PUTTING SOCIOLOGY TO WORK
SAFE PLACE
Proprietary Lecture Notes
Classrooms are
diverse places. Students have different cultures, backgrounds,
abilities, and other characteristics.
Students often feel the strain of trying to fit
in at school, with different social cliques and groups forming and
disbanding as students move from one grade of school or one classroom to
the next. It is often the members of minority groups who feel the strain
of not belonging the most.
A new environment, such as a new classroom can
be especially daunting.
The core of a “safe place” culture in the classroom equates to having positive relationships with others and feeling committed to others through a shared interest or way of life. Uncovering seemingly trivial similarities among students could help to ease the strain of such worries. This could be something small like a shared interest as well as a shared culture or some other source of identity.
Introduction to
Sociology
Belonging to a student-learning community can be the foundation of learning in classroom. Belonging is extremely important for many elements of academic success including motivation and confidence. Students are similar to one another and can help each other feel a sense of belonging. This can not only undermine academic performance, but also negatively impact health and well-being.
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