Sense of Belonging at School Research has consistently found students’ sense of belonging at school to be linked with academic outcomes, psychological adjustment, well-being, identity formation, and mental and physical health. Perceptual data of this nature (e.g., student wellbeing, sense of belonging, and experience at school) has typically been collected from both students and parents through anonymous School Climate Surveys conducted every two years, results of which have informed various programs and activities to improve the learning environment within OCDSB schools.
By examining what contributes to a students’ sense of belonging at school and how these influences may vary across identity groups, strategies can be targeted towards creating a more inclusive, safe and caring environment for all students.
Key highlights from the analysis of data from the 2019-2020 Valuing Voices - Identity Matters! Student Survey revealed that:
sense of belonging at school tends to decline in adolescence;
a sense of belonging at school may be experienced differently by students based on personal characteristics (i.e., how they identify, demographic characteristics). In the OCDSB, students who self-identified as First Nation, Métis, and/or Inuit reported a lower sense of school belonging , as 1 did students who identified their race as Indigenous, Latino, and Southeast Asian (7-12 only), those with a disability, and those from the gender diverse community;
sense of school belonging is affected by a complex set of factors (e.g., personal characteristics, support from family, peers and teachers, the social and organizational culture at schools, and broader policies, norms and cultural values);
respondents identified the following as being important for promoting a sense of belonging for them (or their child) at school:
Read the full report to learn more about what we heard from students and parents, and next steps the OCDSB is taking to foster a more positive sense of belonging for students by:
This dashboard is a supplement to the Sense Of Belonging report (can be accessed here). It allows users to examine the themes describing what Valuing Voices survey respondents most frequently identified as contributing to their (students in grades 7 to 12), or their child’s (JK-6), sense of belonging at school. Themes are based on “Low” and “Strong” ratings of sense of belonging and can be examined by: survey type (JK-6; 7-12) and self-reported identity (Indigenous identity, race, disability and gender identity).
Purpose
What do parents (JK-6) and students (7-12) identify as being important contributors to sense of belonging at school? How do these vary across demographic characteristics and identity? (deeper dive into the themes emerging from the open-ended text field associated with the “strong” and “low” ratings, respectively)
Within this visualization tool, users will be able to examine:
Overall Ratings for Sense of Belonging at School: Although the dashboard focuses on themes for those reporting either a “Low” or “Strong” sense of belonging at school, the distribution of responses across all four ratings (Low, Moderate, Strong, Not Sure) are being provided for context and to assist with interpretation.
Response counts/rates: Overall group size (Ns) and response rates (Ns, %s of group total) are provided when selections are made from the menus to assist with interpretation.
“Top themes” for respondents who reported a LOW or STRONG sense of belonging at school. Data can be filtered based on demographic characteristics and social identities (Indigenous identity, race, gender identity, and disability) to gain a better understanding of what might be most impactful in creating a greater sense of belonging for specific groups of students.Consider how each group compares to the full population of students.
Examination of themes across reporting groups within each social identity (Indigenous, race, gender, disability) to gain a better understanding of the relative importance of each theme in relation to student demographics and social identities.
Points to consider when interpreting dashboard data:
Results of JK-6 (parent completed) and Gr.7-12 (student completed) surveys are reported separately, helping to mitigate the impact of different response rates across surveys and identity categories.
Themes reflect overarching concepts that were identified by respondents as contributing to their (or their child’s) sense of belonging at school. Multiple themes may have emerged from a single survey response, therefore, percentages will not add to 100%.
Ratings of sense of belonging at school may reflect personal, perceptual, or cultural differences. This may have yielded higher frequencies of themes reflecting hesitancy/comfort (e.g., “Not applicable”, “Prefer not to answer”, “Otherwise Undefined”) for some groups (i.e., a text response was required for students who indicated low, moderate, or strong sense of belonging), suggesting the need for further engagement and outreach strategies.
No suppression has been applied to the data; caution should be exercised when looking at data where there are small numbers of students (e.g., in a group of 10, 1 student represents 10%).
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Last updated on 01 April, 2022
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding
Parents responses to the open-ended question “What has/would help create a sense of belonging for your child at school?” were organized and themes assigned based on the similarity of ideas that were shared. The graph below displays the relative importance of each theme for each identity group.
Use the drop-down menus below to identify the group of respondents for whom you would like to view the ranked themes associated with the Sense of Belonging at School question on the Valuing Voices Survey:
You are now viewing results for the following respondents :
Note: The order in which themes are displayed above will change to reflect their relative frequency based on the Reporting Group menu selection.
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding
Students responses to the open-ended question “What has/would help create a sense of belonging for you at school?” were organized and themes assigned based on the similarity of ideas that were shared. The graph below displays the relative importance of each theme for each identity group.
Use the drop-down menus below to identify the group of respondents for whom you would like to view the ranked themes associated with the Sense of Belonging at School question on the Valuing Voices Survey:
You are now viewing results for the following respondents :
Note: The order in which themes are displayed above will change to reflect their relative frequency based on the Reporting Group menu selection.
Voices of Students (or Parents of Children) who Identify as First Nation, Métis, and/or Inuit
“The current school has increased my child’s sense of belonging by celebrating Inuit culture and including her in special indigenous events. We need so much more of this. Indigenous books in the classroom are still so outdated and filled with painful stereotypes…”
“Organized Indigenous student body that can be city wide that offers social and cultural events with peers his own age. There are organized activities at the secondary level but none for primary or middle school grades.”
“More qualified educational sessions need to be held for all students regarding Inuit and First Nations values, principles, culture and history and realities”
“Teachers have invited me to come in to do Métis jigging in our daughters class. They are welcoming when she wears her sash to school on Louis Riel Day and National Indigenous Peoples Day. They take pictures for us at school and send then to us when she is engaging in Indigenous class programming. They acknowledge she is Métis and help Mae to feel proud.”
“Excellent teachers… the Indigenous liaison also makes my children feel very welcome and like their cultural heritage matters.”
“… Bringing more Indigenous knowledge keepers and educators to the school to teach non-Indigenous about our ways of life, not just European ways like history, science, technology. Indigenous people knew science, technology, math, history, we just had our own ways of doing things.”
“I would feel more belonged at school if I was put in the same classes as other First Nations.”
“i am first nations and i don’t really fit in and for me too feel belonged is i need to have more respect cause almost everyone is kinda disrespectful to me and i don’t get why but it’s alright cause i can deal with it slowly so don’t worry about me.”
“There used to be a Native Camping trip for any Natives at our school which was pretty awesome….”
“Since my identity is quite unique and diverse, it has helped me to have a group of friends that get me for who i am, and that is the biggest difference that helps me feel connected at school”
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding
Parents responses to the open-ended question “What has/would help create a sense of belonging for your child at school?” were organized and themes assigned based on the similarity of ideas that were shared. The graph below displays the relative importance of each theme for each identity group.
Use the drop-down menus below to identify the group of respondents for whom you would like to view the ranked themes associated with the Sense of Belonging at School question on the Valuing Voices Survey:
You are now viewing results for the following respondents :
Note: The order in which themes are displayed above will change to reflect their relative frequency based on the Reporting Group menu selection.
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding
Students responses to the open-ended question “What has/would help create a sense of belonging for you at school?” were organized and themes assigned based on the similarity of ideas that were shared. The graph below displays the relative importance of each theme for each identity group.
Use the drop-down menus below to identify the group of respondents for whom you would like to view the ranked themes associated with the Sense of Belonging at School question on the Valuing Voices Survey:
You are now viewing results for the following respondents :
Note: The order in which themes are displayed above will change to reflect their relative frequency based on the Reporting Group menu selection.
Voices of Students (or Parents of Children) who identify as Black, East Asian, Indigenous, Latino, Middle Eastern, South Asian, or Southeast Asian
“Teachers, that look like her. My daughter is 6 and can’t wait (and wishes) for a black teacher. When she sees other black educators she remarks how lucky those students are to have a black teacher. The curriculum or the delivery of the curriculum that consistently takes in to consideration and represents the diversity of Canada. Resources that explicitly talk about diverse viewpoints. Teachers need to be educated beyond a Eurocentric viewpoints.”
“what helped me feel like I belenong at school, is the students and friends of all different backgrounds. We hangout together, and the teachers who will give the same opportunities to whether you were a white canadian or other. Lastly the activities that include every race and enjoy these games together.”
“More fair and equitable treatment, culturally competent and reflexive educators,more inclusive and diverse curriculum, black educators, resources, bus issues resolved”
“The principal and teachers have created a culture of caring and acceptance.”
“An EXCELLENT frame of teachers and coordinators! children (and families) also welcoming and kind, one program diversifies and accepting the other.”
“More representation in the staff of people of color, more African and Asian representation in our curriculum.”
“So much focus goes into school celebrations around Halloween and Christmas. Canada has ~200 religions and is incredibly diverse. Schools purposely exclude kids when they put forth such big efforts in bringing only targeted Christian religious holiday celebrations to school. We usually have to chose not to go to school on certain days when we know that day is literally catered to celebrating that holiday - whether it be Halloween or Christmas. There is nothing wrong with teaching our children the diversity in religions and their holidays but there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with forcing these specific celebrations on all children. And letting the child know that they don’t have to partake in this does not fix the issue, rather it makes them stand out as different and they don’t “fit in” even more. Stop bringing religious celebrations to school; they should be celebrated at home with family.”
“Teachers and principals were always welcoming, respectful and friendly in the two school mu child has been to since we arrived to Canada five years ago. She was able to learn the language quickly and socialize with the other students very soon. As parents, we have also been supportive and caring for her integration.”
“The thing that makes me feel belonging in school is clubs and sports. Cubs and sports allow me to collaborate with others and make new friends and help to make me feel like I really belong in the school. Also clubs that involve student voice wanting to hear my voice makes me feel honoured and belonging in the school.”
“The teacher’s my daughter had all the last years in school are really good teachers who have built a very nice relationship with the students that is very important so that children feel confident and safe with the teacher And my daughter love her teachers and and she knows that teacher are there not just to teach them but also to protect them and help in any situation”
“If people were more open minded and globaally aware, less self centered and ignorant, I would feel more able to have an actually good and enlightening conversation. Often time, I feel like my interests are not those of the majority. I can’t read a book in front of peers without being called out for it or bring up any social issue without someone assuming I am simply trying to look intellectually superior. I wish young people were more empathetic, curious, and socially aware instead of centering their attention on vein things such as shopping, parties, substance consumption, etc.”
“A diverse place where one can make friends with no indifference or prejudice against my culture. An accepting staff that values all races,origin and religion.”
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding
Parents responses to the open-ended question “What has/would help create a sense of belonging for your child at school?” were organized and themes assigned based on the similarity of ideas that were shared. The graph below displays the relative importance of each theme for each identity group.
Use the drop-down menus below to identify the group of respondents for whom you would like to view the ranked themes associated with the Sense of Belonging at School question on the Valuing Voices Survey:
You are now viewing results for the following respondents :
Note: The order in which themes are displayed above will change to reflect their relative frequency based on the Reporting Group menu selection.
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding
Students responses to the open-ended question “What has/would help create a sense of belonging for you at school?” were organized and themes assigned based on the similarity of ideas that were shared. The graph below displays the relative importance of each theme for each identity group.
Use the drop-down menus below to identify the group of respondents for whom you would like to view the ranked themes associated with the Sense of Belonging at School question on the Valuing Voices Survey:
You are now viewing results for the following respondents :
Note: The order in which themes are displayed above will change to reflect their relative frequency based on the Reporting Group menu selection.
Voices of Students (or Parents of Children) who identify as gender diverse
“Equity for all students and removing ‘gendered’ activities in favour of inclusive activities, for example a sport should be a sport, it should not exclude boys or girls and by specifying that these are only for boys and girls, all other gender non-conforming people are excluded”
“More gender neutral washrooms so I don’t have to walk all the way across the school to use the bathroom. …”
“Greater education around gender and sexual orientation acceptance. Our son was constantly bullied for being gender non-conforming. The school’s response was not enough. It was pushed under the rug and we had to switch schools. Needs to be treated same as racism. Not ok to say is a safe place for all kids, then not back it up. He did not feel safe”
“Multiple student organizations focusing on diversity and student voice, as well as pride flags around the school, receptiveness towards my proposals of equity stickers”
“Everyone at school, especially teachers, have been very accepting of my name and pronouns and have been trying very hard to use them, as well as accommodate my fluctuating mental health due to my transition, and I really appreciate that.”
“Direct supports for elementary student who identify as transgender, with an outline of services/supports applied equally across all schools in the board. In school access to a”safe adult" to come to with issues & that adult have BASIC training in supporting lgbtq elementary students. Gender-less bathrooms! Not forcing a student to use the staff/accessible washroom.”
“Given our child is transgender, we feel very proud of everyone at our school for making our child feel very accepted and welcomed at school. Teachers and staff have been extremely supportive, proactive, and swift in addressing all concerns. Our child has seemingly a very normal and positive time at school, to which we believe is a direct result of the awareness, and the positive, inclusive, and accepting nature around morals and ethics being a strong part of the everyday curriculum at our school, and within the school board. Thank you and please keep up the good work.”
“…Teachers should avoid using gender pronouns and should encourage differences in kids. Eg: my son dresses gender fluidly, and gets picked on for it, he is a boy, and identifies as a boy, but colours do not have a gender so why would the teacher let kids put him down for wearing “girl” clothes.”
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding
Parents responses to the open-ended question “What has/would help create a sense of belonging for your child at school?” were organized and themes assigned based on the similarity of ideas that were shared. The graph below displays the relative importance of each theme for each identity group.
Use the drop-down menus below to identify the group of respondents for whom you would like to view the ranked themes associated with the Sense of Belonging at School question on the Valuing Voices Survey:
You are now viewing results for the following respondents :
Note: The order in which themes are displayed above will change to reflect their relative frequency based on the Reporting Group menu selection.
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding
Students responses to the open-ended question “What has/would help create a sense of belonging for you at school?” were organized and themes assigned based on the similarity of ideas that were shared. The graph below displays the relative importance of each theme for each identity group.
Use the drop-down menus below to identify the group of respondents for whom you would like to view the ranked themes associated with the Sense of Belonging at School question on the Valuing Voices Survey:
You are now viewing results for the following respondents :
Note: The order in which themes are displayed above will change to reflect their relative frequency based on the Reporting Group menu selection.
Voices of Students (or Parents of Children) who identify with a disability
“Some discussion around learning disabilities with the neurotypical children. Unfortunately, children with invisible disabilities are often considered weird by their peers and no one explains things to them. As a parent, I cannot go into the school to explain.”
“More or easier acess to the resources i need. This is a school built for neurotypical people and not people with disabilities. More support is needed with academics and how i learn as a disabled person.”
“Remediating her dyslexia with structured literacy, remediating dysgraphia and dyscalculia. Teach her to read, write and do math with evidence-based programs to help her achieve grade level. Then teach her French using structured literacy. OCDSB needs to educate all teachers about dyslexia, early screening in JK and retrain them in structured literacy until every child can read and write without assistive technology.”
“Proper teaching tools and resources to kids with ADHD. Workshops to prevent bullying and workshops to educate the students that they are all different.”
“More opportunities to connect with peers who understand his differences”
“More access to body breaks and smaller class size to help him self regulate and not feel frequently overwhelmed. Greater patience and time to understand his perspectives would also help.”
“Less focus on academic achievements and more focus confidence building- My child thinks he’s inadequate and expresses a lot of negative self talk because he can’t keep up with his peers due to his learning disabilities. He has given up unfortunately and feels like a failure no matter how hard he tries. Although he has some difficulty learning with audio lecture, he is an incredible tactile learner and has many gifts and talents that will serve him well most likely in trades. Many children who have ADHD learn best by hands on and are incredibly talented. Unfortunately, our children aren’t exposed young enough… They are all expected to be academic, when not all children are. We need more variety for children who learn differently, perhaps a different environment completely… That way they have an equal chance at excelling in life, based on their personal skill sets, not on social expectations. I’d like to see Canada adopt Finland’s style of teaching young children. Good luck, I hope these surveys influence change. Ty”
“I feel as though I’m an outsider from society as a whole. I struggle to connect with the basic things that most are able to. As a line in a song by my favourite band, Three Days Grace goes”I make it by in a world with no conscience, by shouting it out and being anonymous and the problem is you’re just like me." This line is can be related by the majority of my fellow outcasts. We have a difficulty being heard by those in the in-crowd. It’s what leads to the issue. We are all just humans. There’s no difference between us and them. I feel there should be more diversity among those who are left out all the time. Sometimes we all need a hero to come save us. That’s how I feel on this. The hero I need is the school board making an impact and hearing the small voice of us outcasts.”