One of the most powerful levers to increase student engagement and amplify learning is to ensure that learning experiences are connected to and reflective of students’ lives. When we consistently demonstrate an interest and acceptance of each student for who they are, it nurtures what’s referred to in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as their fundamental need for love and belonging.

We can intentionally cultivate this sense of belonging by designing learning experiences that help us get to know our students better and help them learn more about themselves and each other.

Students decide very quickly which classes make them feel secure and which teachers make them feel like they matter. It’s critical, therefore, that we continually nurture our students’ sense of belonging through how we interact with them and how we get to know them, and through the learning experiences in our classroom. When we carefully weave these three components together, it creates a foundation that supports students’ overall sense of well-being, so they can focus on learning.

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