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Literacy 4-6

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Literacy 4-6 > Factors > Sense of Belonging

Sense of Belonging

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How Sense of Belonging connects to...

A Sense of Belonging allows us to feel included, respected, and supported in school. It is heavily tied to our own identities, supports the development of a positive identity, and is context and culture-dependent. Particularly among culturally and historically marginalized students, school settings have the potential to be a supportive environment, fostering positive identity development; however, they also may be a source of adversity, when trust and belonging are not established. Students who feel a stronger Sense of Belonging in school typically have greater self-efficacy and academic success.

Main Ideas

Belongingness, closely tied to Social Supports, is the extent that students feel personally valued, included, and supported by others in their learning environment. In U.S society, white people typically develop an internalized and mostly unconscious sense of racial belonging through exposure and experiences. However, members of culturally and historically marginalized groups may feel uncertain about the quality of their social bonds in academic settings. Students' lack of school belonging is rooted in structural policies which privilege certain values and norms while devaluing the cultural wealth and knowledge that other students possess. In addition, as students' social awareness develops in elementary school, marginalized students may become more aware of, and subject to, negative behaviors from teachers and other students which signal that they do not belong in these settings (signal influences). Educators may hold implicit biases about particular groups which can influence their beliefs and behaviors, including lower expectations and academic rigor for these students, often becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Identity development involves asking questions about one's past, present, and future self. This process starts at birth, peaks at adolescence, and continues through adulthood, and is heavily dependent upon lived experiences. Identity formation includes self-awareness, information-seeking, and exploration about the groups with which we identify. Identity development occurs differently across different facets of students' identities (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation, class, disability, immigrant status, etc.). During middle childhood (7-12 years old) students' cognitive development and new social pressures promote new ways of thinking about their own identities with respect to social concepts such as race and gender. In the U.S., members of more dominant, privileged groups are often considered the 'standard'; therefore, individuals from marginalized groups may feel as if they don't belong or their identities are not represented. In addition it is important to note that many students have multiple marginalized identities which intersect and may further compound difficulties in belonging. When educators recognize students' intersectional identities, this can build a strong positive culture and play a role in empowering students.

Racial Identity Theory suggests that our racial identity is made of three core components:

  • Centrality: Dominance of race to one's self-concept
  • Private regard: One's own positive/negative feelings towards being one's race
  • Public regard: Perceptions of how others view one's race

Racial identity development entails forging an understanding of how the centrality and public perception of race is intertwined with personal identity. Children's sense of connection to their racial groups increases during middle childhood. A strong racial or ethnic identity has been shown to buffer the negative effects of discrimination on children's social and emotional well-being.

It is also important to recognize that many people have concealed/non-visible identities that may be stigmatized, such as physical or mental health, family circumstances, or learning disabilities. These non-visible identities can be isolating, and can impact an individual's Sense of Belonging, Social Supports, and health. Students with learning disabilities may experience labeling, separation, and stereotyping in school, which may reduce a learner's Sense of Belonging and academic growth.

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