Date of Conferral

5-8-2025

Date of Award

May 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Patricia Brewer

Abstract

Although school belonging supports well-being and academic achievement, marginalized students may experience less belongingness than their peers. Educators contribute to students’ sense of belongingness, but a gap in the literature existed about how secondary teachers perceive the promotion of belongingness for marginalized students. Guided by the ethic of care conceptual framework, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore secondary teachers’ perspectives about promoting belongingness for marginalized students. The research question addressed secondary teachers’ perspectives about strategies, enablers, and barriers. The 11 participants were secondary teachers; members of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year or National Board Certified Teachers; and stated they valued equity, inclusion, cultural responsiveness, or belongingness. Data were collected through semistructured individual interviews and analyzed using manual, open coding of concepts, patterns, and themes. Data analysis resulted in three findings: (a) Teachers’ strategies should attend to both teacher–student interactions and teachers’ personal growth; (b) a caring stance could be cultivated through intentional, empathy-oriented practices; and (c) barriers emerged when teachers lacked awareness or knowledge about the belongingness needs of marginalized students. Recommendations for further research included exploring perspectives of marginalized students and those of elementary teachers, teachers not in an elite pool, and teachers who share marginalized identities with students. Findings may influence secondary teachers' practices with marginalized students, thereby increasing belongingness and contributing to positive social change.

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