Belonging: How Social Connection Can Heal, Empower, and Educate Kids

Develop a sense of safety and connection in our youth

Research shows that a sense of belonging has a profound effect on the physical, mental, and social well-being of children and adolescents. Yet, current events, including the decline of community and rising tensions over racial and economic inequalities, have endangered that fragile and critical component—and nowhere is this felt more acutely than in schools.

In Belonging, the author, who has spent decades working with the most challenging students, provides research-based strategies to strengthen relationships, build inclusive classrooms, develop trust, and foster a sense of psychological safety. Readers will find:

• Vignettes demonstrating how belonging applies to a variety of learning contexts
• Research around mindsets, the development of empathy, and community-building
• Sections dedicated to equity and inclusion
• Strategies teachers can directly apply in their classrooms

With his deep knowledge of education, behavior, and neuroscience, Dustin Bindreiff provides a fresh look at the troubling issues our students face and provides practical strategies for building a more hopeful future.