Helping students feel like they belong in the classroom

Every year, I hope to create a safe space for my students. You never really know the dynamic of your class or how the kids will feel. You strive for the best while you hope it all works out. It’s always interesting to see how my class dynamic is never the same, and there are always many reasons why. Life lately has become challenging for kids as young as 7. Some kids come into my classroom with the world’s weight on their shoulders.

My job is to help them see that they don’t have to carry it alone. Another significant change in schools today is the increase in the number of English Language Learners (ELL). This increase in the number of students who require support learning the language has caused many teachers to question what to do. How can I meet the emotional needs of all my students? How can I meet the needs of kids who don’t always understand what I am saying?

 First, I would like to point out that to successfully meet your kids’ needs, you need to get to know them. Not just simple things like their favorite color, but more like their family, background, and what they have been through. In my classroom, I wanted to create a sense of family so that no matter what, my students leave home each morning, they know their second family awaits them at school. 

We Are Family

One cold winter day, I looked at my class of 26 students and asked them, “What are we?” As I waited for them to respond, I held my breath in anticipation. But within seconds, they shouted, “A family.” This moment hit me like a ton of bricks. At that moment, I knew my kids felt loved, and from that moment on, I promised to do whatever I could to help every student in my class feel that way. 

In my classroom, when I want to get my kids’ attention, I state “we are” and they respond “a class family.” This may not seem like much, but my kids aren’t just saying it. They believe it. Having students repeat this phrase (or positive affirmation) daily allows them to be consistently reminded. As kids walk into my classroom, worried about real-life problems, repeating this mantra helps them to see they are not alone. This idea that we are a family has trickled into every aspect of my day. 

There are a few moments that will live in my heart forever. It happened as my second graders and I prepared for a holiday break. One of my students was nervous as she did not have a mother at home. As we talked about family, she looked at me and said, “Well since we are family I guess I do have a mom. You are kinda like my second mom right?” As I choked back my tears, it became clear that my kids internalized the idea that in our classroom, we are family. 

At times, when my students are working with one another, they now refer to their friends as family members. They will ask each other to be nice to their class family members. If anyone is arguing, they will ask each other, “is that how we treat our family?” My students look at each other as a family. They know that from now until forever, they are not alone. I make kids stop and look around the room when they are sad. I ask them, “Who will help you get through this?” They respond, “My class family will!” This simple phrase has now become something that my students believe wholeheartedly. 

Now you might be asking, what about students who don’t speak English? My answer is that nothing changes. My students who don’t speak English still feel safe, loved, and cared for like everyone else. For example, the day I got a new student from a different country, I gave him a bracelet. All my kids have a matching family bracelet. He might not have known what everyone was saying. But when he looked around and saw that he was matching with everyone, he knew he belonged. That same student went home to tell his parents that he had joined a family. He didn’t just gain a new class; he gained another family. Now that he felt safe, learning would be allowed to happen. 

English Language Learners are just like any other student you may have. Every student learns differently, and so with that in mind, you need to scaffold, differentiate, and meet those students where they are to help them grow.

However, if I am being honest, as essential as academics are, nothing matters if a child doesn’t feel safe and valued. 

Some key ideas to remember are that you must meet all students’ emotional needs before anything else can happen. It is essential to communicate with all families and ensure that no student feels isolated. 

Communicating with Families

It is essential to communicate with all families. Hearing from their child’s teacher can make all the difference for families new to the United States¹. Parents might not know how school in America works, and it is up to teachers to help provide that information. Every district has a different means of communicating with families. Find a way that works best for your students’ families, and don’t be afraid to provide any information that might be helpful. Take the time to explain arrival, dismissal, or even what a day at school will look like.

According to the article, “A Guide for Engaging ELL Families: Twenty Strategies for School Leaders,” the author, Breiseth, explains that “ building “…an important relationship based on trust… can in return “…pave the way to student success.” Parents must trust you and understand that you want to work with them. Everyone wants to see that child succeed, and working together is key. For families who are not new to the United States, maintaining an open line of communication can help them feel connected to their child’s education. Working together is what is ultimately best for the child. I often communicate with my parents, and a mother expressed her gratitude. She explained how knowing what is happening has given her peace of mind. She said she never has to question anything because she has the necessary information.  

One way to bridge the relationship is to include a Class Family Tree in your classroom. Pick a spot in your room where you can hang up pictures and students can see their families. This lets students see they have joined a community and belong in your classroom. It gives students a sense of belonging they may have been longing for. When parents enter my classroom, they often stop to look at our family tree. They have expressed that they love the family atmosphere in our classroom. The idea of family doesn’t only live within the walls of my classroom. This idea embraces every member who is a part of my students’ lives. 

Helping Students Not Feel Singled Out:

Differentiation can take different forms in every classroom and for every student. When differentiating instruction for English Language Learners (ELLs), there is a common misconception that if the material is translated, students will automatically understand it, and if they don’t, there is a problem. But many people forget that when a child enters your classroom, they stop learning how to read in their native language. This means that when you translate grade-level text, it is not something that they have been taught how to read. This doesn’t mean that the child can’t learn.

Instead, it means that teachers need to meet students where they are. Teachers can scaffold the material and help ELLs be successful. While it is essential to give each kid what they need, it is also imperative that you don’t make any kid feel less than their peers. I remember giving students a translated 3rd-grade math word problem. I watched students trying to read it before quickly realizing it was too hard. Yes, they might be able to read. However, reading a multi-step problem, translating it, and then attempting the math requires a significant amount of cognitive power. They are no longer learning to read in their native language. 

So you may be wondering, well, what can I do then? The answer is that you can translate some items, but that can’t be all there is to it. Additionally, other scaffolds should be incorporated to ensure that all students receive what they need while still feeling equal to their class family members. These suggestions you are about to read are not only for ELL students. They are also essential to consider for any student struggling to access grade-level curriculum.

 Some helpful ideas for all struggling learners are²:

• Preteach vocabulary 
• Use role playing
• Incorporate visuals
• Ask questions 
• Provide glossaries
• Provide sentence starters. Sentence starters help students focus more cognitive energy on what they read and less on the writing aspect.   

When using any scaffold, make sure that you explicitly teach students how to use the resource. It is not enough to give it to students. Instead, they need to see you model it so they can use it correctly, leading them to master that skill.

We as educators need to do what we can to help all our students feel like they belong. ELLs and struggling students have a lot to offer your classroom, and with the right tools, they can be successful. When every student gets what they need, no one is left feeling as if they aren’t good enough. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and that’s okay. That is what makes our class family what it is today. 

I guess I am saying that we as teachers can’t change the world, but we can provide our students with a class family. A family where each person gets what they need and is there to support each other every step of the way. A class family that helps them feel loved and cared for and helps lessen the load our youngest kids have to carry.   

Remember we are a class family!

Samantha Saumell graduated from Pace University in 2022 with her Bachelor of Science Degree in Childhood Education and a Master’s Degree in Literacy. She began her career working as a teaching assistant in Tarrytown. She then worked as a leave replacement teacher in Harrison, teaching reading and math. From there, she was given the opportunity of teaching 3rd grade in Carmel. Samanatha is now currently teaching second grade in the wonderful Brewster Central School District.