High-Ability Students' School Climate Experience and Coping Mechanisms During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Study

• In Event: Affirming the Sovereignty of Historically Marginalized Students in Urban Schools

Abstract

This mixed-methods case study of a high ability 6 - 12 Midwest school explores student perceptions of school climate- Support, socio-emotional learning - and the coping mechanisms they used to alleviate their stress and other school climate factors in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic during the 2020-2021 year. The study uses two data collection and analysis phases of the students’ responses to a school climate survey and individual semi-structured interviews. The integrated findings of the convergent design indicate that although students felt confident about their socio-emotional skills and overall teacher support, the transition to the online environment with an increased load of academic and extracurricular work and less in-person support represented a challenge. Students coping mechanisms are described.

Author

• Regina J Giraldo-Garcia, Ball State University
  Presenting Author