i

STRENGTHENING DEEP ROOTS OF CONNECTION:
A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF SECONDARY TEACHERS’
PERCEPTIONS OF BELONGING WHEN PARTICIPATING IN AN INFORMAL
SOCIAL ACTIVITY
by
Suzette Izbicki
Bachelor of Arts, University of Victoria, 1996
Post Degree Professional Program, University of Victoria, 1997

MAJOR PAPER SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF

MASTER OF EDUCATION
(EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND MENTORSHIP)

In the
Teacher Education Department
© Suzette Izbicki 2023
UNIVERSITY OF THE FRASER VALLEY
2023
All rights reserved. This work may not be
reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy
or other means, without permission of the author.

ii

Approval
Name: Suzette Izbicki
Degree: Master of Education (Educational Leadership and Mentorship)
Title: Strengthening Deep Roots of Connection. A Phenomenological Study of
Secondary Teacher’s Perceptions of Belonging When Participating in an Informal Social
Activity
Examining Committee:
Name: Dr. Joanne Robertson
MEd Chair or Designate, Teacher Education Department
____________________________________________________________
Name: Dr. Mary Gene Saudelli
Senior Supervisor
Title, Teacher Education Department
____________________________________________________________
Name: Alison Davies
Second Reader
Title, University or Company
____________________________________________________________

Date Defended/Approved: June 10, 2023_____________________________________

iii

Abstract
After several years of social disconnection as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the
corresponding stress expressed by teachers and staff in schools, it was clear to me that school
culture needed some form of change. An informal social activity was created for the intended
purpose of helping teachers and staff reconnect and feel a sense of belonging within the school.
The focus of this research study was to examine secondary school teachers’ perceptions of
belonging in the workplace when participating in an informal social activity. Included is a review
of literature that focused on the sense of belonging within a school culture. The literature
addressed key areas that impact sense of belonging. This study used a qualitative
phenomenology method to explore the research question: What are secondary school teachers’
perceptions of belonging when participating in an informal social activity? Three teachers
participated in a semi structured interview to gather data. Their lived experiences were
transcribed and analyzed using descriptive and evaluation coding. The findings revealed three
themes: Establishing connection, building relationships, and creating a collective teacher culture.
These themes intersect with current literature related to how teachers feel connected in the
workplace. Findings further reveal the need for teachers and staff to feel belonging within the
workplace as integral in the formation of a school culture that values connectedness. The results
of this study demonstrated that the ISA provided a positive social workplace climate that helped
staff feel a sense of belonging.
Keywords: sense of belonging, informal social activity, social support, job satisfaction,
flourishing, sense of place, collective teacher culture

iv

Acknowledgements
This journey has shown me that you need to feel uncomfortable to grow. As I pushed
through the uncomfortable feelings, I grew in confidence and strength. Along the journey, I was
blessed with many amazing mentor leaders who I would like to acknowledge along with the
teachers who volunteered to be part of this research.
I want to offer my deepest appreciation to Dr. Mary Gene Saudelli who came alongside
me with grace, compassion, and wisdom. Her encouragement and genuine care empowered me
when I felt out of my element. I am deeply grateful for her gentle spirit, words of wisdom, and
her willingness to truly connect with me as a whole person. It was a joy and privilege to work
with her and have her as my mentor.
I also offer my warmest appreciation to my second reader Alison Davies who inspired me
to be a mentor leader who listens compassionately and intently. Her class helped me learn skills
that I will continue to use as a mentor leader. Her warmth and compassion will also stay with me,
and I am thankful for her insight and input as a second reader. I am grateful to Dr. Joanne
Robertson for teaching me how to be a leader throughout the courses I had with her. She helped
me not only grow in knowledge but gave me the confidence I needed to become a leader. Her
advice and experience in the world of education was inspiring. I am also very thankful to
Heather Compeau who was always willing to help, support, and go the extra mile. I appreciated
her expertise along with her kindness, patience, and support.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the teachers who participated in this study and their
willingness to give of their time and share their experiences with me. I am grateful for all that I
learned through their interviews and this study will impact the way I lead and mentor.

v

Dedication
I would like to dedicate my paper to my parents, Isaias Ponte and Rosarinha Ponte, who
immigrated to a new country with hopes of offering a better life for their children. My father
always believed in me and knew that education would open many opportunities in life, and I am
thankful for his sacrifice. Also, to my dear mother who may no longer remember me but who I
know would have been so proud of my accomplishment. I would not be who I am today if it
were not for these two loving and supportive parents.
I also dedicate my paper to my loving husband Andy, and my two wonderful daughters
Callysta and Gabriella. Andy, thank you for being my biggest supporter and coming alongside
me on this journey. Especially in those hard moments when I was struggling you encouraged me
to keep going because you believed in me. I am also thankful for the love and support of my two
daughters during these challenging two years. I hope I have inspired you both to push through
those uncomfortable times in order to grow and may you both know that you can also do hard
things!

vi

Table of Contents
Abstract ............................................................................................................................. iii
Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iv
Dedication .......................................................................................................................... v
List of Tables .................................................................................................................. viii
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1
Purpose ....................................................................................................................................... 1
Context........................................................................................................................................ 2
Research Question ..................................................................................................................... 4
Scholarly Significance ............................................................................................................... 5

Literature Review ............................................................................................................. 5
Literature as Connected to Research Question ...................................................................... 6
Sense of Belonging ................................................................................................................. 6
Social Support and Wellbeing ................................................................................................ 11
Gaps in the Literature ............................................................................................................. 12
Summary of Literature Review .............................................................................................. 14

Methodology .................................................................................................................... 14
Method ...................................................................................................................................... 16
Bracketing ............................................................................................................................. 16
Data Sources.......................................................................................................................... 18
Data Tools ............................................................................................................................. 21
Data Analyses........................................................................................................................ 22

Results .............................................................................................................................. 24
Establishing Connection.......................................................................................................... 24

vii

Food and Drink ..................................................................................................................... 25
Diversity and Inclusion ......................................................................................................... 26
Sense of Place ....................................................................................................................... 28
Building a Social Support Network ....................................................................................... 29
Relationship Building............................................................................................................ 29
Social and Emotional Wellness ............................................................................................. 31
Creating a Collective Teacher Culture .................................................................................. 33
Collaboration and Mentorship............................................................................................... 33
Job Satisfaction and Flourishing ........................................................................................... 34
Summary of Findings .............................................................................................................. 36

Discussion......................................................................................................................... 36
Value Consonance ................................................................................................................... 37
Social Support .......................................................................................................................... 39
Job Satisfaction ........................................................................................................................ 39
Flourishing ............................................................................................................................... 40

Limitations ....................................................................................................................... 42
Implications and Recommendations ............................................................................. 42
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 44
References ........................................................................................................................ 46
Appendix A ...................................................................................................................... 50
Appendix B ...................................................................................................................... 51

viii

List of Tables
i. Participant Descriptions

p. 20

ix

Glossary
i. ISAs: For the purpose of this study, ISAs are defined as informal social activities. There are
various potential informal social activities that include coffee times, lunch time walks, book
clubs, spin classes, yoga classes, hiking or walking clubs etc. The focus of the activity is to bring
staff together who enjoy similar informal activities. The activity facilitates staff connection and
sense of belonging, but it is not a mandatory activity, so it gives staff agency in the choice to
participate. In this study the ISA consisted of a weekly Monday morning coffee time where I
provided coffee and treats.
ii. Collective Teacher Culture (CTC): For the purpose of this study, I will use the definition
created by Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2021) who “suggest that positive social relations, supportive
environment, collective teacher efficacy, and common goals and values are interrelated
constructs, and that they may constitute what we term a collective teacher culture” (p. 1390).
iii. Belonging: For the purpose of this study, I will define belonging as the degree to which
people feel connected socially (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2011).
iv. Mentor Leader: For the purpose of this study, I will define a mentor leader as a person who
values relationships and leads alongside others by encouraging them to grow and learn as they
work together.
v. Value Consonance: Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2010) define value consonance as “the degree to
which the teachers felt that they shared the prevailing norms and values at school” (p. 370).

1

Introduction
School culture is like a vegetable garden. A healthy garden is full of a variety of rich
produce that when harvested and served together creates a delicious meal. However, the soil in
this garden needs to be healthy and rich so the produce can grow and flourish. The staff in a
school is like the soil in a garden. If we want to create a healthy school culture, I believe we need
to start with the soil. It needs to be fertilized and watered so that it can produce healthy
vegetables. If the soil lacks the necessary nutrients, it will directly impact the growth of the
produce. A gardener tends to her garden by taking care of the soil first in hopes of growing a
bountiful harvest. I hope to do the same for staff by providing an informal social activity that
would support and enrich their mental wellness, social connectedness, and sense of belonging in
a post pandemic world.
Purpose
Throughout my career as an experienced teacher, connecting to my students has always
been the focus of my pedagogy. Relationships are necessary for learning; in the same way, if I
want to lead people, I believe I need to invest in relationships. Dr. A. Sivia said, “leadership is
pedagogy” (in-person communication, July 7, 2022). To me, this means that I want to lead the
way I teach. If I want to come alongside my staff as a mentor leader, I need to begin by fostering
connections and relationships. I am also passionate about the social and emotional wellness of
the staff at my school. As a result, I decided to create an Informal Social Activity (ISA) to bring
my staff together again after they expressed feeling isolated during the Covid-19 pandemic in
2021-22.This ISA consisted of an informal coffee time on Monday mornings. I provided coffee
and treats, and I invited staff to stop by and connect. My goal was to foster a sense of belonging

2

among staff after the isolation of the pandemic. During these Monday mornings ISAs, I observed
staff connecting, collaborating, and socializing. This research explores how three teachers
perceived the ISAs using a phenomenological method to study of their lived experiences of these
moments.
Context
The study focused on the lived experiences of three secondary school teachers and their
perceptions of belonging. In this research, I consider how the participants perceived these ISAs
in terms of mental wellness, feelings of connection, and formation of social support networks. It
was my hope that these ISAs could lead to a culture of collaboration and flourishing.
The impact of positive mental health on educators is critical to a healthy school culture.
According to Zarate et al. (2019), “well-being has both physical and mental influences on
teachers. Teachers are experiencing higher rates of emotional exhaustion due to decreased
feelings of enjoyment and increased feelings of anger” (p. 1701). Armstrong (2019) suggests that
“teachers are under unprecedented levels of stress due to disruptive and stressed students” (p.
55). The stress teachers feel directly impacts student learning. Armstrong (2019) also says
“stressed teachers devote less time to teacher-facilitated academic instruction to the whole class,
spend less time planning and organizing their instruction, and experience greater conflict in
teacher-child relationships. They also tend to have students with poorer academic outcomes” (p.
55). I hoped to address these concerns of mental wellness by offering my staff an opportunity to
participate in ISAs. When staff feel valued and supported, they are more effective in the
classroom, which in turn will positively impact student learning. Donohoo et al. (2018) (as cited
in Donohoo 2021) states that “success lies in the critical nature of collaboration and the strength
of believing that together, administrators, faculty, and students can accomplish great things” (p.

3

37). Fullan (2021) also recommends that educators ‘go slow to go fast’. In other words, start by
building relationships with those you work with in order to build the change agenda together” (p.
50). During the ISA, I hoped the ISA would foster relationships among staff that would help
them work together to create a healthier school culture for our students. The ISA could
ultimately lead to a dynamic school culture that values mental wellness for all and contributes to
student well-being.
After a year and a half of teaching in a pandemic, I observed that teachers, even after the
pandemic, continue to feel exhausted and disconnected. In a recent podcast, Simon Sinek (2021)
addresses the impact of trauma. Sinek points out that people may still feel the trauma of Covid19 even six months after the end of the pandemic. He mentions that mental illness affects strong
people and that no one can escape trauma. Educators set the tone for school culture, and they
need support so they can in turn support their students. School transformation needs to start with
each person feeling like they can be a change agent, which was the mindframe that Fullan (2021)
explores in the book 10 Mindframes for Leaders. At my school, the staff indicated they felt
relationships were fragmented during the pandemic due to the uncertain situation of delivering
lessons via new technology. Unfamiliar platforms and delivery methods that required teaching
online and in person simultaneously caused a great deal of stress among the staff. Other staff
were anxious about Covid protocols and their own safety. I observed that teachers were in
survival mode, and many ended up self-isolating within their classrooms. The learning curve for
online teaching was steep and the reality of wearing a mask and other safety protocols further
polarized staff. For example, some staff would get angry when they saw colleagues who would
not follow protocols that were required or recommended. Personal opinions around safety
protocols lead to conflict between staff. Covid rules negatively affected staff connection since we

4

could not all meet in the staff room or even connect with administration without following
certain, ever-changing protocols. Our staff meetings were held in a large gym – further fostering
feelings of disconnection since we had to sit six feet apart. The effects of Covid on staff varied.
Some felt scared, some felt lonely, and others felt apprehensive. As staff struggled to learn new
technology, they were also dealing with their own mental wellness and personal stresses that
were caused by the pandemic. The issues varied from losing family members, to the fear of
catching Covid and spreading it to others. These critical factors all contributed to a traumatized
and mentally exhausted staff during the pandemic and continues in this post-pandemic time. As a
result, the staff needed meaningful opportunities to connect as a way to recover from this trauma.
I hoped that the ISAs would help bring staff together to reconnect and build social support
networks that fostered a sense of belonging.
Research Question
Creating ISAs that support staff connectedness is related to my “why” (Sinek, 2009). My
why is connected to my purpose as a mentor leader who values and supports teachers. I feel
teachers need to know that they are valued so they can teach from a healthy mindset. As school
culture begins to shift and become more positive, the hope is that it will also contribute to the
well-being and success of students. Shaping school culture is a slow process, which requires
strong leadership skills, attributes, and behaviours. My research question was centered around
the lived experiences of three secondary teachers who participated in ISAs. The questions I
asked them were: (a) How would you define belonging? (b) Describe your experience when you
participated in the Monday morning coffee time. (c) Given your definition of belonging, what
activities would you suggest would increase your sense of belonging within the school? I
examined these questions within a qualitative, phenomenological study which focused on the

5

lived experiences of three participants (Creswell & Poth, 2018). This type of research study lent
itself well to exploring and discovering the lived experiences of the three teachers who
participated in the ISA.
Scholarly Significance
The literature research revealed four areas that impact sense of belonging: value
consonance, social support, job satisfaction, and flourishing (Avanzi et al. 2018; Cherkowski &
Walker 2016; Colbert et al., 2016; Edinger & Edinger, 2018; Howard & Johnson, 2004; Kahn,
2007, Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2011; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2021; Turner et al., 2022). Research
reports a link between teachers feeling a sense of belonging when interacting with other
colleagues in an informal capacity (Avanzi et al., 2018; Howard & Johnson, 2004; Turner et al.,
2002). Also, research indicated that creating a social support network that values social capital
and investing in relationships can lead to a sense of belonging and job satisfaction (Colbert et al.,
2016; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2010; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2021). The literature reported that
colleagues need a safe place in order to flourish as they connect and form meaningful
relationships (Colbert et al., 2016; Cherkowski & Walker, 2016). My hope was that the ISA
would enable staff to feel a sense of belonging and connectedness while creating their own social
networks. A phenomenological study helped me find out how my staff felt during their lived
experiences of ISA. I am curious to learn their perceptions of the ISA phenomenon and to
discover what I could offer in the future that could support them socially and emotionally.

Literature Review
Literature I reviewed revealed that a sense of belonging in the workplace can influence
connection, social support network systems, job satisfaction, and flourishing. However, I noticed

6

that there was a gap in the literature in how to implement opportunities for teachers to find these
connections with others. An ISA could be a starting place for teachers to feel belonging, which in
turn would help them create social networks that could lead to reciprocity and flourishing. The
social networks could organically create opportunities for collaboration and mentorship.
Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2021) “suggest that positive social relations, supportive environment,
collective teacher efficacy, and common goals and values are interrelated constructs, and that
they may constitute what we term a collective teacher culture” (p. 1390). The hope is that the
ISA would provide an opportunity for teachers to create their own collective teacher culture
(CTC).
Literature as Connected to Research Question
My capstone inquiry is: What are secondary school teachers’ perceptions of belonging
when participating in an informal social activity? The literature review centered around teachers’
sense of belonging and the research study focused on four areas of literature: value consonance,
social support, job satisfaction, and flourishing. I will discuss the research that supports my
inquiry and identify gaps and implications in the literature on the topic of teachers’ sense of
belonging.
Sense of Belonging
The sense of belonging within a school impacts the culture of the school. In their study
on teacher job satisfaction, Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2011) found that teachers with a feeling of
belonging at their schools had higher levels of job satisfaction and lower emotional exhaustion.
They define belonging as the degree to which people feel connected socially. Skaalvik and
Skaalvik (2021) found that shared values, collective teacher efficacy, value consonance and

7

supportive colleagues are reliable indicators of a collective teacher culture. The question remains
as to how a school offers an opportunity to facilitate this creation of a CTC.
Using qualitative and quantitative methodology, Colbert et al. (2016) explored the
fundamental need to belong and how positive relationships formed at work can lead to
flourishing. They used the participants’ stories of connection and belonging to create a
Relationship Functions Inventory to gather their data. Social support allows teachers to grow and
gives them the opportunity to also give back. Colbert et al. (2016) discovered that work
relationships play a key role in helping teachers to flourish, grow, and develop. Colbert et al.
(2016) identified three functions that have not been addressed in literature about relationships in
the workplace. These functions are personal growth, friendship, and giving to others. Colbert et
al. (2016) concluded that “relationships not only have the potential to increase job satisfaction,
but they also promote perceptions of meaningful work, engender positive emotions at work, and
support life satisfaction; they support employee flourishing in way that benefit both individuals
and organizations” (p. 1219). The results from the Colbert et al (2016) research suggest that
fostering workplace relationships in which the employees can give and receive resources can be
beneficial, but the study does not address how to provide these opportunities. Colbert et al.
(2016) state “organizations may want to consider workplace schedules and designs (e.g., colocation), which may impact the extent to which employees develop the types of positive
relationships that accrue the benefits studied here” (p. 1217). More research is needed that
examines how to create opportunities for teachers to form these reciprocal relationships
demonstrating a gap in research this study will address.
Value Consonance. The literature review focuses on the need for staff to feel valued, to
feel like they belong. Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2010) define belonging as “being liked, respected,

8

and valued” (p. 372). They also define value consonance as “the degree to which the teachers felt
that they shared the prevailing norms and values at school” (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2010, p. 370).
Their study demonstrates a positive connection between value consonance, sense of belonging,
and job satisfaction. Kahn (2007) speaks to how good relationships between people “enable them
to feel valued and valuable, seen and witnessed, cared for and appreciated, productive and
engaged” (p. 1218), which is cited by Colbert et al. (2016, p. 227). There is a similarity between
Skaalvik and Skaalvik’s (2010) definition of belonging as “being liked, respected, and valued”
(p. 372) and Kahn’s definition of how people feel when they are in good relationships. In more
current research, Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2021), continue their study of value consonance and
how it is one of the indicators of a CTC. They define a CTC as a culture that includes “positive
social relations, supportive environment, collective teacher efficacy, and common goals and
values” (p. 1390). Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2021) share that the “CTC factor positively predicted
autonomy, belonging and job satisfaction” (p. 1401). Further Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2021) assert
supportive social relations along with value consonance is another indicator of a CTC. As
teachers share their values, their sense of belonging will increase (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2010).
The ISA can provide a safe place for teachers to discuss and share the educational goals, norms,
and values of their school while creating a social support network.
Social Support. The literature review also identifies the need for social support for
teachers to feel a sense of belonging. Turner et al. (2022) used a phenomenological approach
that highlighted the importance of teacher social support and the effects of that support in the
school exploring how a social support system can impact teacher wellbeing. They share that
“social support may include the provision of emotional support, such as being empathic, trusting
and caring” (p 79). One of the participants in their study stated that “choosing to socialise (sic)

9

with colleagues instead of working during school breaktimes had a positive impact on her
colleagues and her wellbeing” (p. 87). The connection between a social support group and a
sense of belonging and wellbeing is reinforced in articles by Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2021),
Avanzi et al., (2017) and Howard and Johnson (2004).
Furthermore, there is a connection between social support and teacher resiliency. Howard
and Johnson (2004) focused on asking questions about what is going well, instead of what was
going wrong. The focus on the positive impacted the answers they discovered. Howard and
Johnson (2004) used a qualitative study to investigate what strategies teachers were using to deal
with their stress. They discovered that a strong support group was one of the factors that fostered
resiliency in teachers. Howard and Johnson (2004) also shared that the group of teachers they
interviewed had a “unanimous claim of strong support from colleagues and leadership” (p. 412).
The strong support network helps teachers feel connected to a group which makes them feel
valued. The ISA could become a starting place where teachers could establish a strong support
network among themselves.
Avanzi et al. (2017) also discuss the value of belonging to a social support group and
stated, “our results show the importance of the perception of being part of a social entity for the
process of interpretation and coping with stressors” (p. 164). Additionally, Avanzi et al. (2017)
share that schools should “dedicate more importance to socialization strategies” (p. 1640). They
suggest that “building formal and informal shared identities in schools may be a good strategy to
reduce stress and burnout” (Avanzi et al., 2017, p. 165).
Job Satisfaction. The literature also reveals that a sense of belonging impacts job
satisfaction (Colbert et al., 2016, Kern et al., 2014, Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2011). A person’s need
to belong is met through relationships leading to greater job satisfaction. The Skaalvik and

10

Skaalvik (2011) study examines the relations between six school context variables which
included value consonance, supervisory support, relations with colleagues, relations with parents,
time pressure, and discipline problems and how they relate to teachers’ sense of belonging and
job satisfaction. One of the other aspects that led to greater job satisfaction was relationships
with colleagues. Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2011) shared that “the relation between positive social
relations (with principals, colleagues, and parents) and job satisfaction at least in part, is
mediated through a feeling to belong” (p. 1031). Both the feeling to belong and the need to
create relationships lead to job satisfaction (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2011). Similarly, Kern et al.
(2014) also support that the valuing of relationships can lead to greater job satisfaction: “staff
with higher engagement and better relationships reported greater job satisfaction and
organizational commitment” (p. 500).
Lastly, Edinger and Edinger (2018) discuss the importance of a positive social climate as
another contributor to teacher job satisfaction. They share that collaboration is an indicator of job
satisfaction. Edinger and Edinger (2018) state that a “teachers’ social network is a specific type
of social capital” (p. 575). As teachers develop more social capital, their job satisfaction is
greater. Edinger and Edinger (2018) “believe that teachers who invest time and energy in
building trust networks experience greater job satisfaction” (p. 577). The ISA provides a positive
social climate where teachers can work together collaboratively as they strengthen their social
capital.
Flourishing. The literature addresses the idea of flourishing in the workplace.
Cherkowski and Walker (2015), Colbert et al. (2016), and Safir (2017) discuss the idea of
flourishing. Flourishing according to Cherkowski and Walker (2015) speaks to colleagues having
purpose, passion, and play in the workplace along with valuing laughter and joy. Colbert et al.

11

(2016) created a scale called the Relationship Functions Inventory to display the connections
between relationship functions and outcomes of employee flourishing (p. 1199). They discovered
that “work relationships and satisfaction of the need to belong may lead to positive emotions at
work” (p. 1210). According to Colbert et al. (2016), relationships “support growth and
development and ultimately promote individual flourishing” (p. 2016). Safir speaks to the value
of immersing people in positive experiences and creating a culture of affirmation (2017, p. 49).
Although Cherkowski and Walker (2015) focus on the lens of the principal in their
research, their findings can be extended to a mentor teacher lens. Flourishing is hard to define
however a common thread found in the responses of the study was that “the belief that a deep
and lasting impression can be felt when a sense of flourishing has been evoked among educators
and across the learning community” (p. 3830). Cherkowski and Walker (2015) focused on three
themes: 1) working towards a common purpose; 2) creating a safe space where the passion for
teaching can emerge; and 3) engaging in a sense of playfulness at work. The ISA is intended
provide a safe place for teachers to laugh, connect joyfully with one another, and flourish as
described by Cherkowski and Walker (2015).
Social Support and Wellbeing
Turner et al. (2002) researched the connections between social support and teacher
wellbeing. Creating a social network among teachers can also benefit the organization. Turner et
al. (2022) used the definition by Seligman (2012) to define positive relationships as “the
occurrence of interactions between individuals where feelings of being loved, supported and /or
valued by others is present” (p. 79). The research showed that social support can be seen as
reciprocal, it can be the provider or the receiver of the support. Furthermore, the research shows
that “positive relationships at work have been shown to support individuals’ work engagement

12

and performance” (p. 80). Turner et al. (2022) also discuss altruism which is “an act done that
benefits another’s welfare” (p.80) They speak to when individuals give back through acts of
altruism that also increases their wellbeing. These acts of kindness included lunch times when
they socialized or making coffee for other colleagues. These acts had a direct impact on their
wellbeing. They also reported that teachers who provided social support also discovered that
their friendships were strengthened. Teachers who participated in the interviews also reported
that social support often led to conversations about pedagogical practice. Social support led to
collaboration and professional development. Social support also led to improvement in wellbeing
and also caused a ‘ripple effect” where others who received the social support wanted to also
provide social support to others. In the limitations Turner et al. (2022) recommended that “future
research should examine the links to increase understanding of specific social support strategies”
(p. 90). An informal social activity could be a possible strategy that would allow teachers to form
these connections and feel a sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Gaps in the Literature
After a comprehensive review of the relevant literature around teachers’ sense of
belonging, several gaps were evident in the current research. Many of the articles, for example,
were from Australia, Norway, and the United States, with very little research exploring sense of
belonging for teachers in Canada. Education systems, workplace cultures, and teacher contexts
vary across different countries and contexts. Therefore, there is a gap in the area of teachers’
sense of belonging in Canada which is addressed in this study that takes place in British
Columbia.
I noted further gaps in the literature. For example, Turner et al. (2022) share that there
needs to be more research between teacher wellbeing and social support. In addition, this article

13

was the most recent one, as the articles in the literature review ranged from 2002 to 2022,
demonstrating the need to find more recent research around belonging. The literature review also
revealed that none of the studies looked at an Indigenous worldview perspective. Consequently,
there is a need for further research that addresses Indigenous views of belonging. Furthermore,
the literature review did not reveal articles depicting longitudinal studies. For example, Turner et
al. (2022) spoke to a short time frame and small number of participants as a limitation to their
study (p. 90). Edinger and Edinger (2018) also shared that a greater understanding of how
teacher job satisfaction develops will require more longitudinal studies. It would be beneficial to
compare and contrast the results of a longitudinal study compared to the shorter studies found in
the literature review.
A review of the literature demonstrates a link between teachers feeling a sense of
belonging and collaboration with other colleagues in an informal capacity (Turner et al., 2002,
Howard & Johnson, 2004, Avanzi et al., 2017). Research established how the value of social
capital and investing in relationships leads to a sense of belonging and job satisfaction (Skaalvik
& Skaalvik, 2010, Colbert et al., 2016, Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2021). Finally, by providing
opportunities, like the ISA, the literature confirmed that colleagues need a safe place to flourish
as they connect and form meaningful relationships that bring joy and play (Cherkowski &
Walker, 2016, Colbert et al., 2016).
In the study conducted by Kern et al., (2014) they found “engagement and coworker
relationships were the most important variables for predicting professional outcomes such as job
satisfaction and commitment to the organization” (p. 507). The need to find an activity that could
facilitate these relationships is important and once again there are no examples of how to provide

14

these opportunities for staff. The need to research the qualitative part of a person’s experience in
a phenological study is another gap that needs to be addressed.
Summary of Literature Review
The literature speaks to how belonging requires social connection and leads to social
support but how do we provide the opportunity to create this social support network? There is a
gap in how to help teachers connect in a way that would facilitate social networking and lead to a
collective teacher culture. An ISA could allow the teachers to feel belonging as they connect
socially over coffee on Monday mornings. The connections they made could increase their job
satisfaction. The ISA could be a safe place that would encourage those feelings of positivity
allowing relationships to form. The relationships would have the potential to grow deeper
allowing for collaboration and mentorship. The reciprocity of relationship gives teachers an
opportunity to give back. By giving back teachers would be able to flourish and grow within
their social support systems. The ISA is also voluntary which impacts how teachers view the
activity and allows for autonomy and agency. The ISA has the potential to allow the connections
to be made that could lead to collaboration and a CTC.

Methodology
I formulated my research question using the constructivist paradigm so I could learn how
the staff perceived the ISA. Constructivism, as described by Creswell and Plano Clark (2017),
tries to understand the phenomenon through “participants and their subjective views” (p. 22). As
a constructivist, I conducted research from the bottom-up, questioning “individual perspectives
to build broader themes and generate a theory interconnecting the themes” (Creswell & Plano
Clark, 2017, p. 22). I was curious to see how the staff viewed the ISA and whether their

15

perspectives reflected the literature. Hence, my inquiry question was: What are secondary
teachers’ perceptions of belonging when participating in an informal social activity?
The study is shaped by my views of ontology, axiology, and epistemology. Ontology
speaks to the nature of reality; my view of reality is one of multiple realities and perceptions, as I
value others and their perceptions (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017). I wanted to hear what the
staff needed, which is reflective of my ontological view. Through interviews, I wanted to
understand those different perspectives as I analyzed the qualitative data. Epistemology
examines how research is impacted by the closeness of the relationship between researcher and
participants. I believe that a close relationship enables the researcher to better understand the
essence of the participant’s lived experience. Therefore, my epistemological view of
relationships between myself and the three participants in my study was one of closeness, as I
belong to the same school and have established relationships with them. My hope was that our
existing relationship would enable staff to feel safe and comfortable enough to share their
experiences. Finally, because of my epistemological view, it was essential that I was transparent
about my own biases as I am personally connected to the staff, and I also participated in the
phenomenon of creating the ISAs. Therefore, my axiological view, which examines the impact
of values on research, required that I actively recognized my own biases and interpretations as
described by Creswell and Plano Clark (2017). As I gathered evidence from the participants, I
needed to make sure I suspended my own beliefs to really listen to their individual experiences
and perspectives. My ontology, epistemology, and axiology aligned with a constructivist
paradigm. I believed phenomenology was the method best suited to this inquiry because it
“describes the common meaning for several individuals of their lived experiences of a concept or
phenomenon” (Creswell & Poth, 2017, p. 75).

16

Method
Phenomenology, as described by Creswell and Poth (2017) focuses on the descriptions
and perceptions of people who experienced the same phenomenon. I wanted to understand the
essence of the ISA experience through the descriptions of the teachers who participated in the
ISA. In phenomenology, the researcher collects data from the people who are interviewed. I
analyzed the participants’ thick descriptions, as described by Saldana (2011), and I looked for
commonalities, patterns, and interrelationships within the data. The purpose of the
phenomenological method was to deepen my understanding of the needs of the staff, which
would lead to more inquiry and more conversations around the feeling of belonging within a
school. In order to build trust and ensure validity within a phenomenological study, I needed to
bracket myself. Bracketing happens when “investigators set aside their experiences as much as
possible, to take a fresh perspective toward the phenomenon under examination” (Moustakas,
1994, as cited by Creswell & Poth, (2017). Therefore, the voice of the participant can be at the
forefront of the study.
Bracketing
Researchers need to bracket their points of view to manage their biases; “researchers
must avoid making any judgement about whether the situation in which they are involved, and
participants are engaged in is good or bad, appropriate or inappropriate” (Yilmaz, 2013, p. 315).
It is important that I am transparent to the reader because I also participated in the phenomenon
of the ISA and am a researcher in this study. To ensure transparency, the reader needs to know
that I have an established work relationship with all three participants, which could impact the
results of the interview. I ensured validity in this study by bracketing before beginning the indepth interviews by explaining the intent of my research in a recruiting email demonstrating

17

transparency and trust. I needed to put aside my assumptions and remain unbiased during the
interviews and data analyses so that the participants felt safe to share their own experiences.
I explained to the participants that their input was voluntary in nature, and they could
abstain from answering any of the questions. I had to suspend my own bias of a belief that the
ISA would allow the participants to feel belonging by forming relationships that would lead to
social networks. But I also wanted to ensure that my beliefs did not impact the participant data. I
had personally experienced that feeling of belonging, connection, and social support when I
participated in the ISA, and it is important that the reader understand my own bias in the study. I
do believe that the closeness of the relationship between myself and the participants allowed
them to feel safe to freely share their experiences. The increased closeness and trust between
researcher and participant speak to my view of epistemology, as I created a comfortable
environment for participants to share their lived experiences. I believe the relationship between
researcher and participants helped strengthen the study.
Strength of Study. To ensure the strength of the study, I used the triple crisis of
representation, legitimization, and praxis as described by Denzin and Lincoln (2000). To ensure
representation of the participants, I involved them throughout the process so that their voices
would be in the forefront. I sent them the interview questions ahead of time so that they would
have time to process their own thoughts before the interview. Throughout the interviews, I
sought to listen more than speak so that their voices would be heard, and I bracketed myself by
using my personal journal to record my thoughts; this journal was not used as data, but rather to
bracket my thoughts. Next, I gave the participants the opportunity to member check their own
transcripts. After analyzing the interview and sharing it with my supervisor to manage my bias, I
sent the participants my codes and themes. Furthermore, if I quoted them, I made sure to let them

18

know ahead of time. By using participants’ direct quotes, I was able to strengthen the study by
focusing on the voice of the participants. All these steps ensured representation and care of the
participants and their voices.
To legitimize my research, I focused on transparency throughout the study so that the
reader would trust and believe what I reported. To ensure the reader’s trust, I also managed my
bias by involving my supervisor throughout the process, giving the participants opportunities to
read over their transcripts, and recording my own thoughts using a personal journal. By
incorporating all these actions, I wanted to legitimize my results so that the reader could follow
the data and analysis and would know that I was trustworthy and transparent.
Praxis is the third section of the triple crisis, and it speaks to how the research will be
practiced and used in the future. The purpose of the study lies in my desire to help staff feel
belonging and connectedness. I used the results to continue to support the staff through activities
that foster social and emotional wellbeing. I wanted to bring about action in my school and
school district that will bring teachers social and emotional support and I hope the research will
bring educational relevance to the field. As a researcher, I must be mindful of the data sources
and how their views, descriptions, and experiences must be at the centre of the research.
Data Sources
The participants, who are the data sources, need to be the centre focus of the research and
need to be protected. According to Safir (2017), “human beings and their concerns are the
central text of equitable school transformation” (p. 110). The participants’ needs and safety must
come first, so before I began my research, I followed all the proper procedures by submitting my
proposal to the University of the Fraser Valley’s Human Research Ethics Board. This process
ensured that I followed the ethical steps of protecting the participants in the study by obtaining

19

approval from the school board and principal of the school. Once I gained approval from the
Ethics Board, attached as Appendix A, I began the process of selecting my participants. I chose
purposeful sampling for my inquiry because it allowed for the intentional selection of
participants who experienced the phenomenon being studied (Creswell & Poth, 2018).
Participants were selected using the following criteria: (a) they were teachers who participated in
the ISA a minimum of three times, and (b) they were one of the first three teachers to respond to
the recruitment email. The recruitment email was sent out to fifteen teachers, and I met with the
first three who responded. I was transparent with the participants when I sent out a recruitment
email that explained how the research would be conducted with confidentiality. The three
participants in the study were all female secondary school teachers from the same Lower
Mainland high school. The participants all chose a public place to conduct the interview, which
included the school; however, I made sure to explain in the informed letter of consent that
meeting at the school could impact their confidentiality as people at the school knew who
participated, or not, in the ISA.
I began the process of gathering information by approaching all three participants with an
informed written consent form and addressed all the necessary information to make sure
participants felt safe and understood the process. I explained the time required to conduct the
interview and review the transcript, and the option of withdrawal if they chose to not participate.
Each had to sign the informed written consent, and all three agreed on a neutral place to meet to
conduct the interview, knowing that meeting at the school could impact confidentiality. I also
discussed confidentiality and their anonymity in the study; I asked them to choose a pseudonym
that I used when the transcriptions were later anonymized, and their identifying information

20

removed. The following table provides a few key pieces of information regarding
each participant:
Table 1
Participant Information
Participant

Pseudonym

Job Description

Years of Experience

1

Pink E.

Secondary Food

9 years

Studies Teacher
2

Michele L.

Secondary

7 years

Humanities Teacher
3

Anna C.

Secondary Teacher

30 years

Librarian

After they signed the letter of consent, we set up a time to meet and I sent each person the
interview questions ahead of time. On the day of each individual interview, I reminded them of
the informed consent and told them the interview would take between 30 to 60 minutes and that I
would be using my phone to record it and Otter.ai to transcribe the interview. I also let them
know that I would be using my personal journal to record my own thoughts during the interview.
I reminded participants that they were welcome at any time to read what I wrote in the journal
and that I would let them know if I quoted them directly, making sure I respected their voices.
The study required data tools which included an interview protocol of three open-ended
questions, along with my personal journal to record my own thoughts and observations
throughout the research process.

21

Data Tools
One of the data tools used in the study included a semi-structured interview protocol of three
open-ended questions, followed by several sub-questions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). The semistructured interview was used in this phenomenological study because it enabled participants to
describe in their own words their shared lived experience. My interview consisted of the
following three questions, as detailed in the attached Appendix B Interview Protocol:
1. How would you define belonging?
2. Describe your experience when you participated in the Monday morning coffee time.
3. Given your definition of belonging, what activities would you suggest would increase
your sense of belonging within the school, which is located in British Columbia?
I also asked participants sub-questions to encourage more dialogue. For example, I asked:
“What did you notice or observe?” and “Can you describe how this activity was or was not
meaningful to you?” During the interview, I encouraged participants to talk, explain their
experiences, and give examples. I consciously kept my interjections to a minimum and used nonverbal communication to foster strong listening and encouragement. I focused on listening to and
not through during the interviews, as described by Sharpe and Nishimura (2017).
The interviews were in person to align epistemologically with the close relationships
between myself as the researcher and participants. I anonymized the participants’ identities,
checked the transcription for accuracy. I cleaned the transcript, which involved removing
repeated words like ‘um’ and ‘ah,’ along with correcting grammar errors. I then sent the cleaned
transcripts back to participants to give them a chance to edit, delete, or add to it to make sure the
transcripts reflected their lived experiences. They were given one week to approve and verify

22

that the transcript reflected their feelings, thoughts, and perceptions accurately. They were also
reminded that they could withdraw from the study up until their approval of the transcript or, if
they chose, not to return it to me. Returning their approved transcripts, indicated that they had
accepted them, and I was able to proceed with the analyses.
The other data tool used was my personal journal to record my thoughts during the
interviews and during my analysis of the transcripts. This personal journal is like an analytic
memo which is “a ‘think piece’ of reflexive freewriting, a narrative that sets in words your
interpretations of the data” (Saldana, 2011, p. 10). The next step was to analyze the data using
first and second level coding to focus on what the participants experienced and perceived during
the informal social activity.
Data Analyses
As a researcher, focusing on the voice of the participant while analyzing data was
paramount. Therefore, I needed to manage my bias and used my personal journal to record my
thoughts. In this separate personal journal, I hand wrote my thoughts, observations, notes,
assumptions, wonderings, and questions as I conducted the research and analyzed the data. I
wanted to discover how the participants described the ISA and what it meant to them. I wanted
them to explain the essence of their experience while participating in the activity.
After I received all the transcripts, I began the process of first level coding and used both
descriptive and evaluation coding. Saldana (2009) states that descriptive coding “summarizes in
a word or a short phrase – most often as a noun” (p. 70). Evaluation coding, according to Saldana
(2009), “focuses on how we can analyze data that judge the merit and worth of programs and
policies” (p. 86). I printed out paper copies of the transcripts and double coded using both
descriptive and evaluation codes. I chose descriptive coding as I read the transcript for nouns and

23

then used evaluation coding to analyze if the descriptions were positive or negative. I used
highlighters and my own written notes, and later transferred the information onto an Excel
spreadsheet and recorded codes, themes, and quotes. I read over the transcripts many times and
after completing the first level coding on paper and on an Excel spreadsheet, I had my supervisor
look it over to make sure that I was bracketing myself and truly listening to the voice and
emotion of my participants. I became very intimate with the data as I read it over many times
(Saldana, 2011).
After my supervisor reviewed the first level coding, I started working on the second level
coding as I looked at my codes and grouped them into themes or patterns. “Like coding, thematic
analysis or the search for themes in the data is a strategic choice as part of the research design
that includes the primary questions, goals, and conceptual framework, and literature review”
(Saldana, 2009, p. 140). After I determined the themes from the transcripts, I once again had my
supervisor read over the themes to ensure I was suspending my own biases. I then was able to go
back and compare these with the literature review I had done before the study to see if new ideas
emerged or if the research supported the literature review. Throughout the research, it was
important that I managed my bias using member checks and my journal notes, along with
involving my supervisor throughout the process to ensure participant care and strength of the
study. Having overviewed the key steps of the analyses, I now turn to the results that emerged
from the data.

24

Results
After analyzing the data and listening to the essence of the participants’ descriptions,
three major themes emerged: Establishing connection, building a social support network, and
creating a collective teacher culture (CTC).
Establishing Connection
All three participants defined sense of belonging in different ways but all of them
addressed the need to feel relationally connected to others. For instance, Michele stated:
I look at belonging as being a sense of being able to be yourself in a wider group of
people when you have that comfort level, and I don't need to put on a veneer. I don't need
to put on a show. I can just be who I am. I can talk about what I'm passionate about. And
people are open and accepting of that. Yeah, that is sense of belonging for me.
Michele felt seen because she was accepted socially by others. Pink shared her definition of
belonging when she said, “So, to me, belonging is community. Like that is how I define it. I feel
like the Monday morning coffee strengthens our bonds, which strengthens our sense of
community, or our sense of belonging, and we need that.” Thirdly, Anna defined belonging as,
“a sense that you would be missed if you were not there. That's when you know you have a sense
of belonging.” When you connect socially with others, they will notice when you are not there.
Participants felt a sense of belonging through social connections, through community, and
through acceptance of who they are, and through knowing they will be missed when they are
away. The common theme was that belonging is felt through interaction with other people. As
participants shared their experiences in their interviews, three themes emerged around
establishing connection. The participants spoke about how food and drink, diversity and

25

inclusion, and sense of place impacted how they were able to connect and feel a sense of
belonging.
Food and Drink
All three participants spoke to how coffee and food drew them to the activity. They
expressed the human need to meet around food and how food can bring joy. Anna said it best
when she said:
Yes, we are such social creatures and that's what we do by nature. When we gather, we
drink? That's what we do, right? I mean, when someone comes to visit your house, you
offer them a drink. Something to eat. This is just part of our culture.
Anna also noted that “People were pretty happy to get their free cup of coffee. It was a nice way
to start the week.” Michele also agreed that food is a natural way to bring people together and
she described it as an icebreaker. She said, “It's a bit of an icebreaker. Right? If we have
something to either be drinking or to be eating, even just in our hands, it kind of brings you a
level of comfort when you're walking into a big group of people.” Pink shared that the need for
that social connection was just as important as the need for food and water. “You need it. It's like
food, air, water and then social.” Meeting those basic human needs is important if we want to
create those connections with others. When Anna described the ISA, she shared that “The food,
the chat, how was your weekend conversations” were the reasons people came to the ISA. The
food is what draws people in, and as a result they are able to form relationships in a positive
social climate. Pink described how the ISA provided a positive climate:
The first thing I noticed, like right away was the happy smiling faces of people. And that
stood out the most to me just because it was really nice to see because we can our jobs

26

can be stressful, right? So, it's nice to just to see people like with their guard down, I
guess, as well.
The food plays a significant role in impacting staff morale. For example, Michele also shared
that when administration shows staff appreciation by providing staff lunches that also has a
positive impact on staff morale: “I know he wanted to show appreciation by providing us a
lunch, but it has as a positive side effect because we also get to build more rapport with each
other.” Food and drink drew the participants to the ISA which helped them feel included as they
connected with a diverse group of staff from around the school.
Diversity and Inclusion
The participants also spoke about how the ISA gave teachers an opportunity to feel a
social connection that went beyond their profession and how the ISA drew in a diverse group of
staff. The library drew in teachers from all areas. For example, Michele shared that it drew all
teachers from different areas of the school:
It's a very calm place to walk into in the morning, which is nice that I can connect with
teachers that aren't in my bubble, right, sitting down and talking with, you know, the
math teacher, the science teacher, the other language teacher.
Pink also shared, “it brought people together that you wouldn't normally see from different
departments or just a different location.” Anna noted that she does not belong to a specific
department but feels the ISA allows her to belong and not feel like an island when she said “It
does because in my job I'm very much an island. I don't belong to a particular department. Right?
And so that makes me feel as if I'm part of a group as opposed to an island.” Pink went on to also
say:

27

I liked it because I get to interact with people who I don't normally do because our
building is quite large, and I think people don't understand unless they've worked here.
Because it the shape of it, but also the size of our staff room. Like there's not many
opportunities for us to all be together or see each other, right?
Participants shared that the ISA included a diverse group of staff who taught a variety of
subjects. For example, Anna shared that the coffee time drew a diverse group of people. “It was
nice to see people coming from all over the school. So, the diversity of people.” Michele shared
that the coffee time helped her connect with others outside her bubble. Michele spoke to the
diversity when she shared “it is a broad spectrum of people who come to it.” The ISA helped
foster the formation of connections outside of teachers’ subject areas. Pink affirmed the idea of
diversity when she said, “it brought people together that you wouldn't normally see from
different departments or just a different location.” Pink also spoke to how the ISA allows a
diverse group of people to find similarities as well, which was powerful. She said, “during the
coffee time when we had more time with each other, you'd realize that you have some
similarities with this person or that person or you want to collaborate on something.” As teachers
connected with different people, they discovered commonalities as their relationships grew.
Anna shared that all have their own story outside of the profession noting, “We are
people outside of this. Right? Yes. And we have interests. We have fascinating stuff. We all
come with stories. And we're very, very diverse people. Even though we have the same career.”
Participants embraced diversity and inclusion as they connected with one another in the ISA and
they shared further shared how the location of the ISA also impacted them.

28

Sense of Place
Sense of place also played a significant role for the participants. The vast size of the
school played a role in how disconnected the staff can be and how staff size has an impact on
belonging. Anna shared:
Yeah, I think the thing is the building is vast. So, you can go about your day and never
come into that staff room at all. Because it's just the nature of the layout of the building.
We almost need three staff rooms, right. We don't have a water cooler, where people
gather and chat.
The sheer size of the building can lend itself to teachers’ isolation, so having the library as a
neutral and central place to connect was significant to the participants. Michele shared:
So, it's kind of a central, a central location in the library because we all pass the library at
some point in the morning so having it in the library is very helpful. It's great. Because
sometimes mornings are busy, and you might forget but as you're walking by you
remember coffee time which is helpful.
Michele also shared that the library felt different than the staff room and said:
It's also nice, it's not in the staff room. Okay. I feel like the staff room puts it as more of a
specific workplace that like we're more inclined to talk about school and students and
those types of things in the staff room. But the library has a more relaxed setting where
we can talk about hiking or what we did on the weekend and those types of things.
The ISA provided an area to gather and connect that is comfortable and relaxing. As Michele
shared, “the library has a more relaxed setting where we can talk about hiking or what we did on
the weekend and those types of things.” Pink also shared her view on the size of the building
when she said:

29

I get to interact with people who I don't normally do because our building is quite large,
and I think people don't understand unless they've worked here. Because of the shape of
it, but also the size of our staff room. Like there's not many opportunities for us to all be
together or see each other, right?
Pink’s comment reinforced how the ISA offers a sense of place that draws staff from all areas of
a large school. The ISA established an initial connection as it welcomed a diverse staff to
connect over food and drink. The ISA provided an opportunity to connect physically as well as
emotionally by providing a sense of place in a large school space for staff to interact and build
social networks.
Building a Social Support Network
Once the participants felt connected within a safe sense of place, they were then able to
build relationships with others. The safe and positive environment was conducive to making real
personal and professional connections with other staff. As teachers formed these connections,
they also were able to build a social support network that allowed for emotional and social
wellness. Two themes that emerged from the data as a result of establishing connections, were
the opportunity to build relationships that formed social support networks and how those
networks foster social and emotional wellness.
Relationship Building
All three participants shared that the relationships formed during the ISA led to creating a
social support network. The participants spoke about how they were building a community with
other staff members that were not in their normal circles. These connections allowed staff to
create a social support network which is a key component to belonging in the research. Anna
indicated that the ISA “opened new relationships.” Anna shared that the ISA “allows for an

30

opportunity to develop that kind of relationship that could break the wall, right? We all have
walls, and it is hard to let your guard down however the ISA provided a safe place to do that.”
Michele shares that the ISA helps her connect with people she does not normally see when she
stated, “But the Monday morning allows me to chat and catch up with people who I haven't seen
in, you know, weeks or months depending on what's going on because we're busy focused on our
classes.” Michele also said “So, it’s meaningful being able to connect with people who I don't
see on a regular basis.” As a result of creating relationships, Pink said, “you would be more
likely to go to them and accept help from them because you have built that relationship.”
Pink who is Metis, is very passionate about incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing
and she spoke from her personal lens of how the Indigenous culture values community and
reciprocity. Pink defined relationships as reciprocal when she said “It’s the reciprocity, right?
Like you give with your gifts, and you receive from other people's gifts? That's kind of what it
is.” Pink places value is seeing relationships from an Indigenous viewpoint and said:
Their sense of community is so strong. It's to the point where they’re like family. They
call each other uncle or auntie because that's how strong their bonds are in the
community. And there's a lot of cultures that have stronger bonds than us I find our
culture is just lacking.
Pink said, “we need to take care of each other and build relationship” and summarized the need
to build these social support networks when she said:
I feel it’s really important because we are social creatures. And so that just fills our social
cup. Then also because you build relationships and rapport with so many different
people, you end up feeling like if you needed something, there would be support in place
for you.

31

Building those social support networks was perceived as supporting social and emotional
wellness among participants.
Social and Emotional Wellness
All three participants spoke to how the ISA helped their social and emotional wellness
when they connected with others during the activity. They felt a sense of safety and trust that
helped them build meaningful relationships and because the ISA was teacher driven, they felt a
sense of autonomy and agency that positively impacted their feelings of connection. Anna speaks
to how the ISA has helped break down her wall when she shared:
I see a connection because my shell is broken a little bit. Okay, I have a wall. I have a
protective wall. That I put up with every relationship. Perhaps everyone does. But mine is
evident. And so, when that little shell breaks a little bit and I've let them in, and I can see
that as it's that's my sense of belonging. You can come in, I trust you.
The participants shared that the ISA was a positive way to start their week and that also helped
with their mental wellness. Anna shared, “So, if we take those 20 minutes in the morning or half
an hour in the morning, it’s just much better way to start your week.” Michele shared that “It's a
very calm place to walk into in the morning.” The ISA helped teachers feel calm and set the tone
for the week and the tone for their classes. Michele also said:
It definitely starts the day off at a more relaxed mode because I'm not just frantically
thinking about what do I need to have ready for the first class? I have a more settled
mindset coming into that first class.
According to participants, this mindset can also impact student learning. Michele speaks to how
the ISA offers transition from the weekend to the work week when she says “And coming in
from the weekend where various things are happening in your everyday life. You just kind of get

32

that reset of, yes, I'm at work, but it's kind of that nice little transition to thinking about school.”
That mindful transition helps with mental wellness as these teachers cope with the stress they can
feel when the work week begins. Michele said:
Starting out with a relaxed atmosphere means that I'm not stressed right at the start of the
day, and the students will feel that because they come in and it's, you know, Hi, good
morning. I hope you had a good weekend. Rather than just okay, get your seats.
This perceived positive impact of the ISA on staff mental wellness was meaningful to
participants as Michele stated:
It's kind of like that coffee time we do tend to talk about some school related things, but it
is a chance to decompress to vent to get some understanding or perspective on a situation
that's happened. So having lunchrooms is important.
The need for social connection over food or coffee again gives staff a space to connect and share
what they are going through. Michele said:
Because it's not always about work. There's a lot of people dealing with a lot of heavy
family things going on and it gives them a chance and the space to talk about what they
need to talk about.
Michele shares that social connections can give “a little energy boost to get through the rest of
your day.” Furthermore, she also shared “it kind of lets them get it out. They can hit that reset
again and then they're ready for their next two classes” Pink speaks how the ISA helps teachers
cope with stress when she shared, “our jobs can be stressful, right? So, it's nice to just to see
people like with their guard down.” Staff can rely on those social networks for their mental
wellness and Pink said, “you would be more likely to go to them and accept help from them

33

because you have built that relationship.” Thus, the participants perceived that relational
connection is integral to social and emotional wellness.
Creating a Collective Teacher Culture
According to these three participants, the ISA drew in a diverse group of staff and offered
a sense of place that provided basic human needs that included food, drink and social inclusion
and connection. As a result of these connections, participants felt relationships were formed
creating social networks that supported staff mental and social wellness. These social support
networks allowed a space for collaboration and mentorship.
Collaboration and Mentorship
The third theme that emerged from the data centered around the connections that lead to
organic collaboration. Throughout the three interviews, all three participants spoke to the
potential of using the ISA as a springboard to collaboration and mentorship. For example, when I
asked Anna if she felt the connections made in the ISA could lead to collaboration she said “It
could grow from that. So definitely, it can be a springboard.” Michele indicated the ISA
experience fostered collaboration opportunities. She said:
[Name of collaborator] and I have talked about doing a novel for grade 10s that is written
by an Indigenous author and looking at okay, how could we link in with the foods class.
So, there is definitely those conversations.
Pink also shared “during the coffee time if we had more time with each other, you'd realize that
you have some similarities with this person or that person or you want to collaborate on
something.” All three participants expressed the potential for mentoring and collaboration in the
future as the ISA becomes part of the culture of the school. One of the elements that also
surfaced in Anna’s interview was the need for the ISA to require minimal effort on her part,

34

which allowed her to the time and energy to get involved and become part of the culture. Anna
said “So, the effort for me was minimal, with a great return.” When asked about the potential for
mentoring Anna said “I mean if it continued, yeah. If we could get everybody for sure. Yeah, I
could see that kind of connection” Therefore, according to participants the potential is there and
the need for the ISA was apparent to them as they saw it as having the possibility to impact the
culture of the school through collaboration and mentoring.
Job Satisfaction and Flourishing
All three participants spoke to how the ISA brought joy and satisfaction to the start of
their work week and how the ISA included all staff and not just teachers. Anna shared that she
would take coffee to the office staff to make sure they also felt a sense of belonging when she
shared, “I also went in and chatted with the office staff because I wanted them to have a sense of
belonging. So absolutely.” It was important to see that the school culture needs to include more
than just the teachers. Participants in the study observed that other staff would join the ISA
including administration, janitorial staff, and educational assistants. Michele shared that she was
able to share who she is as a whole person outside of the school when she said:
I noticed it's not always conversations about work. It's conversations about hiking or dogs
or what did you do on the weekend like we're talking about more than just our jobs?
Which is that sense of belonging, people care about who I am as a person, not just who I
am in the cog of the building.
That sense of connecting with a variety of people about other topics lends itself well to feeling
that sense of belonging and job satisfaction. Michele shared that the ISA provided, “that sense of
belonging and feeling you are being accepted for who you are.” When staff feel accepted no
matter what their role is in the school that also allows for a sense of belonging and flourishing.

35

Feeling joy is an indicator of flourishing. The joy and laughter were evident in the ISA when
Pink shared:
The first thing I noticed, like right away was the happy smiling faces of people. And that
stood out the most to me just because it was really nice to see because we can our jobs
can be stressful, right? So, it's nice to just to see people like with their guard down, I
guess, as well.
Anna also shared that staff felt happy when they participated in the ISA when she said, “People
were pretty happy to get their free cup of coffee. It was a nice way to start the week. Very
casual.” This positive atmosphere was felt by all three participants.
Another significant finding in the interviews was the fact that the ISA was a voluntary
activity. Michele shared “It's a choice to go to the coffee time. It's a conscious decision to do it.
And I think that's important, too.” In the interviews, the ISA was seen as an activity that
participants looked forward to as it brought job satisfaction. Anna said “So, if we take those 20
minutes in the morning or half an hour in the morning, it’s just much better way to start your
week.” When staff can have something that they willingly choose to participate in leads to
greater job satisfaction and flourishing. Anna also spoke to adding another ISA to the end of the
week when she asked, “Would it be nice to have one on Friday morning?” The idea of starting
and ending a week with the ISA could also add to job satisfaction. The participants spoke about
how they felt when they participated, which included feelings of joy indicators of job satisfaction
and flourishing. Participants also indicated that ISAs have the potential to function as a
springboard for mentoring and collaboration.

36

Summary of Findings
The participants in the study connected initially through food and drink in a positive and
safe environment which welcomed and included a diverse group of staff. Participants also spoke
of making connections and how the relationships built promoted social and emotional wellness
for them. They felt that the ISA became a place for them to experience flourishing through their
feelings of belonging.
Teachers spoke to how feeling seen and valued during the ISA impacted their wellbeing
and how it did not require extra from them since they already have many responsibilities as part
of their teaching lives. The idea of giving back and collaborating was seen in all the interviews as
well. The more they connected themselves, the more they also wanted to reach out to others as
well. The ISA allowed the teachers to feel a sense of belonging as they connected. They formed
their own social networks that have the potential to impact the culture at the school allowing for
collaboration and mentoring. The ISA helped participants self-regulate as they started the week
on a positive note knowing they had this social connection that would help them in the future.
The sense of place that was provided at the ISA was also impactful as staff felt safe coming to
the library which was a central and neutral location in the large school. The ISA was meant to
provide that positive social climate that is needed in the workplace to help staff feel a sense of
belonging. The participants felt that the ISA, the place and space, along with the creation of a
social network created a sense of belonging in a post COVID time.

Discussion
Soil, like the teachers, needs to be seeded, which is that initial connection. Once the
connection is made water and fertilizer help the soil become saturated, which is what happens

37

when staff build a social support network. Finally, once the soil is fertilized and watered then it
can produce a harvest. The teachers, like rich soil, are now ready to impact the school culture
through the harvest they produce.
The perceptions of belonging discovered in this phenomenological study supported the
literature about belonging and demonstrated that there are also gaps in the literature. The
findings supported the same themes of belonging, value consonance, social support, job
satisfaction and flourishing. Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2011) discuss how belonging can be defined
as the degree to which people feel connected socially. The participants shared that they felt
positively connected while they participated in the ISA. They shared that the ISA provided a
meaningful positive social climate which allowed for real relationships to be built. Colbert et al.
(2016) define the fundamental need to belong and how positive relationships formed at work can
lead to flourishing. The participants shared how the social connections felt during the ISA
brought them a sense of joy in the workplace along with feelings of flourishing and job
satisfaction. They felt a sense of belonging when they formed positive relationships with other
staff during the ISA.
Value Consonance
Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2021), speak to how supportive social relations among staff along
with value consonance are indicators of a CTC. The participants all shared that the ISA fostered
these social support networks and how they felt valued and supported when participating in the
ISA. They were able to share who they were professionally and personally which lead to
connecting with other teachers who shared similar interests and values. Skaalvik and Skaalvik
(2010) discussed that as teachers share their values, their sense of belonging will increase which
was seen in this phenomenological study. All three participants felt that they were able to share

38

their values and felt accepted by others in the ISA. The results of this study appear to indicate
that participants perceived that the ISA was a safe place for a diverse group of staff to share other
parts of who they are outside of their teacher persona.
While this research focused on teacher perceptions, it is important to note that
administration, janitorial staff, educational assistants, and office staff were all engaged in the ISA
which demonstrated the ISA was perceived as inclusive space. The ISA welcomed all staff,
which fostered a powerful sense of inclusion. All staff play an integral role in creating a positive
school culture which encourages a sense of belonging for all.
The research also addresses how belonging requires social connection that leads to social
support. However, there is a gap in how to facilitate social networking. For example, Skaalvik
and Skaalvik, (2021, 2011), along with Turner et al. (2022), speak to the importance of valuing
social support networks but fail to address how to create them. Turner et al. (2022) shares that
future research is needed to find social support strategies demonstrating the gap in how to
facilitate the connection. Furthermore, Avanzi et al. (2017), Howard and Johnson (2004), and
Turner et al. (2022) demonstrate a link between teachers feeling a sense of belonging and
collaborating in an informal capacity however they do not give examples as to how create
opportunities for interaction to happen. The need to find an activity that could facilitate these
relationships is important and once again there are no examples of how to provide these
opportunities for staff. Kern et al. (2014) speaks to the value of relationships and how they can
lead to job satisfaction and organizational commitment but once again did not address how to
provide an activity that would help create those connections. The ISA is an example of how to
facilitate an activity that fosters relationships, connection, and collaboration which can help
teachers feel a sense of belonging.

39

Social Support
The findings of this study suggest that the participants felt social support while
participating in the ISA. The participants all shared how the ISA gave them a sense of belonging
that led to the creation of social support networks. This connection between a social support
group and a sense of belonging and wellbeing is also reinforced in the scholarship by Avanzi et
al., (2017), Howard and Johnson (2004), and Skaalvik and Skaalvik (2021), and Turner et al.
(2022), who found that “social support may include the provision of emotional support, such as
being empathic, trusting and caring” (p 79). In addition, the findings suggest that participants
believed the ISA supported their mental wellness, which reflects research by Avanzi et al.
(2017) that underscores the importance of “being part of a social entity” for “coping with
stressors” (p. 164).
Job Satisfaction
The results of the findings also demonstrated that the relationships formed while
participating in the ISA was perceived to support job satisfaction. In the research literature, Kern
et al. (2014), shared that “staff with higher engagement and better relationships reported greater
job satisfaction and organizational commitment” (p. 500). All three participants spoke about how
the ISA allowed for relationships that lead to collaboration and mentorship for participants,
which impacted job satisfaction and the potential for a shift in school culture. This corresponds
with Edinger and Edinger (2018) who “believe that teachers who invest time and energy in
building trust networks experience greater job satisfaction” (p. 577). The ISA was perceived to
give staff an opportunity to create a community that invested in social networks and contributing
to job satisfaction.

40

Flourishing
Cherkowski and Walker (2015) speak to having purpose, passion, and play along with the
importance of laughter and joy, which all reflect the idea of flourishing. This study demonstrated
that flourishing reflects the research of Colbert et al. (2016), when they shared relationships
“support growth and development and ultimately promote individual flourishing” (p.
2016).Although the research findings supported the four areas that impact belonging, the
participants also spoke to the importance of place, not currently sufficiently represented in the
literature. It was interesting to learn that the location of the ISA was important to the participants.
The ISA offered an environment, a sense of place, which was positive, well connected, safe, and
relational, which lead to a sense of belonging within the school. The school is large, and the
library provided a central location for all staff. They shared that that where the ISA was held had
importance and value which leads to another a gap in the research around sense of place.
Considerations of Place
Another interesting discovery that was noted in the study was when teachers shared that
the location of the ISA played a key role in the success of the activity. Intentional decisions were
made regarding holding the ISA in the library, a neutral place for all staff. The environment
played an important role in the ISA and value of place is integral because the essence of their
experience centred on where the ISA took place. The centrality of the library is significant, and it
is the heart of the school, which played a role in how the participants viewed the ISA. The library
fostered a more personal environment which allowed teachers to feel safe to share more about
themselves personally and professionally. The sense of place gave the ISA a more relaxed setting
which helped teachers feel more vulnerable so they could create these social support networks.
The participants also spoke about the size of the building and how often staff can feel isolated, so

41

the library was a neutral and safe place for all teachers and the sense of place drew all teachers
from around the school. The ISA is also a voluntary activity giving teachers agency and giving
teachers a choice gives them the opportunity to invest from a personal place.
While all participants spoke of the location, one of the participants is Metis and spoke of
place in personally meaningful and intentional ways. This may open a new space of inquiry: the
consideration of place consciousness, belonging, and Indigenization. Place consciousness is
often connected to pedagogy (e.g., Kelly and Pelech, 2019) however it could open the
possibilities of thinking about place consciousness beyond the classroom Kelly and Pelech
(2019) share, “the local environment and community are integrated with teaching to generate a
space where curriculum comes alive – where the connections, questions, unknows, and knowns
are all interwoven with the experience of place.” (p. 738). As place-conscious curriculum can
come alive for students, the lived experiences of teachers who participated in the ISA also came
alive. The essence of the participants’ connection to place played a significant role in how they
came alive while participating in the ISA. Future research is needed that considers place in
relation to overall wellbeing of staff, belonging and Indigenization in an educational setting.
Kelly and Pelech (2019) also speak to how place-consciousness enhances the agency of the
students and in the same way the ISA also enhances the agency of the teachers. The importance
of place consciousness is an interesting discovery and addresses another area of research that
could be explored. More study into place consciousness and how it can impact sense of
belonging is a gap in literature that needs to be addressed.

42

Limitations
This research study had limitations that included the time, place, and number of people.
There are also limitations to qualitative research as it addresses theorizing and inquiring into
experience as opposed to experimental research that proves cause and effect or correlation. The
study focused on only one school in one district. The sample size was small, and I used
purposeful sampling of the participants. The study was limited to only teachers who participated
in the ISA. The study could have also included administration and support staff who also
participated in the ISA. The participants were all female so that is a limitation that needs to be
addressed along with the fact that the school where the ISA took place is a large one with a large
staff. Results could have been different had the ISA happened in a smaller school with a smaller
staff. Also, the study focused on secondary teachers which is an example of another limitation,
and it would be interesting to see how the ISA would impact elementary and middle schools.
However, my study suggests that this topic is relevant, and the participants had so much to share
in their interviews that could lead to more research. My study has provided a springboard to
more research. Could the ISA’s lead to professional learning communities within the school?
Would there be a way to research how the ISA could impact teacher performance? Also, how
could the ISA impact students as a result? These are further questions that can be answered with
different forms of research.

Implications and Recommendations
The findings of this study contribute to the literature around beloging and connection in
the work place. The results are of importance as it offers an example of how to implement an
activity of choice that encourages sense of beloging and social support. Studies have shown how

43

connection and social support can lead to flourishing and job satisfaction in the workplace. More
studies around how to create these opportunities is needed to be further researched. As mentor
leaders, we need tools; we realize that positive school culture has lasting benefits that extend
ultimately to students and their learning. This study demonstrated that the ISA was a tool to
bring together staff with belongingness. If staff feel a sense of belonging, and a positive school
culture, this can impact how they teach. It is more than teaching, it is taking care of the person.
Healthy teachers who feel taken care of, will bring this sense forward to their students, which is
necessary in a post-Covid-19 era.
I recommend that mentor leaders consider various ways they can create ISAs in their
schools. For example, ISAs that I considered were lunch time walks, book clubs, spin classes,
yoga classes, hiking or walking clubs. The ISAs would vary from school to school based on the
interests of the staff. I recommend that further studies be done on how to engage an entire staff in
activities that foster belonging. Each school has a different culture so it would be interesting to
see what kind of ISA would work better at different schools. Furthermore, it would be
noteworthy to see if schools who offer a variety of different ISAs could help more staff feel a
sense of belonging.

The findings demonstrate how the ISA has a positive impact on teachers who participated
in the activity. The focus was on teacher experience, but the ISA also impacted more staff that
included educational assistants, custodial staff, secretarial staff, and administrators. It would be
interesting to also see other staff members’ perceptions of belonging within the school
workplace. Studies also show that administrative support can positively impact the staff. For
example, Cherkowski and Walker (2015) focused on the principal lens in their research on how

44

school leaders can understand and experience flourishing in their schools. Their findings
included “that a sense of flourishing seemed to emanate from a strong purpose, a sense of
passion, and a feeling of play in the work of cultivating school climates where teachers feel their
own sense of purpose, passion and play at work” (p. 388). It would be interesting to see how
administration could use ISAs to support their leadership style by cultivating relationships with
their staff. How do the findings of this study impact educational leadership? How can leaders
implement ISAs that would support the social climate of their schools?
The size of the building and the size of the staff had an impact on the findings so it would
be interesting to see how it would impact a smaller sized school building and staff. The
participants also suggested other ISA recommendations such as book clubs and social lunches. It
would be interesting to see studies that focused on other informal activities that would support
the social wellbeing of staff. It was noted that the ISA needs to be easy and accessible as teachers
are so busy and how significant that was to the participants. Another recommendation would
include researching how the Indigenous ways of knowing also impact belonging and community
along with further studies around how place consciousness could impact an ISA.

Conclusion
As I return to my garden metaphor, I feel joy in picturing the teachers at my school as
rich and flourishing soil that produces a bountiful harvest. I need to seed, water, and fertilize the
soil and that requires “a healthy emotional climate in which people are relaxed enough to learn,
grow, and collaborate” (Safir, 2017, p. 41). The need to remember to ‘feed the lizard’ which
means assessing people’s basic needs and paying attention to the environment around them is

45

also important and necessary. In the same way it is important to address the social and emotional
needs of the staff while meeting their physical needs.
Wheatley (2017) says “our natural state is to be together (though we keep moving away
from each other)—we haven’t lost the need to be in relationship. Everybody has a story, and
everybody wants to tell it in order to connect” (p. 244). As the ISA provides an opportunity for
staff to share their stories and create deeper social support networks. The staff, like the soil,
becomes more saturated and richer as we meet those basic needs and listen to their stories. The
hope is that the ISA will give staff a positive and nourishing climate to grow in producing a rich
harvest of collaboration and mentorship. I want to be a gardener who plants seeds, nourishes the
soil with fertilizer and water, and in the same way, be a mentor leader who encourages and
facilitates a sense of belonging. I hope the school will begin to grow as a CTC and reap a harvest
as the staff collaborate and flourish. The study demonstrated that the ISA, offered a place and
space that helped staff feel a sense of belonging in a post pandemic world and I would like to see
the creation of more ISAs that help staff feel connected once again by strengthening the deep
roots of our school community.

46

References

Armstrong, T. (2019). Mindfulness in the classroom: strategies for promoting concentration,
compassion, and calm. ASCD.
Avanzi, L., Fraccaroli, F., Castelli, L., Marcionetti, J., Crescentini, A., Balducci, C., & van Dick,
R. (2018). How to mobilize social support against workload and burnout: The role of
organizational identification. Teaching and Teacher Education, 69, 154–167. https://doiorg.proxy.ufv.ca:2443/10.1016/j.tate.2017.10.001
Cherkowski, S., & Walker, K. (2016). Purpose, passion, and play. Journal of Educational
Administration, 54(4), 378–392. https://doi.org/10.1108/jea-10-2014-0124
Colbert, A. E., Bono, J. E., & Purvanova, R. K. (2016). Flourishing via workplace relationships:
Moving beyond instrumental support. The Academy of Management Journal, 59(4),
1199–1223.
Creswell, J. W. & Plano Clark, V. L. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research.
Sage Publications.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2017). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among
five approaches (4th Ed.). Sage.
Denzin, N.K., & Lincoln, Y.S. (2005). The discipline and practice of qualitative research. In
N.K. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research, 3rd ed., 1-42.
Sage.
Donohoo, J. (2021). "I collaborate with my peers and my teachers about my conceptions of
progress and my impact". In J. Hattie & R. L. Smith (Eds.), 10 mindframes for leaders:
the Visible Learning approach to school success (pp. 35–43). essay, Corwin.

47

Edinger, S. K., & Edinger, M. J. (2018). Improving teacher job satisfaction: The roles of social
capital, teacher efficacy, and support. Journal of Psychology, 152(8), 573–593.
Fullan, M. (2021). "I am a change agent and believe all teachers/students can improve". In J.
Hattie & R. L. Smith (Eds.), 10 mindframes for leaders: the Visible Learning approach to
school success (pp. 45–52). essay, Corwin.
Howard, S., & Johnson, B. (2004). Resilient teachers: Resisting stress and burnout. Social
Psychology of Education, 7(4), 300-420 https://doiorg.proxy.ufv.ca:2443/10.1007/s11218-00-0975-0
Kahn, W. A. (2007). Meaningful connections: Positive relationships and attachment at work. In
J. E. Dutton & B. R. Ragins (Eds.), Exploring positive relationships at work: Building a
theoretical and research foundation: 189–206.Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Kern, M. L., Waters, L., Adler, A., & White, M. (2014). Assessing employee wellbeing in
schools using a multifaceted approach: Associations with physical health, life
satisfaction, and professional thriving. Psychology, 5(6), 500–513.
https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2014.56060
Kelly, D., & Pelech, S. (2019). A Critical Conceptualization of Place-Conscious Pedagogy.
Merriam, S.B., & Tisdell, E.J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and
implementation. John Wiley & Sons.
Moerer-Urdahl, T., & Creswell, J. W. (2004). Using transcendental phenomenology to explore
the “ripple effect” in a leadership mentoring program. International Journal of
Qualitative Methods, 3(2), 19–35. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690400300202

48

Safir, S. (2017). The listening leader: Creating the conditions for equitable school
transformation. John Wiley and Sons.
Saldana J. (2009). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Sage.
Saldana, J. (2011). Fundamentals of qualitative research. New York, NY: Oxford University
Press. Ch5: Writing and presenting qualitative research.
Sharpe, K., & Nishimura, J. (2017). When mentoring meets coaching: Shifting the stance in
education. Pearson Canada Inc.
Sinek, S. (2009, September). How great leaders inspire action [Video].
TED.https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action
Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2010). Teachers’ feeling of belonging, exhaustion, and job
satisfaction: The role of school goal structure and value consonance. Anxiety, Stress &
Coping, 24, 369–385.
Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2011). Teacher job satisfaction and motivation to leave the
teaching profession: Relations with school context, feeling of belonging, and emotional
exhaustion. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(6), 1029–1038. https://doiorg.proxy.ufv.ca:2443/10.1016/j.tate.2011.04.001
Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2021). Collective teacher culture: Exploring an elusive construct
and its relations with teacher autonomy, belonging, and job satisfaction. Social
Psychology of Education, 24(6), 1389. https://doi-org.proxy.ufv.ca:2443/10.1007/s11218021-09673-4
Turner, K., Thielking, M., & Prochazka, N. (2022). Teacher well-being and social support: A
phenomenological study. Educational Research, 64(1), 77–94. https://doiorg.proxy.ufv.ca:2443/10.1080/00131881.2021.2013126

49

Yilmaz, K. (2013). Comparison of quantitative and qualitative research traditions:
Epistemological, theoretical, and methodological differences. European Journal of
Education, 48 (2), 311-325.
Zarate, K., Maggin, D. M., & Passmore, A. (2019). Meta-Analysis of Mindfulness Training on
Teacher Well-Being. Psychology in the Schools, 56(10), 1700–1715.

50

Appendix A

Ethics Approval

Research, Engagement, & Graduate Studies
33844 King Rd
Abbotsford BC V2S 7M8

Tel: (604) 557-4011
Research.Ethics@ufv.ca
Website: www.ufv.ca/research-ethics

Human Research Ethics Board - Certificate of Ethical Approval
HREB Protocol No: 101164
Principal Investigator: Mrs. Suzette Izbicki
Team Members: Mrs. Suzette Izbicki (Principal Investigator)
Dr. Mary Gene Saudelli (Co-Investigator)
Title: Secondary school teachers' perceptions of an informal social activity.
Department: Faculty of Education
Effective: November 17, 2022
Expiry: November 16, 2023
The Human Research Ethics Board (HREB) has reviewed and approved the ethics of the above
research. The HREB is constituted and operated in accordance with the requirements of the UFV
Policy on Human Research Ethics and the current Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct
for Research Involving Humans (TCPS2).
The approval is subject to the following conditions:
1. Approval is granted only for the research and purposes described in the application.
2. Approval is for one year. A Request for Renewal must be submitted 2-3 weeks before the
above expiry date.
3. Modifications to the approved research or research team must be submitted as an Amendment
to be reviewed and approved by the HREB before the changes can be implemented. If the
changes are substantial, a new request for approval must be sought. *An exception can be made
where the change is necessary to eliminate an immediate risk to participant(s) (TPCS2 Article
6.15). Such changes may be implemented but must be reported to the HREB within 5 business
days.
4. If an adverse incident occurs, an Adverse Incident Event form must be completed and
submitted.
5. During the project period, the HREB must be notified of any issues that may have ethical
implications.
6. A Final Report Event Form must be submitted to the HREB when the research is complete or
terminated.
*Please note a Research Continuity Plan is no longer required. Thank you, and all the best with
your research.
UFV Human Research Ethics Board

51

Appendix B

Interview Protocol
Thank you for participating in this interview and I want to remind you that the interview is
voluntary and will be kept confidential. Protecting you as a participant is a priority throughout
this research process. You are able to skip any question that you do not want to answer, and I
want to remind you that you are able to withdraw from the study up until the approval of your
transcript.
1. How would you define belonging?
a. How would you define belonging in the workplace?
2. Describe your experience when you participated in the Monday morning coffee time.
a. What did you notice or observe?
b. What stood out to you?
c. Did your experience connect you to a sense of belonging in the workplace? If so, how
and if not, why not?
d. Can you describe how this activity was or was not meaningful to you?
3. Given your definition of belonging, what activities would you suggest would increase your
sense of belonging within your school?
a. How does feeling a sense of belonging support your social and emotional wellness in
the workplace?
b. Would you be willing to participate in or lead any of these activities to support your
school culture?
I will transcribe the interview within two weeks and send you a clean copy. You will have one
week to read it over and be able to edit, delete, or add to it. Once you approve it, please send it
back to me. However, if you choose to withdraw, you must do it before the approval of the
transcript. If you feel uncomfortable at any time, we have counselling support at UFV for you if
needed.
Thank you again for your time and for participating in the interview.