Promoting Classroom Belonging and Engagement with High School Students

Promoting Classroom Belonging and Engagement with High School Students

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Today large portions of American youth are disengaged from high school which results in a lack of readiness for successful postsecondary learning and work.  The reasons why many youth are disengaged from school and why some eventually drop out are complex and vast.  Research indicates one way to address student disengagement is by supporting students' psycho-social and developmental needs, such as their sense of belonging starting in the 9^th grade to impact their future trajectories and outcomes. However, the specifics of how to construct high school classrooms that promotes engagement and belonging for all students are unclear. This paper examines high school students' retrospective experiences in the 9th grade to understand specific classroom factors that are important for promoting their sense of belonging and engagement.

Methods: Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with tenth grade students in one urban high school. These students were enrolled in three different academic programs (International Baccalaureate, Art Magnet, and Neighborhood).  The sample was unbalanced with more female students (N=19) than male students (N=13).  The racial background of students attending this school are 43% Latino/a, 30% Black, 13% Asian American/Pacific Islander/South Asian; and 9.7% White/Immigrant. Eighty-eight percent of the students are from low income households. These demographics closely mirror the study sample as well as the larger school district. Participants were recruited in their 10^th grade P.E. or JROTC classes because all students are enrolled in these classes regardless of academic program. In each class, a presentation explaining the study was given and students were invited to participate.  A total of thirty two students were interviewed. Students were asked to describe their favorite and least favorite ninth grade classes.  Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded thematically using Nvivo10 software. The analysis for this study follows the principles of Constructivist Grounded Theory method and during this process Constant Comparative Method was used, which is an iterative process identifying a pattern in multiple participants' perspectives to develop a conceptual framework.

Findings:  The primary theme that emerged from student data was having a teacher who built a community of engaged learners.  Teachers who fostered positive relationships with students and intentionally crafted a learning environment were classrooms where students reported having higher sense of belonging and engagement.  Students reported three specific things their teachers did to foster relationships and craft a learning environment:  (1) effectively organize and structure the lessons and activities; (2) manage classroom behaviors; and (3) support students both academically and socially

Conclusion and Implications: Findings highlight the important role of teachers to “know” their students in order to build a classroom community where students perceive they belong to and are motivated to engage.  When teachers “know” their students they are able tailor the classroom more effectively to meet their needs. However, due to the high workload of both teachers and school social workers it makes sense to combine the expertise of these educators to construct classrooms that promote belonging and engagement for all students.