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“The Breakfast Club” Group Plan

Final Exam – Nicole Simpson
Name of Group: You are YOU: Defining identity and taking pride in individuality

Type of Group: Defining positive self-identity

Purpose of Group/Overall Goal: At the conclusion of group each member will be able

to describe three positive characteristics that make them unique in their identity, as well

as create a personal SMART goal.

Objectives:

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors

M 3. Sense of belonging in the school environment

B-SS 2. Create positive and supportive relationships with other students

NC Guidance Essential Standards

RED.CR.1.3 Explore awareness of personal abilities, skills, and interests

P.SE.2.1 Interpret the meaning of self-concept

P.SE.2.2 Explain how understanding differences among people can increase self-

understanding

Students

Bender – Bender is a high school student who often gets into trouble at school. He

is viewed as a troublemaker, thug, and criminal. Bender describes his troubled home and

negative physical and verbal interactions with his father. Bender is often an instigator and

pushes back when reprimanded by authority figures. His lack of positive role models

leads to him acting out, being aggressive and participating in risky behaviors. Bender

shows leadership skills and still shows up for school and detention. His tough nature

hides a vulnerable personality and he uses music to connect with his feelings.
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Allison- Allison is a quiet, reclusive student that is stereotyped as a “basket-case”.

She self-isolates and is often seen with her hair in her face or her hood over her head. She

opens up when speaking to people one-on-one, and as she grows more comfortable with a

group she is more willing to talk as well. Allison is unsatisfied with her home life, bored

and lonely as a result of being ignored at home, and she seriously craves attention from

others. This often leads to her strange behaviors and reclusiveness. She volunteered to go

to Saturday detention to get away from home, and is very creative and artistic.

Andrew – Andrew is a wrestler and experiences an immense amount of pressure

from his father and coach for success and scholarships. He follows the rules at school so

he can continue wrestling and stay in his father’s good graces, even though he opens up

about not actually wanting to wrestle anymore. Andrew also explains his father praised

him for his bullying tactics but reprimanded him for getting caught. Andrew expresses

interest in finding a new identity for himself and is consistently standing up for others in

the group, showing chivalry.

Claire – Claire comes from a wealthy family, stereotyped as a “princess”, and

expects her father to get her out of unpleasant situations. She skipped school to go

shopping and her parents had contrasting reactions. Claire feels that her parents use her to

get back at each other. Claire has a kind heart but puts on a mask at school in order to

keep her status. She admits that even though she has bonded with people outside her

social circle, she probably wouldn’t say hi to them in the hallways at school. Claire,

although sheltered, is open to trying new things and being vulnerable with others when

she feels she is in a safe environment with a small group.

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Brian – Brian is an intelligent high school student whose family puts a lot of

pressure on him to succeed in academics. He is involved in many academic

extracurricular activities and often gets teased by his peers. He may not always pick up

on subtle social cues, and is ignored by popular kids in school, but he desires to please

people and be involved nonetheless. Brian is respectful of school property and has a fake

I.D. so he can vote. Brian doesn’t worry about his appearance and just wants everyone to

be happy.

Theoretical Approach and Why

Based on the students in the group, I feel the best way to meet the objectives is by

using cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy is based on the understanding that it is human

nature to learn inaccurate, self-defeating thoughts. These detrimental beliefs and self-talk

have negative effects on an individual’s emotions and behavior, and can be unlearned.

The group leader will use cognitive restructuring, guided discovery and Socratic dialogue

to empower students to identify their own automatic thoughts and evaluate them.

Members will examine the validity of their thoughts and, if needed, find more adaptive

ways of thinking. Students will be encouraged to learn about their worldview and way of

thinking, and the leader will be careful not to impart their own perspectives on the group.

Techniques/Activities Used to Meet Objectives

 As an ice breaker to get to know each other, members will pick a folded-up card

from the middle and answer the “Would You Rather” question. Some questions

will be surface level, and others will dig a little deeper. Members will be

encouraged to share as much as they are comfortable with. The group leader will
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participate in the activity in order to build relationships, lessen the power

differential and generate a judgement-free, empathetic environment.

 Members will look through magazines (appropriate, screened ones) and cut out

images, words or pictures that represent who they are and make a collage. If they

cannot find specific pictures they want, they will be encouraged to draw or write

words. Members will share their collages in dyads and explain why their collage

represents what they like and who they are. Members can then share with the

group if they feel comfortable, ask each other questions, and will be encouraged

to make connections.

o How comfortable did you feel sharing?

o Why was that image important enough to put on your collage?

o Did anything on someone’s collage surprise you? Why?

 Members will bring in a song that they feel like describes them (screened by the

leader beforehand) and discuss why the melody, lyrics, or song as a whole

represent who they are. What part of your identity is portrayed in this song?

 The group leader will lead a discussion on stereotypes. The group will define

stereotypes and name some. Blank poster paper will be hanging around the room,

and members will write one stereotype (jock, thug, etc.) at the top of each paper.

Members will go around the room and write down everything society says or

people believe about that stereotyped group, and then discuss.

o What do you notice about these characteristics?

o Are they positive or negative?

o Do they really apply to everyone in that group?

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o Can you think of someone you know that this does not apply to?

o Are these characteristics based on physical appearance, intelligence or

something else?

o Do they affect your behavior towards them?

Students will write down on their own piece of paper a list of inaccurate

characteristics others label them as, share if they want to, and then crumple the

page up to throw in the trash.

 Members will review the previous activity about stereotypes and the group leader

will lead a discussion on how people tend to be like icebergs. We show a small

part of ourselves to the world but there is a much deeper part of ourselves below

the surface. Members will draw an iceberg on a piece of paper. Above the water,

on the visible part, they will write words or draw pictures that describe what other

people know about them (these are not stereotypes, these are actual characteristics

or likes/dislikes). On the deeper, much larger portion of the iceberg group

members will write down things they wish people knew about them, or

characteristics that really define who they are that people might not know.

Members will share with each other as they feel comfortable, make connections

and ask questions.

 The group leader will lead a Socratic discussion on cultural identity.

o What is cultural identity? What shapes it?

o What beliefs, values, ideas, family, community… shape your culture?

o Is everyone’s cultural identity identical?

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o Why is it important to understand and appreciate your own cultural

identity?

o How is there value in appreciating someone else’s cultural identity, even

though it is different from yours?

 Group members will create identity circles. They will write their name in the

middle of a paper, and put a circle around it. They will create branches off of that

circle that lead to other circles. Members will write or draw characteristics of their

own identity that are most important to them in those circles. The charts can be as

simple or intricate as they want. Members will share, make connections and ask

questions.

 The group leader will lead a discussion on group member strengths and encourage

them to write down their strengths that make up their identity.

o What are your strengths?

o How do these strengths reflect your identity?

o How do you want to use these strengths?

o Why is it important to set goals for ourselves?

The group leader will go over how to create a SMART goal (specific, measurable,

attainable, results-oriented, time bound), and members will use their list of

strengths to create at least one SMART goal for themselves. Members will share

and discuss ways to reach their goals.

 Short homework assignments will be given throughout the sessions.