Individual Data: KISS- Keep it Simple, School Counselor!

Data, data, data.  If you have been a counselor over the last 10 years, you have witnessed an EXPLOSION in the use of data with school counseling programs and the ASCA National Model.  It isn't enough to say that you met with 50 kids in one week, delivered ten classroom lessons, and met with five small groups.  You have to show that progress was made; students feel different, are acting differently, or are achieving different results because of YOUR interventions.  It can be daunting as a school counselor when you think of every student interaction in this way, and it can be easy to try and make data complicated.  But the key really is KISS- Keep It Simple, School Counselor!

Individual counseling is one of the areas where I have found it is difficult for me to consistently track data that is simple and easy to gather, especially if this issue is more social/emotional.  I am often fitting in students in 15-30 minute slots whenever I can and am responding to student crises before running to the next lesson, conference, small group, or testing session.  My tools for documenting change in students have evolved through the years, but I have finally found some that work for me.

The Kimochi Doll 

Students love my Kimochi doll! I don't know if it's the squishy body or the interactive pocket, but they are drawn to this cuddly stuffed animal. During the beginning of  individual counseling sessions, I explain what the Kimochi doll is and use it to see how students are feeling.  I document which feelings the student chooses and then compare the student's feelings between sessions or pre/post within one session. I ordered the Kimochi box set, which includes the doll, three basic feelings of Happy, Sad, and Mad, and a book entitled Cloud's Best Worst Day.  I also ordered the Kimochi mini mixed bag because I knew I would need a wider variety of feelings for my students.  The bag set includes feelings such as surprised, guilty, sleepy, excited, and embarrassed. I also LOVED the fact that there was a blank feeling face included so my students wouldn't be constrained by specific feeling choices.  I really haven't used the book, but that's mainly because I haven't taken the time to go through it. I feel certain there are applications for small group, classroom, or individual use once I make time to read it.

Playdoh Feeling Faces
I love using playdoh with younger students (sometimes older, too!) so I decided to create a sentence starter sheet that incorporates playdoh faces.  I ask students to create a happy face if things are going "great", a straight face if things are going "OK", or a sad face if things "are not going well" in each of the areas.  As a data tool, I document the faces students draw for the three areas each time we meet and compare the faces between sessions to ensure things are improving. In addition, this sheet really helps me to assess and pinpoint the areas of school that may be bothering a child the most.  Instead of spending 20 minutes talking about friends when home is the issue, I can zero in on the student's main concerns.  And in school counseling where our limited time is so valuable, that is key! 

Scaling Number Line

I use a lot of solution-focused counseling with my students.  I find that it is perfect for my busy schedule, which requires short individual counseling sessions, and for the majority of issues that come up with elementary students.  Scaling is a major component of solution-focused counseling, so I created a HUGE number line to use as a tool during my individual counseling sessions.  After students tell me what they want to happen with whatever problem they have, I ask students the "Miracle Question"- what if you went to bed tonight and a miracle happened? What would your goal look like if everything was perfect? What would I see you doing, hear you saying, etc.? Who would notice a miracle had happened? I explain to students that this miracle is the "10", and I have them rate for me where they currently are on the scale. Sometimes, I have students create a unique clothesline clip that they can use for months if I think I will be meeting with them more than a couple of times. Other times, I have them use my generic magnetic clip to show how thing are going with their "miracle".  I then document their scale on my Student Individual Counseling Sheet and we brainstorm strategies based on the student moving up ONE number on the scale.  I find that students love charting their progress on my number line, and it is a concrete way to track perception data for students (and for teachers- but more on that later!).

Happy Counseling!
 Angela