A sense of belonging within a school community is perhaps our most powerful tool to promote not only student well being and resilience but to enhance student academic engagement. A sense of belonging is associated with higher academic achievement, better attendance, improved behavior, and reductions in mental health problems, among many other benefits. Unfortunately, there is a crisis of belonging in our schools. Drawing upon research from brain science, social sciences, education and 30 years of practice within schools, this session will help participants uncover the positive impact of a belonging community on students and staff, discuss factors that threaten a student's sense of belonging and provide strategies that can be implemented immediately to create a belonging community in our classrooms and in our schools.
