233. What EXACTLY You Should Be Doing at Each Tier

Welcome to another episode of School Counseling Simplified (SCS)! Today we’re continuing our Tiers Without Tears series with practical strategies for organizing, scheduling, and delivering Tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions. This episode is a special clip from a recent training I did for my membership community, IMPACT, where we dive deep into monthly professional development.

Let’s break down what EXACTLY you should be doing at each tier to streamline your work and create meaningful outcomes for your students.

Layered Interventions: Understanding the Tiers

1. Tier 1: Whole-School Support

   • Audience: All students.

   • Schedule: Each class gets a 30-minute lesson once a month.

   • Challenges: Scheduling conflicts, time management, and communication.

   • Solution: Use tools like Calendly to create a booking system for teachers to schedule their lessons for the entire year in advance. This keeps everyone accountable and eliminates last-minute stress.

   • Lesson Plan Structure:

   1. Introduction

   2. Icebreaker

   3. Whole-class discussion or activity

   4. Small-group breakout activity

   5. Written reflection

2. Tier 2: Small Groups

   • Audience: Students referred for specific needs (e.g., conflict resolution, self-regulation, social skills).

   • Group Size: 4-6 students grouped by age and need.

   • Duration: Weekly 30-minute sessions for 6-8 weeks.

   • Data: Use pre- and post-assessments to measure progress and inform next steps.

   • Planning Structure:

   1. Establish rules and expectations.

   2. Feelings check (use visual aids).

   3. Icebreaker activity (e.g., bingo, Jenga, or sides of the room).

   4. Main activity (e.g., role-play, board games, cut-and-sort).

   5. Reflection (journal entry or discussion).

   • Scheduling Tip: Gather referrals, send home permission slips, and coordinate with teachers to find mutually ideal times.

3. Tier 3: Individual Support

   • Audience: Students requiring one-on-one sessions for more intensive support.

   • Duration: 30-minute sessions, tailored to individual needs.

   • Focus: Build rapport, address specific challenges, and practice personalized strategies.

Tips for Success at Each Tier

• Hyper-Organize: Use lesson outlines to stay on track and manage your time effectively.

• Engage Students: Incorporate games, breakout activities, and reflection to keep sessions interactive and impactful.

• Streamline Scheduling: Avoid overwhelm by automating processes and setting clear boundaries.

• Measure Progress: Use data-driven strategies to guide your interventions and demonstrate success.

Actionable Takeaways

1. Plan ahead: Schedule Tier 1 lessons for the year to minimize chaos.

2. Stay flexible: Build buffers for travel time and transitions.

3. Engage intentionally: Keep activities interactive and age-appropriate.

4. Use data: Pre- and post-assessments are key to measuring impact.

Need more support?
Check out the IMPACT membership community for exclusive trainings, resources, and tools to simplify your school counseling journey!

Resources mentioned:

• Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!

• Check out my counseling referral form!

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More About School Counseling Simplified:

School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica.

You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!