Cultivating Togetherness in Our Learning Communities

“Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”  -Lilo and Stitch

Like many parents during the school break, I was relying on a bit of screen therapy for my kids when this quote from Disney’s Lilo and Stitch jumped out at me. It reminded me of the desire for belonging that is characteristic of individuals both within families and within our learning communities. This is no surprise since family is a microcosm of a community, and our schools are communities at a larger scale. As I reflected upon the most thriving learning communities I have witnessed, the common thread between them has been a culture of togetherness so strong that nobody is forgotten. This realization compelled me to explore the concept of togetherness, its underpinnings, and how you can cultivate it to ensure that all within your environment can flourish.

Cultivating Togetherness in Our Learning Communities

Echoes of togetherness can be found among a variety of theoretical approaches. One must look no further than Paulo Friere’s seminal work Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970) for a starting point. Friere–a one-time Geneva resident who once worked for the World Council of Churches right next to the future site of the International School of Geneva's Campus des Nations–reminds us to pursue a “humanizing pedagogy” where participants play an active role in owning their learning through dialogue and reflection that provides a more sustainable basis for true liberation. Through his writing, Friere urges us to shift away from a rigid, top-down, transactional approach to education and towards one that fosters greater togetherness that inspires positive contributions to our community and, ultimately, the world.

Togetherness can also be seen through inclusive learning approaches. For instance, at the International School of Geneva (Ecolint), we developed the Ecolint Learner Passport which provides a more holistic view of our students aligned with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) seven global competences. Through approaches like this and others inspired by the Coalition to Honour all Learning, we aim to rethink assessment across the international education landscape and engage in more inclusive practices that affirm the diverse identities and learning approaches of our students. With our Learner Passport, we foster greater togetherness by ensuring that each student’s full humanity is celebrated and no student is overlooked for their unique gifts.

Building upon the topic of inclusion, after spending time as a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practitioner in education, I see how DEI is deeply intertwined with togetherness. DEI is at its most impactful when we shift from the patronizing perspective that those with privilege must “save” the disenfranchised, to an approach where “our liberation is bound together,” as Michelle MiJung Kim states in her book The Wake Up (2023). Author Tim Wise (2002) expands on this further through an anti-racist lens by arguing that “racism and white supremacy carry a cost, mostly for the victims but also for the perpetrators and collaborators.” We often overlook the cost in loss of identity that comes with assimilation into a dominant group. We cannot flourish individually and as communities while inequities persist and scarcity mindsets prevail. Therefore, fostering togetherness is an essential foundation for DEI work.

Belief is also a key component of togetherness. I have personally experienced school systems where students were streamed into class sets based on perceived academic ability. Those in the bottom set were often left with little expectation to succeed, which undoubtedly impacted their motivation. As educators, we must design learning in ways that appropriately challenge students while maintaining and communicating our belief in their potential. We must also surround students with peers and teachers who model academic discipline. By doing so, we tap into the potential for success that lies within every student.

An African proverb states, “if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” This is embodied in the Southern African concept of Ubuntu, which asserts that we are human through our collective humanity. As Chinhano and Adebayo (2020) explain, “the wisdom of Ubuntu lies in the recognition that it is not possible to build healthy learning environments unless the human dignity of all members of that learning community is safeguarded.” As educators, we must extend an invitational hand to those in our care to demonstrate that our classrooms and learning communities can only function well when they are all engaged together.

I vividly recall a drama performance at a school where I once worked. One of the lead roles was played by an autistic student. While this student was witty and insightful, their social interactions often fell outside the cultural norm. Yet, in an act of Ubuntu, the drama teacher held open auditions, welcomed the student, recognized their talent, and cast them in a leading role. During intermission, the student had an emotional crisis backstage. Instead of alienating them, in another act of Ubuntu, the entire cast rallied around them with words of encouragement. Buoyed by their support, the student returned to the stage and delivered a flawless performance, stealing the show. This beautiful moment of togetherness shows what can be achieved when the school community benefits from the unique contributions of every member.

What Togetherness Is Not

Critics of togetherness often point to slow decision-making or the impossibility of pleasing everyone. However, togetherness doesn’t mean unanimous agreement or satisfying all individual demands. Rather, it means ensuring that everyone in the community has a voice and agency to contribute ideas. Although the final decision may not have a full consensus, acknowledging different perspectives ensures that no one is left behind or forgotten. It is also important to preserve opposing viewpoints as they may become relevant under different circumstances in the future. When we practice togetherness, we recognize that every perspective has value, even if we can’t accommodate each one at a given moment.

Steps to Foster a Culture of Togetherness

1. Encourage Self-Reflection and Awareness: 

Institutions that foster togetherness provide avenues for self-reflection and awareness of one’s relationship with the diverse individuals in the community. For instance, at Ecolint Campus des Nations, our staff - with levels of responsibility - kicked off the year by taking part in a variety of personality assessments and reflections on their individual work styles. Through this self-reflection, we fostered greater togetherness by helping colleagues understand how to complement each other's strengths and work styles.

In our diverse communities, self-reflection on identity is also crucial. Dr. Liza Talusan’s (2022) book, The Identity-Conscious Educator, offers a variety of reflective exercises. One notable activity focuses on having individuals reflect on their comfort level and frequency of interaction with specific forms of identity (e.g., race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc.). Such exercises can also be powerful classroom tools, and they help highlight identities within the community that may otherwise be overlooked, encouraging a more inclusive approach that fosters togetherness.

2. Create a Shared Understanding: 

A strong foundation for togetherness is built on a shared understanding that captures representative input from all community members. Establishing community agreements is one effective strategy to achieve a shared understanding at a variety of levels from the classroom to the whole institution. There are numerous community agreement protocols but my personal favorite was introduced to me by Ayodele Harrison from BMEsTalk and modelled after the National Equity Project. Through this process, participants go through a series of negotiations that eventually capture the most salient points of community agreement. Developing a shared understanding can result in powerful outcomes, such as our Ecolint Guidelines which were established through a community-wide approach that harnessed all voices from students to staff.

Once shared understandings are established at the institutional level, they should be further nuanced within smaller groups. For instance, the biology department might explore what a shared agreement like “nobody being left behind or forgotten” means in the context of their curriculum design. The student anti-discrimination committee may also consider what the same shared agreement means for them as advocates of the student experience. The smaller groups help translate broad agreements into actionable practices relevant to specific contexts.

3. Establish Cycles of Reflection and Continuous Improvement: 

Shared understandings and community agreements must be revisited regularly to ensure they remain relevant and effective. Design Thinking, with its emphasis on empathy and iterative solutions, provides a useful framework for this process. The Kaizen method, which is the inspiration behind the Agile movement that has influenced many industries including education (especially project-based learning), also emphasizes retrospection and continuous improvement through small, empowered groups. In one of my previous roles, my team used Kaizen to streamline a task that originally took six weeks to just 11 days. Through participation in small groups committed to continuous improvement of our practices through systems approaches such as these, all can contribute to maintain a dynamic culture of togetherness.

Conclusion: Advocating for Togetherness

As we embark into the new year at Ecolint, I am excited to be part of a school that prioritizes togetherness through its strategic focus on human flourishing. Through a variety of commitments and design cycles aimed at curriculum relevance, sustainability of resources and individuals, innovation of systems and assessment models, and global citizenship that recognizes our interconnectedness, we are cultivating a community where everyone can flourish and contribute to the betterment of our world. 

Togetherness is not about unanimity but about ensuring that all voices are valued and included in the journey toward our shared goals. As you return to your respective institutions, let us advocate for a culture of togetherness where every individual is celebrated and encouraged to contribute to constructing the world we want to see. After all, "Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten." In our learning communities, let us make sure that everyone is included, heard, and empowered to join in, together.


References

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Chinhanu, C., & Adebayo, S. (2020, July 8). Ubuntu in Education: Towards equitable teaching and learning for all in the era of SDG 4. NORRAG: Network for International Policies and Cooperation in Education and Teaching . https://www.norrag.org/ubuntu-in-education-towards-equitable-teaching-and-learning-for-all-in-the-era-of-sdg-4-by-chiedza-a-chinhanu-and-seun-b-adebayo/

Coalition to Honour All Learning (2025). https://honouralllearning.ecolint.ch/home

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Ecolint (2023). Ecolint Guidelines. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1n3ZkLoEoOcusnnewBBzwJ9-S6ddo0RU4/view 

Ecolint (2024). Strategic Plan. https://www.ecolint.ch/en/strategic-plan 

Ecolint (2025). Ecolint Learner Passport. https://www.ecolint.ch/en/learner-passport

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MiJung Kim, M. (2023). The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change. : Hachette Books.

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Wise, T. (2002). White Like Me: Race and Identity Through Majority Eyes. In B. Singley (Ed.), When Race Becomes Real: Black and White Writers Confront Their Personal Histories (pp. 225-240). : Lawrence Hill Books.