I was really looking forward to last Friday’s welcome
breakfast with the school administration, but since our interns just started
this week (I cannot stress how excited I am to have them with us!) we thought
it would be best to reschedule the breakfast for this Friday, when the whole
team could be together! In the meantime, we’ve been working diligently to
determine which students we should service this year. With the help of the school
principal, guidance counselor and teachers we were able to compile a list of
new students who are in need. The Partnership team (another social worker, our
two FANTASTIC interns, and me!) also took time to review the files of our past
students to see if any of them are still in need of continued services. After
hours and days of discussion, we came up with a list of 21 high-need individual
counseling students and 60 students to be split among our 4 small group
programs. Later this year will get a better idea of which classrooms would
benefit from our “push in” programs where we work with an entire class to help
students master socialization skills.
While all of our programs are invaluable—coming into
children’s lives and giving them the social emotional tools they need to better
their education—I have to admit the small group sessions are my favorite! Our Boys Group and Girls Group provide
students with a safe space to discuss issues that girls and boys face in
school, at home, and in the community. Depending on the group dynamic, the
Girls Group might focus more on body image or self-esteem, while the Boys Group
may focus more on health and hygiene or personal achievement. The content of
the groups often overlap, but we find the discussions to be more successful by
separating the boys and girls, providing a safer, more honest space.
The other two groups that we’ve created for our older
students (4th and 5th graders) help incorporate some career
skills too! Partnership with Children’s Newspaper
Group allows students, with the assistance of the group facilitators, to
create a regularly published newspaper. Students participate in all aspects of
the production, including writing, contributing ideas for content, editing,
layout and distribution. Students learn to work efficiently in small groups,
build literacy and writing skills, develop leadership skills and of course have
a record of their achievement though school and home distribution of their
paper.
Similarly, the School
Bookstore Group teaches students the skills to run a successful business,
helping students develop and cultivate skills in entrepreneurship, money
management, citizenship and leadership. Over time, the job skills and service
of the students running the bookstore, as well as the students and school staff
that purchase items at the bookstore, contribute to an overall positive school
community.
All four groups help to successfully address social,
emotional and behavioral issues, making students more ready to learn, but they
each achieve this in such unique ways. I’m so excited to meet the students as
they come into these groups and witness their progress over the year. Not only
are we providing students with the skills they need to achieve more in the
classroom, but we’re also providing valuable life skills that can help them
succeed far beyond the school room.
