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Five Classroom Belonging Strategies
1. Get to know the students and have students know one another
- Know their names and something about them
- Have students write their preferred names (and pronouns) on a note card
- Consider how you might achieve this in a virtual learning environment (e.g., having students create a short video introducing themselves and post on D2L, using FlipGrid, Padled, etc.
- Have students introduce themselves to 1-2 peers
2. Let your students know you:
- Share your story, journey, or something that humanizes you
- Share your passion for your field or research
- Share how you overcame a setback or struggle
- Invite students to connect with you
- Share about other courses you also teach
- Share why you teach the way you do (e.g., creating audio recording based on research about why it is important for students to hear the instructor’s voice in the VLE.)
3. Incorporate engaging small group work
- Be cognizant of how to form groups
- Assign group roles
- Switch groups as necessary
- Reflect on how group work will be evaluated equitably
4. Show that you care by providing specific feedback from a growth-mindset
- Have an assignment/test early in the semester to give student feedback early in the semester
- Plan due dates with consideration to your ability to provide timely feedback
- Give words of encouragement and be specific, e.g., “I can see that you worked hard on the court case presentation. The dialog of your skit included key information and did a good job engaging the audience. Great work!”
- Recognize specific struggle a student may have and offer help
- Debunk the myth a student might have from a fixed mindset such as “I am not good at math,” “I am bad at writing,” “I am less if I get tutoring.”
5. Reframe office hours
- Structure it differently by calling it a different name, e.g., “Student Dedicated Hours,” “Connection Hours,” “Drop-in Hours,” “Zoom Hours,” etc.
- Hold it in different locations, e.g., labs, tutoring spaces, or outdoor open spaces, via Zoom etc.
- Encourage students to come with or without problems
- Give students prompts or help students learn how to frame their questions and ideas to approach the professor
- Have a first-week week, fun, welcome assignment outside of class, during office hours
- Have a first-week goal discussion