Running head: GROUP PROPOSAL

Counseling Group Proposal: Culture, Class, and Conflict Brooke Hagenau and David Sutton Creighton University

Academic Integrity Pledge In keeping with Creighton Universitys ideals and with the Academic Integrity Code adopted by the College of Arts and Sciences, I pledge that this work is my own and that I have neither given nor received inappropriate assistance in preparing it. Signature:

Brooke M. Hagenau David Sutton

GROUP PROPOSAL Abstract The following paper presents a proposal for a small counseling group in an upper elementary school setting. The topic of the group is managing culture, class, and conflict among students. The proposal details the problem, the goals and objectives, the road map (lesson plans), the organization and management, and the evaluation methods.

GROUP PROPOSAL Counseling Group Proposal: Culture, Class, and Conflict The Problem

The issues of culture and class have become a much more prevalent issue in recent years, especially in areas where there are jobs that attract the Hispanic populations who are looking for a better way of life for their families. Nebraska has become one of those areas because we have packing plants and other industries that provide employment to these populations. The school systems in these areas have an increase in Hispanic students as a result. Along with the increase in numbers come issues that involve culture and class. One of the issues is ethnic identity. According to Erickson, one achieves identity by search and commitment. By search we mean active questioning and engagement, and commitment meaning the presence or absence of decisions about a particular ideology or role. Since racial and ethnic attitudes begin to crystallize around the ages of 10 to 12 (Phinney, Lochner, and Murphy, 1990), it is important that we provide elementary and middle school students with the resources and opportunity to examine the role of ethnicity as it applies to themselves and to other groups. According to Phinney (1989) there are three stages of progression of ethnic identity. First is the unexplored or diffused stage, which results in lack of understanding. The second stage is called foreclosed and involves students who inherit their ideas from parents or other adults. The third stage is known as moratorium and involves real exploration and learning about ones own culture and other cultures as well. The problem is, according to Bachay (1998), that kids who are in the diffused or foreclosed stages are at risk for developing or accepting negative or faulty stereotypes and beliefs. Thus, there is an increased need to engage students in real discussions and activities that will help them to understand who they are and how they feel about their ethnicity, as well as how to develop informed and respectful views and perspectives of other ethnic groups.

GROUP PROPOSAL Goals and Objectives The overall goal of this small counseling group is to reduce racial conflict within the

school building. This racial conflict may include verbal arguments, physical altercations, or any other instance of racially motivated problems at school among the students. To achieve this goal, the following outcomes will be met. 1. The members of the group will be able to identify what stereotypes and biases are. 2. The members of the group will be able to identify how stereotypes and biases cause conflict among students in the school setting. 3. The members of the group will be able to list strategies for minimizing stereotypes and biases among students in the school. 4. The number of office referrals for racially motivated offenses by members of the group will be reduced. 5. The number of detentions/suspensions for racially motivated offenses by members of the group will be reduced. The Road Map The following is a detailed lesson plan for each session of the eight-week groups. Included in each individual lesson plan are the lesson title, materials, ASCA National Standard(s), objective(s), procedure, and assessment. Any supplemental materials or worksheets can be found in the appendices at the end of the proposal. The lesson plans presented below were adapted from Managing the Three Cs: Culture, Class, and Conflict, an American School Counselor Association publication resource for school counselors

GROUP PROPOSAL
Session 1: Getting to Know You by Setting the Stage Length of Time: 30 minutes Materials: Culture, Class, and Conflict Pretest (see Appendix A) Setting the Stage supplemental handout (see Appendix B) Name Tags Chart Paper Poster Paper Markers Pencils

ASCA Standards: Standard A: Students will acquire knowledge, attitudes, and inter-personal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. (Personal Social: A1.1, 1.2, 1.5. 1.9. 2.3, 2.4, 2.6) Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals. (Personal Social: B1.7) Objectives: The students will be able to collaboratively identify ground rules for this group. The students will be able to identify their own values, attitudes, and beliefs. The students will be able to identify their classmates values, attitudes, and beliefs. Procedure: 1. Have each student introduce him/herself. 2. As a group, decide on ground rules for the counseling group sessions. Guide the students as necessary. 3. Hand out the Culture, Class, and Conflict Pretest. Ask students to answer the questions to the best of their ability. Explain that it is ok if they dont know an answer. That is what this group is for. 4. Explain to the students that there are multiple aspects about an individual that we are often unaware of when we first meet them (values, beliefs, customs, traditions, etc.). 5. Have the students read each question on the Setting the Stage supplemental handout quietly to themselves. Allow them to jot down notes on their paper. 6. Ask each student to orally respond to each question. Allow all students the opportunity to share their responses. 7. Randomly pair up students and have the students work together to create a Venn Diagram on poster paper comparing and contrasting their answers to the questions. 8. Invite each pair to share their Venn Diagram with the group. 9. Ask the whole group the following questions: What are some similarities most of the group shared? What was one thing you learned through this activity that surprised you? 10. Close the group by reflecting upon the fact that although all of us in this group have some differences in our values, beliefs, and attitudes, we can always find at least one thing in common with each other. Assessment: The students will be informally assessed by their participation in the group. The students Venn Diagrams and Setting the Stage sharing will be more formally assessed to determine whether or not each member met the intended session objectives.

GROUP PROPOSAL
Session 2: Who Am I? Length of Time: 30 minutes Materials: Who Am I? supplemental handout (see Appendix C) Pencils ASCA Standards: Standard A: Students will acquire knowledge, attitudes, and inter-personal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. (Personal Social: A1.1, 1.2, 1.5. 1.9. 2.3, 2.4, 2.6) Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals. (Personal Social: B1.7)

Objectives: The students will be able to identify why we need to accept and respect others attitudes, values, and beliefs. The students will be able to identify how it feels when their attitudes, values, and beliefs are not respected or valued. Procedure: 1. Review what was discussed the week before. 2. Ask the students about the importance of others recognizing who they are and what they value 3. Have each student share a time when he/she felt that someone did not value his/her beliefs, values, or attitudes. Make sure the students explain how this made them feel. 4. Have the students complete the Who Am I? worksheet. 5. Pair students with a different partner than last week. Have them share what they wrote on their sheet. 6. Ask the students to exchange worksheets with their partner so that all students have one that is not their own. 7. Warn the students that this next activity may be difficult, but this is a safe space. Encourage them to feel free to share how they are feeling or what is going on in their head. Remind them that the intention of the activity is not to offend anyone or hurt their feelings. It is to help understand how people feel when we refuse to recognize or accept something about that person. 8. Have students read the worksheet in their hands and tear off one piece that they feel should not be important to their partner. 9. Ask the students to describe how they felt when their partner removed that piece from their worksheet. Why did they feel this way? Allow each student time to respond. 10. Close the session by explaining that there are times when we make other people feel they arent valued. Our comments and actions can cause people to think we believe what they think, feel, enjoy, or value has no meaning or place in our world. 11. Ask the students to reflect upon how we can avoid making others feel the way you felt when your partner removed that piece from your Who Am I? worksheet.

Assessment: The students will be informally assessed by their participation in the group. The students Who Am I? web and sharing of how they felt will be more formally assessed to determine whether or not each member met the intended session objectives.

GROUP PROPOSAL
Session 3: My Lens Length of Time: 30 minutes Materials: Sunglasses (cheap ones) The Three Little Pigs by David Wiesner (copies from www.teachingheart.net/truepigs.html) The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka (copies from www.teachingheart.net/truepigs.html) My Lens supplemental handout (see Appendix D) Pencils ASCA Standards: Standard A: Students will acquire knowledge, attitudes, and inter-personal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. (Personal Social: A1.2, 1.5, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals. (Personal Social: B1.7) Objectives: The students will be able to identify alternative viewpoints, values, attitudes, and beliefs. The students will be able to identify existing stereotypes and how those develop. The students will be able to list strategies to avoid using stereotypes.

Procedure: 1. Review what was discussed the week before. 2. Pass out a pair of cheap sunglasses to each student. 3. Ask students to describe three ways in which putting on sunglasses changes what we see. 4. Explain to the students that often when we argue with our family members, friends, or classmates, the reason behind the argument is due to the fact that each person involved sees the same situation through a different lens (just like putting on a pair of sunglasses). Our lenses are created by our values, attitudes, beliefs, and experiences. Since these vary from person to person, the same situation can be looked at in a variety of ways. We must learn how to respect others viewpoints and lenses. 5. Put students into two groups. Pass out a copy of both the traditional story of The Three Little Pigs and the same story from the wolfs point of view. Have each group read through both stories. Then have the group answer the questions about the two stories on the My Lens supplemental worksheet together. 6. Have a spokesperson from each group share the groups responses to the questions. 7. Discuss how the same events in both stories were interpreted differently based upon which character was telling the story. Although these stories are just fictional, being able to compare the event from two different lenses (the wolfs and the pigs) can help us to realize how this works in real life. 8. Close the group by discussing how, like the wolf, there are certain groups in our society that experience more difficulty than others in having their viewpoint understood by society. We must always consider the different lens we use to view a situation before forming a permanent opinion, attitude, or belief. Assessment: The students will be informally assessed by their participation in the group. The students My Lens worksheet will be used to more formally assess whether or not each group met the intended session outcomes.

GROUP PROPOSAL
Session 4: You Heard, You Listened Length of Time: 30 minutes Materials:

Popsicle Sticks (fat ones) Markers Container to hold the popsicle sticks (cup, coffee can, bucket, etc.) The Three Little Pigs by David Wiesner (copies from www.teachingheart.net/truepigs.html) The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka (copies from www.teachingheart.net/truepigs.html) You Heard, You Listened: Observer Outline supplemental handout (See Appendix E) Pencils

ASCA Standards: Standard A: Students will acquire knowledge, attitudes, and inter-personal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. (Personal Social: A1.5, 1.8, 1.9, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7) Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals. (Personal Social: B1.7) Objectives: The students will be able to respectfully listen to the viewpoints of others. The students will be able to verbally express their own viewpoints in a respectful manner. Procedure: 1. Review what was discussed the week before. 2. Provide students with popsicle sticks on which the students will write their names. Collect the popsicle sticks and place them in a container. 3. Explain to the students that often we are placed in situations where we need to communicate with people we may know but with whom we do not regularly have a conversation. Today, we will talk to and listen to others which we many not normally talk within this group. Randomly draw four names out of the container at a time and have those students form groups. 4. Pass out the same stories from last session (The Three Little Pigs and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs) to the groups. 5. Now ask the students to draw a number (1-4). Student 1 is assigned the pigs viewpoint. Student 2 is assigned the wolfs viewpoint. Students 3 and 4 are observers. 6. Explain that there are viewpoints, ideas, stereotypes, and opinions of various groups based on historical events, personal experiences, misconceptions, and misinformation. Our beliefs about certain ethnic groups, religions, cultures, behaviors, places, and things are based on personal experiences, media portrayals, verbal and nonverbal communication from family members/caregivers, peer opinions, and more. 7. Students in each group will need to respectfully listen to one another as they explain their thoughts concerning what is correct and/or incorrect about the viewpoints of the pigs and the wolf. 8. Using the observer outline, have Students 3 and 4 observe the conversation between Student 1 and Student 2 and jot down notes on the You Heard, You Listened: Observer Outline. Give each student (1 and 2) three to five minutes for each student. 9. Afterward, have the groups discuss the conversation as follows. a. Student 1 shares what he/she believes Student 2 was saying about the wolfs viewpoint. Student 2 confirms that Student 1 has correctly interpreted his/her statements, or Student 2 clarifies what he/she truly meant.

GROUP PROPOSAL

b. Then Student 2 shares what he/she believes Student 1 was saying about the pigs viewpoint. Student 1 confirms or corrects Student 2. c. After Students 1 and 2 complete the process above, Students 3 and 4 share their observation notes they jotted down on the worksheet. The group discusses the differences between what was heard and what was actually meant. 10. Now have students from each group share one or two things that they learned about viewpoints, stereotypes, beliefs, dealing with different viewpoints, and/or listening. 11. Explain to the students that often peoples actions and words are misinterpreted due to the lens through which we attempt to understand what is being said. Often our attitudes and beliefs about a person or situation get in the way of us listening to and understanding what a person is truly trying to say. We must be very careful to put aside our stereotypes, prior negative experiences, and outdated information when we are communicating with new members of our school and community. 12. Close the session by having the students respond to the following questions: How can the wolf overcome his negative experiences with the pigs and avoid stereotyping or forming negative opinions of other pigs he may encounter in the future? How can the pigs overcome their negative experiences with the wolf and avoid stereotyping of forming negative opinions of other wolves they may encounter in the future? Assessment: The students will be informally assessed by their participation in the group. The students You Heard, You Listened: Observer Outline and group discussions will be more formally assessed to determine whether or not the intended session outcomes were met.

GROUP PROPOSAL
Session 5: The Mini Mix It Up Length of Time: 30 minutes Materials:

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2 Ziploc bags with 10 different diverse pictures of junior high age children in each 2 Ziploc bags with five different group labels in each Sticky notes Pencils Chart Paper Markers

ASCA Standards: Standard A: Students will acquire knowledge, attitudes, and inter-personal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. (Personal Social: A1.2, 1.5, 1.8, 1.9, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7) Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals. (Personal Social: B1.7) Objectives: The students will be able to verbally express the stereotypes and biases they have based on concepts such as how a person looks, what a person wears, where a person lives, and who a person sits with at lunch. The students will be able to identify how the presence of these stereotypes and biases keep us divided and make us unable to know classmates as unique individuals. Procedure: 1. Review what was discussed the week before. 2. Have the students put themselves into two groups. 3. Provide each group with two Ziploc bags. Bag one will have 10 magazine/Internet pictures of individual junior high age children. These pictures should be ethnically, racially, religiously, and socio-economically diverse. Bag two will have five student group descriptions. 4. Ask the members of the group to place each childs picture from the first bag with a group description from the second bag. 5. After the students have placed all of the individuals from bag one with a group from bag two, have the group members discuss why they placed each picture where they did. Have them record (on sticky notes) at least one reason for each picture. 6. Once group members have had an opportunity to discuss the placement of individuals with each group, have all members rejoin the whole group. 7. Using the group descriptions on chart paper, have each student group explain which individuals they placed in each group label. 8. Record the reasons the students classified as they did on the chart paper. 9. Identify, as a group, any stereotypes or biases present based on the reasons groups gave for their picture placements. 10. Explain that there are viewpoints, ideas, stereotypes, and opinions of various groups based on historical events, personal experiences, misconceptions, and misinformation. Our beliefs about certain ethnic groups, religions, cultures, behaviors, places, and things are based on personal experiences, media portrayals, verbal and nonverbal communication from family members/caregivers, peer opinions, and more. 11. Discuss how stereotypes and biases are present, but can be changed through positive interaction. There are many times throughout the school day in which these stereotypes and biases get in the way of each one of us learning more about one another.

GROUP PROPOSAL
12. Close the group by doing an exit ticket on sticky notes. Give each student a sticky note and have them write the following: One stereotype or bias that was revealed to me today was _____. I believe this stereotype or bias may exist because _____. I believe one way this stereotype or bias can be changed is by _____.

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Assessment: The students will be informally assessed by their participation in the group. The students exit tickets will be formally assessed to determine whether each student met the intended session outcomes.

GROUP PROPOSAL
Session 6: Peer Partners Length of Time: 30 minutes Materials:

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Popsicle Sticks (fat ones) Markers Container (cup, coffee can, bucket, etc.) Sticky Notes Pencils Chart Paper Peer Partners supplemental handout (See Appendix F)

ASCA Standards: Standard A: Students will acquire knowledge, attitudes, and inter-personal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. (Personal Social: A1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.9, 1.11, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7) Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals. (Personal Social: B1.7) Objectives: The students will be able to identify stereotypes and negative viewpoints that exist within their environment. The students will be able to list solutions and/or strategies to overcome identified stereotypes and negative viewpoints. Procedure: 1. Review what was discussed the week before. 2. Provide students with popsicle sticks to write their name on. Collect the popsicle sticks and place them in a container. 3. Pass out four sticky notes to each student. 4. Explain that there are viewpoints, ideas, stereotypes, and opinions of various groups based on historical events, personal experiences, misconceptions, and misinformation. Our beliefs about certain ethnic groups, religions, cultures, behaviors, places, and things are based on personal experiences, media portrayals, verbal and nonverbal communication from family members/caregivers, peer opinions, and more. 5. Explain to the students that you are going to read aloud four partial statements. The students job is to complete them with the first thing that comes into their mind. For each statement, they must write their first thought(s) on one of the sticky notes. 6. Read the following partial statements to the students and have them record their first thought(s) on the sticky notes provided. a. When it comes to learning, doing well in school, and going to college, _____ people have the least difficulty. b. _____ students receive a high number of referrals and have numerous issues with discipline in our school. c. When it comes to learning, doing well in school, and going to college, _____ people have the greatest difficulty. d. _____students receive a low number of referrals and have few issues with discipline in our school. 7. On chart paper, write the four partial statements. Have students come up and place their sticky notes under the corresponding partial statement. 8. Read aloud the students responses on the sticky notes.

GROUP PROPOSAL

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9. Explain to the students that we are going to explore solutions for changing the existing perceptions people have regarding the groups of people most commonly identified in statements b and c. 10. Draw sticks from the container to place students into pairs. 11. Student pairs will work together to brainstorm solutions using the following statements provided on the Peer Partners supplemental handout. a. To change the perceptions that _____ students receive the highest number of referrals and have the most discipline problems, teachers can _____. Other students can assist by _____. Additionally, to change this perception, we suggest _____. b. In order to change the perception that _____ people have the greatest difficulty when it comes to learning, doing well in school, and going to college, teachers can _____. Other students can assist by _____. Additionally, to change this perception, we suggest _____. 12. Once all pairs have completed these statements. Have the pairs share their suggestions for changing perceptions. 13. Explain to the students that to overcome existing stereotypes, biases, and negative perceptions, we must be aware they exist and must also discuss how to overcome these issues. 14. Close the session by having the students make a promise to each other to try and utilize the suggestions for overcoming stereotypes they created with their partners. Assessment: The students will be informally assessed by their participation in the group. The students Peer Partners supplemental handout will be collected and more formally assessed to determine whether each student met the intended session outcomes.

GROUP PROPOSAL
Session 7: In the Role Length of Time: 30 minutes

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Materials: 4 Bags each containing cutouts of the people in each of the roles described below Cards with descriptions of famous people (NO NAMES) that overcame significant obstacles, challenges, or issues Scratch Paper Pencils ASCA Standards: Standard A: Students will acquire knowledge, attitudes, and inter-personal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. (Personal Social: A1.2, 1.5, 1.9, 1.11, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7) Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals. (Personal Social: B1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7) Objectives: The students will be able to take on the role of another individual in a given scenario. The students will be able to identify how the roles we play impact how we perceive the world and guide how we interact with others. Procedure: 1. Review what was discussed the week before. 2. Have the students count off 1-4. The numbers correspond to the following roles: a. 1---Historical Figure such as: Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Al Capone b. 2---Popular Celebrity such as: Jay Z, Justin Bieber, Lindsey Lohan c. 3---Identifiable Political Figure such as: President Obama, Governor Heineman, Rush Limbaugh d. 4---Fictional Character such as: Cinderella, Spider Man, Oscar the Grouch 3. Once students have the number reflecting their role, allow students to select a cutout featuring a person/character from the assigned category. 4. Create groups in which at least one student represents each of the roles listed. 5. Provide each group with a card describing an individual with rather unique challenges and issues. In most cases, students will not realize these cards describe individuals that went on to experience success in spite of the numerous obstacles the individual faced. 6. Explain to the students that they must stay in the role they have been given when making decisions about the individual described on the card. The students will be asked to respond to the following questions: a. What are my expectations for this childs performance in school? Why? b. How will I interact with this child? Why? c. What are my expectations for the way in which other students will interact with this child? Why do I have these expectations? d. What actions will I take when others ignore or respond negatively to this child in my presence? 7. Monitor the students discussions as they respond to the questions based on the role they have been assigned. 8. After the discussion in groups, have the students regroup themselves according to the roles they were assigned. 9. Have members of each group share their responses to the four questions presented. 10. Discuss the similarities and differences in the responses based on the roles.

GROUP PROPOSAL

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11. Discuss how the roles we play affect our actions and perceptions. Have students share why persons in these different roles may respond to the same individual differently. 12. Discuss how we all respond to various students differently depending upon the situation, the environment, preconceived notions, existing stereotypes, etc. Reveal the true identity of the individuals on the cards and discuss how they overcame their challenges. 13. Close the group by having the students fill out an exit ticket on scratch paper. Have them answer the following questions: a. What enabled these individuals to overcome the obstacles before them and others preconceived notions to become a success? b. What can you do to make sure stereotypes and biases arent obstacles students in your school need to overcome? Assessment: The students will be informally assessed by their participation in the group. The students exit tickets will be collected and more formally assessed to determine whether each student met the intended outcomes.

GROUP PROPOSAL
Session 8: Its a Wrap/Give Back Length of Time: 30 minutes Materials:

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Gift-Wrap Squares (measuring 1 ft. by 1 ft.) Black Markers Culture, Class, and Conflict Posttest (See Appendix G) Small Group Evaluation (See Appendix H)

ASCA Standards: Standard A: Students will acquire knowledge, attitudes, and inter-personal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. (Personal Social: A1.2, 1.5, 1.9, 1.11, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7) Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals. (Personal Social: B1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 1.9) Objective: The students will be able to develop short and long-term goals for eliminating perceptions, biases, and stereotypes from their own thoughts, their school, and their community. Procedure: 1. Review what was discussed the week before. 2. Explain that awareness, discussion, and action are necessary for existing negative viewpoints, misconceptions, and stereotypes to be eliminated. 3. Explain how factual information about, positive experiences with, and constructive images depicting diverse people replace the negative viewpoints, biases, misconceptions, and stereotypes existing in our minds, schools, and communities. 4. Explain to the students that we are going to discuss ways that we can be agents of change within our school and community. 5. Provide students with colorful gift-wrap squares (1 ft. by 1 ft.). Explain that when they take steps to overcome a negative action, behavior, or circumstance with a positive action, it is like a gift from them to society. 6. Ask the students to complete the following statements on their gift-wrap square: a. During my time at _____ School, I will commit to work toward the elimination of existing negative viewpoints, biases, misconceptions, and stereotypes by _____. b. After I leave _____ School, I will commit to continue to work toward the elimination of negative viewpoints, biases, misconceptions, and stereotypes that may continue to exist in my community by _____. 7. Have students share their commitment statements that they wrote. Allow the students to discuss and explain how their commitments will positively affect our diverse communities. 8. Explain to the students that to overcome existing stereotypes, biases, and negative perceptions, we need to be agents of change. Discuss what they students believe this means. 9. Pass out the Culture, Class, and Conflict Posttest and have students complete them. 10. Pass out the Small Group Evaluation and have students complete them. 11. Close the group by thanking the students for being a part of this group and for committing to be agents of change in this school and the community. Encourage them to share what they have learned over these past 8 weeks with their peers and family members. If enough people commit to be agents of change, then our world will be a much better place.

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Assessment: The students will be informally assessed by their participation in the group. The students gift-wrap commitments will be more formally assessed to determine if the students met the intended session outcomes. The overall effectiveness of the group will be evaluated using both the pre/post tests and the small group evaluation.

GROUP PROPOSAL Organization and Management

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The program will be organized into two 8-week sessions. The 6th grade counselor will run the first session and the 5th grade counselor will run the second session. The administration will be aware and supportive of the program. The program will be advertised, at orientation time, by the counselors to groups of parents and their prospective students. Parents will need to agree to have their child involved in the first group and give their approval. Students in the first group will be recruited based on their desire to participate, their ethnicity, and the numbers of students who are needed to complete the groups preferred size. A survey will be used to screen possible candidates, and the 5th and 6th grade counselors will be responsible for screening and picking candidates. Parents will then be notified and given a schedule of sessions and topics. The first group will run 8 weeks and meet once per week in the activity center. Students will be given a pre and post survey to assess what they are looking for and what they got out of the program. The second group will be chosen using both volunteer and referral students who have had incidents involving cultural conflict. The second group will meet in the second semester and also run 8 weeks, meeting once per week. Below is a chart of the weeks and the topics to be discussed.

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Evaluation: The Measure of Success The small groups will be evaluated in various ways to ensure that the five measurable outcomes detailed in the Goals and Outcomes section above are met. During each group session, the counselor leading the group will informally assess the members. This will be done through counselor observation of how well the students participated and shared throughout the group. The counselor will keep documentation of each students participation level throughout the entire group experience. If a particular member is not willing to share or participate in the group, the counselor will speak privately with this student. If, after the conversation with the student, he/she still decides not to participate, then the counselor may decide to terminate this students membership in the group.

GROUP PROPOSAL The members of the group will be more formally assessed through the various worksheets and activities that are completed during each group session. During the first group

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session, the members will complete the Setting the Stage worksheet. This worksheet assesses the students customs, beliefs, and worldviews. During the second group session, the members will complete the Who Am I? worksheet and activity. This activity assesses the students understanding of how stereotypes and biases cause conflict among peers. During the third group session, the members will complete the My Lens worksheet and accompanying activity. This activity assesses the students understanding of how ones viewpoint can cause conflict among those with differing viewpoints. During the fourth group session, the members will complete the You Heard, You Listened worksheet and activity. This activity assesses members understanding of stereotypes and biases and how these can cause conflict. During the fifth group session, the members will complete a stereotype activity. This activity assesses the students understanding of what stereotypes and biases they hold, why they hold them, and some possible ways to change them. During the sixth group session, the members will complete another stereotype activity. As a result of completing this activity, the students knowledge of stereotypes and biases that exist in the school and ways to change or eliminate those stereotypes and biases will be assessed. During the seventh group session, the members will complete an activity in which they have to assume a role other than their own. This activity assesses the students understanding of worldviews that differ from their own and how those differing views can cause or reduce conflict. During the final group session, the members will complete a culminating activity that involves making commitments and goals to eliminate stereotypes and biases from their lives. This activity assesses the members knowledge of strategies to reduce stereotypes and biases and the conflict that they cause. The session assignments and activities

GROUP PROPOSAL outlined above will allow the counselor to determine whether or not the first three outcomes listed were met. The remaining two outcomes will be assessed in a different manner. Before the group

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starts, the counselor will gather data from the administration on office referrals, detentions, and suspensions that group members received. For each group member, the counselor will note the number of office referrals, detentions, and suspensions that the group member received for racially motivated offenses. Throughout the group, the counselor will continue to document and chart these consequences for each group member. At the conclusion of the group, the counselor will complete each students chart of consequences for racially motivated offenses. In order for the outcomes to be met, the charts will need to show a decrease in the number of office referrals, detentions, and suspensions. The counselor will continue to document the students progress on reducing these offenses at various intervals throughout the year. The counselor will also use two forms of summative evaluation to assess the intended outcomes of this small group. During the very first session, the students will take a pretest. This same test will be given during the last group as a posttest. The responses from students on each will be compared to see how much knowledge was gained about stereotypes and biases, how stereotypes and biases cause conflict, and ways to minimize stereotypes and biases. There will also be an overall evaluation of the group in general. This evaluation will examine how effective and beneficial members of the group believed their experience to be. Responses from both summative evaluations will be used to make improvements to the group for future group sessions.

GROUP PROPOSAL References

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American School Counselor Association. (2010). Managing the three cs: Culture, class, and conflict. Alexandria, VA: Wallace, D. Bachay, J. (1998). Ethnic identity development and urban Haitian adolescents. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 26, 96110. Phinney, J. S. (1989). Stages of ethnic identity in minority group adolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence, 9, 3449. Phinney, J. S., Lochner, B., & Murphy, R. (1990). Ethnic identity development and psychological adjustment in adolescence. In A. Stiffman & L. Davis (Eds.), Ethnic issues in adolescent mental health (pp. 5372). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

GROUP PROPOSAL Appendix A

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Culture, Class, and Conflict Pretest

What is a stereotype?

What is a bias?

What are some common stereotypes that people hold?

What are some common biases that people have?

What could you do to prevent these stereotypes and biases?

What does it mean to be an agent of change?

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Appendix B

Setting the Stage

Read each question carefully and consider how you will respond. Write a response to each question. If you are unclear about a question, feel free to ask for an explanation. Where were you prior to entering this classroom?

What holidays do you celebrate every year?

What are three of your favorite foods?

Who are three of your favorite people in the world?

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What color crayon is your favorite and why?

How would you define yourself?

Appendix C

Who Am I?
How would you define yourself? For each square, complete the statement: I am __________.

Your Name

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Appendix D

My Lens
Directions: Read each question carefully after reading both stories. Discuss the questions with your group members. Write a response to each question that honestly reflects your thoughts, but is based upon the facts presented in the stories. If you are unclear about a question, feel free to ask for an explanation.

What perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs do the pigs have of the wolf?

How are the perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs of the pigs regarding the wolf similar to your perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of wolves?

What are the wolfs perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs of the pigs?

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How are the perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs of the wolf regarding the pigs similar to your perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs of pigs?

Based on all that you read, what really happened between the pigs and the wolf?

Do the attitudes, beliefs, and opinions of the society in which the pigs and wolf exist have an impact on whether the wolf is considered to be the villain in this incident? Explain.

How is the way in which society views the wolf similar to the way in which our society views certain groups of people? Can you provide any examples?
Appendix E

You Heard, You Listened: Observer Outline

Person Observed:________ Observed:________ I Heard Person

I Heard

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I Saw

I Saw

Appendix F

Peer Partners
To change the perception that __________ students receive the highest number of referrals and have the most discipline problems:

Teachers can _______________________________

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_________________________________________ _________________________________________ Other students can __________________________

_________________________________________ _________________________________________ We suggest ________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________

To change the perception that __________ people have the greatest difficulty when it comes to learning, doing well in school, and going to college:

Teachers can _______________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ Other students can __________________________

_________________________________________ _________________________________________ We suggest ________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________

Appendix G

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Culture, Class, and Conflict Posttest

What is a stereotype?

What is a bias?

What are some common stereotypes that people hold?

What are some common biases that people have?

What could you do to prevent these stereotypes and biases?

What does it mean to be an agent of change?

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Appendix H

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