1. 6 Principles to Foster Voice and Belonging. Online Exclusive
- Author
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Encarnación, Paola Deliz Félix, Halling, Mary, Carter, Andrea, and Wu, Stephanie
- Abstract
Amid soaring rates of teacher burnout and attrition, those at City Year are finding a trend that may seem surprising: Participants in their Network for School Improvement, when asked how likely they would be to recommend the network to other colleagues, have given an average rating of 9 out of 10. The authors have found that six key principles can foster voice and belonging for educators so that educators, in turn, replicate those practices in classrooms with students. Here the authors describe those principles and give examples of how they model them for educators and how educators have implemented them with students. Those principles are: (1) Co-authored content and programming; (2) Space for powerful reflection; (3) Timely and relevant information; (4) Quick feedback loops; (5) Foster belonging through surprise and delight; and (6) Direct lines of communication. Educators can leverage the six principles presented here and implement them in ways that are appropriate to their contexts to make change. The results demonstrate the power of a network and collective knowledge and action. When teachers and principals feel appreciated, empowered, and valued, they are more likely to cultivate those same experiences and feelings in their students.
- Published
- 2023