An Exploration of Studentsʹ Belongingness Beliefs in One Middle School

In this study, the author explored studentsʹ conceptions of belongingness on the basis of past and current school contexts and analyzed how conceptions did or did not change over time and from one school context to another. The participants included 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-grade students (N = 45) who attended a newly formed charter school in a large metropolitan city in the Southwestern United States. The author used interview methods to obtain both closed- and open-ended student responses. Results suggested that students varied in their belongingness conceptions, with some students emphasizing the importance of interpersonal relationships and others emphasizing academic achievement or opportunity. The author used the results to generate a model of belonging that combines studentsʹ perceptions of the school climate for others with their perceived level of fit within it. The author also describes implications for future research on student belongingness.