Identity Development and School Climate: The Role of the School Counselor.

The authors examined aspects o/school climate pertaining to issues of diversity at 2 elementary schools, conducting focus groups with students, school personnel, and parents. Findings indicated that degree of parental involvement and interaction regarding issues of diversity affect the school climate. Recommendations for school counselors are presented. ********** There is little doubt that a student's environment affects his or her daily functioning, growth, and development of human potential. Some scholars and practitioners view improving school climate as an important step toward achieving the greater goal of school success for all students. Early researchers of school climate viewed school climate as the personality of the school (Halpin & Croft, 1963). Since that time, climate has been conceptualized in a variety of ways. A supportive school culture is one in which students from diverse backgrounds are welcomed into the school community and are valued for their respective contributions. The ever-increasing complexity of racial/ethnic diversity in the United States creates a corresponding impetus for making culture a top priority item in school systems. Even schools with seemingly more homogeneous populations in terms of race/ethnicity may represent other aspects of diversity, such as religion, sexual orientation, or disability. In addition, students' individual identities may create still other constructs of diversity. In identifying some of the challenges confronting the nation, Ogbu (1994, 1995), a prolific writer in the area of multiculturalism in education, pointed to differences in cultural frames of reference between students and school systems. These frames of reference are already clearly established through a cultural and community cognitive socialization process before a child even enters the school environment. Additionally, he believed that a castelike, systemic discrimination process affects some racial/ethnic groups differentially (Ogbu, 1988). Other scholars have studied systemic school-based discrimination against students of color and its impact on their ongoing identity development (Calabrese & Underwood, 1994). It seems that a true understanding of these cultural differences is necessary if one is to balance the persistent inequalities in the educational system. We believe that school counselors must understand their school's unique climate as perceived by all members of the school community. This understanding is critical if school counselors are to provide a supportive environment for all students to facilitate hope and optimism and, ultimately, positive academic outcomes (Hazler, 2001). In other words, this inquiry into multicultural awareness is based on a fundamental belief in each student's inherent potential to succeed (Paisley & Hays, 2002). In this article, we review relevant extant literature on identity development and school climate, linking them to the role of the school counselor. We then describe a qualitative study, along with the corresponding findings and counseling implications, conducted at an urban, southeastern U.S. school system to examine school climate issues. Study goals were to examine cultural issues present across all respective domains (home, school, and community) and how expectations of school members (students, teachers/counselors, and parents) varied regarding how those issues should be addressed. IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT Erik Erikson's (1950) stages of human, or psychosocial, development are often depicted in linear and sequential fashion. Yet, it is clear that the developmental tasks outlined overlap and are, at some points, reciprocally related. In this developmental model, the stage that arguably requires the greatest transition is that of identity versus role confusion. Successful completion of this stage, from approximately ages 11 through 18 years, moves the individual toward a clear adult identity and away from childhood. …