Monroe Clark
Middle School
School Counseling Program
Intentional Guidance
7th & 8th Grade Study Skills
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Monroe Clark
School Counseling Mission
The Mission of Monroe Clark Middle School’s Counseling Program is
to provide all students with the opportunity to acquire the attitude,
knowledge, and skills for academic, career, and personal/social
development in a safe and supportive environment. The
comprehensive school counseling program will educate and
empower a collaborative community of learners to achieve academic
success and develop life skills to become life-long learners, creative
thinkers, and responsible community members in a diverse, changing
world.
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
2010-2011 Guidance Curriculum Plan
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
1) Study Skills
(Academic, Personal/Social)
1) Value of Education
(Academic, Personal/Social, Career)
1) Goal Setting (CAC)
(Academic, Career, Personal/Social)
2) Bullying & Cyber-Bullying
(Academic, Personal/Social)
3) Respect & Sexual Harrassment
( Personal/Social)
4) Conflict Resolution
(Academic, Personal/Social)
5) Part II: Study Skills
( Academic, Personal/Social)
6) Introduction to College
Avenue Compact (CAC)
(Academic, Career, Personal/Social)
2) Ask for Help, Youth Suicide
Prevention Program
(Personal/Social)
3) Goal Setting & College Avenue
Compact Benchmarks (CAC)
(Academic, Career, Personal/Social)
4) Career Key/Naviance (CAC)
(Academic, Personal/Social, Career)
5) Roadway to Success:
Post Secondary Options (CAC)
(Academic, Career, Personal/Social)
2) A-G Requirements & College
Avenue Compact Benchmarks
(CAC)
(Academic, Career, Personal/Social)
3) College Knowledge (CAC)
(Academic, Career, Personal/Social)
4) Conflict Resolution
(Academic, Personal/Social)
5) My Dream/Naviance (CAC)
(Academic, Personal/Social, Career)
6) Transition to become a
successful 8th Grader
6) Transition to High School
(Academic, Career, Personal/Social)
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
(Academic, Career, Personal/Social)
(CAC)
Delivery of Counseling Services
(Few Students)
Individual/Referral
(Some Students)
Intentional Guidance
(All Students)
Guidance Curriculum
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Target Group
All 7th and 8th grade students in
danger of failing
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Target Group selected on basis
of following data:
Students with a GPA below 2.0 on
first progress report.
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Why Intervene? Research says…
College Board identified Academic Preparation as one of the four
key pieces for first generation students to succeed in
postsecondary education.
Lee and Wiley, (2008)
“After learning study skills, students are able to ask questions
they need answered instead of sitting mute in the back row.”
Bafile, C. (2007) National Education Association
“When students are taught learning to learn (study skills) they
gain a deeper understanding of content and are more
empowered to take risks in learning.”
Darnell, B (1999) Association for Standards and Curriculum development
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
The American School Counselor
Association National Model
ASCA National
Standards for Students
(Student Competencies
& Indicators)
 Academic Development
 Career Development
 Personal/Social
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
ASCA National Standards
Academic Standard A
Students will acquire the attitudes,
knowledge, and skills that contribute to
effective learning in school and across
the life span.
Personal/Social Standard A
Students will acquire the attitudes
knowledge and interpersonal skills to
help them understand and respect
self and others
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Student Competencies
A:A1 Improve Academic Self-Concept
A:A2 Acquire Skills for Improving Learning
A:A3 Achieve School Success
A:B2 Plan to Achieve Goals
PS:A2 Acquire interpersonal skills
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
What we DO we know?
Students are Failing at Dangerous levels
160
144
140
120
102
100
80
Below a 2.0
Fall 2010
Progress
Report 1
66
60
40
20
0
6th Grade
7th Grade
6th Graders: 359
7th Graders: 390
8th Grade
8th Graders: 380
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
• 20% reduction in the number of students
academically at risk (below a 2.0 GPA)
• 25% reduction in the number of full day
unexcused absences (3 or more)
• 25% reduction in recidivism (repeat
offenders) for behavior
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Academic Target Group:
Students academically at risk (below 2.0 GPA)
•
Intervention:
–
–
–
•
Query and disaggregate data
Pre-conference survey, Post-conference survey, Student agreement
Group Counseling (Study Skills & Motivation)
Implement individualized intervention plan:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Individual meetings with School Counselor
Parent/Teacher conference
Home visit
Referral to Mental Health Provider (Providence/SAY)
SST Referral
Mentoring program (TKF)
Weekly Progress Report
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Collecting Data by Need
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
DATA: First Progress Report
(October 2010) all students
#
of
Students
Below 2.0
# of Students
with 3 full day
unexcused
absences
# of students
with 3
behavioral
referrals
6th
Grade
66
21
8
7th
Grade
102
57
25
8th
Grade
144
58
25
15 Students have problems in all 3 Areas (School Wide)
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
How many Students were placed
in counseling groups?
70
60
50
6
7
40
8
30
20
10
0
Students below 2.0 GPA at Progress Report 1
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
6th - 54
7th - 38
8th - 46
Types of Groups by Counselor
6
5
4
3
Study Skills (9)
2
Motivation (5)
1
0
Counselor A Counselor B Counselor C Counselor D Counselor
(on going)
E/F
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
What Did the School Counselors Do?
8 weekly group sessions: one period per day on rotating basis
Study Skills
Motivation
– Organization skills
– Homework
completion strategies
– Note taking
– Using an Academic
Planner
– Responding to
results
– Test Taking Strategies
–
–
–
–
–
–
Reality Ride
Tearing off Labels
Defense Mechanisms
Peer Pressure
Problem Solving
Resilience Buidling
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
The Process
• Pre-screened students
• Sent letter home to parents
• Cooperated with teachers to create schedules
– Created letter to be sent to participating teachers
• Created Hall Passes for students
• Developed group curriculum and weekly lessons
– Using materials from Avid, College Board, ChanningBete workbooks and the Why Try program
• Delivery of motivation and study skills groups
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
RESULTS
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Results Sample
Counselor E/F
Study Skills
16 students chosen
7th and 8th graders
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Knowledge of the steps to staying “OnTRAC”*
100%
88%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
Pre-test
40%
Post-Test
30%
20%
12%
10%
0%
Knowledge of OnTRAC
*Think, Record, Act, Check
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Data for Counselor EF
Believe filling out an agenda everyday is
important (students who strongly agree)
100%
90%
80%
70%
That’s a
125%
Increase!!!
56%
60%
Pre-Test
50%
Post-Test
40%
30%
25%
20%
10%
0%
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Data for Counselor EF
Skill: Students who could demonstrate
a S.M.A.R.T. Goal
100%
90%
80%
70%
63%
Pre-Test
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
Post-Test
12%
10%
0%
Data for Counselor EF
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Our Goal….
• Students will get the extra support they need
to succeed academically
• Increased GPA between progress report 1 and
progress report 2
– More students above 2.0 GPA
• Increase in students qualifying for
“Promotion” to high school (8th graders)
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Data for Counselor EF
Results – GPA Improvement
56% of the targeted students earned a
2.0 or better GPA from Progress
Report 1 to Progress Report 2.
88% of targeted students increased
GPA

Including one student who increased
from 0.5 to 2.66!!! (HUGE increase!!!)
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Data for Counselor EF
Average Change in GPA from Progress
Report 1 – Progress Report 2
4
3.5
3
That’s an
average of 0.6
point increase!
Fall Grades 2010
TBA
2.5
2.1
PR 1 Spring 2011
2
1.5
PR 2 Spring 2011
(July Projected)
1.3
1
0.5
0
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Data for Counselor EF
Average GPA Change by Counselor
4
3.5
3
TBA
Fall Grades 2010
2.6
TBA
2.5
2
1.5
1
TBA
1.5
1.8
1.9
TBA
2
1.9
1.4
0.92
TBA
1.3
1
0.5
0
Counselor Counselor Counselor Counselor Counselor
A
B
C
D
E/F
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
PR 1 Spring 2011
PR 2 Spring 2011
(July Projected)
GPA Change by Group
4
3.5
SS Pre
3
2.6
2.5
2.4
1
0.5
2.09
1.86
2
1.5
2.3
1.5
1.5
1.4
1.44 1.4
2.1
SS Post
1.93
1.3 1.39
0.93
0.5
0
Counselor A Counselor B Counselor C Counselor D Counselor EF
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Motiv.
Pre
Motiv.
Post
Average Change in GPA
4
3.5
50%
Increase
30%
Increase
3
10%
Increase
2.47
2.5
2
1.5
TBA
1.75
Fall Grades 2010
1.93 TBA
TBA
1.15
2.72
1.39
PR 1 Spring 2011
1
0.5
PR 2 Spring 2011
(July Projected)
0
Students Served by
School Counselors
Students refered to
other services
All Students
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
In Summary…
• Students are learning and retaining attitudes
knowledge and skills with structured content
lessons.
• Rotating class periods created minimal
distraction from teachers.
• Students did improve overall!!!
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Limitations
– Not all students attended each week due to
fieldtrips, unexpected fire drills and
assemblies
– Time limitations restricted content delivery
(e.g. starting group 10-15 min late)
– Room changes created some confusion with
staff and students
– Professional development needed to enhance
program integrity of Why Try?
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Recommendations and Next Steps
• Implement additional group counseling to
students not placed in counseling groups but
still “at-risk.”
• Follow up with students and teachers about
how to link this to improvements in behavior
and grades
• Transfer knowledge to future guidance lessons
• Share final results data with ALL stakeholders
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
Thank you!
• Teachers who participated and supported
• Administration for consultation and support of
the program
• Working together we are succeeding!
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
The school counseling program is
contributing in a meaningful way to
the academic achievement of all
students.
Thank you to all teachers and the
leadership team for your support of the
school counseling program.
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)
The End
Eberheart and Zañartu (2011)