The Research

The Practice of Belonging is grounded in peer-reviewed doctoral research completed at Southern New Hampshire University (2025). The study examined which formal learning experiences educators identify as impactful in developing their confidence and self-efficacy in culturally responsive teaching, and how this varies across school contexts.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the research drew on survey data from educators across multiple districts and in-depth interviews with classroom teachers at various career stages. Five major themes emerged: the mechanisms of transformative practice, growth processes in professional learning, the byproducts of that growth, barriers to sustained practice, and the cultural and relational conditions that sustain belonging-centered teaching.
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The voices of research participants — referenced throughout this site with pseudonyms — reflect the wisdom, honesty, and commitment of educators already doing this work. Their words are not anecdotes. They are data.

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District Report