students I will take and how many groups I will do, and ask them to give me a few names of students they would recommend. I also ask them to list them in order of priority so I know I’m reaching the students with the greatest needs.
If I notice a need, I also will initiate small groups. For example, if I notice that I’m seeing a lot of students with high levels of anger or anxiety, I may do a group for that. If there are specific students I think would benefit, I talk to their teachers about adding them to the group.
I also send a letter to the teachers of a specific grade level sharing that I will be doing a group on a specific day/time and ask them to nominate 1-2 students they think would benefit. Again, I ask them to list students in order of priority in case I can’t fit them all in.
FAQ #4: What Do You Do About Parent Permission?
Families are busy, and it’s easy for them to forget to return permission slips. So, what happens sometimes is that we send out all the forms, wait a few days, and have maybe 3 returned.
Sound familiar? That’s why I always do negative (or passive) permission slips, which ask parents to sign and return the permission slip if they DO NOT want their child to participate. On the slips I send home, I always put the instructions in bold, to clear up any confusion about what to do.
FAQ #5: What Do You Do About Challenging Behavior During Group?
Student behavior can be difficult during small group counseling. The kids are participating in something different and fun, and you haven’t had the time to establish strong classroom management techniques with them. This can make things challenging.
During the first session of the group, I always take time to explicitly talk about behavior expectations with my students. I ask them to come up with what they think is/isn’t acceptable behavior during group. I then write their ideas down on a piece of paper and we all agree to go by those expectations, which is affirmed with signatures.
As the small group continues, I use a positive point system. When students show desired behavior, or meet our behavior expectations, they get a point. After 5 points, they can earn a reward like candy, watching a short video, playing a game, etc. I do not give out negative points - the only consequence for negative group behavior is not earning points.
If one student continues to have challenging behavior, I talk to them privately. If the behavior continues, I collaborate with the teacher to see what we can do to best support the student.
FAQ #6: How Do You Handle Students who Don’t Get Along?
Depending on the nature of the relationship between the students, it may be best to separate them if possible. This makes it easier for both students to stay calm and focused during the group time.
Of course, separating students is not always possible. If you have students who are in your group who don’t get along, one strategy is to keep them apart if possible, especially during group time that is less structured such as while in line, or during independent work.
However, I have had success during games or other collaborative projects if the students are on the same team. Having them working together, and not competing against each other, can be helpful in minimizing disruptions and can even help the students learn to appreciate each other.
FAQ #7: Do You Have A Format You Follow For Groups?
In general, I do have a format I follow for each small group, although it may vary a little depending on the topic of session. I find that this structure makes it easier for students to know what to expect, and reduces anxiety that might be there.
I begin with a recap of what we discussed during the previous session. I ask students to recall what we talked about and/or how they were able to apply what we learned. This has been helpful because it can be easy for students to forget what we went over previously, especially if it has been a week between sessions.
Next, I introduce the topic we’ll be discussing that day and ask a few questions to help students understand what it means and why it’s important.
Then, we do some type of activity. The activity changes depending on what we’re working on. I try to make it as fun and engaging as possible. Some of my favorite activities include incorporating questions about the topic into games, doing role plays, and scoot games. I also love to have students make crafts or foldable activities that they can take home as a reminder of what they have learned.
After the activity, I ask a few follow up questions and do a quick assessment of what the students have learned - more on this in FAQ #9.
This is an outline of the last session in my worry & anxiety small group
FAQ #8: What Curriculum Do You Recommend?
In the past, I have used some lessons from Second Step. However, I have found that it works best for me to pull together my own materials based on current research. Doing this helps me to best meet the specific needs of my group. I typically create my own materials to use, then mix in books, videos, etc.
If this sounds like too much work, no worries - I’ve done all of the work for you! I have created 14 small group counseling plans that are no prep. They each include 6 lessons, 2 bonus activities, and a self-assessment for data collection.
FAQ #9: How Do You Assess Students?
A self-assessment I use in my growth mindset small group!
I assess students in two ways - informally at the end of each session, and with a self-assessment that’s given at the beginning and end of the group.
At the end of each session, I ask a question or give an exit ticket to help students articulate what they have learned. Sometimes I ask them to recite information we have talked about, or sometimes I ask them to share how they will implement what we learned.
During the first session of the small group, I give students a self-assessment to complete with questions that align with what we will discuss in the small group. I then give this same assessment at the end of the group. I have compiled 10 of these self-assessments in a freebie for you. They’re designed to go with the small group plans I have created, but can be used in other groups as well.
FAQ #10: How Do You Make Virtual Or Socially Distanced Small Groups Work?
In full disclosure, I haven’t done virtual school counseling small groups. I have done other types of small groups for a volunteer program I’m part of. My biggest tip would be to embrace technology! Thankfully, there are so many amazing tools out there to help you add extra engagement to your lessons.
Here are some of my favorites:
Flip Grid allows students to create and share fun videos
Play a counseling favorite online with Uno Freak
Help students learn about social emotional topics with these Google Slides games
I also reached out to my friend Casey from Whole Child Counseling for some ideas that have helped her in her virtual small group journey. Here’s what she had to say:
Incorporate as much movement as possible into your activities, and break up sessions with videos from Go Noodle or Cosmic Kids Yoga
Use guided drawings to practice coping skills, flexible thinking and accepting mistakes
Casey has several blog posts about this topic that you can find here.
Small groups have the potential to be the highlight of the week for both you and your students. These small group counseling tips can make small groups easier and more enjoyable - plus you won’t have to feel bad for the students in your groups!
Looking for ways to make the small group process even easier? Check out my NO PREP groups. They are print and go, plus they include modifications for social distancing and virtual lessons.
