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4.1 Support student participation
Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Belonging improves mental health, well being and learning
Students learn best when they feel accepted for who they are, when they enjoy positive
relationships with their peers and teachers and become visible and active members of the school community.
Effective teachers foster positive relationships within environments that are caring, inclusive, non-discriminatory, and cohesive.
Effective teachers attend to the cultural and linguistic
diversity of all their students.
Affirmation - young people need to be made welcome, belong and feel connected to the classroom in order to fully engage in learning activities
Students need to be able to say and visualize:
- In this school I am accepted and acceptable here just as I am
- In this school I need to feel physically, emotionally and intellectually safe.
- The people in this school care about me
- The people in this school care about me
- The people in this school know what I'm doing and it matters to them that I do achieve.
- The people in this school acknowledge my interests and perspectives and act upon them.
Belonging to school makes a difference. Belonging improves mental health well being and learning
More ways schools can help create a sense of belonging
As part of Kids Matter Primary, schools look closely at ways they can continue to build strong positive relationships with all students and families. This includes things like:
- making the school environment welcoming for all students and families
- encouraging teachers to get to know all their students and their families
- identifying ways of improving communication with families
- focusing on child and family strengths
- making sure that school policies on safety, welfare and discipline are clearly communicated and support a sense of belonging for children and families.
Parents and carers can work with school staff to help create a bridge between home and school. When the adults responsible for children take a positive interest in what happens at school it helps children feel at home. It also makes it easier to pick up any problems early when they are easiest to resolve.
- Find out about the school and what your child is learning; participate in information sessions
- Make time to listen to your child tell you about what he or she is doing at school
- Let your child’s teacher know if he/she is having difficulties and discuss what kinds of things you can do at home and school to help.
https://youtu.be/h7-D3gi2lL8 Differentiated Teaching Strategies link