Unveiling the Power of Belonging: Essential Strategies for Student Success

What is belonging? According to Cornell University’s Department of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, belonging is ‘the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group.’ In school communities, belonging occurs when individuals can bring their authentic selves into the learning environment. When students, teachers, and staff feel a sense of belonging, they thrive in a learning community that embraces diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Belonging impacts performance significantly and is a critical factor in enhancing engagement and achievement across social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral domains at home, in school, and in the broader community.

Survey Insights: Kent ISD’s Approach

Within Kent County, schools and districts taking the MI Student Perception survey measure belongingness by assessing how strongly students feel they belong in school, how well they perceive others understand them, and the extent to which students feel connected to their peers. Our students’ holistic experiences and well-being beyond test scores are the focus of this anonymous survey. It aims to comprehend students’ perceptions of belonging, social and emotional learning, and engagement. While participation in the survey is voluntary, robust data collection efforts facilitate informed decision-making. Recognizing and fostering a culture of belonging is the cornerstone of an effective teaching and learning process, ultimately enhancing students’ educational experiences. 

Unlocking Student Success: The Power of a Balanced Assessment System

Within education, assessments serve as a crucial foundation for evaluating student progress and measuring the efficacy of instructional methods. However, the conventional perspective of assessments, often limited to standardized tests or final exams, falls short of providing a comprehensive understanding of a student’s capabilities and journey. In response to this limitation, the concept of a balanced assessment system has emerged, highlighting the importance of diverse assessment tools and methods to assess a student’s learning experience accurately.

A balanced assessment system takes a multifaceted approach, incorporating various forms of assessments, including formative, summative, interim, and performance-based assessments. This approach aims to offer educators a holistic view of a student’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. As renowned educator Margaret Heritage noted, “A balanced assessment system consists of a range of assessments, each designed to serve a specific purpose, and together providing a complete picture of student learning.”

How North Godwin Empowered Education: Turning STEM Dreams into Reality

Written by Karen Baum, Instructional Specialist Godwin Heights Public Schools

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) is a fantastic way to engage students in learning about the world around them, develop their problem-solving skills, and provide them with hands-on learning where they can create, collaborate, and think critically. We wanted North Godwin students to have STEM experiences where they could enjoy this type of 21st-century learning, but where to start?

The Journey Begins

Conversations about STEM learning goals began in the Fall of 2019. We worked with Kent ISD consultants Marcus Deja, Wendi Vogel, and Keith Tramper. We discussed what other districts were offering students for STEM learning, and we looked at published programs available for elementary students, like Engineering in Elementary STEM Education (EIE). However, we didn’t find any program that seemed the right fit for our community of learners. Equity was our priority, and we realized that we needed to make our program available to all students to achieve it. To achieve this goal, we decided to offer STEM opportunities during the school day, and we made teacher professional learning central to the design of our program. As we continued to plan for the new year, March 2020 brought COVID and school closures, and our STEM plans were quickly put on the back burner.