Building positive and trusting relationships with learners allows them to feel safe; a Sense of Belonging; and that their academic, cognitive, and social and emotional needs are supported.

Developing empathy in educators and in learners is an iterative process that requires taking the time to understand and honor others' perspectives.

A strengths-based approach is one where educators intentionally identify, communicate, and harness students' assets, across many aspects of the whole child, in order to empower them to flourish.

+When students are aware that learning involves effort, mistakes, reflection, and refinement of strategies, they are more resilient when they struggle.

Family engagement happens when educators and schools collaborate with families to collectively support their child's learning in meaningful ways, both at school and at home.

Learning about students' cultures and connecting them to instructional practices helps foster a Sense of Belonging and mitigate Stereotype Threat.

Teaching students how to systematically evaluate sources prepares them to navigate in an increasingly complex, digital world.

When students write from a non-dominant or marginalized perspective, they consider and give voice to points of view that are often missing.

Providing multiple texts on the same topic or theme allows students to interact with multiple perspectives and develop their critical thinking skills.

Discussing race with students can range from celebrating the importance of diversity to understanding the impact of racism from the perspective of those who have been historically marginalized.

Selecting culturally responsive reading materials, including multicultural and diverse texts, is critical for supporting all students.

When teachers connect math to the students' world, students see how math is relevant and applicable to their daily lives.

Giving students voice and choice in their learning is critical for making learning meaningful and relevant to them, an important aspect of promoting Sense of Belonging.

Providing feedback that focuses on the process of developing skills conveys the importance of effort and motivates students to persist when learning.

Student-led conferences are meetings between students, parents, and teachers where the student actively leads the conversation by reflecting on their progress toward goals and sharing examples of their work.

Setting overall goals with actionable steps for achievement can help students feel more confident in their skills and abilities.

Project-based learning (PBL) actively engages learners in authentic tasks designed to create products that answer a given question or solve a problem.

Developing cultural awareness as an educator is an ongoing process that includes building empathy for the full diversity of students, intentionally recognizing how one's own identity intersects with students' identities, and creating an awareness of how the learning environment can impact students' Sense of Belonging.

Equitable grading systems and practices reimagine how to assess and communicate student progress through various methods that reduce subjectivity and increase opportunities to learn.

Journaling allows students to reflect on their thinking and feelings, process their learning, and connect new information to what they know, supporting their identity development and Sense of Belonging.