Being a Square Among Circles—The Role of Hope in Expanding the Conceptualization of School Attendance Problems: A Poetic Inquiry Approach Using Qualitative Interviews with Youth

This article calls for expanding the conceptualization of school attendance problems (SAPs). It offers a hermeneutic phenomenological exploration using the youth’s lived experiences. Attention is paid to bodily reactions and emotions in student narratives. Our goal is to aid research on prolonged absences from school by promoting studies that encourage teachers to investigate school cultures and climates. School personnel are essential in preventing and handling classroom SAPs and creating situated pathways among stakeholders. We interviewed nine students to learn about barriers and facilitators to school attendance. We used quotes from the interviews to make goals for understanding SAPs in schools. Using poetic inquiry as a qualitative method, we offer an aesthetic perspective to understand SAPs. The poems attempt to capture youth’s nonverbal experiences with prolonged school absences. The results provide insights into youth, schools, and professionals regarding the connection between hope and SAPs. The role of hope is essential for students’ continuing education. Additionally, our results emphasize the need to include factors of belonging within the learning environment for early intervention, thereby increasing attendance, motivation, and long-term engagement in future education.