The Reflective School Counselor's Guide to Practitioner Research

Skills and Strategies for Successful Inquiry
Vicki Brooks-McNamara - Senior Consultant, The Education Trust
Danielle Torres - Lewis and Clark College, USA
The Reflective School Counselor's Guide to Practitioner Research
September 2007 | 128 pages | Corwin
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ISBN: 9781452294605
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ISBN: 9781412951104
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Description

"Like the little train that said 'I think I can, I think I can,' this book tells school counselors, 'You can, you can' do research. The text encourages and guides school counselors who have very little time and resources for research, enabling them to show and tell the differences that result from their programs."
—Angie Stansell, School Counselor
Hatton High School, Town Creek, AL

"This text can help any school counselor develop the observation and analytical skills to become a practitioner-inquirer. However, the book is much more than a collection of research techniques—it is a celebration of what is possible when school counselors pursue answers to their own questions about the students with whom they work. I predict this groundbreaking book will become a classic."
—Ruth Shagoury
Author, The Art of Classroom Inquiry

Become an advocate for underserved students by using data from inquiry projects!

This practical and timely book is ideal for school counselors unfamiliar with the process of practitioner research, from framing research questions and gathering authentic data to using results that can benefit students and create lasting schoolwide change. The authors use the American School Counselor Association's National Model to build practitioners' inquiry skills on issues of achievement, opportunity inequities, school culture, and community partnerships. The text covers:

  • Practical methods for formulating the questions on which inquiry projects are based
  • A step-by-step process for collecting, analyzing, and using data
  • Guidelines for developing counselors' advocacy, leadership, and collaboration skills

Contents

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

About the Authors

Introduction

  • School Counselors Collaborating for High Student Achievement
  • School Culture in the Time of School Reform
  • Tips for Using the Book

1. Launching Inquiry: Developing Your Question

  • How We Arrived at This Point
  • Moving Into Inquiry
  • Data Sources
  • Thinking About Thinking
  • Formulating Questions
  • Exploring Your Question
  • Strategies for Success
  • Meet Dianne: An Ongoing Case Study

2. Discovering the Territory: Exploring Others' Expertise

  • Why Gather Supporting Information?
  • Exploring Others' Expertise
  • Keeping It Simple
  • Components of the Summary
  • Dianne's Journey Begins

3. Getting It Together: Gathering Your Data

  • Ethical Considerations
  • What Data Is Needed?
  • Avenues for Gathering Data
  • School Artifacts
  • The Last Tip: How to Navigate Dead Ends
  • Dianne's Hunch Pays Off

4. Sorting It Out: Making Sense of Your Data

  • Descriptive Data as a Powerful Tool
  • Ways to Look at Data
  • Dianne Makes Sense of It All

5. Stepping Up: Sharing What You Now Know

  • The Fundamentals
  • Know Your Audience
  • Know Your End Product
  • Inquiry Support Groups
  • Routines
  • The Block
  • Deadlines
  • It's All in the Details
  • Dianne Seeks Support From Key People

6. Building Your Learning Community

  • Learning Communities
  • Practitioner Inquiry Suport Team
  • Dianne Brings Parents Into the Learning Community

7. Review and Can-Do: Putting It All Together

  • Where's Dianne Now?

References

References

Index

Index

Description

"Like the little train that said 'I think I can, I think I can,' this book tells school counselors, 'You can, you can' do research. The text encourages and guides school counselors who have very little time and resources for research, enabling them to show and tell the differences that result from their programs."
—Angie Stansell, School Counselor
Hatton High School, Town Creek, AL

"This text can help any school counselor develop the observation and analytical skills to become a practitioner-inquirer. However, the book is much more than a collection of research techniques—it is a celebration of what is possible when school counselors pursue answers to their own questions about the students with whom they work. I predict this groundbreaking book will become a classic."
—Ruth Shagoury
Author, The Art of Classroom Inquiry

Become an advocate for underserved students by using data from inquiry projects!

This practical and timely book is ideal for school counselors unfamiliar with the process of practitioner research, from framing research questions and gathering authentic data to using results that can benefit students and create lasting schoolwide change. The authors use the American School Counselor Association's National Model to build practitioners' inquiry skills on issues of achievement, opportunity inequities, school culture, and community partnerships. The text covers:

  • Practical methods for formulating the questions on which inquiry projects are based
  • A step-by-step process for collecting, analyzing, and using data
  • Guidelines for developing counselors' advocacy, leadership, and collaboration skills

Contents

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

About the Authors

Introduction

  • School Counselors Collaborating for High Student Achievement
  • School Culture in the Time of School Reform
  • Tips for Using the Book

1. Launching Inquiry: Developing Your Question

  • How We Arrived at This Point
  • Moving Into Inquiry
  • Data Sources
  • Thinking About Thinking
  • Formulating Questions
  • Exploring Your Question
  • Strategies for Success
  • Meet Dianne: An Ongoing Case Study

2. Discovering the Territory: Exploring Others' Expertise

  • Why Gather Supporting Information?
  • Exploring Others' Expertise
  • Keeping It Simple
  • Components of the Summary
  • Dianne's Journey Begins

3. Getting It Together: Gathering Your Data

  • Ethical Considerations
  • What Data Is Needed?
  • Avenues for Gathering Data
  • School Artifacts
  • The Last Tip: How to Navigate Dead Ends
  • Dianne's Hunch Pays Off

4. Sorting It Out: Making Sense of Your Data

  • Descriptive Data as a Powerful Tool
  • Ways to Look at Data
  • Dianne Makes Sense of It All

5. Stepping Up: Sharing What You Now Know

  • The Fundamentals
  • Know Your Audience
  • Know Your End Product
  • Inquiry Support Groups
  • Routines
  • The Block
  • Deadlines
  • It's All in the Details
  • Dianne Seeks Support From Key People

6. Building Your Learning Community

  • Learning Communities
  • Practitioner Inquiry Suport Team
  • Dianne Brings Parents Into the Learning Community

7. Review and Can-Do: Putting It All Together

  • Where's Dianne Now?

References

References

Index

Index

SAGE Publishing Logo

The Reflective School Counselor's Guide to Practitioner Research

Skills and Strategies for Successful Inquiry


September 2007 | 128 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 01/02/2026 9781412951104 $37.95
Hardcover 27/02/2023 9781412951098 $74.95
Lifetime 01/02/2026 9781452294605 $35.00

"Like the little train that said 'I think I can, I think I can,' this book tells school counselors, 'You can, you can' do research. The text encourages and guides school counselors who have very little time and resources for research, enabling them to show and tell the differences that result from their programs."
—Angie Stansell, School Counselor
Hatton High School, Town Creek, AL

"This text can help any school counselor develop the observation and analytical skills to become a practitioner-inquirer. However, the book is much more than a collection of research techniques—it is a celebration of what is possible when school counselors pursue answers to their own questions about the students with whom they work. I predict this groundbreaking book will become a classic."
—Ruth Shagoury
Author, The Art of Classroom Inquiry

Become an advocate for underserved students by using data from inquiry projects!

This practical and timely book is ideal for school counselors unfamiliar with the process of practitioner research, from framing research questions and gathering authentic data to using results that can benefit students and create lasting schoolwide change. The authors use the American School Counselor Association's National Model to build practitioners' inquiry skills on issues of achievement, opportunity inequities, school culture, and community partnerships. The text covers:

  • Practical methods for formulating the questions on which inquiry projects are based
  • A step-by-step process for collecting, analyzing, and using data
  • Guidelines for developing counselors' advocacy, leadership, and collaboration skills

Table Of Contents:

  • Acknowledgments
  • About the Authors
  • Introduction
  • School Counselors Collaborating for High Student Achievement
  • School Culture in the Time of School Reform
  • Tips for Using the Book
  • 1. Launching Inquiry: Developing Your Question
  • How We Arrived at This Point
  • Moving Into Inquiry
  • Data Sources
  • Thinking About Thinking
  • Formulating Questions
  • Exploring Your Question
  • Strategies for Success
  • Meet Dianne: An Ongoing Case Study
  • 2. Discovering the Territory: Exploring Others' Expertise
  • Why Gather Supporting Information?
  • Exploring Others' Expertise
  • Keeping It Simple
  • Components of the Summary
  • Dianne's Journey Begins
  • 3. Getting It Together: Gathering Your Data
  • Ethical Considerations
  • What Data Is Needed?
  • Avenues for Gathering Data
  • School Artifacts
  • The Last Tip: How to Navigate Dead Ends
  • Dianne's Hunch Pays Off
  • 4. Sorting It Out: Making Sense of Your Data
  • Descriptive Data as a Powerful Tool
  • Ways to Look at Data
  • Dianne Makes Sense of It All
  • 5. Stepping Up: Sharing What You Now Know
  • The Fundamentals
  • Know Your Audience
  • Know Your End Product
  • Inquiry Support Groups
  • Routines
  • The Block
  • Deadlines
  • It's All in the Details
  • Dianne Seeks Support From Key People
  • 6. Building Your Learning Community
  • Learning Communities
  • Practitioner Inquiry Suport Team
  • Dianne Brings Parents Into the Learning Community
  • 7. Review and Can-Do: Putting It All Together
  • Where's Dianne Now?
  • References
  • Index

Recent Product Reviews:

"An excellent outline of skills and strategies for underserved students and their counselors. Chapters provide a framework for gathering data and authenticating results to foster schoolwide change."
The Bookwatch, December 2007, Midwest Book Review
"It is critical that professional school counselors join the ranks of other educators in becoming accountable. This book will help school counselors learn how to use data to both help students better navigate the educational system, and, more importantly, help the school change to better meet the needs of students."
Peggy Hines, Director, National Center for Transforming School Counseling, The Education Trust
"Kudos to Brooks-McNamara and Torres for writing a text about inquiry for aspiring school counselors! Now more than ever, school counselors must be ready and able to participate in determining and documenting how school initiatives, large and small, impact student performance. My students will be thankful to enter the profession ready to ask questions, collect and analyze data, and challenge practices that may not be serving students well."
Chris Jensen, Associate Professor, Seattle University
"This text can help any school counselor develop the observation and analytical skills to become a practitioner-inquirer. However, this book is much more than a collection of research techniques—it is a celebration of what is possible when school counselors pursue answers to their own questions about the students with whom they work. I predict this groundbreaking book will become a classic."
Ruth Shagoury, Author, The Art of Classroom Inquiry
"Provides a much needed resource and guide for those in the midst of school reform. Brooks-McNamara and Torres present an action research framework that enables school counselors to be central in school decision making to improve the learning and community for all students."
Nancy G. Nagel, Associate Dean of Faculty and Professor of Education, Lewis & Clark College

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