Signalling status

Hey 👋

Yesterday was solstice, and so our days now move from getting longer to getting shorter (or vice versa). Undeterred by seasonal shifts, we continue on our theme of belonging with the idea of status…

Big idea 🍉

Belonging can be a powerful catalyst for improving behaviour and learning in school. But how can we secure it? ‘Signalling status’ is one approach.

↓

Status is an indicator of our ‘fit’ within a group. The degree to which our membership is acknowledged, our contribution is appreciated, and our preferences are respected. The more our status is secured, the greater our feeling of belonging.

We can signal status for students in our classes (and school) by:

1. Recognising → Demonstrating to our students that we 'see' them, we 'know' them, and we 'value' them—by using their names, referring to their interests, and highlighting their contributions and achievements.

2. Including → Ensuring that everyone is included in activities, discussions, jokes, and celebrations—and where possible, giving key students a 'role' in class or school (such as resource manager or sports leader).

3. Framing → Using the language of ‘we’ and ‘us’ rather than ‘you’ and ‘me’, to emphasise the collective nature and shared fate of classroom activity.

How we frame feedback is a particularly sensitive area. Pupils can easily interpret feedback as criticism from the teacher and a sign of rejection. You’ve got this question incorrect can easily become I’m not accepted here.

We can turn this risk into a resource by framing feedback as a defining feature of the group. In this class, we all push each other, because we care about everyone getting better.

Signals of status from teachers are good, but signals of status from peers are even better. This is why it's so important to invest in a positive classroom culture where peer contributions are valued and treated with respect. Even something as simple as 'tracking the speaker' (aka looking at them) sends an implicit signal that they are part of the group.

In many ways, building belonging is subtle practice—made up of the aggregation of many tiny gestures over time. An affirming glance at the right moment can go a long way.

Finally, belonging doesn't just matter for students—it's also crucial for staff. All of the above applies to teachers as much as students, and is extra important when times are tough.

Challenge → How do you ‘signal status’ to students in your class/school? How might you elevate status even further for those who need it the most?

Little links 🥕

• On topic → For more, check out this paper on the interplay between identity and belonging, this study on factors that influence the belonging of new teachers, and Lemov et al’s fab ‘Reconnect’ (a cracking guide to building belonging in the smartphone era).

• On trend → This week, we have a paper exploring the links between Cognitive Load Theory and other theories in ed psych, a study exploring the effects of encouraging messages from teachers, and a longitudinal study exploring the (negligible) link between time spent writing and writing quality.

• Bonus → Do you use humour in your lessons? If so, let me know why & how here.

Hope all the pieces are beginning to fall into place for ya.

Peps 👊