Schools are a place where students learn the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. But for all students, schools should also be a place where they feel safe, welcome, and included. In this article, we’ll discuss strategies for creating an inclusive school environment that welcomes all students as individuals with unique needs and backgrounds. We’ll walk through examples of how teachers can create this type of environment in their classrooms so that everyone feels comfortable and cared for—and understands what it means to belong at school.
From the moment they enter school, students need to feel safe and welcome.
They need to know that they belong in school and that they are valued and respected by the adults in their lives. Students who don’t feel these things may begin acting out for a variety of reasons—and it is up to us as educators to understand why this behavior occurs so we can create a safe and supportive environment for all students.
Show you care about your students as people.
When students feel like they can trust you, they’ll be more likely to share their real thoughts and feelings about their experiences at school. You can show that you care about your students as people by listening to them and asking questions that help them talk through their feelings. By being supportive of their struggles, you let them know that it’s okay for them to have difficult experiences. When a student feels heard, understood, and supported—especially in the midst of challenging circumstances—it helps build trust with teachers in the classroom.
Invite students to share anything they want.
When a student shares something with you, it’s important to ask questions that encourage them to share more. You can do this by asking open-ended questions. These are questions that don’t have a right or wrong answer but instead allow the student to elaborate on their thoughts and feelings. For example: “Tell me more about what happened.” In addition, it’s helpful to ask students about their personal experiences (e.g., “Tell me about your family”) so they feel comfortable enough with you that they’re willing to share things about themselves that may be personal or sensitive in nature (e.g., “I’m not sure if I should tell anyone else”). Finally, asking students for their opinions and ideas helps them feel valued as people who are intelligent thinkers who have something unique and valuable to contribute.
Establish and communicate clear expectations for behavior.
Establish and communicate clear expectations for behavior. Your students will be less likely to engage in inappropriate behavior if they know what you expect from them and why. Establishing behavioral expectations is important because it helps create a safe learning environment where all students can feel comfortable participating in class discussions, asking questions, and engaging with their peers. It also allows you to clearly communicate the consequences of certain types of behavior (such as fighting), which may help prevent such incidents from happening again in the future. When establishing behavioral policies at the beginning of the school year or semester, use a code of conduct that is understood by all adults who work on campus (e.g., teachers and administrators). Additionally, listen to student input about what type(s) of behaviors should be included or excluded from your code – this will help ensure greater buy-in from your students later on when there are consequences for breaking the rules!
Be consistent in enforcing rules: Letting some kids get away with bad behavior only reinforces an atmosphere where other kids think, “I can do whatever I want” too.”
Be firm, consistent, and fair when enforcing the behavior code.
To be effective, the school’s behavior code must be clear and consistent. The rules for students should apply to all students in the same way. Students need to know what is expected of them so they can make good choices about how they act and behave throughout the day.
If you want your school to feel safe and supportive for everyone, it is important that staff members enforce the rules consistently. Punishments (or consequences) must also be fair and consistent across all students in your school community.
It’s important that your staff members are familiar with the expectations of each grade level so they can keep track of what students are learning at each stage of development. When looking at a specific infraction, ask yourself: “What did this student do?” Then consider: “Did they understand what I expected?” If not, find out where there might have been a breakdown in communication between teacher/student/parent and try again!
Get to know each student more personally.
If you want to create a safe and supportive environment for all students, it’s important that you get to know each student individually.
It can be difficult for some students to feel comfortable in school, so it’s important that teachers take time to get to know their students on a personal level. When teachers know more about their student’s interests, goals, and dreams, they are able to make better decisions regarding how they can help them succeed academically as well as socially.
In order to create this type of relationship with your students, try asking them questions such as:
- What are your hobbies?
- What do you like doing with your friends?
- Do you have any siblings? What do they like doing? How is the relationship between all members of the family?
Hearing these kinds of questions may seem overwhelming at first, but once you start getting answers from each child, then the meeting becomes easier over time!
Engage students in meaningful ways.
As you know, your students come to school with a variety of backgrounds and experiences that impact their ability to learn. Some have had access to a wide range of opportunities and resources, while others have been denied access because of their race or social class.
To create a safe and supportive environment for all students, it’s important that they feel valued in your classroom—and one way to accomplish this is by engaging them in meaningful ways. We’ve gathered five suggestions on how you can get started!
Make sure all students are represented in the class.
In order to create an inclusive and supportive classroom environment, it’s important that you have a diverse class. This means including students with different abilities, different backgrounds, and so on.
It’s also helpful to consider the needs of your students as individuals. Some might prefer group projects over solo work; others may struggle more with math than reading. If you want to be sure that everyone is able to succeed in your class, make sure they feel heard and understood by their teacher so they can learn at their own pace
By being an inclusive teacher, you can help your students see that everyone belongs in education and in life.
Creating an inclusive environment means that all students in your classroom feel safe and supported. When a student feels safe and supported, they are more likely to stay in school and be successful. A positive school climate has been shown to improve achievement among students from all backgrounds, and it also helps prevent bullying, violence, and dropout rates.
Creating a positive learning environment is about more than just having fun games for recess or giving out treats at Halloween: it’s about ensuring that every student feels like he or she belongs in the classroom—and in life! By being an inclusive teacher yourself, you can help your students see that everyone belongs in education and in life.
The more we can do to show students that their teachers and classmates care about them as people, the better our schools will be. When students feel safe and supported, they’ll be able to focus on their academics.
Additional Resources
The Inclusive Leader Assessment