Creating a Sense of Belonging
One of the most important things that we can do for our students is to create a sense of belonging. They need to feel seen, heard, and valued within their classroom community. Our students deserve to feel as if they belong! This mini episode is all about creating belonging within the classroom.
What's going on everybody, I hope this finds you striving and thriving and doing absolutely amazing. As I'm recording this, I am on the countdown to a winter vacation, two more days. And then it's a little time to turn things down and enjoy a little family time. And today, I want to give a little reflection on something that's been on my mind lately, from a conversation that I had with a recent guest. My name is Brian Martin. I'm a second grade teacher and host of the teaching champions podcast. And my guest was Dan Garrity. And he was talking all about belonging, the importance of our students, and frankly, all of us, knowing that we belong in our community, that the moment our champions walked through the school doors, and make their way to your classroom, that they know that they're part of something special, that they're in a place where they're seen, where they're heard, where they're valued, that those students know. And they understand that they're part of something bigger, they're part of a community. And in that space, they're safe. And in that space, they add value. And I know, we do our best. And I had never come across a one educator that wouldn't do anything for their students. But I think it's important that we really reflect on all of our students from the high achievers to those who need a lot of academic support from the students who are always on point, to the ones who require a lot of our attention to the students who are very talkative and are always in sight, to the ones who are quiet and fade to the back. Every student matters. Every student deserves to feel that they belong. And we really have to be deliberate and asking ourselves, are we making sure that each of our students feel safe and valued in our space? One small thing that I do with my students is our morning meeting that we start our day with, we watch the morning announcements, we read a letter that I write to the kids every morning, and we do our mantra. And then if a student was absent the day before, and they're there, we always make it a point to welcome that student back. And we always say that we're never as good when we don't have everyone here. It's something small. But hopefully, it's something that creates a little belonging for the students. It's to the point now where we sat down at the carpet this morning, and I had just started the morning announcements on YouTube. And a young lady. She looks up to me and she goes, I'm Mr. Martin, you need to welcome me back. It is worth a little chuckle. And I'm glad that they find that important. But I think about that I think about the student in the classroom that has been redirected, which seems like almost 20 times in the last half hour. And I think that if a sense of belonging and connection starts with six positive comments for every negative one. Do we have to ask ourselves, when was the last time that this child heard a positive comment? Or think about that quiet student that has been working hard all day long. And I tried to think about how many times I interacted with them. And I make it a point to make sure that I go over there and make them feel seen. Creating connection, creating a sense of belonging. It has to be done purposefully. It has to be done intentionally. It has to be done daily, even as adults. Don't we all want to be seen. Don't we all want to be appreciated? Don't we all Want to feel as if we belong? So let's be intentional. Let's give that sense of belonging to our students today. We've been blessed with another sunrise. Have an awesome day.
