Building a Supportive Ecosystem: Student Resource Examples

Teachers have long recognized the importance of a safe and secure school environment for students to effectively focus on learning. Research supports this notion; a 2018 study indicated that teachers who intentionally cultivate a sense of belonging, such as greeting each student at the door, observe "significant improvements in academic engaged time and reductions in disruptive behavior." This article delves into various examples and strategies for building student resources and fostering a supportive environment.

Cultivating a Sense of Belonging in the Classroom

Creating a classroom where every student feels valued and included is paramount. Here are some practical activities, many taking only a few minutes, that can be incorporated into daily routines:

Quick Connection Activities

Shout-Outs: This activity provides a platform for students to acknowledge and celebrate each other's accomplishments or efforts. Shout-outs can be seamlessly integrated into any class setting. For instance, Valerie Gallagher, a first-grade teacher, uses a chime to signal the time for shout-outs, allowing students to interact and reinforce positivity. "It's not just me as the teacher saying, 'You're doing well'-it's a way for them to interact with each other and celebrate positivity," says Gallagher.

Friendly Fridays: Elizabeth Peterson, a fourth-grade teacher, utilizes "Friendly Fridays" as a simple yet effective method for students to uplift one another and themselves. Activities include writing anonymous notes of encouragement, practicing positive self-talk, or using storytelling to offer pep talks.

Sharing Acts of Kindness: Marissa King, a fifth-grade teacher, promotes kindness through specific activities.

Group Salutes: A brief interaction between students at the beginning or end of an activity, prompted by the teacher, that is a quick, low-prep way to cultivate community.

Morning Meetings: While traditionally used in elementary classrooms, morning meetings can benefit students of all ages by facilitating a smooth transition into class. Riverside School in Ahmedabad, India, employs morning meetings across all grade levels as "a pure relationship-building time." These meetings involve bonding exercises, such as physical, social, and emotional activities, or discussions of sensitive topics like bullying.

Appreciation, Apology, Aha: As a quick, daily closing activity, students gather in a circle and share an appreciation of one of their peers, an apology, or a light bulb moment. The teacher models the activity by sharing and then asks for volunteers to speak. Aukeem Ballard, an educator with Summit Public Schools, emphasizes that "those types of appreciations and community recognitions can go a long way toward building bonds."

Snowball Toss: Students anonymously write down one of their stressors on a piece of paper, crumple it up, gather in a circle, and throw their paper balls in a mock snowball fight. When that’s done, they pick up a snowball and read it aloud. Alex Shevrin Venet, a former school leader, notes that while "a low-stakes thorn might be ‘I feel tired,’ many students choose to share more personal items, like ‘My thorn is that my dog is sick and I’m really worried about her.’" The idea is that we’re moving around.

Establishing Classroom Norms Together

Engaging students in creating their own classroom norms fosters a sense of ownership and belonging. According to Dr. Pamela Cantor, founder of Turnaround for Children, "Having students come up with their own norms creates 'a pathway toward belonging for every single student in that class.'" These collaboratively developed norms, as Shaddox explains, "are words that we generated together," which helps students "own the behavior in the classroom" rather than adhering to a "top-down list of rules that a teacher gives a class."

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Modernizing the Student Experience in Higher Education

The expectations of today's students are evolving, influenced by the personalized and seamless experiences they encounter in consumer industries. Colleges and universities are adapting to meet these demands by embracing flexibility and innovation in student support services.

Holistic and Identity-Conscious Advising

A modern student experience necessitates advising that considers students' career aspirations, life experiences, and individual needs. While some institutions offer holistic advising, a history of fragmented investments can lead to inconsistent experiences for students.

It is vital for institutions to thoughtfully understand how to provide identity-conscious support, especially as student demographics shift. Alison Malmon, founder of campus mental health non-profit Active Minds, and Dr. Hayden discuss campus mental health.

Personalized and Seamless Support

Students expect personalized, seamless experiences, mirroring those in other aspects of their lives. Institutions are exploring ways to redesign the student experience, which includes confronting complex technological systems. Some innovations involve new technologies and partnerships, while others require better integration of existing systems.

Campus Resources and Spaces

Universities offer a variety of resources and spaces designed to support students' academic, personal, and social well-being.

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Accessible and Sensory-Friendly Spaces

Accessible Study Rooms: Mann Library offers an accessible study room created in collaboration with Student Disability Services. This private room provides a quiet, calm environment with adjustable features such as height-adjustable desks, different seating options, lighting options, a white noise machine, and an E-ink computer monitor. It also includes fidget devices, a yoga mat, and blinds for privacy. The room features a collection of graphic novels, graphic memoirs, manga, and comic books, all related to disability, that can be borrowed through Mann Library.

Sensory Rooms: The Learning Strategies Center (LSC) provides a sensory room open to all students during LSC hours.

Library Spaces: Cornell libraries offer a range of spaces, including collaborative, quiet, personal, and serenity rooms. Some spaces can be reserved, while others are open to all students.

Residential and Community Spaces

Residential Spaces: Residence halls and Community Centers offer spaces for studying and relaxation, such as Esports Gaming Lounges. The Tatkon Center for New Students provides welcoming spaces for students.

Student Unions: Willard Straight Hall, the Student Union, offers reservable group spaces and open spaces for studying or meeting. The Big Red Barn is a Graduate and Professional Student Center open to all students.

Centers for Student Equity, Empowerment, and Belonging: These centers provide identity-based programs, resources, and community spaces.

Academic and Recreational Spaces

Music Practice Rooms: Lincoln Hall has practice rooms available by reservation, including rooms with pianos.

Interview Rooms: The Career Services Network offers interview rooms throughout campus.

Other Campus Buildings: Many academic buildings have spaces for studying or meeting, such as the study pods in Gates Hall and the lounges in MVR.

Outdoor Spaces: Campuses often feature beautiful natural areas.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: A Case Study in Campus Resources

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign exemplifies a campus rich in resources and facilities designed to support student success.

Informational and Architectural Landmarks: The ACES Library, Information and Alumni Center is a state-of-the-art facility integrating traditional information sources with new technologies. The Alice Campbell Alumni Center serves as an entryway to the campus.

Historical and Cultural Sites: Allerton House, a former private estate, now serves as a conference center. Altgeld Hall, an example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, has served various functions throughout its history. The Alma Mater statue stands as a symbol of the university.

Athletic and Research Facilities: The Armory was designed as a military drill hall, athletic facility, and assembly hall. The Astronomical Observatory is a National Historic Landmark. The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (Carl R. The IGB is dedicated to transformative research.

Performance and Library Spaces: Foellinger Auditorium, an example of Renaissance Revival architecture. Grainger Engineering Library Information Center, named in honor of William Wallace Grainger.

Historical Markers: The east entry to the campus at Lincoln Avenue and Illinois Street features the stone portal from the entrance to the first University-built classroom building, University Hall. Harker Hall, originally the Chemical Laboratory.

Student Life and Arts: The Union, financed with a grant from the Public Works Administration and a loan from the University of Illinois Foundation. Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion. Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Lincoln Hall honors the Springfield lawyer who went on to become President of the United States.

Athletic and Agricultural Landmarks: Memorial Stadium, a mixture of Georgian Revival and Neoclassical architecture. The Morrow Plots are the country’s oldest experimental agricultural fields in continuous use.

Technological and Natural Science Hubs: The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). The Natural History Building.

Agricultural and Engineering Structures: Round barns. Smith Hall, an example of the Beaux Arts Classical style.

Modern Facilities: State Farm Center, is the University’s most significant and revolutionary building. Spurlock Museum, houses approximately 45,000 artifacts. Thomas M. Siebel Center for Computer Science.

Transportation: The University's Willard Airport.

Support Services and Programs at the University of Illinois

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a comprehensive network of support services and programs to help students achieve their goals.

Academic and Professional Development: They provide support for students to reach their personal, academic, and professional goals through curricular and co-curricular engagement opportunities.

Basic Needs Resources: Focusing on access to essential services that impact overall health and well-being. Basic needs resources include access to nutritious food, stable housing, healthcare, childcare, transportation, and financial resources. SNAP application support is also available.

New Student and Family Support: Here to help students and their families as they begin their journey at Illinois.

Counseling Center: Providing a broad range of high quality, innovative, and ethical services that address the psychological, educational, social, and developmental needs of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign students. Free access through UIUC eText Platform. Once logged in using UIUC credentials, go to Skillding Blox. Includes a variety of topics such as physical, social, financial, and emotional wellness. Students are welcome to bookmark this page for continued, quick access.

First-Generation Student Success: Advancing campus level, transformational change that empowers, engages, and elevates first-generation student success. McNair Scholars Program: A program in which all McNair Scholars achieve academic and personal success so they can become the next generation of scientists, researchers, and professors. Student Assistance Center: Working with students to enhance their academic performance, increase retention and graduation rates, and help prepare them for careers after graduation. FOCUS, Fostering Opportunity, Community, and Unwavering Support, is an intensive semester-long career development program designed to close the gaps in post-graduation outcomes and starting salaries among first-generation students. DINE is a relaxed and supportive dining experience designed to foster genuine connections and relationships with employers and alumni from a variety of industries. Students will have the opportunity to: engage with professionals who value diversity, practice networking in casual setting, discover what qualities and skills employers seek, and learn to determine if an organization is a good fit. Registration is required.

Academic Advising: Assists undeclared students with the process of exploring and declaring majors at the University of Illinois by providing holistic, developmental academic advising. It offers students the ability to connect with academic advisors who guide students through course registration, degree requirements, the process of declaring majors at Illinois, and more.

ACES Access Program (AAP): AAP provides a supportive learning environment, offers solid academic support, promotes leadership and self-advocacy, and identifies opportunities for outreach, research, and scholarship. The Mannie L.

Engineering Support Programs: ARISE is an academic program in The Grainger College of Engineering serving a select population of students. We provide support to students from low-resourced or low-access backgrounds who show incredible potential in engineering. Our program focuses on academic support, community building, and dedicated mentorship. MEP seeks to empower African American, Hispanic, and Native American engineering students, support their success as scholars, and leverage a community of students, staff, and alumni to achieve excellence in engineering.

Student Success Initiatives: Designed to support students in their quest to succeed academically at the university level and reach their personal and academic goals. Offering one-to-one support for any student who is preparing a speech or presentation, for any class, major, or discipline. Available to meet with you to discuss the various support services on campus while also addressing any questions that you have.

Pre-Law Support: Designed to support diverse pre-law students in central Illinois who belong to populations traditionally underrepresented within the legal profession. The program aims to support students from many different diverse backgrounds including, but not limited to race, national origin, gender identity, first-generation, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomics. Now receiving applications for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Interested in mental health and wellbeing education?

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