Lamar State College - Port Arthur

House Bill 2504

Summer I 2015 Course Syllabus

DAAC-2454-50 - Dynamics of Group Counseling

Faculty Information
Semester	Summer I 2015
Instructor	Arrington, Kimberly Dawn
Phone	(409) 880-7822
E-mail	arringtonkd@lamarpa.edu
Department	Allied Health Chair: Ben Stafford Phone: (409) 984-6354 E-mail: stafforbk@lamarpa.edu
Office	Hours: none Building: N/A Room: n/a
MyLamarPA	Be sure to check your campus E-mail and Course Homepage using MyLamarPA campus web portal (My.LamarPA.edu). When you’ve logged in, click the email icon in the upper right-hand corner to check email, or click on the “My Courses” tab to get to your Course Homepage. Click the link to your course and review the information presented. It is important that you check your email and Course Homepage regularly. You can also access your grades, transcripts, and determine who your academic advisor is by using MyLamarPA.
Course Information
Course Number	60479
Course Description	Group Counseling Skills: This course is designed to facilitate development of basic communication skills necessary to develop an effective helping relationship with clients. It includes the utilization of special skills to assist individuals, families, or groups in achieving objectives through exploration of a problem and it''s ramifications; examination of alternative solutions; and decision making.
Course Prerequisites	There are no prerequisites for this course.
Required Textbooks	Textbooks: Dynamics of Group Counseling - Estimated Enrollment 15 Students Textbook: GROUP THERAPHY FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS: A MOTIVIATIONAL COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL APPROACH by Sobell & Sobell, ISBN: 9781609180515 Instructor will provide power point presentations and following breakdown Methods of Teaching and Learning: Lecture, video, discussion groups, student performances/presentations/demonstrations, role-play, written reports/papers, quizzes, and exams.
Attendance Policy	Attendance (25 points) Will count as 1 test grade. Being in class is important to you and me! This class is very interactive and being present for class is a considerable part of a student’s grade. Excused absences will be accepted no later than 2 hours before class time. Each absence not excused will count as 5 points off an initial 100 points. Late Work/Make-up Work Acceptance of late work is at the discretion of the instructor. All major assignments, except exams, will have 5 points deducted for each day late up to one week (in other words, you must have the major assignment completed and turned in at the beginning of the next class meeting). After one week, major assignments will not be accepted, and the student will receive a grade of “0” for that assignment. Exams need to be taken on time! If you miss an exam, 10 points is automatically deducted from the exam score. You will only have 5 “working” days to make up the exam. Family emergencies and individual illnesses are the only exception to points not being deducted and will require proof that will satisfy the instructor.
Course Grading Scale	90 - 100 = A     80 - 89 = B     70 - 79 = C     60 - 69 = D     Below 59 = F
Determination of Final Grade	Course Grading Information: Description of Major Assignments 1) Tests 2) Participation in group work 3) One outside assignment to be presented to the class.
Final Exam Date	August 10, 2015 - 6:00 PM
Major Assignments	Please see printed handouts regarding power points, and lecture materials.
Calendar of Lecture Topics and Major Assignment Due Dates	This course will cover the Counseling Competencies outlined by SAMHSA TAP21 as follows: Practice Dimension V: Counseling Element: Group Counseling Competency 88: Describe, select, and appropriately use strategies from accepted and culturally appropriate models for group counseling with clients with substance use disorders. Competency 89: Carry out the actions necessary to form a group, including but not limited to determining group type, purpose, size, and leadership; recruiting and selecting members; establishing group goals and clarifying behavioral ground rules for participating; identifying outcomes; and determining criteria and methods for termination or graduation from the group. Competency 90: Facilitate the entry of new members and the transition of exiting members. Competency 91: Facilitate group growth within the established ground rules and movement toward group and individual goals by using methods consistent with group type. Competency 92: Understand the concepts of process and content, and shift the focus of the group when such a shift will help the group move toward its goals. Competency 93: Describe and summarize the client’s behavior within the group to document the client’s progress and identify needs and issues that may require a modification in the treatment plan.
General Education/Core Curriculum Student Learning Outcomes	Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and visual communication. Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions. Empirical and Quantitative Skills: Students will demonstrate applications of scientific and mathematical concepts. Teamwork: Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view. Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional, national and/or global communities. Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.
Program Student Learning Outcomes	not applicable
Course Student Learning Outcomes	Course Objectives and/or Competencies: Objectives: 1. To identify and understand the basic concepts of group and group dynamics. 2. To identify the proper use of questions and responses in working with clients. 3. To be able to identify his/her own strengths and weaknesses in relating to others. 4. To be able to identify group leadership skills and demonstrate skills in practice.
Academic Honesty	Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSC-PA policies (Section IX, subsection A, in the Faculty Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
Facility Policies	No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Electronic devices (including but not restricted to cell phones, MP3 players, and laptop computers) shall not be used during examinations unless specifically allowed by the instructor. Use of electronic devices during normal class hours distracts other students, disrupts the class, and wastes valuable time. Instructors have an obligation to reduce such disruptions. Turn your cellphones to vibrate when you enter the classroom. Ethics Cheating will not be tolerated. Any student found to be cheating will be subject to grade reduction, re-doing of assignments, and/or dismissed from the course. Examples of cheating include but are not limited to: • Copying the work of another student • Seeking excused absences/tardies under false pretenses • Plagiarism (claiming as your own work the work of another) General Information •        Drop and withdraw dates as published in the student catalog. •        Group and Individual projects will be included as part of coursework and grades. Time allotted for class may be set aside for work on projects at discretion of Instructor. •        Power Point information presented will be available to student. Please bring a blank DVD-R to class with your name on it if you wish to have power point presentations copied for you. It is expected that this class will contain information that at times will be of a personal nature to many students. It is also expected that all students will maintain the dignity and respect of any personal stories shared within the group. I will be available to any student who wishes to discuss private matters regarding material in class CONFIDENTIALITY: These classes prepare you for a career in counseling. Some class discussions will deal with confidential material of yours and other students. Privileged information that is shared may under NO CIRCUMSTANCES be repeated or shared outside the classroom. Written materials, your own feelings and insights may be shared. CAUTION: IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, KEEP THE TRUST!
Additional Information	Extra Credit From time to time, I may assign extra credit; however, don’t count on this. Thus, it is very important to make sure that you complete all of your assignments and take your tests on time. I do assign extra credit, you must in class at the time that the extra credit is assigned….this is a bonus for being in class. If I assign extra credit and you were absent on the day that it was assigned, I will not take the extra credit assignment if you turn it in. HINT….you need to be in class to receive the points.
Important Information
ADA Considerations	The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
Copyright Violations	Some material in this course may be copyrighted. They may be used only for instructional purposes this semester, by students enrolled in this course. These materials are being used fairly and legally. No one may distribute or share these copyrighted materials in any medium or format with anyone outside this class, including publishing essays with copyrighted material, uploading copyrighted material to Facebook or YouTube, or painting or performing copyrighted material for public display. Copyright violation is not the same thing as plagiarism. Plagiarism is intellectual dishonesty. Offenses of plagiarism result in lower grades or failing scores, and professors and the college strictly enforce plagiarism rules. There is never any acceptable use of plagiarism. Copyright violation is a legal offense, punishable by large fines and penalties. Copyrighted material can be used if permission from the material’s creator is obtained, or if its use meets the standards of fair use in an educational setting. For example, a student can quote a line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet in a report without violating copyright but still be guilty of plagiarism if the quotation is not properly documented. If you are in doubt about what material can be freely used, ask your professor or contact the Dean of Library Services, at (409) 984-6216.
Assessment Statement	Assessment is a process by which LSCPA can help you learn better and gauge the level of progress you have made to attain knowledge, skills, beliefs, and values. It also helps your professors understand how to improve teaching and testing methods in your classes, and it helps each department understand and improve degree and certificate programs. Periodically LSC-PA will collect assessment data for research and reporting purposes, including statistical data and sometimes copies of your work. Be assured that all material the college uses for assessment purposes will be kept confidential. To ensure anonymity, your name will be removed from any material we use for assessment purposes, including video-recorded performances, speeches, and projects. If you object to allowing LSC-PA to use your material for assessment purposes, submit a letter stating so to your professor by the 12th class day. You will still be required to participate in whatever assessments are being done; we just won’t use your data. What’s the difference between assessment and grades? The grades you get on papers, projects, speeches, and assignments are specific types of focused assessment. LSC-PA’s assessment efforts include class grades, surveys, standardized tests, and other tools.
Privacy Notice	Federal privacy laws apply to college students. This means that college employees, including instructors, cannot divulge information to third parties, including parents and legal guardians of students. Even if the students are minors, information about their college work cannot be shared with anyone except in very limited circumstances. Anyone requesting information about a student should be referred to the Registrar. Instructors will be notified in writing by that Office about what information may be released and to whom. Please remember that releasing private information about a student, however innocuous it may seem, can be a violation of federal law, with very serious consequences. Circumstances under which information may be released: An adult student may submit, to the Registrar, a handwritten, signed note granting permission for release of information. The note must specify what information may be divulged, and it must specify the name of the person to whom the information may be given. A parent or guardian may be given access to information about a student by providing a copy of a filed tax return that shows that the student was listed as a dependent of that parent or guardian. The tax return must be for last complete tax year. Again, this documentation must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office. A parent or guardian may be given access to information about a student if the student logs on to My.LamarPA.edu and sends an email to the Registrar granting permission. The email must specify what information may be given and the name of the person to whom it may be given. Co-enrollment students are protected by the same privacy laws as adult students. The Registrar’s office is located in the Student Center room 303B, and can be reached at (409) 984-6165.
College-Level Perspectives	This course helps add to the students’ overall collegiate experience in the following ways: Establishing broad and multiple perspectives on the individual in relationship to the larger society and world in which s/he lives, and to understand the responsibilities of living in a culturally and ethnically diversified world. Stimulating a capacity to discuss and reflect upon individual, political, economic, and social aspects of life in order to understand ways in which to be a responsible member of society. Developing a capacity to use knowledge of how technology and science affect their lives. Developing personal values for ethical behavior. Developing the ability to make aesthetic judgments. Using logical reasoning in problem solving. Integrating knowledge and understand the interrelationships of the scholarly disciplines.
Degree Plan Evaluation	A Degree Plan Evaluation will help you determine which classes you need to complete your program. Sign in to your my.lamarpa.edu account. Click on the “My Services” tab. Click on the “Student” tab. Click on Student Records. Click on Degree Evaluation. Select the term you are planning on registering for (i.e. Summer I, Summer II, Fall, or Spring) Verify that the Curriculum Information (your MAJOR) is correct Click on “Generate New Evaluation” at the bottom of the screen. Click the radio button next to Program Click on the Generate Request button. All of the classes that you have taken that apply to your declared major will be listed on the right. If you have a class that still needs to be completed, a “NO” will be listed on the right next to the required class.
HB 2504	This syllabus is part of LSC-PA’s efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
Lamar State College - Port Arthur Mission Lamar State College - Port Arthur, a member of The Texas State University System, is an open-access, comprehensive public two-year college offering quality and affordable instruction leading to associate degrees and a variety of certificates. The College embraces the premise that education is an ongoing process that enhances career potential, broadens intellectual horizons, and enriches life. Core Values Shared commitment by faculty, staff and administration to a mission characterized by student learning, diversity, and community involvement General education/core curriculum that develops the values and concepts that allow the student to make a meaningful contribution in the workplace or community Academic and technical programs designed to fulfill our commitment to accommodate students with diverse goals and backgrounds, using a variety of delivery methods, on and off campus Technical education programs that provide for the acquisition of the knowledge, skills and behavior necessary for initial and continued employment Student achievement characterized by attainment of individual goals and measured by successful accomplishments and completion of curriculum Co-curricular opportunities that develop social, financial and civic acuity Principles Lamar State College - Port Arthur operates in the belief that all individuals should be: treated with dignity and respect; afforded equal opportunity to acquire a complete educational experience; given an opportunity to discover and develop their special aptitudes and insights; and, provided an opportunity to equip themselves for a fulfilling life and responsible citizenship in a world characterized by change.

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