Educating and Counseling African American Students: Recommendations for Teachers and School Counselors

Social justice advocacy is a term commonly utilized to describe action steps initiated to remove obstacles to success for underrepresented students. This chapter challenges school counselors and educators to adopt a “Woke” perspective (which integrates action and awareness) on behalf of African American students. Furthermore, these professionals should be equipped with culturally responsive tools to support African American students and engage in systemic advocacy on their behalf. Drawing from Critical Race Theory, this chapter will examine the historical and contemporary context of discriminatory practices, as well as the current impact on African American students. This chapter will also address specific strategies to inform professional practice and advocacy work, as well as implications for training programs.

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What Do African American Ninth Graders Discuss During Individual School Counseling Sessions? A National Study

Professional School Counseling ◽

10.1177/2156759x18778803 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 2156759X1877880 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Qi Shi ◽

Ramon Goings

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

School Counselors ◽

African American Students ◽

Ninth Graders ◽

Male Students ◽

National Study ◽

Individual Counseling ◽

Science Courses ◽

American Students ◽

Individual School

To investigate the topics that African American ninth graders discuss during individual counseling sessions, we used the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009. Results showed that ninth-grade African American students most frequently talked with school counselors about going to college, math courses, and other courses. African American male students were more likely than female students to talk to school counselors about science courses. Socioeconomic status and school belonging had significant impact on the topics African American students raised in individual counseling sessions. We provide discussion and implications for school counselors.

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Addressing the Sociocultural Determinants of African American Students’ Academic Achievement: The Four Themes of the American School Counselor Association’s National Model and the Role of School Counselors

Urban Education ◽

10.1177/0042085916636657 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 54 (8) ◽

pp. 1149-1175 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jonathan P. Rust

Keyword(s):

Academic Achievement ◽

African American ◽

School Counselors ◽

African American Students ◽

School Counselor ◽

Sociocultural Factors ◽

Systematic Change ◽

American School ◽

American Students ◽

National Model

Social justice, ensuring that all students receive access to equitable educational resources and opportunities to succeed academically, is a guiding principle for school counselors. With this ideal in mind, specific sociocultural factors that affect the academic achievement of African American students in urban school settings are considered. Subsequently, the four themes of the American School Counselor Association’s National Model—leadership, advocacy, collaboration, and systematic change—are used to provide school counselors in urban schools with guidelines to address the academic achievement of African American students related to these sociocultural factors.

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Exploring school counselors’ preparation to address disproportionality of African American students in special education

Teaching and Supervision in Counseling ◽

10.7290/tsc020108 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Author(s):

E Mackenzie Shell

Keyword(s):

Special Education ◽

African American ◽

School Counselors ◽

African American Students ◽

American Students

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Supporting Latino and African-American Students in Advanced Placement Courses: A School Counseling Program's Approach

Professional School Counseling ◽

10.1177/2156759x0901300104 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 2156759X0901300 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jonathan H. Ohrt ◽

Glenn W. Lambie ◽

Kara P. Ieva

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Advanced Placement ◽

School Counseling ◽

School Counselors ◽

African American Students ◽

Professional School ◽

American Students ◽

Advanced Placement Courses ◽

Professional School Counselors

Traditionally, Latino and African-American students have been underrepresented in Advanced Placement courses. However, professional school counselors work to remove barriers to all students’ success. This article (a) identifies challenges that Latino and African-American students encounter in accessing Advanced Placement courses, (b) reviews the role of professional school counselors in serving traditionally disenfranchised student populations, and (c) intro-duces a school counseling program's approach to supporting these students and their families.

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Culturally Competent Collaboration: School Counselor Collaboration with African American Families and Communities

Professional School Counseling ◽

10.1177/2156759x1001400106 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 2156759X1001400

Author(s):

Cheryl Moore-Thomas ◽

Norma L. Day-Vines

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

School Counselors ◽

African American Students ◽

School Counselor ◽

Community Partnerships ◽

African American Families ◽

The Political ◽

Culturally Competent ◽

Effective Work ◽

American Students

Emerging literature on school-family-community partnerships suggests positive educational and social outcomes for students (Koonce & Harper, 2005; Mitchell & Bryan, 2007). This article discusses the historical and contemporary factors and barriers that affect African American students and their families as they partner with schools and communities. The article explores cultural competence as it relates to effective collaboration and interactions as well as an understanding of the political structures and sociocultural realities of African American students, families, and their communities. Specific models, strategies, and recommendations for school counselors’ and counselor educators’ effective work with African American students and families within school-family-community collaborations are discussed.

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