According to Cohen, these kinds of positive messages, when delivered in a credible way, “can really undo a lot of the damage done by these kids’ past experiences.” When trust is reestablished with students, those students’ expectations can also be adjusted to reflect their capacity for academic achievement and achievement, Cohen said. This process can help open “students’ minds to a new way of thinking about their academic experience,” he continued.
Promoting belonging in adolescence
Feeling a sense of belonging is important at any age, but during adolescence this feeling may be heightened. Sometimes feedback from a student’s culture or broader community can trigger feelings of inadequacy when there is no belonging, according to Andrew Fuligni, co-executive director of the Center for Student Development. the teenager at UCLA.
Teenagers are building an identity, which involves discovering things you’re good at, Fuligni said. When students are told that they are behind in a particular skill, it can harm their sense of belonging; feelings are heightened because adolescents are particularly prone to internalizing the messages they hear.
Many students mistakenly believe that academic ability is determined rather than a developed skill, Fuligni said. Creating a culture of growth in the classroom, particularly “cooperative learning situations where children of varying abilities work together to achieve at a higher level,” can help foster a sense of belonging among students who are falling behind, a added Cohen.
“Typically, corrective action just sends the message that you need help and that message can be quite threatening,” Cohen said. It is often assumed that “poor performance reflects low abilities, but this is not the case.” “It’s often a lack of preparation,” he continued.
The role of teachers and adults
Adolescence is a critical period of development, during which students “try to understand the trustworthiness of institutions and people like teachers,” Cohen said. For members of marginalized groups, “the additional question is: ‘How are they going to treat people like me?’ “, he said.
Teenagers are especially prone to determining their place and care deeply about their social status, and that’s not going to change for this age group. This means adults have a responsibility to control their reaction and can help lagging students achieve a positive outcome through small acts and affirming comments, according to Fuligni.
“Affirming the contributions, ideas and values of all of our students can really go a long way,” Fuligni said. When a student’s contributions and skills are affirmed in these small ways, it cultivates a sense of trust and allows them to see that they are “valued members of the community.”
View progress
According to Benison, who teaches students through sixth grade, sharing a student’s reading progress with them can be a helpful way to build confidence and build trust between student and teacher. Setting very clear goals and allowing students to consistently see their own success helps them continually develop their knowledge and skills, Benison said.
“I teach in a way that they know they are growing,” she continued. Benison does not share initial admissions information with her students because she does not want students to define themselves by the original data. But she periodically shares student progress with them.
When her students make mistakes, Benison notes them and makes adjustments as necessary to include that skill in every lesson until that learning is reinforced. According to Benison, allowing students to correct their own work, without the pressure of a grade, helps them recognize their own growth. In May of each year, Benison takes time to look back at the beginning of the year with each student to show them how much they have learned and grown.
“I know that when I teach them to read and encourage them to do difficult things, I’m not just letting them get through the day, but I’m preparing them for their future,” Benison said.
