Closing the Gap On

Discipline and Behavior

“The Mindful Kid”

By Elizabeth Fernandez and Alana Hernandez

 Priority Data
7th Grade Female Discipline Referrals
Percentages

The behavior and discipline rates of Hispanic Females has increased over the past
several years. Based on our summary data points there is a higher number of ODRs
(office discipline referrals) for 7th grade females. Data shows, 5% of 7th grade females
have 2-5 ODRs of major incidents including physical alterations, 15% had 2-5 minor
incidents such as physical contact making an unwanted non accidental (bumping,
touching) with another student, and 14% had 2-5 ODRs overall for behavior and
discipline matters.
 Systemic Barriers and Plans to
Address the Systemic Barriers
By Educating the Importance of SEL

● Schools often prioritize academic subjects over social and emotional

development, leading to insufficient time and resources dedicated to the
area of SEL.
● The lack of SEL in schools can lead to several barriers including discipline
and behavior problems with students. Such barriers are; emotional
regulation difficulties, poor interpersonal skills, limited problem-solving
abilities, limited coping mechanisms, and a lack of empathy and
understanding of themselves and others.
● To help address these barriers as a counselor we can educate educators
and students on the importance of SEL and mindfulness practices.
Through SEL we can teach these female students; interpersonal skills,
coping mechanisms, problem problem skills, and how to be mindful of
themselves and others.
 Closing-the-Gap
Action Plan/Results Report
 Direct Activities
1. The school counselor can provide
small group and individualized
counseling that covers social
emotional learning, problem solving,
and conflict resolution
2. The school counselor can implement
classroom lessons that specifies on
communication strategies, coping
skills, and mindfulness
 Indirect Activities
1. Smaller class sizes for more instructional
aides to support the teachers and
collaborate with school counselors.
2. School Counselors can provide a staff
presentation/teacher training on social
emotional learning
 Systemic Focus
★ We can teach these females about
communication strategies instead of resorting
to physical aggression. If there are signs of
behavioral issues in elementary school.They
need to have early intervention to promote
positive problem solving strategies.
.
★ Lesson plans on coping skills, calming
strategies, empathy training, and
mindfulness. These strategy will be
implemented for students to learn, practice,
and apply it in real life situations.
Lesson Plan
 Mindfulness-Self and Social Awareness

M 2. Sense of acceptance, respect, support and

inclusion for self and others in the school
environment
Start with a brief icebreaker game such as asking students to tell one thing they
do for themselves that they consider self care. Then clearly ask students what do
they think it means to be “Mindful” and how could being mindfulness have an
impact on their behavior. Inform students by practicing mindfulness it helps
develop self care routines that are essential skill that help us with healthy
relationships with ourselves and others and helps us make responsible decisions.
Then have them watch a short video on mindfulness.
/California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) or teacher referrals.
 References

Hoonuit Dashboard. (n.d.).

https://data.sausd.us/Dashboard/dashboard/1433

NCES. (n.d.). Indicator 15: Retention, Suspension, and

Expulsion. Indicator 15: Retention, suspension, and

expulsion. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/raceindicators

/indicator_rda.asp#:~:text=A%20higher%20percentage

%20of%20Black%20students%20(13.7%20percent)%2

0than%20of,and%20Pacific%20Islander%20students%

2C%203.4