Belonging: Educator guide

A series of teaching and learning activities were developed for Bullying No Way week 2024, which focus on the concept of belonging.

About school belonging

Understanding how a sense of belonging makes students feel more connected is a powerful protection against bullying. Belonging means students can embrace who they are, respect everyone’s differences, build resilience and stand up together against unkindness.

This teaching and learning activity provides an opportunity for students to focus on the concept of belonging. Understanding how a sense of belonging makes students feel more connected is a powerful protection against bullying. Belonging means students can embrace who they are, respect everyone’s differences, build resilience and stand up together against unkindness.

The Australian Education Research Organisation (2023) suggests that a positive sense of belonging at school has fundamental benefits for students, including feeling that their teacher and peers like, value and accept them, their cultural identity is welcome and valued, and they can ‘be themselves’ within appropriate boundaries. It can also have a positive influence on academic achievement.

Discussion guidance

Bullying is a complex, multifaceted issue that can be different in each school and year level. The appropriate way to respond will differ for each situation and every student.

Educators may need to scaffold student responses about bullying to ensure they are appropriate.

When discussing bullying, it is recommended that educators ensure:

• Students are aware that this activity is a general discussion and that students can raise any concerns they may have (e.g. about bullying) with you after the lesson.
• There is currently no obvious or immediate bullying issue. If there is, this may not be the right time for class discussion. In some cases, it may be better to delay this discussion until the problem is addressed.
• Students know classroom rules for talking and contributing ideas — remind students that bullying is a sensitive topic, and it is important to use respectful listening.
• They avoid using class role-play related to this topic as it can cause distress to some students.
• They know how to use protective interrupting (acknowledge they have heard the student but stop them from divulging further details) if a student begins to reveal inappropriate personal information about themselves or other students. Refer to your school policies and procedures for advice about responding to disclosures.
• Any students who become distressed should be referred for support to a guidance officer or other appropriate staff member and parents or carers are notified. 

More information and resources