Educator-Led Differentiation: Building a Sense of Belonging in the High School Classroom

This teacher action research investigated the influence of instructional differentiation on students’ perceived sense of belonging and peer relationships in a 9th-grade Integrated Common Core Math 1 course (n = 30; 12 female, 18 male; 2 students with IEPs, 1 with a 504 plan). Baseline survey data indicated low levels of belonging, particularly among six focal students representing both students demonstrating broader readiness and those still consolidating foundational concepts.Findings suggest that differentiated instructional practices contributed to enhanced perceptions of belonging, with students reporting increased positive affect toward mathematics, greater opportunities for meaningful peer interaction, and stronger social connections. These outcomes highlight students’ nuanced awareness of classroom dynamics and underscore the potential of differentiation to address disengagement across the achievement spectrum. Although the limits of teacher positionality constrain full access to student perspectives, results affirm the value of differentiation as a pedagogical strategy for cultivating inclusive and supportive classroom communities.