“To create this empathy, I encourage adult staff to share their story first, and take an emotional risk by being more vulnerable, honest and open to young people. This process creates an empathy exchange between the adult, and the young people which is the foundation for healing centered engagement” (Payne, 2013). – Shawn Ginwright, 2020.

“As a classroom community, our capacity to generate excitement is deeply affected by our interest in one another, in hearing one another’s voices, in recognizing one another’s presence.” – bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress

Further Reading

• How to Build an Online Learning Community: 6 Theses by Jesse Stommel
• Community from a Distance: Building a Sense of Belonging in an Online Classroom
• Building Community and Interaction Online