The Belonging Collective

A Guest Blog from Bob Fox

Bob is a friend and an elder in my village. Bob worked in education for many years, finishing his career as a secondary headteacher. He is active in village life, running clubs for drama, woodwork and art, as well as being an active supporter of the local school. Bob and I often chat about life, education and what really matters. He found out about my blog and was keen to contribute his learned wisdom. I love this post, thank you Bob.

Throughout life we belong somewhere, with someone and in a variety of situations. Sometimes we have little or no choice as to what, where or who we belong.

Imagine you are a pupil. Is there a choice of school you attend. Usually not. Your school exists in a village a town, an area or country over which you have little control especially if the school is a state school. I depends very often on geographical boundaries. Even if you are sent to a private school the choice is taken out of your hands by the desires of parents, by financial concerns or current issues such as if your parents working abroad.

Once the choice is settled you have little choice as to which teachers you have, the social grouping or academic level you are placed in. There may be no one you know in any or sometimes even all these situations.

So how does a school create the idea in your head that you belong. Bad experiences are lasting and unless action is taken early your idea of school quickly turns negative.

The larger the school the more difficult it comes to establish and build this positive idea in your head. What this means to a pupil will be discussed later.

For a school therefore the situation is a very difficult one to resolve. Because of all the implausible issues already mentioned a start surely has to be made by looking at the ethos of the school and make it as inclusive as possible. Not an easy thing to do. In a large school. How do you ensure that a large group of very different individuals with their own ideas, agendas, likes and dislikes, opinions, not to mention their varied backgrounds, feel they belong.

The work to establish this idea of belonging has to be totally inclusive

Staff have to be valued, their skills as teachers have to be continually developed in line with its ethos, their place of work has to be one that they can value and feel privileged to have. Every aspect of a teachers work has to be based on respect and focussed on their development. The ‘good teachers’ have to be used to spread the ethos of belonging throughout. They have to be supported by a management that clearly lays out its requirements and expectations to all who work in the school. Work must be constantly undertaken to ensure this. Above all the entire staff of the school have to accept, learn, realise that their attitudes towards every pupil need to be fair, consistent and welcoming.

Somehow this has to be achieved in an organisation that exists largely on the efforts and work of people often in the isolation of their classrooms. These people have to know what is required in a variety of situations including within their subject area; What is needed from the to be a good and supportive form teacher. How to handle themselves in corridors playgrounds, dining halls etc.

As a Head, one of the aspects of school life that used to annoy me immensely was the lateness of staff to the start of teaching sessions . If we couldn’t be on time why should we expect the pupils to be there and waiting for us?

The young people have to witness good professionalism from all. Respect and fair approaches from all.  They need to know how events and problems will be dealt with and what the results will be.

Finally, for me Belonging somewhere also means involvement; doing something for your community however it is constituted. Simple things like giving out books, putting the date up on a screen.  Lifting, carrying, speaking in class, playing sport, being involved in activities. Behold the small school where every pupil is involved in drama productions, the form group in larger schools where form performances involve everyone. The public celebrations of achievement however small or high level.

We all belong somewhere.