Teaching
On this page we offer a range of ideas and practices to nurture belonging in the classroom through student centred teaching and learning strategies. We consider ways to design in socialisation and relationship building to nurture supportive emotional learning climates and compassionate cultures.
We advocate slowing down and making space to share our humanity and emotional connectedness with and between students in our teaching. Rather than trying to do more, we can try to do things differently. Fostering belonging isn’t about providing extra support or additional interventions. As Prof. Terrell Strayhorn highlights, what is needed is a focus on how our interactions and teaching approaches can help students feel that they matter. We view this as an embodied practice where we enact personally meaningful expressions of care, community and connection.
We explore this notion in four ways:
1. Getting to know students through community building activities
2. Hearing and valuing all voices through the taught curriculum and redistributing power
3. Using micro-affirmations to demonstrate belief that all students matter
4. Embedding radical empathy and compassion into group work.
Teaching
Embedding social pedagogies of belonging into mainstream academic activity and curriculum design. We present examples from students and colleagues and offer guidance to developing our own compassionate teaching practices.
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Image: Painting by Jean-Baptiste Langadec, Show 1, 2016, BA (Hons) Fine Art 2D Pathway, Central Saint Martins, UAL. Photo by John Sturrock.
Community building activities
By creating space for socialising within teaching sessions we can develop trust and community. We can do this by helping students to get to know us, each other, themselves and our interconnectedness. Student belonging waxes and wanes over time, so there is value in integrating activities throughout student journeys. This could be discussions about culture, creative icebreakers such as ‘what’s in my bag’ self-portrait and activities that check-in on students’ moods.
You can find an incredible array of community building activities to set a caring tone on the One HE Equity Unbound site: https://onehe.org/equity-unbound/
We recognise the challenges of getting to know students with large cohort sizes, but remembering names can make a big difference to a student feeling seen and valued. Some useful strategies and activities for remembering names can be found here: https://magoosh.com/praxis/becoming-a-teacher/15-tips-remember-students-names/
Hearing and valuing all voices
What happens when we bring in diverse knowledges to our teaching spaces? Do we design opportunities for students to speak about and explore their own opinions and identities? Are we warm and welcoming to all our students?
Power imbalances promote a culture of students assimilating to norms to ‘fit in’ to notions of valued knowledges rather than being accepted for their authentic selves. As john a. powell reinforces, it is by co-creating new norms, rather than abiding by established rules, that we support sense of belonging. This entails examining structures of power and questioning assumed knowledge in our practices.
We suggest trying Liberating Structures in group settings such as crits and seminars to break free of hierarchical structures. These are a range of methods that disrupt conventions to support equitable interactions, amplify freedom, mutual respect and creativity.
Micro-affirmations
Prof. Mary Rowe defines micro-affirmations as small acts that demonstrate we want others to succeed. They are gestures of inclusion and care, of generosity and credit, of finding strengths and successes. These small behaviours can have a big impact. Through these affirmative messages we show students that we believe in them, we value what they bring to the course and that they matter to us.
Micro-affirmations can be applied in many ways, such as the way we phrase formative feedback, respond in an email, and personal tutoring. Dr Candice Powell, Dr Cynthia Demetriou and Dr Annice Fisher offer practical suggestions for applying micro-affirmations into our exchanges. You can read the full article here:
Practice active listening
Lean forward, make eye contact, focus on hearing what is being shared, summarise to ensure understanding, and ask follow up questions to demonstrate interest and help the recipient come to their own conclusions.
Recognise and validate experiences
Accept the individual’s lived realities (we don’t need to agree). Demonstrate care about the impact of experiences through non-judgmental and open body and verbal language, and offer help in working through the challenge(s).
Affirm feelings
Empathetically acknowledge the feelings they are experiencing as being valid. Whilst offering perspective of how we can turn our feelings towards opportunities for personal growth and empowerment.
Reinforce and celebrate success
These might be big or small wins; progress made, the joy experienced, taking a first step, a contribution to discussion. Openly give praise.
Vikki Hill and Dr Theo Gilbert recorded the following conversations exploring how compassionate pedagogy can be embedded within teaching.
Creating connections: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsa8fFZxGBQ&t=5s
Love and oppression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epboSuWplTA&t=62s
Risk, failure and resistance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCnsIzHSVu0
Stereotype threat and micro-skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHY4tvWxnnA&t=53s
Compassionate pedagogies #1: Creating connections - Vikki Hill with Dr Theo Gilbert
Compassionate pedagogies #2: Love and oppression - Vikki Hill with Dr Theo Gilbert
Compassionate pedagogies #3: Risk, failure and resilience - Vikki Hill with Dr Theo Gilbert
