Fourth/Fifth/Sixth Organization Skills Group
Teaching organizational skills to students is like teaching a sport. Fundamentals are key in both cases. While some acquire the fundamentals more naturally, others need more drill and practice. Of course it is a lot more fun to learn a skill while playing a sport!
The best way to learn a new skill is to first have the motivation and desire to do so. Secondly, it is important to have an instructor who can break the skills down into understandable steps. In addition, the learners need to practice and apply the skill in the actual setting. Lastly, repetition is essential until the skills has automaticity.
The Organizational Skills Groups are setting up in four phases spread out over a period of time. The first phase focus is on establishing the need or desire the student must have in order to be receptive to learning the necessary skills. The second phase is to determine which skills are missing. The third phase is to acquire instruction and the last phase is for actual practice and application.
Although this group works well for fifth and sixth graders, it is especially helpful for fourth grade students as they are developmenting more independent work habits.
Students are referred to the counselor from teachers and parents. For best results have no more than 6 students per group and mixed sexes work fine. Group is more effective if it is not run during lunch or recess.
Since the group divided into four phases there is no set number of sessions and often it meets throughout the school year. Group meets once a week for 30 minutes.
Frustration levels are generally high from teachers and parents when it comes to organizational skills. Let them know that this is a slow process. Students don't master organizational skills in one or two sessions. Often there are other issues going on and this is the first step in the process of learning more about the individual learner's strengths and areas of concerns. In addition, the best place to learn organizational skills is in a classroom where the teacher is organized with clear instruction of procedures. Also, at home where there is consistancy and order. It is helpful for teachers and parents to set up environments that support skills building.
Phase One
Session One
- Establish the purpose of the organizational group with new members
- Clarify any questions they might have for being selected to be in the group
- Expect resistance and opposition (maybe even denial) and listen carefully to their objections but do not try to justify or explain. Say, "Group is optional after the first phase. Your teacher/parent thought that learning some organizational skills would be helpful to you. In our first phase you'll have a chance to explore what is working for you and what's not working."
- Share the metaphor about learning a new skill in sports. Pick the sport you know the most about so that you can break it down into some basic steps." Highlight how a coach helps athlete to improve skill by sharing tips and observation.
- Go over the ground rules
- Close out scale question: Say, "As we end group today we are going to share on a scale of 1 - 10 where you think you are with organization skills. Not what your teacher says or your mom says but where you think you are. Keep in mind that there are 100's of organizational skills and you can be really good with some and not so good with others. Your answer is just with organization skills in general." "I will start, it might be a surprise to you but I am really about a 3 or 4 on the scale. Naturally I am not so organized and over the years have learned ways to keep track of things ."
- Ask some one to summarize what they have discovered from everyone's response.
Session Two
- Give survey to discover need for group
- I read the following questions to the group while they make a tally for yes response
- I need reminders to get started on my homework.
- I get stuck when planning a task such as a school project.
- I like it when someone encourages me to keep going on my task because I stop working a lot.
- I need help in the morning getting ready for school (I can't find things) or getting ready for bed.
- My room is a mess.
- I can't find things like homework, shoes, library books.
- My desk at school is a mess.
- Other kids talk to me a lot and I can't do my work.
- I am missing work in my notebooks.
- Ask students to look at their check marks. What have they discovered? Keep this session fun and light hearted. Even those students who don't want to be in the group know that they need tips and strategies.
- Close out: Each student shares one thing they might like to get skills for.
Session Three
- Say, "We are almost at the end of phase one. Today I am going to explain a little bit more about the different ways we can be disorganized. We can be disorganized because we can't keep track of our materials such as books, papers, etc or we can't keep track of our ideas (they get lost in our head somewhere when we are thinking) We can be disorganized because we can keep track of time. Some of us have trouble remembering or holding information in our heads like following multi-step directions. Some of us having trouble keeping our attention, especially when it is something we don't like. Some of us need a lot of reminders and help keeping started. "
- "So I am wondering is it bad or wrong if we are like one of these ways of being disorganized?
- Group shares their thoughts
- When you are playing a sport doesn't the coach give everyone skills and drills to work on? That is what will be happening in phase two. We are going to discover which skills and drills you need, and that might be different for each of you.
- Close out: Student shares desire to be in the group and to get some tips and skills for helping them with their organization. Tell students that even if they choose not to be in the group their teachers and parents will still want them to work on getting more organized. It isn't always about how smart a person is. In fact, scientist have found that learning organization skills is key in a students success in school, maybe even more than how smart a student might be.
Phase Two
Session One
- Express joy that students have chosen to continue in group. Let them know this shows maturity and desire to be successful in school. I have found that students who struggle with organizational issues feel discouraged about learning. It takes so much energy to keep track of materials, time, thoughts that they often just give up trying. As a counselor and group leader it is important to keep this group upbeat and positive.
- Say, "In phase two you each are going to become like detectives or scientist. Your goal is to discover just what is missing in your organizational skills profile. You will be gathering data to help us find just the right skill you need. Are any of you swimmers? Well, let's say this swimmer is trying to get a faster time. He might think he has to swim faster but the coach studies his strokes and sees he is going plenty fast. So the coach studies him closer and finds out that on his underwater turn he needs to do two skills....one keep his arms locked out straight and tight and two hold it til he gets to the flags.... The swimmer practices this over and over again until it becomes automatic and then in the race...he gets a faster time. " "The coach used data to figure out what skills needed to be learned. We will do the same things in group."
- Ask the group what are some of the things we might be looking for to gather this data.
- It is important to let them talk about some of the things that they might be looking for. Although this is not the normal Here and Now group process, students need to take some ownership in learning about which organizational skills are important. There are some groups that need more nudging than others. The list generally includes losing things, forgetting, not knowing what to do (being clueless as one student described it), distracted, lack of interest.
- Close out: Ask each student what thing they are going to be gathering data about.
- Go round: Have student see if they can recall what each person is going to be gathering data on.
- Go over ways of gathering this data. Tally sheets are good, putting sticky on desk and marking each time they notice. Give examples. "If your goal is to see how many times the teacher has to remind you to get back to work then each time she tells you, then you mark a tally mark. Next week we will look at what you gathered. If you have no marks then the data might tell us, that is not a skill you need to learn or it might say you are very forgetful because you forgot to do the tally. If we discover you are very forgetful then maybe that is the skill you need to learn.
Session Two - Four Give students reminders in between sessions to gather their data.
- Each week have students share what they are discovering. These sessions take time and counseling skills on the part of the group facilitator. Students do enjoy sharing their findings. Ask a lot of reflecting and self awareness questions as the students share their findings.
- If students are not gathering data I tell them that I will come in and gather the data for them. That I will observe them, talk with teachers, parents etc. I will give them surveys to fill out also (See Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson or All Kinds of MInds by Mel Levine)
- It might be helpful to make a list of some of the major skills
- Generally each student comes up with two or three goals based on needs to work on by the end of group.
- Record what each student has for their goals.
Note: This may seem a long drawn out process. It can be shortened by having only one week of gathering data and adding time to the group where you process data with students. However, it is an important step in helping the students acknowledge ownership in this deficient skills.
Phase Three
Session One
- This is the phase were the students sets a goal for whick skill they want to work on.
- Check In: Each student reflects on how group has been so far. What are some things they have been noticing or discovering about themselves or others?
- Each student will share what their goal is and how it was they came about with that particular goal to learn a skill for. As the students share review the different areas by identifying what Executive Skill is necessary for that goal. For example, if student shares they want to work on remembering to do their homework at night. Say, " The skill needed for this is working memory." (See Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson as reference)
- Show slide show on Setting Smart Goals
- Check out - Say, "Let's look ahead to our last group what is it going to feel like when you've learned your new organizational skill and have reached your goal. What are some of the things your teacher or parents will be saying to you?"
Session Two
- Hand out work sheet for Smart goal steps. (See below for copy)
- Students begin filling out sheet without much instruction.
- We talk about how they completed the sheet. This gives counselor clues as to other skills they may need to work on. Then go over each section and have them expand their responses.
- Explain to group that it takes time and practice to learn a new skill.
- Take time to talk over with each student in group what it will look like, feel like while doing the skill.
- Encourage other group members to share tips that have worked for them if that is a skill they are successful at.
- Check out - Each student says a positive, encouraging word to other group member. As group leader I always model this for students.
Fitness Smart Goal.pdf | |
File Size: | 117 kb |
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Phase Four
Session One - Four
Session Five
Session One - Four
- Check in with students as to how things are going working on goal. What's been working and what isn't working.
- Provide students with helpful strategies for each of their goals. As counselor prepare these in advance for each student. Use various resources for tips and strategies. For example, forgetting homework using sticky's in various places as reminders.
- Prior to group talk with parents and teachers and get positive feedback for how student is doing on goal.
- Celebrate sucesses and give encouragement for those struggling.
- If necessary set up individual sessions in between groups for students.
Session Five
- Last group
- Check in - Each student comments "when I started group I ..... but now I ................
- Share what it feels like for group to be ending.
- Share what they learned about themself or others
- Offer option of picking another goal from data collected and continuing to come to group to get support.