Educator Perspectives on Inclusivity and Belonging in the Classroom: What Educators Can do to Promote Student Acceptance
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Abstract
This study includes discussion of inclusive practices used in the classroom where all students feel a sense of belonging. Educators can create an inclusive classroom by focusing their efforts on forming trusting relationships, building upon cultural backgrounds of students, ensuring parents and families feel involved, inviting students to share their stories and hear the stories of their peers, and being intentional about the language used in the classroom as well as valuing student input. The goal of this study is to determine if the practices of creating an inclusive classroom described in previous research will be reflected in the survey results of educators in New Hampshire schools. This survey also aimed at determining strategies and practices that are used to create an inclusive classroom environment in schools. There were 25 participants from two New Hampshire schools, from Bedford Memorial School and East Derry Elementary School. Based on the results of the survey, it was determined that practices discussed in previous literature are being used in elementary schools. Educators can continue to build upon encouraging the success of students, form strong, trusting relationships with students, providing choice of activities for students that best aligns with their individual needs, and using inclusive terminology.