Activities and Group Stages
Learn more about Tuckman’s stages of small group development.
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Forming Stage (Click to learn more)
Welcome! What’s This Group All About?
- State the purpose, goals, and expectations of the group
- Get to know other members of the group
- Begin identifying and expressing thoughts and feelings regarding the transition to high school
- Have mentees complete the Mentee Pre-Survey
Where am I? High School 101: Dealing with Fears and Concerns
- Describe what they expect from high school
- Handouts: This is My School Yall! and Who’s got my back?
Where Have I Been? Middle School Years
- Reflect on their middle school experience and determine the positive changes they would like to make in high school
- Handouts: Fish for a Thought and Where have I been and where am I going?
Who am I? Developing a Sense of Self
- Identify multiple ways of learning (multiple intelligences)
- Better understand their own learning style
- Handouts: People Bingo and Multiple Intelligences
Who Supports Me? Connecting to My Social Network
- Identify and articulate some of the social fears associated with high school
- Identify ways of managing these fears
- Identify a support system
- Handouts: Social Fears, Facing My Fears, and My Support Map
Storming Stage (Click to learn more)
- Understand the concept of boundaries
- Better set and keep personal boundaries
- Handout: Boundaries Diagram and Chart
Dealing with Peer Pressure and Healthy Decision Making
- State the difference between mind and important decisions
- Summarize the Six Steps of Decision Making
- Handouts: Six Steps of Healthy Decision Making and Decision Making Worksheet and Scenarios
- Define Stress
- Use self-assessment skills to identify personal stressors and responses
- Identify and practice specific healthy techniques to reduce stress
- Handouts: Coping with Stressors and Self-Care Survey and Tips
All About Me: Self-Esteem and Positive Peer Influences
- Reflect on greatest assets
- Discuss friendship skills
- Learn how to manage conflict
Norming Stage (Click to learn more)
- Explore components of identity
- Identify and discuss values
Violence and Bullying: News, Reality, Tragedy, and Hope
- Define and discuss examples of violence
- Review consequences of violence and strategies for avoiding it
- Discuss causes and effects of bullying
- Create and conduct a school climate survey
- Identify gender roles and limitations of society’s definitions
- Explore power and privilege related to gender
- Investigate role of gender in writing
- Gain awareness of own cultural identity
- Discuss experiences of being included and excluded
- Learn about difference types of diversity
Performing Stage (Click to learn more)
Where Do I Want to Be? Goal Setting for High School and Beyond (Two Parts)
- Articulate some of their academic and career goals
- Identify strategies to reach their goals
- Find part two of this activity here.
Supporting Students: Community, Family, and Your Future
- Identify support systems
- Discuss values regarding education
- Develop skills for navigating difficult conversations
Who Cares? Motivation, Growth Mindset, and the F-Word
- Determine motivation for doing well in school
- Reflect on effort vs. ability (Growth Mindset)
- Explore strategies for overcoming failure
Your Future: Money, College, and Career
- Predict future income based on level of education
- Explore college career paths
- Develop strategies for overcoming challenges
- Share strategies for success
- Learn validated success tips
- Create additional #lifehacks
Adjourning Stage (Click to learn more)
- Share summer plans with the group
- Learn about available summer programs
- Plan activities on summer calendar
- Provide encouragement and validation for future selves
- Share their support for other students
- Receive positive feedback from mentors
- Create a healthy goodbye
- Reflect on lessons learned
- Identify new tools and skills gained
- Celebrate accomplishments
Mentors and mentees should complete the Mentor End of Year Survey and Mentee Post-Survey
Group Stages
Learn more about Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development to help your group grow together.
Other Activities
Find ideas for activities on academic achievement, identity, personal responsibility, life skills, and relationship building. Suggested group stage is noted on each activity.
Material used for Educational Purposes Only and Originally Adapted From:
http://arkansased.org/parental_involvement/transitions/elem-mid.ppt; http://www.nmsa.org/AboutNMSA/PositionStatements/TransitioningStudents; Social Skills Lesson and Activities by Weltman; Group Exercises for Adolescents: A Manual for Therapists, Susan Carrell, Thousand Oaks, CA USA, 2000; Girls in Real Life Situations: Group Counseling Activities for Enhancing Social and Emotional Development, Julia V. Taylor & Shannon Trice-Black, Champagne, IL, USA , 2007
…if anything is incorrect or missing a citation please reach out.