In this conversation, Dr. Sarah Bennison discusses the Mattering Movement, which aims to combat feelings of inadequacy and loneliness, particularly among young people. She shares her experiences as an educator in underprivileged areas and highlights the importance of small acts of kindness and service learning in fostering connections and a sense of belonging. The discussion also touches on the pressures of achievement culture in education and the need for both students and teachers to feel valued and empowered. Dr. Bennison emphasizes the actionable nature of fostering mattering in educational settings and provides practical steps for parents and educators to create supportive environments.

The Mattering Movement, which includes tools for parents and teachers https://www.thematteringmovement.com/
Dr. Jonathan Kozol, author of the book that inspired so many of us idealistic young teachers, Savage Inequalities https://www.jonathankozol.com/ (a book every American should read!)
Trinity School NYC Service Learning Program (designed by Sarah) https://www.trinityschoolnyc.org/our-programs/public-service
Creating a Class: College Admissions and the Education of Elites by Dr. Mitchell Stevens (highly recommend!)
To read more about the concept of 'thwarted belonging' as a risk factor, check out Dr. Tom Joiner's Why People Die By Suicide (this book is intense, so proceed with caution)
The Pain of Social Rejection, Dr. Kipling Williams, the experiment that replicates being excluded from a game that suggests that social rejection activates the same neurological response as physical pain https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/04/rejection
Bennison Gives https://www.bennisongives.com/ If you need to buy baby clothes for a great cause!

The Mattering Movement
The Mattering Movement provides powerful tools to help parents, students, and teachers untangle self-worth from achievement: it is called mattering.
The Mattering Movement
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