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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.
List of contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: Belonging, A Basic Need
Chapter 2: The Decline of Community
Chapter 3: Competition and Rivalries
Chapter 4: The Underdogs, Outcast, and Marginalized
Chapter 5: Psychological Safety
Chapter 6: The Warm Demanding Teaching Style
Chapter 7: Belonging and Mindset
Chapter 8: Teacher Mindsets and Empathy
Chapter 9: Creating Data Driven Communities
Conclusion
About the author
Dr. Dustin Bindreiff has worked at every level of education beginning his career as a teacher’s aide to currently providing technical assistance to schools for special education services, equity and social emotional learning. Working with underserved students for more than twenty years gave Dr. Bindreiff firsthand experience on the rising need for behavioral and mental health supports for kids throughout education. These experiences have been paired with extensive research into equity, mental health, neuroscience, and building systems of supports. This blend of research and practice has allowed him to help numerous schools improve their school climate, close achievement gaps, and build culturally responsive systems of supports.
Dustin currently serves as the Lead Policy Analyst for the California School Board Association. His experience working at all levels of education has led him to be a sought after trainer, presenting at multiple regional and national conferences. He has presented on topics such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Growth Mindset, Implicit Bias and more from coast to coast. He is a dedicated researcher and author publishing multiple articles each year on topics such as mental health, equity and the neuroscience. Dustin is widely respected for his data analysis skills. Combining a passion for data with an in-depth knowledge of equity and achievement factors he excels at helping educators identify predictive data measures that drive student success. He is widely known and respected for his ability to connect and engage with hard to reach students that have experienced extensive traumas and repeated school failure. As a result of these contributions, in 2021 he was recognized as an inspiring educator.
Report
I so enjoyed reading this book. It helped me rethink the struggles I am observing in students as we return to school during and following the pandemic. We know kids need connection and belonging and quality relationships to learn, but when we are in survival mode ourselves, it can be hard to remember. This book explains it all and provides helpful examples and research to support what we know is good for our students and ourselves. I can t wait to share it with colleagues and put the ideas presented here into practice.
Heidi Guadagni 20220711
