Research has shown that a sense of belonging is an important schooling outcome in its own right and, for some students, is indicative of educational success and long-term health and wellbeing (OECD, 2004, as cited in Vukovic, 2018). A sense of belonging can be fostered in many ways, and a combination of different strategies will work for different school contexts.
Earlier this year, Mosman Park School for Deaf Children (MPSDC) in Perth, Western Australia, unveiled their brand new school uniform. Based on the colours of the Deaf Flag, the uniform was designed to promote pride, visibility and connection for the school community.
MPSDC is a specialist primary school providing education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. They are a bilingual and bicultural school and students have full access to both Auslan and English. Auslan Language Specialist staff work alongside teachers in every classroom and students are also supported by Educational Interpreters and Education Assistants.
‘We wanted our students to see themselves reflected in something that represents the global Deaf community and to feel a sense of belonging to something bigger than themselves,’ Principal Monique Smith tells Teacher. ‘The uniform is more than just clothing; it is a symbol of identity, culture and empowerment.’
Strengthening students’ sense of school belonging
Through the new uniform design – which takes inspiration from the 3 colours of the Deaf Flag – MPSDC wanted to send a clear message to students, families and the wider community that Deaf children are proud, capable and successful.
‘Deaf children often experience significant isolation simply because there are very few people in their daily lives who can communicate with them in their natural language. This can make it difficult for them to develop a strong sense of identity and belonging.
‘We wanted our students to wear the colours of the Deaf Flag with confidence and for the community to see that Deaf kids are everywhere – participating, achieving and making valuable contributions in all aspects of life,’ Smith says.
Inspiration behind the design
The Deaf Flag – designed by Arnaud Balard, a French deafblind artist – comprises of 3 colours: turquoise blue, yellow and dark blue. The turquoise blue colour represents the Deaf community and Sign Language, pride and unity; yellow represents light, an enlightened spirit, life and thriving in unison; and the dark blue represents the earth, humanity and living in accordance with the planet, and is also the colour of the World Federation of the Deaf (World Federation of the Deaf, n.d.).
The MPSDC uniform features all 3 colours and the design also represents their own school context. ‘The flowing panel [design] is a nod to our school location, between the river and the sea, and also that Deaf language and culture are never ending,’ Smith explains.
The uniform design process
The moment that prompted the uniform re-design process was a simple one. Smith shares that the idea came to her after she observed another school’s uniform that incorporated 3 colours.
‘I started to think how good it would look if we had one based on the Deaf Flag colours. As soon as I planted the seed at school, the initiative gained huge traction, and it would have been impossible to stop it from happening!
‘We had recently employed a Deaf street artist to create a mural for us which was based on Auslan signs and the Deaf Flag colours. It was incredibly powerful and our students connected deeply with the artwork on so many different levels. They were very proud to show off this art and could tell us how it impacted their sense of identity. So, the idea to use the Deaf Flag colours became a no-brainer for us. We were also very proud to put our school motto [Deaf Kids CAN] on the back, which all of our community embraced.’
Smith reflects that the actual design process was quite straightforward. Deaf staff members were consulted first, and then the entire school community – staff, students and families – were surveyed, which resulted in 100% support for the uniform change.
‘We have had overwhelmingly positive feedback for this project. Our staff and students wear the shirts proudly and the Perth Deaf community absolutely love this. We have seen our school being mentioned on Deaf social media across the world with everyone being excited and supportive of the initiative, showing immense pride in all things Deaf.’
References
Deaf Flag image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sign_Union_flag.svg
Vukovic, R. (2018, June 6). Students' sense of belonging at school. Teacher magazine. https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/students-sense-of-belonging-at-school
World Federation of the Deaf (n.d.) Deaf Flag. https://wfdeaf.org/deaf-flag/
When was the last time you asked students, families and staff for feedback on your school’s uniform? Do the colours and design of your school’s uniform represent your community?
What strategies are you using to successfully foster a sense of belonging and pride in your own school?
