Do staff have to feel this first? Given it takes time, but is urgent, I wonder how it’s addressed successfully if it doesn’t (yet) exist. I see the attraction of the myths if one is well-intentioned.
The slow, necessary work, which has to start from a belief that it matters in itself (and not just because it improves attendance or academic effort), feels hard to initiate ab nihilo. The conditions you want to create seem to need to exist already: a wicked dilemma.
Thank you for your post. I think the reason for the myths is that belonging becomes a priority without a framework for how to achieve this, without the skills being explicit. It then becomes watered down to being nice and other basic decent human behaviours, and so it is dismissed as intellectually claiming basic human interaction. Being explicit with what it means to belong here, so that all staff explicitly consider this can help to clarify what is meant. But belonging doesn’t just happen, and a framework is needed.
Do staff have to feel this first? Given it takes time, but is urgent, I wonder how it’s addressed successfully if it doesn’t (yet) exist. I see the attraction of the myths if one is well-intentioned.
The slow, necessary work, which has to start from a belief that it matters in itself (and not just because it improves attendance or academic effort), feels hard to initiate ab nihilo. The conditions you want to create seem to need to exist already: a wicked dilemma.
I very much enjoyed this and have subscribed. But a piece which says 'here are my top 5 ways to build belonging' would be even more useful.
Thank you for your post. I think the reason for the myths is that belonging becomes a priority without a framework for how to achieve this, without the skills being explicit. It then becomes watered down to being nice and other basic decent human behaviours, and so it is dismissed as intellectually claiming basic human interaction. Being explicit with what it means to belong here, so that all staff explicitly consider this can help to clarify what is meant. But belonging doesn’t just happen, and a framework is needed.
Great post, Jon! I've heard many of these myths in my time too!