ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the psychosocial challenges of middle-years learners. It outlines the importance of school connectedness. The chapter discusses the theory underlying the role that school connectedness plays in supporting resilience, emotional wellbeing and school success for middle-years learners. It considers factors that promote school connectedness. The chapter explores strategies that teachers can recruit to foster school connectedness. It develops an understanding of programs that promote school connectedness. A sense of belonging to one’s school is referred to as ‘school connectedness’, and is the extent to which students feel a part of their school and feel valued and cared for by their school community. A strength focus requires recognising and believing in the abilities of students, and of yourself as a teacher, and creating tasks and an atmosphere where strengths can be promoted and cultivated so as to build skills and competence.
