In our guest’s beautifully written and laid-out book, she conveys the universal importance of belonging and its impact, in the introduction. She says that it is not just her personal experience that has led her to believe that belonging is the thing that matters most. She says in her book:

“Kids who feel they belong learn better in school. Elders with a sense of belonging stay healthy and aware . Immigrants who belong thrive in their new communities. Having a sense of belonging leads to flourishing in every environment and group, big and small, from your home to the culture at large.” (p.xiii)

We believe belonging matters. If we truly belong, that means that we are welcome, in our full selves, to be involved and included. We feel seen and we feel we matter.

Today we are going to talk to our guest about belonging – what it is, what it feels like, where to watch for it and how we can try to create the conditions for it – in our classrooms, our schools and in our communities.
Our Guest is Dr. Susie Wise.

RESOURCES:

https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324006183 (Geoffrey L. Cohen - Belonging)

https://www.routledge.com/Teaching-to-Transgress-Education-as-the-Practice-of-Freedom/hooks/p/book/9780415908085#

https://www.designforbelonging.com/

QUOTE:

“As a classroom community, our capacity to generate excitement is deeply affected by our interest in one another, in hearing one another's voices, in recognizing one another's presence.”

- Bell Hooks, from her 1994 book, Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom (New York: Routledge)

BIO:

Dr. Susie Wise is a designer and educator with experience in education, tech and the social sector. She designs learning experiences and coaches leaders in innovation practices and equity design. She teaches at the d.school at Stanford where she founded and led the K12 Lab. She is also a co-creator of Liberatory Design. Susie lives with family and their wild dog Hijiki in Oakland, California.