Reflective Activities

Choose one or two of the stories shared in this chapter (written or video) from marginalized students about their thoughts and experiences around belonging in the classroom and workplace. Next, ask participants to reflect on the following questions:

For Students

• When have you felt like you truly belonged in a space and what made that possible?
  • Now flip it: think about a time when you didn’t feel like you belonged. What was missing?
  • What small changes can you make in your daily interactions to ensure that all peers, regardless of background or identity, feel welcome, included, and valued in group settings?
• How do our hidden biases or assumptions about someone’s background affect who gets listened to and respected in school or work settings?
• What does it feel like for someone to always have to work extra hard just to be seen as equal especially when others expect less from them because of who they are?
• Have you ever experienced a language barrier, either in an academic or workplace setting? How did it affect your sense of confidence or belonging?
• Have you ever felt “othered” in a workplace or classroom setting due to your background, accent, or ideas being overlooked? How did that make you feel, and how did you navigate those situations?
• Whose voices or identities are often missing, ignored, or overlooked in your classrooms or social circles?
  What might be the impact of that silence?

For Educators

• How can we move beyond performative inclusion to actively redesign academic spaces so that students from marginalized backgrounds feel truly seen, heard, and valued without having to code-switch or downplay their identities?
• How can you design classroom environments and collaborative activities that not only encourage inclusion but actively dismantle subtle forms of exclusion such as language use, group dynamics, or cultural assumptions in order to ensure every student feels a genuine sense of belonging?
• How can you help create a space where students or coworkers feel comfortable making mistakes and asking questions without feeling judged or embarrassed?
• How can students and employees who are non-native speakers build self-confidence in their language skills? What role can mentors, colleagues, and peers play in supporting them?
• What are some concrete steps you can take as an instructor, manager, or colleague to ensure that everyone feels respected and included, especially those from marginalized backgrounds?

Related Resources

Teaching for Belonging Inclusive and Identity-Responsive Instruction / Humber College [PDF]

Inclusive Pedagogies OER/ KPU