The influence of peer and coach relationships in after-school sports on perceptions of school climate

2021 ◽  
pp. 001789692098875
Author(s):  
Allison Ross ◽  
Eric Legg ◽  
Kevin Wilson
Keyword(s):  
School Climate ◽  
Young People ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
School Environment ◽  
School Engagement ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
After School ◽  
School Sports ◽  
School Day ◽  
Perceptions Of School

Objective: Sport is an important source of physical, social and emotional health and well-being among children. Sports participation at school may provide young people with the opportunity to build interpersonal skills and develop supportive social relationships with peers and adults, which may translate to positive experiences during the school day. School climate represents the relationships, values and beliefs within a school system and is associated with positive social, emotional and psychological health outcomes. This research examines the influence of social relationships developed during an after-school sports programme on indicators of school climate. Method: Students in grades 4–8 ( n = 230) at a school in Phoenix (Arizona) completed an online survey to measure perceptions of peer and coach relationships in after-school sports and indicators of school climate in the form of engagement with students, teachers and the school itself and perceptions of the school environment. Associations between sports relationships and school engagement and environment were examined through structural equation modelling (SEM). Results: Feeling coaches care about players and feeling like part of a team were positively associated with reported levels of school engagement. Feeling like other students shared similar values during sports, feeling a sense of belonging and feeling that coaches cared were associated with positive perceptions of school environment. Conclusion: Participation in an after-school sports programme can provide an opportunity for young people to develop positive social relationships with peers and coaches which may contribute to positive perceptions of the learning environment and student engagement during the school day. Findings support efforts to increase opportunities and accessibility to sports during the school day.

School climate perceptions of ethnically diverse students: Does school diversity matter?

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 625-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandra Parris ◽  
Jesslynn Rocha Neves ◽  
Tamika La Salle
Keyword(s):  
School Climate ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
School Connectedness ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
School Diversity ◽  
Perceptions Of School

Student perceptions of school climate have been linked to a number of outcome variables; specifically, more positive perceptions of school climate are associated with academic achievement, social and emotional wellness, and reduced risky behaviors. Considering student perceptions of school climate can help to guide the selection and implementation of culturally-responsive, targeted school improvement efforts. Further, the ways that students experience and perceive the school environment have been shown to vary based on student reported racial/ethnic identity. In the present study, moderation analyses established a significant impact of school diversity (i.e., high diversity or low diversity) on the relationship between student race/ethnicity, perceptions of school climate, and associated subscales including school connectedness, peer and adult support, and cultural awareness. Contrary to prior research, as school diversity increased, perceptions of school climate decreased, with Asian participants least affected. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.

The Voices of Parents

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron Astor ◽  
Rami Benbenishty
Keyword(s):  
School Climate ◽  
Monitoring System ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
School Staff ◽  
After School ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
School Surveys ◽  
Perceptions Of School ◽  
Source Of Information

Parents are important partners in the educational process. Including their views in the monitoring system has multiple benefits. First, parents who believe that the school is interested in their feedback and takes it seriously become even better partners with educators. They feel important, respected, and helpful and may be more willing to engage in meaningful dialogue with school leaders and staff members. Parents are also an impor­tant source of information on their own experiences in the school and on the lives of their children (see Box 7.1). In one school, for example, parents shared that their child’s teachers contacted them only when the child presented difficulties— never when the child did well. Following this feedback, the school changed their policy and made an effort to communicate regularly with parents and to emphasize student gains and achievements— not just problem areas. In another school, military- connected parents expressed a feeling that school staff members did not appreciate their sacrifices and the challenges their children face due to their parents’ military service. This input was helpful in developing a school climate that would be more welcoming to military- connected families and students. Parents can be viewed as the clients of the school. As such, it’s important to cosider their perceptions of school climate and whether they are satisfied with the services their children are receiving in order to retain these families and attract others. When parents think their children might not be safe in school, they will search for other options. Monitoring parents’ perceptions and levels of satisfaction is important in order to make adjustments and to ensure that student families remain loyal allies. A monitoring system that includes surveys for parents— and other opportunities for them to share their perceptions— can also help educators learn more about students’ lives out of school and whether there are any issues that could affect their academic and nonacademic lives in school. Surveys of parents and guardians, for example, can show whether students have someone at home after school or whether parents feel comfortable contacting teachers if they feel there is a problem.

The impact of chronic pain on school functioning in young people

Work and pain ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 51-64
Author(s):  
Line Caes ◽  
Deirdre Logan
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Young People ◽  
School Environment ◽  
School Engagement ◽  
Critical Discussion ◽  
School Functioning ◽  
School Absenteeism ◽  
Inclusive School ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Executive Functioning Skills

School plays a central role in young people’s lives, offering a developmental environment that fosters crucial academic, emotional, cognitive, and social milestones. This chapter presents a critical discussion of how a young person’s school functioning can be negatively affected by chronic pain. We highlight how the impact of chronic pain, and associated psychosocial factors, goes beyond school absenteeism to influence school engagement, executive functioning skills, and social skills development. Furthermore, the challenges teachers face to provide an inclusive school environment for young people with chronic pain will be discussed in depth. The chapter ends with suggestions of how to overcome the barriers to implementing a comprehensive approach towards school functioning within both research and clinical practice, including reviewing standardized tools to assess school impairment and offering guidance for biopsychosocially informed approaches to foster adaptive school functioning in young people with chronic pain.

The role of mental health nurses in supporting young people’s mental health: a review of the literature

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-220
Author(s):  
Jessica Louise Arnold ◽  
Charley Baker
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Young People ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Mental Health Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nurse Role ◽  
Educational Professionals

Purpose Adolescent mental health issues are on the increase, in particular depression, which is now a major public health concern globally. Mental health education is important and young people’s awareness of mental health is potentially limited. This is one factor that creates barriers to seeking support. School nurses and educational professionals recognise that they do not necessarily have the required skill base to support emotional health concerns with young people. The purpose of this paper is to synthesise qualitative evidence related to the nurse’s role in supporting adolescents. Design/methodology/approach A literature review using a systematic approach was undertaken, predominantly through collection of primary qualitative research studies. In total, 22 published studies are included in this review, extracted from four databases – CINAHL, Embase, Medline and Scopus. Findings This review shows that awareness of mental health is needed early in adolescence, while at school, to encourage young people to access support and have knowledge of their own emotional health. The need for further mental health education and provision is asserted. Practical implications Young people benefit from someone who is accessible and familiar to them in schools so that they can access emotional support as and when needed. Careful involvement of families (including extended families) is noted. It is proposed that this role should be a mental health nurse role, who should be accessible within the school environment. Originality/value This paper is original and adds to existing knowledge that mental health challenges are increasing, and more needs to be done in schools to promote mental health and reduce the stigma associated with seeking support.

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