Sense of belonging crucial for staff development, diverse storytelling

When developing a staff, many advisers strive to create a diverse, inclusive environment. While these are important qualities, making sure that we include a diverse set of voices is only effective if they all feel a sense of belonging. This ensures they feel comfortable enough to speak up and share their ideas. Further, students who feel they belong are more likely to remain on staff. A sense of belonging doesn’t form naturally when people from various backgrounds are thrown together. It takes planning and effort. 

One way to create belonging is by beginning class with a Question of the Day. My favorite resource for these is “The Book of Questions” by Gregory Stock. This takes 10-15 minutes each class, but is worth the sacrifice because it lets the students reconnect with each other before they get to work. Recently my editors shared a Google form for others to submit their own suggestions for Question of the Day. Some suggestions they’ve received include: What cartoon character are you? What is your favorite attribute of the person to your left? What is something that made you smile this week?

Every staff has challenges when it comes to creating a sense of belonging. For example, our biggest challenge is that our staff is divided over three different classes: one for beginning students, one for advanced students and another for editors. To combat this, we hold staff lunches for people in all three classes to come together. I also partnered each beginning student with an editor buddy so they have someone to answer their questions and work through writing their first article with. 

Within the editors class, much of class is spent around the large round table, which facilitates discussion, as mentioned in this resource from Harvard. Additionally, all of the computers are arranged so the students can turn around and all be in a circle. This helps create that sense of belonging because the students can all see each other and feel part of the conversation.

The editors class also has traditions, such as sticky note celebrations where everyone writes down positive shoutouts on sticky notes and then reads them aloud before sticking them up in the room.

Despite all of this effort, it is impossible to know whether it is effective without asking the students. To gather feedback, I sent a Google form titled “Belonging Survey” to members of my staff with the following explanation:

According to Cornell “Belonging is the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion and identity for a member of a certain group. It is when an individual can bring their authentic self to work. 

The survey asked these questions:

1. Do you feel a sense of belonging as a member of staff?
2. In what ways does the staff assist in your sense of belonging?
3. In what ways can the staff improve to create a better sense of belonging?

Responses were anonymous, so they felt comfortable being honest. Of the 41 staff members, 35 responded, and two answered no to the first question. Although that isn’t many, the goal of course is to have all students feel a sense of belonging. Reading their responses and suggestions was simultaneously reassuring and eye-opening.

From their responses, here are a few of the reasons they feel a sense of belonging:

• It gives me an identity, something I can say when people ask what I like to do in my spare time. I know I can really rely on the staff when I need someone to talk to.
• Something as small as the editors writing short sweet comments on documents uplifts me and makes me feel appreciated!
• We have a family environment that supports everyone’s ideas and allows people to take risks within the class and through our publication.
• It’s a space where I know I have a purpose, and where I have people that I know and can have fun with and work with to create something great.

There were also suggestions for things we could improve. The most frequent comments were more staff lunches and time for bonding outside class. However, the responses also brought up some other ideas, so I met with the editor-in-chief, print editor-in-chief and online editor-in-chief to discuss the comments and how best to implement the suggestions.

If you’d like to see how your staff members feel, I highly suggest using this or a similar model to solicit feedback. I also found these resources helpful for professional development in this area:

• Belonging for Educators Course This free virtual course for teachers can be completed in 45 minutes or less, and it includes opportunities for reflection and activities to try in the classroom. 
• Teaching for Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism instructional resources from Harvard’s Teaching & Learning Lab This site offers multiple resources to help teachers facilitate conversations, set norms, and build community in the classroom. 
• “Inclusive Conversations: Fostering Equity, Empathy, and Belonging across Differences” by Mary-Frances Winters This book can help both teachers and editors examine and practice ways to communicate in a productive manner.
• Let’s Talk from Learning for Justice (previously Teaching for Tolerance) This resource helps educators navigate facilitating critical conversations with students, including setting up a classroom environment that allows for these discussions. 

Although intentionally making an effort to foster a sense of belonging takes time, it is well worth it because the publication and staff as a whole benefit when each individual feels comfortable being their whole self.