“While religious communities may understand belonging as communion or taking part in a covenant, teachers in public schools need only recognize the spiritual significance of feeling invited, included, and embraced in a group dedicated to one another’s learning…Experiences like these provide a foundation for identity and relationship development because they allow the adolescent to say “I know who I am because I know where I belong.” Adolescents at school
The reason why I select this passage is, for my point of view, creating a safe, free and inclusive community is a significant and first start for students exploring themselves and it paves the way for the rest of supporting.
Human beings are social animals for whom belonging to a certain community is their instinct inclination to protect themselves. Adolescents are experiencing a particular period that they want to be unique but also included. Provided with an inclusive, trustworthy and embraced classroom environment that enables students to explore and know about themselves, no matter it is about faith, self-identity or religion, they could feel they are safe and be supported. They also should be taught to respect others’ religion and belief. I read a story about a Muslim girl who insisted wearing her hijab. She was laughed at and despised by her classmates but the teacher didn’t do anything about it. She described that this experience was a nightmare to her and left a deep psychological trauma to her further life. I think this is why and where teacher and school need to play an important role in giving support and instruction. Furthermore, school needs to offer opportunities and guidance for students to think about those faith questions, as the book has mentioned, for example, opening curricula like “service learning”, “character education”, which could help students reduce their confusion. I disagree with the opinion that school and teacher should only focus on students’ academic ability or it’s the job of the family and religion community to be the instructor for morality. School is not an isolated institution, and teaching is not just to transmit information but also teach students how to think and behave.
I love when you wrote, “School is not an isolated institution”.
I think a lot of the time people forget that teachers take on many different roles and some of those roles play a part outside of the classroom. It always amazed me how middle school students could see their math teacher for 1 hour a day, but still feel connected to them in a way that they don’t feel with anyone else. Teachers have the ability to spark something in students that they did not realize was inside of them, but in the same way, teachers also have the ability to tear down a student before that student can even realize they were rising. It’s really important for teachers to explain the importance of a safe and inclusive classroom community so every student has the chance to rise and feel heard.