Edutopia – Robert Ward 
As communal creatures, we all crave belonging. Feeling understood and integral among a wide variety of people creates connections that make our lives complete. At our core, each of us is searching for those connections. Acceptance and affinity are especially important in the classroom, where each student’s social and emotional development directly impacts their academic achievement. Feelings of community and collaboration make learning meaningful for all, and this sense of shared significance is at the heart of a concept called benefit mindset. (more)