Date
6-19-2024
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision (PhD)
Chair
Fredrick Volk
Keywords
Discipline, school counselor, social constructivism, reform, restorative practices, teachers, students
Disciplines
Counseling | Education
Recommended Citation
Marc, Kerbie, "Reform in School Discipline: A Social Constructivist Approach that Leverages School Counselor Involvement" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5749.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5749
Abstract
The following quantitative descriptive research delves into the dynamics of school discipline at a middle school in the metro Atlanta area with a focus on understanding the interaction between student gender, race, school support received (504, SST, SPED), and the gender, race, and age of staff members in discipline referrals. By examining archival discipline data from a nine-year period (2014-2023), the study takes a social constructivist approach to address whether there is a statistical difference in the frequency of discipline referrals based on student race, gender, and school support while also examining whether there is a difference in the frequency of discipline referrals among referring staff members based on their demographics (race, gender, and age). Results revealed statistical significance for both questions. Results are used to provide implications in discipline reform for students, parents, teachers, and stakeholders while leveraging the unique knowledge and skills of school counselors. Social constructivist programs such as restorative approaches, SEL, and PBIS are suggested as part of the discipline reform process. Implications for each stakeholder group are provided while validating the role of school counselors in creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment.
