How Does the Use of Minute Meetings Help Proactively Identify Students in Need of Counseling Interventions?

Project Rationale

The American School Counseling Association (ASCA) recommends a recommended ratio of school counselors to students at 250:1. However, the national average stands at approximately 455:1, indicating a significant disparity. This discrepancy, compounded by high caseloads and non-counseling duties, often forces school counselors to adopt a reactive counseling approach.

To counteract these challenges and shift towards a more proactive counseling model, the implementation of "minute meetings" – brief, individualized proactive emotional check-ins – becomes imperative. By leveraging data obtained from these minute meetings, a systematic needs-based categorization can be established. This categorization, colloquially referred to as "lunch bunches," facilitates a proactive approach to addressing shared emotional needs among students. This innovative methodology aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of school counseling interventions, aligning with the broader goal of optimizing student well-being and academic success.

Project Context

Research was conducted at Alexander D. Henderson University School in Boca Raton, Florida, situated on the Florida Atlantic University campus. The study involved 149 students in grades 4-5, comprising a diverse demographic: 51% male, 49% female; 51% White, 26% Hispanic, 10% Black, 7% Multiracial, and 6% Asian or Pacific Islander. Additionally, 13% of students are classified as Exceptional Student Education (ESE), with 8% on a 504 Plan. Notably, 33% of these students are on free or reduced lunch.

Supportive Literature

This literature review explores the utilization of minute meetings as a proactive tool to identify and address challenges in peer relationships among grade 4-5 students, with a focus on enhancing small group counseling interventions. Martens and Andreen (2013) highlight the proactive role of school counselors in addressing student behavior issues. Although not explicitly on peer relationships, their emphasis on proactive involvement sets the stage for minute meetings as a tool to identify challenges early on, providing a foundation for potential applications in peer relationship issues. Miller et al.'s study (2015) on the Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) method offers insights into structured interventions. While not specific to peer relationships, the positive impact of CICO on behavior and engagement suggests that minute meetings, as a structured intervention, could effectively identify and address challenges in peer relationships among grade 4-5 students. Mitchell et al.'s (2017) critical analysis of CICO literature provides a framework for evaluating evidence-based practices. Applying this lens to minute meetings indirectly supports the need for a systematic approach, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of small group counseling interventions targeting peer relationships. In conclusion, the literature suggests that minute meetings hold promise for identifying and addressing challenges in peer relationships among  grade 4-5 students. Informed by insights from the sources, implementing minute meetings with ongoing tracking can enhance the effectiveness of small group counseling interventions, fostering positive peer relationships and overall social-emotional development.

Research Methods

My research was conducted at Alexander D. Henderson University School in Boca Raton, Florida, situated on the Florida Atlantic University campus. The study involved 149 students in grades 4-5, comprising a diverse demographic: 51% male, 49% female; 51% White, 26% Hispanic, 10% Black, 7% Multiracial, and 6% Asian or Pacific Islander. Additionally, 13% of students are classified as Exceptional Student Education (ESE), with 8% on a 504 Plan. Notably, 33% of these students are on free or reduced lunch.

Data Collection

Minute Meetings: Students were asked to rank their friends, family, and school on a scale of 1-5. Using a scale of smiley faces, and numbers, I asked the students to point to which smiley face they would rank each category. I pulled each student in the hallway for a quick meeting, after they answered the questions they would go in and tap their neighbor to come out in the hallway for the meeting

Lunch Bunch: Using the data from the minute meetings, I pulled the students who ranks “friends” the lowest. I then emailed those students teachers to suggest 2 to 3 friends that would eat lunch in my office during their assigned lunch time. We would meet once a week for two weeks. During lunch bunch we practice social skills, such as how to have a conversation and eat politely. I would also use conversation cards to build bridges between each student.

Lunch Bunch Exit Ticket: The 4th and 5th grade students who were in lunch bunch would complete an exit ticket before heading back to class. They would answer:

• Before this lunch bunch I felt____ about my friends
  • (Nervous, Happy, Excited, Sad, Other…)
• After this lunch bunch I feel ____ about my friends
• One new thing I learned about a friend is…
• After today’s lunch bunch, when I hang with my friends I will…

Procedures and Data Analysis

The study took place over a school year. Minute meetings happened 4 times during the year- August, January, March and May. After analyzing the data the lunch bunches would happen from October to May. 1 group of 3 students meeting for 2 weeks and then rotating the lunch bunch to somebody else on the list.

Results

The research findings suggest that implementing minute meeting data to form groups, particularly lunch bunches, serves as an effective way to help students who self-identified as struggling with peer relationships. Specifically, students who participated in lunch bunches exhibited a notable increase in positive feelings towards peer relationships with a significant 27% improvement compared to their classmates who did not engage in the lunch bunch intervention. The results underscores the potential of minute meetings in fostering a conducive environment for proactively addressing needs in the school, creating and forming relationships with all students, and forming groups to meet the needs of all students. The ongoing tracking of students’ progress through these meetings appears to enhance the efficacy of small group counseling interventions. These findings highlight the value of incorporating minute meetings into school counseling practices as a proactive measure to support students’ social emotional development and overall well-being.

Lunch Bunches, a time where 2-3 students from the same grade are eating lunch in the school counseling office, have been shown to be a valuable resource to students to cultivate meaningful connections and develop essential social skills. Through the sessions, students had an opportunity to engage in a check-in and discussion on building a positive relationship. After each lunch bunch, students filled out an exit ticket asking them how they feel about their friends and any new things they learned about each other. One particular lunch bunch, the students realized they all had pet rabbits at home. In their exit ticket, one student wrote “I learned that my new friends have rabbits, just like me.” Another lunch bunch, one of the students was telling the other student about how much he enjoys playing with him at recess. The student wrote in his exit ticket “I found out that (Student) is a true friend.”  Lunch bunches not only provided a space for students to address specific challenges they were facing, but also helped facilitate the development of interpersonal skills, such as communication, conflict resolution, and cooperation. Overall, the positive experiences and tangible benefits reported by students underscore the significance of lunch bunches as an effective intervention for promoting healthy peer relationships and enhancing social-emotional well-being in the elementary school setting.

Implications

Using minute meetings to inform the groupings for lunch bunches in schools holds profound implications for promoting holistic student development and fostering a positive school culture. By implementing minute meetings, counselors can proactively identify students who may be experiencing challenges (such as in peer relationships) by enabling early intervention and support. This targeted approach not only addresses immediate concerns but also facilitates the cultivation of a supportive and inclusive school community where all students feel valued and heard. The incorporation of lunch bunches provides a structured platform for students to enhance their social skills, create meaningful connections with peers and develop essential interpersonal competencies. Lunch bunches contribute to the overall social-emotional well-being of students and promote a culture of empathy and understanding. Additionally, the ongoing tracking of the students’ progress through these interventions enables counselors to tailor strategies effectively. Ultimately, the integration of minute meetings and lunch bunches reflects a proactive approach to supporting students’ social-emotional development and cultivating a nurturing educational environment conducive to academic success and personal growth.

Resources