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
Techniques in School Counseling
"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
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"Provides a practical and valuable tool for all school counseling professionals trying to align their school counseling program with the ASCA standards."
"Offers a means by which school counselor practices can better support and be more clearly aligned with the educational community and greater schoolwide efforts. A very vital and useful publication."
"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. This book encourages and guides school counselors who have very little time and resources to do research, enabling them to show and tell the differences that result from their programs."
"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."
Sample Materials & Chapters
Brooks-McNamara_ReflectiveSchool_Introduction
Brooks-McNamara_ReflectiveSchool_Chapter 1