Abstract

The amount of belonging and value that students feel in their school community greatly influences their attitudes and behaviors in school. This can impact students’ social and emotional well-being as well as their academic performance, which can have significant effects on their later outcomes and levels of achievement. Research shows that students’ attitudes and behaviors are often directly linked to the interpersonal relationships they establish with peers, teachers, and mentors in school as well as the intrapersonal relationships they have with themselves. Middle school students are particularly vulnerable to experiencing a low level of school belonging as they often have difficulty finding social and emotional support with the transition to adolescence. Through interviews and critical review of empirical research, we designed an action plan focused on enhancing student-teacher, peer, and intrapersonal relationships among young adolescents to create an educational environment that fosters positive social interaction and identity development.