Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! I love following themes on the podcast, and for the month of March, I'm taking you through my lesson plans STEP by STEP!

Last week, we covered Tier 1 strategies, and today, we're diving into Tier 2 small groups!

Why Use a Curriculum Map?

I LOVE using a curriculum map to stay organized—it helps you know what to do, when to do it, and how to do it, plus it includes all the resources you need! My IMPACT members get full access to this, along with all my TPT resources for free. If you're a podcast listener, you can try out the curriculum map and get lesson plans for the entire year—just check the resources section below!

Since testing season is approaching, now is a great time to form an academic skills group to help students feel prepared and confident. These groups provide strategies for test-taking success and help reduce testing anxiety. My small groups typically last 8 weeks and are FULL of activities, but here are a couple that I would recommend!

Icebreakers & Activities

• Test-Taking Tips Matching Game – Review and reflect on actual test-taking strategies in a fun, interactive way.

• Prepared or Procrastinator Board Game – A game where students land on a "Prepared" or "Procrastinator" card and discuss the scenario before moving forward or backward. This helps reinforce the importance of study habits and time management.

Ever wondered, "Why are my students so anxious, and how can I help them beyond just deep breathing exercises?" You're not alone! I wanted to go beyond the basics and dive into the psychological cycles of stress—and now I have a FREE training for you! Many counselors ask me how they can better support students with test anxiety beyond simple deep breathing exercises. I wanted to go beyond the basics and dive into the psychological cycles of stress, which led me to create a free live training called Help Students Break the Stress Cycle: The Anxiety Management Tool You Didn't Learn in Grad School!

This training will empower you with new strategies to help students manage stress effectively. You can save your seat at stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/stresscycle.

If you are looking for additional resources, you can find my free curriculum map and learn more about my IMPACT membership in the links below. I hope this episode helps you plan your Tier 2 small groups with confidence. Stay tuned as we continue step-by-step lesson planning this month.

Resources mentioned:

• Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!

• Join my FREE Live Training here!

• Check out my FREE lesson plans!

• Take a look at this Academic Skills Small Group!

• If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

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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!