Students often enter a new course with some degree of trepidation wondering whether they belong (Wilson & Wilson, 2007). During the first few weeks of the semester, classrooms can feel intimidating as students learn names, establish routines, and determine whether their instructors see them as individuals rather than simply names on a roster. While instructors frequently employ icebreakers and other introductory activities, many of these interactions are brief, occurring only during the initial class meeting (Hoseini Shavoun et al., 2024). Opportunities to reinforce belonging often fade as the semester progresses. The challenge, then, is to find simple, sustainable practices that remind students that they are valued members of the learning community without requiring significant instructional time.
