Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference: Day 2

Day 2 of the Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference was packed with just as much information and professional learning as Day 1. For those who may not know about the Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference, here is an overview from the program welcome page:

"This conference was created to prioritize and disseminate what works in school counseling and to engage practicing professional school counselors, counseling administrators, and school counselor educators as leaders in that context...By using evidence-based and culturally responsive interventions to remove barriers to success for all students and to support achievement through multiple interventions, school counselors can be central players on the education team."

The Keynote
Day 2 started with an inspiring keynote by Paul Ripchik, Jr., Associate Principal and Director of 9-12 Counseling, Shenendehowa Central Schools. The title of his address, "A Roadmap to Goal Setting: A Communication Tool Between School Counselors and the Building Principal," described the incredible transformation of the School Counseling Department in his school.  Mr. Ripchik described himself as someone who had no formal degree in School Counseling, had coached a variety of sports, and had a degree in marketing.  When he took the position as Associate Principal and Director of 9-12 Counseling he knew he would meet with resistance as the Guidance department (as it was still called in 2011) had seen a steady stream of  changing leadership over the years.  Using the ASCA National Model book as his guide, in which he described his copy as tattered, highlighted, and full of sticky notes, along with his marketing and education backgrounds, he led his School Counselors to receive RAMP as a school of distinction.  Their transformation started with a study of the ASCA model,  senior exit surveys, asking what does 21st century school counseling look like and are we doing it, creating a comprehensive school counseling plan, re-branding their department and getting rid of the word "guidance."  They created a theme, instituted  a school based Career Fair where business could come to interview students for summer jobs, and created a student internship program using 2 students from each grade level to work on projects tied to the Counseling Center.  They reconfigured the counseling suite to make it more open, welcoming, and student friendly and invested time in training clerical staff so every person who entered felt they left with something.   He humorously described how for students in the past, trying to get through the bank of secretaries to a School Counselor was like running a gauntlet. 

Using the ASCA model, the school counseling team looked at aligning school and district goals, reviewed end of the year data points, identified burning questions, planned and held School Counselor professional development in a separate time and place to allow them to finalize goals, action plans, and create lesson plans.

In closing, Mr. Ripchik reminded us every data point is a child we are impacting and suggested listing data points by name.  What a way to keep it real! He reminded us to never get complacent and that schools with School Counselor and Administrative Leadership teams are the most powerful.

Creating Evidence-Based Tier 2 Intervention Kits 
Dr. Peg Donahue and her exceptional team of grad students, ready to be hired in May, presented a  double session of useful and relevant information for practicing School Counselors at all levels. The student presenters had created Tier 2 Intervention kits for students from elementary to high school which could be implemented by School Counselors, teachers, or teaching assistants. Each student took turns sharing their kits and the impact they had seen from using them.

As is always the case, there are going to be cases of teacher resistance to pulling students for Tier 2 interventions.  It was suggested to find those teachers who are there for the kids and engage with them.  When those teachers share the success they are seeing with their peers, it will "loosen the jar" with other teachers.

Dr. Donohue got me thinking about the way we present and advocate for the Tier 2 services we see are needed by our students.  She  made the comparison to speech services. She says, "...we give intervention to children at 4 for stuttering...by 4th grade it is not an issue."  As School Counselors, we know teachers and administrators are aware of the benefit of early intervention in speech and academic issues.  It is up to us as School Counselors to advocate for the benefit of early interventions for social-emotional learning as well.  Dr. Donohue states our students "...need to know and have skills to take care of themselves and make friends rather that self-medicating and self-harming."

My Turn to Present

In the afternoon it was my turn to present on "A Data Day is Like a Mental Health Day: But How to Evaluate the Impact?"  This session was based on my experience of creating a data day for School Counselors in my district.  I felt validated  and encouraged that morning when our keynote speaker talked about School Counselors needing professional development time away to review data and plan for a comprehensive school counseling plan. That was a perfect summary of my session. School Counselors need time away from their schools during the last few weeks of the school year to review data and plan for the coming year. For more information on creating a Data Day for the School Counselors in your district, check out my earlier post A Data Day is Like a Mental Health Day or listen to my podcast with Trish Hatch.

Create a data picture of your caseload

Data Tells a Story

There was time for one more session before I had to catch the Super Shuttle to the airport.  I chose "Data Tells a Story" presented by Dr. Deborah Hardy.  Dr. Hardy took data down to the most basic level.  She had us look at graphs of data and determine what we saw, then ask what was missing.  We considered questions  about gender, ethnicity, grade level, and who and when meetings with the School Counselor were being requested.  Were these requests happening more often after a particular lesson, a holiday, or recess?  She also had us consider the questions "Is this data going to improve a program?" and "Who and what will the evaluation impact?"

She pointed out how often there are services in our schools which are isolated.Their data is not included with the data we traditionally review.  It is important to come together to show who is having needs across multiple of settings, like who is spending a lot of time with the nurse or going to In School Suspension.  We need to ask who, how often, and why? From there we can develop future goals and action plans to better inform interventions and programming for students. 

Dr. Hardy also encouraged us to survey our students to determine the lessons we should be teaching (we think we know what is good for kids, but do we ask kids what they need) to understand the needs of those who are transitioning from one level to the next,  and even to explore what electives our schools should offer.  We often create electives because we think kids will love them she says, but have we asked?  

As a former elementary School Counselor, I had never considered a statistical picture of my caseload.  All the students were mine, so the school data was my data.  Now that I am at a middle school, and share the students with another School Counselor,  I see the importance of understanding the data for my caseload.  It will be interesting to see what the data reveals about the students I serve.

EBSCC 2019

All the sessions I attended at the Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference (EBSCC) were of the highest quality and there are so many others I wish I could have attended.  This is an excellent conference for School Counselors looking for professional development, networking, and learning about the latest research and evidence-based practices in our field. The cost for the conference is very reasonable at $159 for the 2 days. Start saving your money and mark your calendars now for March 10-11, 2019  when the EBSCC 2019 will be at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

Evidenced Based School Counseling: Day 1

I just returned from the Sixth Annual Evidenced-Based School Counseling Conference, in New York City.  This was my third visit to the "boutique" conference featuring learning opportunities from School Counselor Practitioners, Educators, Supervisors and leaders in the field.  The word "boutique" of course refers to a small conference, but the impact and quality of sessions was anything but.

The program welcome to EBSCC 2018 states:
"This conference was created to prioritize and disseminate what works in school counseling and to engage practicing professional school counselors, counseling administrators, and school counselor educators as leaders in that context...By using evidence-based and culturally responsive interventions to remove barriers to success for all students and to support achievement through multiple interventions, school counselors can be central players on the education team."


The 2 day conference provided opportunities to attend a keynote and five 50 minute sessions each day.  There was also the option of attending  a number of double sessions for 2 hours offered both mornings.  As is often the case, there were multiple sessions I wanted to attend being offered at the same time.  The first morning I had to choose between these 2 hour sessions: Using School Data to Show Accountability, Motivational Interviewing Techniques, and Starting Universal Screening in your School District.  Any of the three would have been a winner, but I chose Motivational Interviewing.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) was a topic I had been hearing a lot about.  Its directive and client-centered style fits well with my own personal identity as a School Counselor. I learned MI empowers the student to set goals and action plans.  In doing so, it is the job of the School Counselor to involve the student in exploration and support rather than exhortation, persuasion, or argument.  The responsibility and argument for change is left with the client.  When students want to be the next NBA or Rap Star, it's okay to say, "Great, what do you need to do to get there?"
In MI the School Counselor does not fight the student's resistance.  When students are not interested in change or tell you they just don't care, "roll with the resistance."  Tell students you respect that they don't care, thank them for their time and invite them back if they want to change something.
The 5 principles of MI focus on empowering students. 
1) Express and show empathy towards students
2) Support and develop discrepancy
3) Deal with resistance
4) Support self-efficacy
5) Autonomy

Check out these Amazon titles:  Miller and Rollnick (2013) 3rd Edition Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change  
North (2017) Motivational Interviewing for School Counselors

My next session was "What are Social Stories and How Do I Write Them?" with Dr. Emily Goodman-Scott. The term Social Stories has been copyrighted by Carol Gray who pioneered their use.  You will want to check out this link to learn more about Social Stories and their development.  Carol Gray Social Stories.

Social Stories were originally developed for use with children with Autism.  Their use has expanded to provide an evidence based intervention for all students.  Social Stories can be used for helping students process any situation from adjustment scenarios, event preparation, anxiety, appropriate social skills, and understanding a new culture.  Social Stories most often feature the child at the center, however stories using popular cartoon characters have also been successful.  Social Stories can be designed, with the student, as a book in PowerPoint using Google Images or actual photographs (or selfies) of the student and situation.  They should be written in first person language and explain the situation or behavior, prepare students for what will occur, and show expected behavior,  Collaborating with all stakeholders involved with the student is important to be sure all aspects of the story are covered and to provide reinforcement.

This intervention can be used as Tier 3  and is great for collecting outcome data with students at any level.  I have a 6th grader with a behavioral disability and speech issues who has difficulty going to class and staying in class. I plan to write a Social Story with him about this topic.  This will allow me to collect the needed outcome data and will show the behavioral impact of a story written specifically to help him manage his behavior about staying in class.

My next session was about using Hip Hop and Spoken Word Therapy as a Group Counseling Framework in Schools. In this session the presenter has taken his love of Rap music and created a Donor's Choose project to fund a studio in his counseling suite.  He shared how 2/3 of adolescents today have experienced trauma and how trauma negatively impacts self regulation. He discussed how students of color are often put in a position where their emotional expression is considered disobedient, causing them to feel isolated and unsupported.  Lyric writing and recording hip hop beats allows students to express their emotional obstacles.  When students come together to share their experiences, they must listen to each other to create a cohesive track.  This group provides a way for students of color to cope, to express emotions, and reflect on their experiences. 

What's a School Counselor to do who is not familiar with Hip Hop, Spoken Word Therapy, or laying down beats?  Start with the students and ask them to teach you or find  someone in your community who has the skills and knowledge and ask for their help.

My last session of the day was Exploring Systemic Factors of White Spaces Within Educational Institutions and the Role of the School Counselor.  We were asked to examine our biases and how they impact our services to students. We heard how we must be compassionate about the socio-ecological realities of our students.  What are these and how do they impact our students?  Many students of color are characterized as underachievers.  It is important to ask deeper questions about discrepancies, for example, why are there a lower number of students of color taking AP courses? Our students come full of knowledge, how do we use it?  We ended with this powerful YouTube video below by Sy Stokes titled "Dear White  Counselor."  For more in depth understanding of this topic it is important to read about critical race theory, white fragility, and colonization mindset.

I hope you enjoyed reading about this unique professional developmental opportunity on evidence-based practices.  This conference is offered each Spring and will be held next at Ohio State University on March  10-11, 2019. 
Next week, Day 2 of the Evidenced-Based School Counseling Conference.

21 Day Daily Data Challenge

                                                          


(Part 4 of a 4 part series)
After my trip to Kentucky, to the Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference, I couldn't wait to create my miracle! However, implementing ALL I had learned back at my school was going to be a different story.  You know, real life meets good intentions?   As exciting as it all was, I was on information overload and wasn't sure where to start.  Over the next couple of days as I began to process my conference experiences I knew I needed to get into the data for my school.  As with any big job, especially if it is new, it can seem totally overwhelming. The secret to success, I have found, is to make a plan, start small, and put it out there for your friends and colleagues to hold you accountable.  Because I know myself, and some of you may be the same way, if I don't make a plan and share it with everyone I will probably not see it through to the finish.  So here it is. My plan to start practicing and implementing some of the great things I learned at the EBSC conference.  I have created the 21 Day Daily Data Challenge. I hope you will consider joining me on this adventure!

What is the 21 Day Daily Data Challenge?
It's simple really. My idea is to do one small task each day to get into my data.  That seems manageable to me, when I consider all my other School Counselor duties, and my desire to have a personal life. The challenges are divided into sections, Day 1 is about organization, Days 2-9 are the data round-up.  Days 10-15 are the data mining. Days 15-19 are problem identification and response. Days 20 and 21 are evaluate and share.  I have also included some helpful forms I got from our faithful ASCA website which I think will make the various tasks of the 21 Day Daily Data Challenge easier.  The folder of forms is HERE or you can look for them posted on my daily data update along with the next day's challenge.

The Daily Data Update
Each evening I will post  the challenge for the following day on this blog.  For example, on Sunday evening I will post the Day 1 challenge for Monday.  On Monday I will share my experience in meeting the Day 1 challenge and issue the challenge for Day 2 and so on for the remaining 19 school days. But, if you want to look ahead and see what the challenges are for each day, you will find the list of challenges HERE.  You can also subscribe to this blog (on the right) to receive email notifications when I've posted each day's challenge and my results.  

NO EXCUSES!
There are as many excuses for not getting in your data as there are School Counselors like...
"I've got too much to do, there's no time for this."
"I have more important student issues to deal with right now,"
"This is a waste of time, nothing is going to change."
"My administrator is never going to let me out of this duty anyway."
  "This is just really a bad time for me."
"I don't know much about data and I'm really not sure what to do."

We must remember how important it is for all of us to show the value of having School Counselors in every school. The use of data is the only way to get the legislators, administrators, and taxpayers to know and understand  how students are different because of what School Counselors do!  We owe it to ourselves, our schools our students and our profession to show how we make a difference!

WHY participate?
So why should you participate in the 21 Day Daily Data Challenge? Let's see, it will strengthen your program by identifying goals for your school and showing the value of your services as a School Counselor. If you are part of this wonderful profession, you have heard or know first hand about School Counselors who act as glorified, highly paid bus, recess, hall, and cafeteria monitors, test coordinators and registrars.  The collective cry of School Counselors who just want to do the job they were trained to do is loud and clear. And so is the solution.  Dr.Trish Hatch said it best at my state conference in October,

"Principals don't know what we do or what they can count on from us, so they assign us the tasks that need to be done, that may have nothing to  do with school counseling." 

So we must show them! Each and everyone of us must show the impact our classroom, small group and individual counseling skills have on the social/emotional, academic and career success of our students. Our tender-hearted anecdotes are not enough.  We must use data!  I know this whole thing with data is relatively new and unfamiliar to me, but I'm learning.  I figure if I publicly challenge myself and invite you all along, I'll not just be creating a miracle for my school, but encouraging other School Counselors to create miracles for their school counseling programs as well.

I Challenge YOU!
So who is with me?  Are you ready to create a miracle for what is left of this school year and set the stage for more miracles for next year?  Kick your excuses to the curb and make a commitment to join me in the 21 Day Daily Data Challenge.  I will be right here with you. As a matter of fact we can do this together.  I have finally set up a Facebook page for the Exploring School Counseling blog. The first posts will be about the 21 Day Daily Data Challenge.  It will be a  place where anyone who is interested in taking the challenge can chat about the successes and frustrations of each day's activity, share pictures or resources and can encourage and cheer each other on.


I  will leave you with this bit of encouragement I found as I wrestled with my own insecurities about starting this challenge and my ability to finish it successfully.

I'm ready are you?  I hope you will consider accepting the 21 Day Daily Data Challenge and joining me on my journey!

Evidence-Based School Counseling and The Flashlight Approach

Part 2 of a 4 part series

“Don’t wait for a miracle! The time is now! Go create one!” Dr.Trish Hatch, EBSC conference 2015

After attending Trish Hatch’s inspiring keynote and nearly a dozen sessions about all aspects of data and how other schools were using data to show the value of School Counselors (and actually adding counselors to their districts) I couldn't wait to get started.  Using data to drive and evaluate my program had seemed like such an insurmountable task, I had no idea how or where to start.  But now, I felt empowered to begin. I had a tool. The flashlight approach.  It is quick and simple and can generate real results quickly.  So, I am creating my own miracle as Dr. Hatch suggested.

The Flashlight Approach: Measuring one thing WELL!
The idea behind evidence-based school counseling is to build an entire comprehensive school counseling program totally driven by data.  But that can take a few years and Trish Hatch knows that. She wants School Counselors to start NOW! 

Gathering and analyzing the data from all the sources a School Counselor has available can be daunting and overwhelming.  Thus, the idea of starting small and focused like the beam of a flashlight. A flashlight does not light up a whole room.  It shines its beam of light in one area, on a specific target, chosen by the person holding the flashlight. So it should be for School Counselors as we begin to use data to direct our programs.  We don't need to measure everything we do.  Hatch says, “Choose ONE thing and measure it well.”

Maybe you will choose to shine your flashlight on something you already do, or maybe a program or idea you've been wanting to try.  Whether tried and true or something new, a curriculum lesson plan or a small group, shine your flashlight on it.  Use the flashlight approach to help you measure your effectiveness and show the impact of the intervention you have implemented. This is your evidence to show how you make a difference, how students are different because of what you do.  

Using the ASCA National Model Action Plan as a guide

The flashlight approach helps School Counselors show immediate results using the ASCA National Model Action Plan.  In her book, The Use of Data in School Counseling, Dr. Hatch suggests following your counseling activity all the way through using these steps and ASCA's action plan samples.

Identify the problem:  Use available data. Maybe you've noticed an increase in referrals in the quarterly discipline reports.  Upon disaggregating the data you find a number of 3rd grade boys with 3 or more referrals and a large number of bullying complaints involving 5^th graders.  You may decide to do a small group with students with 3 or more referrals. Or maybe you've been doing a bully lesson for a year or two and you would like to measure its true effectiveness with  your 5^th graders.
Set a goal: For example, decrease discipline referrals by 10% or decrease 5^th grade discipline referrals for bullying by 20%  or  increase student awareness of upstander strategies by 20%.
Identify your standard(s): Refer to the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors

Choose Curriculum and materials

Implement the Lesson(s): Collect pre-test/survey data, conduct your lesson(s), collect post-test/survey data

Collect Process Data:  What you did for whom, for example: 8 third grade boys, 5 sessions, 30 minutes each or 2 classroom lessons on upstander strategies for 48 5^th graders for 45 minutes each.

Analyze Perception Data: Review and analyze student attitudes, knowledge, and skills before and at the conclusion of your group sessions or class lessons using pre/post-test data. For example: pre-20% of group members knew 3 or more calm down strategies, post-95% know 3 or more calm down strategies. Or pre- 35 % knew 2 or more strategies for being an upstander, post- 85 % knew 2 or more strategies for being an upstander. But maybe your Upstander Strategies lesson didn't show a positive data change. That’s important data too.  Is it time to re-work the lesson?  Find a new lesson?  We don’t want to waste our time doing lessons, even though we may enjoy them, if they are not benefitting our students.

Review Outcome Data: For example: reports of bullying have decreased from 72% to 40%, discipline referrals are down from 50% to 35%

Implications:  Review all your data and procedures, reflect on lessons for the future. ASCA even has a results report if you are interested.

Share:  Make your results known to EVERYONE!  It doesn't have to be formal, it could be you get 5 minutes in the hall or the cafeteria with your principal.  Put it in a memo, the school newsletter, faculty email,  maybe you get 2-3 minutes at  faculty meeting, or a chance to share informally at grade level PLC meetings. Let your administration, faculty, and staff know of your success!  And course be sure to share, celebrate, and encourage your School Counselor colleagues who may be watching how this works out for you.

Feel empowered yet?  Still think you can’t use data to drive your program and show the value of what you do?  The flashlight approach is an easy and simple way to put you on the path to building your data stamina and confidence. Our goal as practicing Professional School Counselors should focus on building a comprehensive school counseling program that is totally data driven.  A program that allows us to provide services to all and intentional programs to close the achievement gap and meet the social/emotional, academic, and career needs of every student.  A program where clerical and pseudo administrative duties are taboo.  A program where our skills and services are valued and no longer in danger of being reduced or eliminated.

I know what some of you are thinking.  This will never work with my principal, or I’m in 2, 3, or 4 schools how can I do this?  Or, they’re never going to let me out of ____________ (bus duty, cafeteria duty, testing coordinator, etc.) not ever!

Have courage.  Begin small.  Take the “flashlight” and shine it on ONE thing, just ONE thing you do.  Show its value. Share. Repeat. Repeat and repeat until you find the support you need to give your school the type of comprehensive school counseling program all students deserve.  A program that is a reflection of the unique needs of your student population, one that allows you to practice your skills as a Professional School Counselor. Just as there are hundreds of things we do and lives we touch that can NEVER be measured with data, there are hundreds of things we do that can be measured. We see the value in all those things each day.  This is a way to help others see that value too.

Next time, The Comprehensive School Counseling Program vs. Random Acts of Guidance

Evidence-Based School Counseling

 (Part 1 of a 4 part series)

It was pure luck that I first heard of the Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference at Northern Kentucky University in Erlanger. The conference title and website intrigued me and as luck would have it, 2 weeks before the conference, they were still taking registrations. There was even room at the conference hotel with shuttle service to the airport and conference center and I found a relatively inexpensive non-stop plane flight.  Oh, and did I mention, it was my Spring Break? It was meant to be.

The Conference

Visiting the EBSC website I found the following conference description and I was sold.

“The Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference provides school counselors with critical information about successful practice, evaluation, and relevant research to create dynamic and powerful school counseling programs. The conference uses a unique format to incorporate both peer-reviewed research presentations and small group consultation with leaders in the field.”

I have been to my share of professional conferences  at the local, state, and national level, but the EBSC conference is by far my favorite.  The conference was small, I would estimate about 300 participants.  The session selection was of the highest quality and varied. There was time for networking, professional exchange, making new friends, and the opportunity to meet some of School Counseling’s “rock stars."

“Rock Star” Dr. Trish Hatch

Watching Dr.Trish Hatch deliver a keynote is a little like being on a roller coaster. Without your safety belt.  The ride is fast and exciting, but you are also scared to death you are not going to be able to stay in your seat.  Not because you are afraid you are going to be thrown out of it, but because she generates the kind of excitement that makes you want to jump up and get started. Her message is delivered at a rapid pace with passion and enthusiasm.  This is because there is so much she wants School Counselors to know and so much she wants to encourage School Counselors to do.  She will tell you our time is NOW.

The Miracle Question

 Our keynote begins with Dr. Hatch asking us the Miracle question.  If we were to wake up tomorrow and a miracle were to have occurred in School Counseling what would that look like?  How would we act?  How would we feel?  What would be different?  She tells us the miracle is happening NOW.  We have a national model and there are national conversations happening NOW. The spotlight is on School Counselors with the Reach Higher initiative, the First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech at ASCA, and School Counselors being mentioned in documents nationwide like Common Core. As exciting as these events are, they are not enough. We must create the miracle. We must show how School Counselors are making a difference. NOW.

Speed Data-ing

Dr. Hatch said this was her first time trying out the term “Speed Data-ing,"  also known as the flashlight approach in her book, The Use of Data in School Counseling.  We are reassured we can’t measure everything, so she tells us to measure one thing- well. By assessing a specific data need and providing an intervention in that one area, we can show in a relatively short time, with perception data, the impact we can make in the attitude, knowledge, and skills of our students.

In closing, we were encouraged to redefine our School Counseling programs by using evidence-based practices. When we do, we start creating the miracle we want to see in School Counseling. Don’t wait for a miracle, she tells her audience, there is no time. Go create one.

Next time, The Flashlight Approach