More Than a Lesson: A Qualitative Analysis of Agricultural Educators’ Impact on Students with Adverse Childhood Experiences

Abstract

School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) has impacted millions of students. In the modern secondary classroom, agricultural educators must navigate external factors, such as students experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). These ACEs can have negative repercussions for the afflicted, including an increased risk of medical issues, drug use, and depression if the ACEs are not properly acknowledged. Guided by the Contemporary Trauma Theory, we sought to investigate the role that agricultural educators play in supporting students with ACEs. Using semi-structured, qualitative interviews with 16 agricultural educators from Oklahoma and Louisiana, we inductively used open and axial coding to identify three emergent themes with seven respective subthemes. First, we identified that agricultural educators often emotionally support students with ACEs regularly due to the close teacher-student relationships and the socioeconomics of the school district. Agricultural educators also have a desire to support students experiencing ACEs. Secondly, students experiencing ACEs are often drawn to agricultural education because of the rapport with the teachers, the experiential nature of the coursework, and the nurturing/inclusive environment in the classrooms. Finally, agricultural educators engage teacher- and school-driven strategies to support students experiencing ACEs. Due to the increased risk of secondary traumatic stress affiliated with emotionally supporting students with childhood trauma, we recommend increasing training for handling ACEs. Additionally, we also recommend cataloging strategies for educators to implement in their classrooms. These strategies can provide guidance to agricultural educators as they navigate emotionally supporting students with ACEs.