[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-595267-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-595267-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","indigenous-perspectives-and-sense-of-belonging-in-the-classroom-a-literature-review","Indigenous Perspectives and Sense of Belonging in the Classroom - A Literature Review","","This article examines how educators can build a sense of belonging in school and classroom communities by integrating Indigenous perspectives. A literature review of peer-reviewed sources links student belonging with higher motivation, greater willingness to take risks, and better mental health outcomes. The article explains belonging as acceptance and fit within community, and describes how educators can support it through classroom community, peer relationships, and the physical learning environment using approaches such as whole-child learning, land-based education, the Seven Grandfather Teachings, and the Circle of Courage.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/indigenous-perspectives-and-sense-of-belonging-in-the-classroom-a-literature-review/595267/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/indigenous-perspectives-and-sense-of-belonging-in-the-classroom-a-literature-review/595267.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Blitz","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-01","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",9,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What does the research say about why students’ sense of belonging matters in school?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"A strong sense of belonging improves academic and health outcomes. It also encourages full participation in learning, increased safety for risk-taking, and more consistent attendance.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How are Indigenous perspectives used to support students’ sense of belonging?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"The article describes using Indigenous perspectives to create belonging through the classroom community, peer relationships, and the physical learning environment. It highlights a whole-child approach, land-based education, the Seven Grandfather Teachings, and the Circle of Courage.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What is the Circle of Courage, and how is it applied in classrooms?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The Circle of Courage is a model with four quadrants—belonging, generosity, independence, and mastery—based on a traditional Indigenous medicine wheel. Educators can use it as a framework for positive youth development and to help students become positive contributors to their communities.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},595267,1792144540,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,111,115,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":112,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,30,"research-report",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":112,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":102,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144,"preview_page_count":4},24464137899374,"https://us-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_3d24733baf745e90a7e4bdd5f77d97b2","INVITED ARTICLE  \nIndigenous Perspectives and Sense of Belonging in the Classroom:  \nA Literature Review  \nMadison Carter-Plouffe  \nAbstract  \nThis article examines how educators can create a sense of belonging in their school and classroom communities by infusing Indigenous perspectives. A literature review was conducted by examining various peer-reviewed sources. It was found that students who feel a sense of belonging are more likely to be more motivated at school, take risks, and have positive mental health experiences. Educators can promote a strong sense of belonging through the classroom community, peer relationships, and the physical learning environment by incorporating Indigenous perspectives such as a whole-child approach, land-based education, the Seven Grandfather Teachings, and the Circle of Courage. Results showed that a sense of belonging can be accomplished through Indigenous perspectives by considering social-emotional status of children, the peacefulness of the physical space, and seeing children as positive contributors to society.  \nIn Canada, students typically spend 5,500 cumulative hours between ages 6-11 in school (Statistics Canada, 2020) . Children spend a large portion of their lives in classrooms, and many learning outcomes are affected by whether students feel they belong within their school communities or not. Bouchard and Berg (2017) described “sense of belonging” as feeling accepted and a sense of fit within a community. The literature shows centuries of Indigenous practices that support sense of belonging within a community. There are ways that educators can connect Indigenous perspectives to sense of belonging for students in their classrooms. Asa result, this article presents how implementing Indigenous perspectives creates a sense of belonging for all students. It analyzes the importance of sense of belonging within a classroom community, peer relationships, and the physical learning environment using specific Indigenous perspectives such as a whole-child approach, land-based education, the Seven Grandfather Teachings, and the Circle of Courage.  \nThe Importance of Belonging  \nTo understand how to use Indigenous perspectives to create a sense of belonging, we must first analyze why belonging is important. Student sense of belonging is important because it impacts their success in school. Research confirms that a strong sense of belonging in elementary-age students has a positive impact on academic and health outcomes (Allen et al. , 2021) . When students feel they belong within their classroom and school community, they may feel more likely to fully participate in their learning experience and take more risks. For students to take risks, they must feel a sense of safety and support. This may also influence attendance because students who feel they belong to a community may feel more excited to be with that community. Consistent attendance has a positive correlation with students’ academic success. Brendtro et al. (2013), creators of the Circle of Courage model, stated that students'understanding of how their behaviour and actions can benefit their community is a strong indicator of academic success. Students will contribute positively to their school and classroom communities when they are empathetic, helpful, generous, cooperative, and pleasant. These contributions and behaviours help to create a safe and supportive learning environment.  \nStudent sense of belonging is important because it affects their mental health. If students do not feel a sense of belonging, they are more likely to experience negative mental health struggles such as depression and other risky behaviours (Millings et al. , 2012) . Insecure attachment styles that involve feeling abandoned or unsupported by others lead to a higher possibility of developing depression. Students’ attachment styles can vary and change greatly during their adolescence. It is important that educators give students the tools to create healthy ","cbCaiiyDNeSsy2Y0","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiiyDNeSsy2Y0","pdf",117612,"English","# The Importance of Belonging\n## Academic success and engagement\n## Mental health and attachment\n# Belonging Within the Classroom Community\n## The Circle of Courage model\n## Positive youth development and socialization","[{\"question\":\"What does the research say about why students’ sense of belonging matters in school?\",\"answer\":\"A strong sense of belonging improves academic and health outcomes. It also encourages full participation in learning, increased safety for risk-taking, and more consistent attendance.\"},{\"question\":\"How are Indigenous perspectives used to support students’ sense of belonging?\",\"answer\":\"The article describes using Indigenous perspectives to create belonging through the classroom community, peer relationships, and the physical learning environment. It highlights a whole-child approach, land-based education, the Seven Grandfather Teachings, and the Circle of Courage.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the Circle of Courage, and how is it applied in classrooms?\",\"answer\":\"The Circle of Courage is a model with four quadrants—belonging, generosity, independence, and mastery—based on a traditional Indigenous medicine wheel. Educators can use it as a framework for positive youth development and to help students become positive contributors to their communities.\"}]","Indigenous Perspectives and Sense of Belonging in the Classroom - A Literature Review | PDF",1792080744,15]