Putting It All in Perspective

Abstract

It is vital for schools to be aware of the importance of school belonging for young people. A greater understanding of school belonging can occur by redefining school belonging to more accurately reflect the ecological landscape in which the construct resides. Through this book, we have conducted a detailed investigation into the school belonging literature. We considered what school belonging is, a variety of factors that are correlated with belonging, and brought order to the scattered literature through a critical review and meta-analysis. We then considered practical approaches for supporting school belonging at the individual, social and ecological levels. In this final chapter, we bring things together. We reconceptualise school belonging and discuss the implications of school belonging research for future practice. We hope that the combination of empirical evidence, an organising framework, and practical strategies for application provide a starting place for schools and educators to help students thrive.