Rural School Counselors' Attitudes Toward High Poverty Students

Format

Poster Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

Auburn University

Second Presenter's Institution

Auburn University

Third Presenter's Institution

Auburn University

Fourth Presenter's Institution

Auburn University

Fifth Presenter's Institution

NA

Location

Harborside East & West

Strand #1

Academic Achievement & School Leadership

Strand #2

Family & Community

Relevance

This poster session reports on research among school counselors in rural communities, specifically their attitudes, practices and recommendations for working with students living in poverty. This provides a direct relationship to academic settings and improving educational and community outreach to students living in poverty and their families.

Brief Program Description

This poster session reports on research among Alabama school counselors in rural communities, specifically their attitudes, practices and recommendations for working with students living in poverty. The session objectives focus on discussing the findings, consideration of implications, suggestions for training for counselors and educators, and educational and community services that can be developed to provide educational and counseling supports for students living in poverty.

Summary

This session presents qualitative and quantitative research exploring school counselors working in rural Alabama communities and their interactions with students living in poverty. The primary research explores their attitudes and beliefs about poverty from a societal and individual basis. In addition, the research explored counseling practices, recommendations for training school counselors and educational and community implications. Findings suggest some practice and attitudinal bias. This includes differential attitudes and beliefs related to the age of the student, setting, experiences of the counselor and economic status.

These findings will be discussed as well as educational and counseling programming and resources to help in the training of school counselors and other educational professionals who are addressing high poverty issues in rural communities. This includes consideration of the methods for training pre-service counselors and practicing counselors.

Evidence

This proposal is based on completed research examining societal and cultural beliefs and attitudes related to individuals living in poverty. The focus of this research was school counselors living in high poverty rural communities. The programming and resources provided are based on counselor training academic standards (ACA, CACREP) as well as standards of training supported by the American School Counseling Association (ASCA)

Biographical Sketch

Christi Jones is an Elementary School Counselor and has over 15 years experience in school counseling including working in rural high poverty communities. She is currently completing her doctoral degree in Counselor Education.

Dr. Jamie Carney is a Distinguished Professor at Auburn University where she is the Director of Counselor Education Programs. She has multiple presentations and publications related to attitudes, practices and beliefs toward diverse populations including persons living in poverty.

Maegan Vick has 8 years experience as an Elementary School Counselor and is completing her doctoral degree in Counselor Education.

Sarah McCausland has worked as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor with child and adolescent populations. She is currently completing her doctoral degree in Counselor Education

Keyword Descriptors

Poverty, School Counseling, Rural, Students, Attitudes, Counseling Practices

Presentation Year

2017

Start Date

3-7-2017 4:00 PM

End Date

3-7-2017 5:30 PM

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Mar 7th, 4:00 PM Mar 7th, 5:30 PM

Rural School Counselors' Attitudes Toward High Poverty Students

Harborside East & West

This poster session reports on research among Alabama school counselors in rural communities, specifically their attitudes, practices and recommendations for working with students living in poverty. The session objectives focus on discussing the findings, consideration of implications, suggestions for training for counselors and educators, and educational and community services that can be developed to provide educational and counseling supports for students living in poverty.