Rural School Counselors’ Perceptions of Children and Adolescents Living in Poverty
Format
Poster Presentation
First Presenter's Institution
Faulkner University
Second Presenter's Institution
University of West Georgia
Third Presenter's Institution
N/A
Fourth Presenter's Institution
N/A
Fifth Presenter's Institution
N/A
Strand #1
Academic Achievement & School Leadership
Strand #2
Family & Community
Relevance
This poster session reports qualitative research findings related to the perceptions of rural school counselors toward students living in poverty. The poster presents the emergent themes of the study and offers recommendations for counselors and educators working in rural, high poverty related to student support systems, and parental and community engagement in student success.
Brief Program Description
This session reports qualitative research findings related to perceptions of rural school counselors toward students living in poverty. Research presents emergent themes related to perceptions, practices, and recommendations of school counselors. Session objectives focus on discussing research findings and providing recommendations for counselors and educators related to student support systems, and parental and community engagement in student success.
Summary
This poster session presents qualitative research findings which explore the lived experiences of eight Alabama school counselors working in rural, high poverty schools. The research findings presented in this poster session address participants’ perceptions, practices and beliefs relative to their work with students living in poverty as well as recommendations for the preparation of new school counselors for work in high poverty schools. The findings also reflect that participating school counselors perceived a connection between student success and parental and community engagement with schools. The study also reflected that the school counselors participating in the study believed that the perceptions of educational professionals could be changed through professional development related to working with students living in poverty which could improve the support systems that are in place in the school setting for students living in poverty. Participants in the study also offered recommendations in relation to meeting the needs of students living in poverty through school and community support services. Research findings reflected some bias in the attitudes and practices of the participating school counselors. The data reflected bias in relation to how participating school counselors attributed poverty and their attitudes toward service delivery for students living in poverty
Based on the research findings, the session will provide recommendations and educational materials aimed at assisting educators, school counselors, and school counselors-in training who are addressing issues in relation to poverty in the school setting. Educational handouts will be provided in addition to the information provided in the poster presentation.
Evidence
The proposal is based on completed qualitative research examining the perceptions, practices and recommendations of rural school counselors at high poverty schools. The recommendations and educational resources provided are based on the best practices of the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics (ACA) and the American School Counselor Association National Standards (ASCA).
Biographical Sketch
Christi S. Jones is an assistant professor at Faulkner University and served as an elementary school counselor at a rural, high poverty school for fifteen years. She was named the Alabama School Counseling Association Elementary School Counselor of the Year in 2014. She has made multiple presentations related to the issue of student poverty.
Keyword Descriptors
School Counelors, Educators, Rural, Poverty, Perceptions, Educators, Student Success
Presentation Year
2018
Start Date
3-6-2018 4:00 PM
End Date
3-6-2018 5:30 PM
Recommended Citation
Jones, Christi S. and Lanier, Bethany A., "Rural School Counselors’ Perceptions of Children and Adolescents Living in Poverty" (2018). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 98.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2018/2018/98
Rural School Counselors’ Perceptions of Children and Adolescents Living in Poverty
This session reports qualitative research findings related to perceptions of rural school counselors toward students living in poverty. Research presents emergent themes related to perceptions, practices, and recommendations of school counselors. Session objectives focus on discussing research findings and providing recommendations for counselors and educators related to student support systems, and parental and community engagement in student success.
