These types of positive messages, when conveyed authentically, “can undo a lot of the damage from past experiences that these kids come with,” according to Cohen. When rebuilding trust with students is successful, those students’ expectations can also be adjusted to reflect their ability to succeed and achieve academically, Cohen said. This process, he continued, can help “open students’ minds to a new way of looking at their academic experience.”
Enhancing belonging in adolescence
A sense of belonging is important at any age, but in adolescence, these feelings can increase. Sometimes, feedback from a student’s larger culture or community can trigger feelings of inadequacy when belonging isn’t there, according to Andrew Volini, co-executive director of the Center for Developing Adolescents at UCLA.
Teens build an identity that includes discovering the things you’re good at, Volini said. When students are told they are falling behind in a particular skill, it can damage their sense of belonging; Emotions run high because teens, in particular, tend to internalize the messages they hear.
Many students mistakenly believe that academic ability is fixed and not a developing skill, Volini said. Cohen added that creating a culture of growth in the classroom, especially “cooperative learning situations where children with different abilities work together to achieve at a higher level,” can help foster a sense of belonging for students who are falling behind.
“In general, therapy sends the message that you need help and that message can be very threatening,” Cohen said. It is often assumed that “poor performance reflects poor ability but this is not the case. It is often due to a lack of preparation,” he continued.
The role of teachers and adults
Adolescence is a critical period of development, Cohen said, as students “try to figure out how trustworthy institutions and people like teachers are.” For members of marginalized groups, he added, “the additional question is, ‘How are they going to treat people like me?'”
Teenagers are particularly interested in knowing where they fit in and are highly concerned with social status, and this will not change for this age group. This means adults have the responsibility to control how they respond, and can help students who are falling behind get a positive outcome through small actions and affirming comments, according to Foligne.
“Emphasizing the contributions, ideas and values of all our students can go a long way,” Volini said. When students’ contributions and skills are emphasized in these small ways, it develops a sense of trust and allows them to see that they are “valuable members of the community.”
See progress
According to Bennison, who teaches students up to sixth grade, sharing a student’s reading progress with them can be a helpful way to boost their self-confidence, and foster trust between student and teacher. Setting very clear goals and allowing students to continually see their success helps students continually build on their knowledge and skill set, Bennison said.
“I teach in a way that lets them know they are growing,” she continued. Benison does not share initial admissions information with her students because she does not want students to identify themselves through the original data. But she periodically shares the students’ progress with them.
When her students make mistakes, Bennison notes and makes adjustments to include that skill in every lesson so that learning is reinforced. According to Bennison, allowing students to grade their work, without the pressure of a grade, helps students recognize their growth. Every May, Bennison takes time to look back at the beginning of the year with each student to show them how much they have learned and grown.
“I know that when I teach them how to read, and encourage them to do difficult things, I am not only allowing them to get through their day, but I am preparing them for their future,” Bennison said.