How can you ensure that all students feel valued and included in your school?

Ensure that students have a voice - through daily conversations and presence, surveys, feedback, student councils, student leaders etc. Listen to them and care about each individual. Take on their feedback and ensure the school vision is a shared and agreed one.

My view is that you first need to speak to your students! You have to get to know them, where they are from, what they enjoy, what their worries are, what their aspirations are. It is also important not to assume that whatever would make you feel valued and included is the same for the students. We all feel valued and included in different ways and that is often fuelled by our backgrounds and experiences. It needs to be an open, honest and at times maybe even difficult conversation to ensure your school is a place of equality and equity, a place where all feel they belong and where their individuality and learned experiences can help the entire school community to flourish.

Trabalhando em escolas desde 2013, percebo que garantir que todos os alunos se sintam valorizados e incluídos requer a criação de um ambiente acolhedor e respeitoso. A escola deve adotar práticas que promovam a diversidade, como a incorporação de representatividade nos currículos, celebração de diversas culturas e eventos, além da implementação de políticas contra o bullying que é essencial de se combater. Adicionalmente, percebo que estabelecer canais abertos de comunicação, promover atividades inclusivas e manter a atenção diante das necessidades individuais dos alunos também é fundamental.

In my experience you need to maintain genuine and respectful communication, ensuring that every child is seen and valued in the school. Show commitment to ongoing learning and support systems, this will reflect your dedication to providing each student with the help they need. Prioritize listening to the students, recognizing them as the driving force in shaping the school community. School celebrations should spotlight the unique qualities that make each child awesome. It's an ongoing effort to create an atmosphere where every child feels a sense of belonging and success, with your practices continuously adapting based on their valuable feedback.

A positive environment also includes fun and joy. When I walk into a school and immediately see people smiling it is a good sign. I pay attention to how people are talking to each another and especially to students. Laughter and humor are good things! I once saw a skeleton in the hallway wearing seasonal clothing and holding funny little signs that change regularly. It caught my attention and made me laugh and students loved it. I also want to see an environment where students are celebrated for all kinds of things, not just sports or the arts. Celebrate kindness or curiosity or creative thinking. Your walls should be full of kinds of student work and projects which showcase learning. Play music in the lunchroom and put books everywhere!

Using different methods and resources in instructions not only ensures all students will learn in there own style but also lends opportunities for students be creative. This solidifies the topic covered.

Développer une conscience interculturelle est essentiel dans un monde de plus en plus diversifié et interconnecté. Il est important de donner une éducation aux élèves en le incitant à apprendre sur différentes cultures, leurs valeurs, leurs croyances, leurs traditions et leurs pratiques. Inciter à lire des livres, regardez des documentaires, suivre des cours en ligne ou participer à des ateliers sur la diversité culturelle.

Students and stakeholders we only feel genuinely included if we genuinely include them. Gimmicks and one-off, ad hoc, tokenistic gestures are unlikely to fool anyone. We must have a sustainable plan for proactive, pre-emptive solicitation of stakeholder and student opinion to make meaningful progress towards this objective.