Rooted in Reading- Attendance Small Grps

This year I got to work with Tiffany Buckles (not Buckles for too much longer 😊 ), an incredible intern from CNU. Attention all HR departments- if she ever applies to your district hire her immediately.

We called ourselves the "counseling girls" (an ode to the amazing Gilmore Girls) and I gotta admit I think we were an amazing team. We combined my addiction of children's book/biblotherapy and her wisdom/love of owls and thus the "Whoooo Loves School" small groups were formed. I can't brag on these groups enough, but the data speaks for itself!

Read more about our "Whoooo Loves School" small group.....

(Each session began using an owl check-in sheet and will end with a completion of an understanding survey)

Session 1: -Introduction of group members and group rules

-Read Dog-Gone School by Amy Schmidt 

-Complete "Read AllAbout Me" worksheet

Session 2: -Introduce the term "responsibility"

-Read Ready Rabbit Gets Ready by Brenna Maloney

-Discuss and complete responsibility worksheet from the Character Counts Kid packets (available on TPT).

Session 3: -Read Time For School, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff -Introduce No excuse, Mouse! (a puppet/stuffed animal that they must tell excuses to, then the mouse said "NO EXCUSE!")

-Complete no excuse worksheet

Session 4: -Introduce the topic of not staying up late -Read or watch Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Williams

Session 5: -Introduce the term "accountability" -Show Hurry Up, Franklin YouTube video

-Have students hold up accountability cards when they spot accountability in the video. These cards were created by Tiffany. You could also use simple pieces of green or red paper.

Session 6: -Work through attendance files (by Savvy School Counselor) packet together!



*Notes- We used the same books for K and 3rd. I was pleasantly surprised how well our 3rd graders responded to the books. Most of the members had years of attendance issues, so I can't help but wonder if the books were more academically and developmentally appropriate for them. The members could easily understand them and I believe that made them more active and engaged.