Creating a Culture of Belonging

In his new book Inclusion Includes Us, Mike Huber writes, “The goal of an inclusive classroom is for all children to have a sense of belonging. If we become too focused on getting children to comply with our expectations, we can view children who do not follow our classroom culture as defiant or disruptive. This effort toward assimilating children to the classroom culture can end up excluding them. “Instead, educators can focus on ensuring that all children are engaged as contributing members of the classroom community. When a child is engaged with peers or adults or engaged with materials, they are constructing their knowledge of the world.” Elsewhere in the book, Huber invites us to consider, “What can you do so the child feels they belong in the classroom? Rather than focus on how to make the child fit in to the classroom culture, we need to create a culture that fits all children.” Some of the ideas in Huber’s book are echoed in his 2023 article, “Addressing Barriers in the Classroom,” available to the public on the Exchange Hub. In it he provides considerations and solutions for potential physical, sensory, informational, attitudinal and cultural barriers. In recognition of December 3 as International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we honor and celebrate each individual’s right to belong and the steps we take to cultivate communities of belonging for all. Correction: In November 22nd’s ExchangeEveryDay, I cited the wrong title for the book by Iris Chin Ponte and Debbie LeeKeenan. The correct title is "From Survive to Thrive: A Director's Guide for Leading an Early Childhood Program," available from NAEYC.

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