The Echo Summer: Creating a Sense of Belonging
VREC Voices Project
VREC Professional Educators share examples of how they create a sense of belonging within their school community.
“To help foster a sense of community among the third grade at Newport City Elementary School, classes participate in a daily morning meeting that aligns with the Responsive Classroom curriculum. Above this, Helena Vachon, Jenna Besaw, and Kristen Morey once per month hold a third-grade morning meeting combining all three classes. They do a nice greeting, “whip” share, read aloud a daily message, and end with an activity such as Would You Rather…. The third grade at Newport City Elementary School believes in the importance of everyone having a voice. The Governing Council of Merrymaker Sisters, in relation to the impact of Kenya Utalii College stated, “The sense of community is the most essential element in building a better world.” That’s what we want for our students, a better world. ”
“We have a daily ritual of looking for ‘connections’ in preschool. We look around the room and find someone we are the ‘same’ with in some way and then find some way that we are ‘different’ with that same person to illustrate the point that we are all the same/different and connected at the same time.”
“North Country Union High School has a small business called The Mobile Mug, run by Teacher, Cheryl Bugbee. The Mobile Mug is more than a coffee service! It’s a reminder that inclusion is valued and practiced at NCUHS. Delivering a dose of positivity and connection, along with coffee and tasty treats, the program is a model of effective practices. By involving individuals of all abilities in meaningful roles, The Mobile Mug fosters a sense of belonging and demonstrates the value that diverse perspectives bring to our community.”
“Many years ago, at the Coventry Village School we created Choice Academy. Choice Academy is typically the last full week of school. It happens in the afternoon from about 1:00 - 2:30. Because we are a PreK-8 it has changed to be grade band appropriate but essentially teachers choose something that they are passionate about to share with students. Students are presented with the options for their grade band and pick their top three choices. (We try to give all students their top choice but sometimes it is not possible.) Then they work with that teacher on a topic/project that is exciting for everyone involved. We have/had fishing, hiking, running, watercolor, bracelet making, card making, crocheting, building, Legos, birds, Scratch (programming) etc. Most topics change every year although some stay the same. The sessions tend to be mixed grades within a grade band and usually have 2 adults. It creates a sense of community in a time of the year that can be challenging. Teachers share a part of themselves that they are passionate about and make a connection with students who share the same interest. It tends to be a very positive experience for everyone involved. It has become an end of the year tradition for students and teachers.”
